Ferran Soriano & Txiki Begiristain

[Keeper!]

Managed to grab a word with both of them last night. Told them they have done a brilliant job this summer. Whilst cautious about them at first I can see they mean business. Can't see them letting up any time soon either

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

Have you proof of this comment ?

Ask the man himself

 

[OB1]

These guys are playing a major part in taking City to a higher level, both on and off the park. Much of what they are doing is implementing strategy that was already in place but they have clearly done more than just execute successfully, they have also contributed to the strategy. The approach to player remuneration is straight out of Ferran's playbook.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

These guys are playing a major part in taking City to a higher level, both on and off the park. Much of what they are doing is implementing strategy that was already in place but they have clearly done more than just execute successfully, they have also contributed to the strategy. The approach to player remuneration is straight out of Ferran's playbook.

Have you eat too many management text books OB1 lol!

Yes Ferran and Txiki have really got their act together and they needed to after fcucking up FFP!!

 

[Shaelumstash]

I think these two were just as important a part of the Sheikh's building of the club as any player. The Sheikh promised a self-sustaining club capable of competing with Europe's elite out of its own resources. Involved in this were, quite clearly, the work done on increasing revenue streams, which has been so obviously successful. The on-the-pitch resources had to be developed and both Ferran and Txiki have played massive roles in this and roles which are continuous. I don't wish to decry the purchases made by our competitors this summer, but I doubt they are the product of the same massive professional competence that City show. I was impressed by two comments , one from our chairman and one from Ferran, this summer. Khaldoon said that it wasn't likely that we'd win every season, but we would go on getting better, and Ferran said that we didn't buy players on a season by season basis, but that we bought in cycles, some cycles were 3 years, some 4 and some 5. The last 2 windows have illustrated this perfectly. No "stellar" names have been bought, but big money has been spent to remedy what the manager considers to be weaknesses or gaps in the squad. The players are from the level below the stellar. Key to this is the process of identification, with Manuel and Txiki looking, not at who is "stellar", but at who plays football "the City way" better than anyone else. Then it's enter Ferran and the work on the transfer begins, not in August but rather in January so that if a deal is unlikely we can move on in plenty of time. City will not buy a player who does not strengthen the squad. So, last season Fernandinho and Navas came in very early in the window, Negredo and Jovetic not much later, and only MDM on the last day of the window. This season was world cup year but the players have been brought in well before the start of the season. Even Mangala, whose transfer involved very complicated third party ownership issues, was completed before the start of the domestic season. This completes one cycle - the squad is complete and may last for five years, but the process of renewal - the next cycle - is already well under way. City's is a smooth, efficient and competent operation in every aspect of the club's work because it has recruited top quality people to do that work.

Great post as always Blue. It's another point Ferran makes in his book, talent is the most important thing, then balance and motivation. We clearly already had a very talented squad last year, but perhaps not the most balanced. We were a little bit short in terms of depth in central midfield and centre back. Those issues have been addressed this summer. We have a starting centre back, and squad players in central midfield, right back and goalkeeper which give the squad a fantastic depth / balance.

With the recent long term contracts signed for the core of our team, it seems we see their cycle lasting a few more years yet. I would hope if we win the league this season, it gives us the platform to bring in youngsters like Lopes, Zucculini, Denayer and Inehacho next season. Integrate them in to the squad to learn from the experienced masters.

If you look at the Shite's squad after they won the league in 2013 to now and compare it to ours, and the relative transfer activity of each club, the difference is astounding. They've spent £165m net, we've spent £107m net. They've panic bought players like Mata and Fellaini who do not fit in to the way they played at the time. They've now completely changed their "Philosophy" (to a 352 or some variation of it) and will have to spend the next 2 years re-balancing the squad to fit the new system. This is the problem when you have an all-powerful manager who dictates style of play and transfer activity. Great when he's there 26 years, when he's not, it costs you a fortune to re-balance the squad to fit the new manager's philosophy.

By contrast, despite spending £60m less, because we have a DoF who dictates the footballing philosophy, it doesn't matter who the head coach is. We would have been scouting Mangala, Fernando, Inehacho, Zucculini etc no matter who was in charge of first team affairs. Our philosophy of playing high line, 4 at the back, possession football, means that the players we scout / buy and the manager we employ fit in to that system. It is perfect for succession planning, and working in "cycles".

I was a vocal critic in certain games last year when I felt we needed to alter our philosophy in certain games when we didn't have the personnel available to play that way. Chelsea at home being a prime example. I felt it was too early in our development to stick rigidly to the philosophy if it cost us points. I stand by that last season we weren't ready.

This season however, because of the depth of our squad, we have players who fit in to the philosophy when we have players injured. If Kompany was injured last year, Lescott wasn't suited to replace him in a high line because he's not quick enough. This year if Kompany gets injured, DeMichelis can step in, who proved last year that he was more than capable to play that system.

This season our squad has the balance to be able to stick to our philosophy no matter who is available. Well done to Txiki for that.

 

[SilverFox2]

In the modern football world the influence of 'Agents' acting on behalf of their assets can be counter productive to negotiating reasonable long term deals.
Agents like to churn their players for obvious reasons so it really is impressive to see that some sort of constraint can be placed on their usual antics if the long term deals already in place for the spine of our Team are any measure.

Having said that, the bad vibes that Yaya's Agent managed to manufacture during the World Cup are still needing to be sorted out so lets see what happens there.

 

[Bill]

Managed to grab a word with both of them last night. Told them they have done a brilliant job this summer. Whilst cautious about them at first I can see they mean business. Can't see them letting up any time soon either

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

i told them straight, i didn't like the way they dealt with bobby. done well since but i had to get that off my chest.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Re: Ferran Soriano & Txiki Begiristain

Managed to grab a word with both of them last night. Told them they have done a brilliant job this summer. Whilst cautious about them at first I can see they mean business. Can't see them letting up any time soon either

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

i told them straight, i didn't like the way they dealt with bobby. done well since but i had to get that off my chest.

Well done that man. I think it's pretty obvious where those "leaks" were coming from about Pellegrini on the night before the FA Cup final, imagine the uproar if we'd won it and they sacked him afterwards?

I think we're healthier as a club now, and I understand their reasons for doing it, but the way they did it wasn't right.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Managed to grab a word with both of them last night. Told them they have done a brilliant job this summer. Whilst cautious about them at first I can see they mean business. Can't see them letting up any time soon either

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

i told them straight, i didn't like the way they dealt with bobby. done well since but i had to get that off my chest.

I don't know what line of work you are in mate, but compared to some industries, Mancini was treated like royalty and I think you're being a bit soft if I'm honest. People get shafted and get the sack all the time, it's life. I've known successful sales reps and sales directors get the bullet for missing one solitary quarterly target after years of overachievement, and they don't walk away with a few million quid for their trouble either. is it right? No, probably not, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, as they say.

You'll be telling me you didn't like how we got rid of Clueless next. Personally, I'd have had him tarred and feathered and put in the stocks for a week.

 

[Shaelumstash]

Re: Ferran Soriano & Txiki Begiristain

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

i told them straight, i didn't like the way they dealt with bobby. done well since but i had to get that off my chest.

I don't know what line of work you are in mate, but compared to some industries, Mancini was treated like royalty and I think you're being a bit soft if I'm honest. People get shafted and get the sack all the time, it's life. I've known successful sales reps and sales directors get the bullet for missing one solitary quarterly target after years of overachievement, and they don't walk away with a few million quid for their trouble either. is it right? No, probably not, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, as they say.

You'll be telling me you didn't like how we got rid of Clueless next. Personally, I'd have had him tarred and feathered and put in the stocks for a week.

Totally agree with you on Hughes. With Mancini, after ending the trophy drought, ending the the 44 year wait for the title, ripping down that banner, silencing Slurgie and helping to change the way the world viewed us as a club, he deserved some respect.

I appreciate what you're saying about other people losing their job, but the way it was handled from the point of view of City fans, it completely lacked class and he deserved better than that.

 

[MaxCityBlue]

I hope you took the opportunity to apologize to them in person for calling them a pair of dodgy geezers

i told them straight, i didn't like the way they dealt with bobby. done well since but i had to get that off my chest.

I don't know what line of work you are in mate, but compared to some industries, Mancini was treated like royalty and I think you're being a bit soft if I'm honest. People get shafted and get the sack all the time, it's life. I've known successful sales reps and sales directors get the bullet for missing one solitary quarterly target after years of overachievement, and they don't walk away with a few million quid for their trouble either. is it right? No, probably not, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, as they say.

You'll be telling me you didn't like how we got rid of Clueless next. Personally, I'd have had him tarred and feathered and put in the stocks for a week.

I'm with you on this one Chippy-Boy. In fact I think we still have grounds for putting Clueless in the stocks the rag prick. I never did like him.