Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2014/15 (continued)

[Damocles]

Mourinho didn't get the gig because he'd pissed us about previously which meant he was a no no with Mansour and Khaldoon.
Txiki said he was impressed by Mourinho when he interviewed him at Barcelona. He just thought Pep was a better fit.

Holistic is just a word. For all you know Txiki has advised Pellegrini that most of the youth players aren't ready yet.
Khaldoon has said our aim is to win all 4 competitions that we play in. To have a chance in all competitions we normally have
two top players for each position. Only if and when a youth player is deemed to be at that level will he get an extended run.
For that reason most of our better prospects are out on loan. Iheanacho is the exception to that rule. He might well be the
real deal.

Pellegrini should go on Monday if we can get an upgrade. Pep, Ancelotti and Klopp are upgrades. Rafa is probably at the
same level. If we can't get an upgrade (and I'm sure we can) then he should stay and be given a contract extension to end
all speculation. I'm not his biggest fan but to say he isn't a "City manager" is just being silly. He's not Frank Clark or Alan Ball.

Obviously you have the inside information that I don't.

But either way "holistic" isn't just a word, it's a concept which Soriano, Begiristain and from his speaking elsewhere, Sheikh Mansour firmly believe in and how they run their businesses.

And the idea that a player will EVER come out of ANY Academy and be good enough to walk into our side is hilarious

Just out of interest, where has the good Sheikh spoken about how he runs his businesses and, in particular, used the word "holistic"? Honest question. I would be interested to hear what he has to say. I am a little sceptical, though. Holistic just sounds like consultancy-speak to me.

Soriano thread

 

[Damocles]

Glad you agree with me that it's going to be a very, very rare occurrence, hence the fact we loan players out.

Never say never. Messi would have. Iheanacho may.

So when City spoke of a 50% Academy graduate squad by 2030, did you presume that these would all be world class £30m players?

It's an aspiration. A "stretch goal" to use management speak.

When Khaldoon said we aim to win every competition we enter going forward he didn't add any caveats about playing youth players.
Khaldoon was talking about here and now not about a target 15 years hence.

Youth is important hence the investment in the Academy but it's long term investment and only one factor in making an elite club.
Ajax probably still have a better academy system than Real Madrid but Real's financial clout trumps them 99 times out of 100.
Success on the field is key to everything. We pick players on merit not on quotas or any other such nonsense.

So your quotes from management are facts and mine are merely aspirations.

How convenient that is for you.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

It Doesn't matter if you've watched them 100 times or 5 times the fact is, the step up from the youth league to leauge 1 is huge never mind the premiership. Its so much faster it's unreal. Some might look great at youth level but jumping from that to the prem is a different kettle of fish. That's the whole reason for loaning a player out. I'm sure if pellegrini feels a player is ready he will be given a chance.

lopes will be part of the squad next year imo. Deneyer will be loaned out again I reckon along with pozo and barker to name a few.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

I want to see our kids coming through into the first team, but ffs times have changed from the days of Peter Barnes and Gary Owen

The days when we could drag a kid out of the reserves straight into the first team are all but over. They need to prove themselves in the none contact u18`s and u21`s first before going out on loan and hopefully proving there worth in the lower half of the prem or a championship. This is when we will find out if they have the bottle to even get near our first team.

All our present first team squad players are internationals in there own right, all but the absolute best of our kids would struggle in the cut and thrust of the premier league and it would be unfair to ask them to step up that far in one bound from the youth teams.

In the days of Barnes and Owen they had to fight against good players from the home nations now the kids have to try and dislodge some of the best players in the world.

 

[sam-caddick]

‏@City_Watch
The Guardian: Manuel Pellegrini's future could be decided on Sunday with chairman Khaldoon set to conduct his annual review of the campaign.

Our Pep obsession will see him remain at City.

 

[Damocles]

It Doesn't matter if you've watched them 100 times or 5 times.

What an incredible statement that is in terms of judging a player

 

[@BluePhil8]

‏@City_Watch
The Guardian: Manuel Pellegrini's future could be decided on Sunday with chairman Khaldoon set to conduct his annual review of the campaign.

Our Pep obsession will see him remain at City.

Who's Pep obsession?

As far as I can tell the only man obsessed with Pep is Txiki, who will also be subject to a review by Khaldoon.

After Txiki's performance with incoming transfers he could well be up for the sack as well.

Hope Khaldoon sees through the bullshit. He will want answers for our abject season and I doubt "waiting in hope for a year for Pep" is going to cut the mustard.

 

[chesterbells]

‏@City_Watch
The Guardian: Manuel Pellegrini's future could be decided on Sunday with chairman Khaldoon set to conduct his annual review of the campaign.

Our Pep obsession will see him remain at City.

The MEN suggesting Khaldoon may not even be there, and may conduct the review by video-conference, suggests its even more likely he'll be staying to me

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

So when City spoke of a 50% Academy graduate squad by 2030, did you presume that these would all be world class £30m players?

It's an aspiration. A "stretch goal" to use management speak.

When Khaldoon said we aim to win every competition we enter going forward he didn't add any caveats about playing youth players.
Khaldoon was talking about here and now not about a target 15 years hence.

Youth is important hence the investment in the Academy but it's long term investment and only one factor in making an elite club.
Ajax probably still have a better academy system than Real Madrid but Real's financial clout trumps them 99 times out of 100.
Success on the field is key to everything. We pick players on merit not on quotas or any other such nonsense.

So your quotes from management are facts and mine are merely aspirations.

How convenient that is for you.

Mine are based on a current target (I think originally made 3 years ago? ) which is ongoing.

Your quotes are a target for 2030 based on unknown players who almost certainly aren't even on the academy's books yet.

They assume we have developed our global scouting network and global attraction to a level where we attract loads
of top kids. City being THE club of choice for many, many kids around the world. To get remotely close to that vision we
have to be far more successful than we are now. The facilities are important but so is the club's profile: playing someone in 2015
who isn't ready and may never be ready doesn't make sense. Players get their chance to prove themselves on loan.

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

‏@City_Watch
The Guardian: Manuel Pellegrini's future could be decided on Sunday with chairman Khaldoon set to conduct his annual review of the campaign.

Our Pep obsession will see him remain at City.

Who's Pep obsession?

As far as I can tell the only man obsessed with Pep is Txiki, who will also be subject to a review by Khaldoon.

After Txiki's performance with incoming transfers he could well be up for the sack as well.

Hope Khaldoon sees through the bullshit. He will want answers for our abject season and I doubt "waiting in hope for a year for Pep" is going to cut the mustard.

If Pep is coming Txiki needs to deliver him now. I would also be surprised if Khaldoon would be prepared to wait.

Personally I'm confident he's coming. One way or another we should know very shortly.

Seem to remember Mancini's appraisal being brought forward.