Re: Distin?
FROM HIS OFFICIAL MYSPACE....and yes it is from Slyvain himself...not a fake profile.
Monday, November 19, 2007
WHY DID I LEAVE CITY...
Current mood: contemplative
There you go... it took me longer than i expected to complete this blog, not that i was looking for what to say but just didn t feel the need to explain anything yet. Anyway here i am so lets start...
First i have to say that i ve really enjoyed those 5 years with Man City. Especially my first season at Maine Road, what a place to play football. Lots of people loved the facilities at the COMS but nothing will beat the atmosphere from Maine Road. It was a great mix of lads in the changing room too with guys like the Goat, Ali B, Kev... All down to earth and very funny mates, it was always enjoyable to come to training...
Then lots of them left and some big names came, we also moved to the COMS and the atmosphere wasn t the same at all. From there, i felt everything went the wrong way. We ve lost some of our best players without anyone to take their place, the atmosphere at the stadium was never really been there. I guess the fans had bigger expectations due to this new stadium but the team was the same and we ve never been consistant enough to help keep the fans going...
Then Kevin Keegan left and Stuart took is place. We needed some more players but because of the club financial situation it was impossible to get what we really needed at the time and things kept going down...
At the same time the club came to me to talk about my personal situation regarding my contract, at this point i had the possibility to go to other clubs at every single transfer window but never thought about it and never played on it to upgrade my contract neither. Without getting into too much detail, we came to a point where the club told me where they wanted to go but didn t show me any garantee about how they will make it and after one year of negociations we still didn t agree my personal contract terms either. At this time i was sure things would get sorted out and i would stay at city...
The club told me they didn t want me to go and i always made it clear with the staff i didn t want to go but just wanted to make sure the club and i try to go in the same direction. Being one of the players who played the most games through good and bad time during 5 years i thought it was only right to ask for a certain of garantees...Of course my reaction opened the door to lots of speculation but me and the club knew the truth so it didn t really matter to me.
In July and August of my last season the club had a few offers for me but brushed them aside without aproching me, witch was no problem for me as i wanted to stay... But one day i had a meeting with one of the staff who told me Middlesbrough had made an offer and i was allowed to talk to them...I was very surprised as a few weeks before i ve been told they wouldn t let me go whatever the offer. Once again i said i don t want to go so why should i talk to them...? And why do you allow me to do so..? No answer ! So i met Gareth Southgate and had a chat with him, for me it was a sign City wanted to sell me...But a few days later City changed there mind and told Middlesbrough i was not for sell anymore. I still don t know what happened to this today. Was it a test...? Of course once again the newspapers made up there own stories, like i turned them down because they didn t offer me enough money...It was funny.
I didn t say anything and kept working hard but didn t like the club's lack of response regarding the press and it made me feel like they were happy for people to think it was all about money
Towards the end of the season we were in exactly the same situation and i started thinking i might have to go...things got worst when Stuart left the club and no one knew if the take over would happen or not...
At this ponit i sat down and thought i have only tree option:
- I sign for city , cross my fingers and hope things will change
- I wait and see what s gonna happen with the take over
- I sign for another club
It took me a week and i made my mind up. I could not see myself waiting and hoping for better, i didn t want to wait as i thought 1 year and half was enough to wait and i didn t get too many serious offers so the longer i waited the less offers i would get...I didn t like it but it was time for me to go. I accumulated too much frustration to be patient and wait any longer...And at the time i made my choice Portsmouth was the better option for me...
There you go i said it all. Just one more things i want to make clear...I honestly wish Man City all the best and don t want to see the club in a bad position. Seems like they are heading the right way and it s good to see that...
Believe me or not that s what happened between me and City...I know some or most of the fans find it difficult to understand but as i always said i m not here to please the fans but me first when it comes to my life and my future...I gave city my best during the 5 years. Some will be satistied some won t, some will like me some won t, some will applaud me some won t.. .At the end of the day you can t please everybody...
thanks for all your mails
PS: hey Jay, i m sure one day you ll understand...loool
Sylvain DISTIN
