Yeah, they did. He was given total freedom at City and did some amazing jinky runs. He occasionally made or scored a goal too.
He did stand out for us. In a shit team. With shit managers.
Ajax signing him is irrelevant to how good he was.
Try and keep up.
I always say he was in a very unprofessional environment back then. City squad was full of boozers. He did little at Ajax and was massively out of shape by the time he got to Derby. Who knows how he would have got on in the modern era, could have made him or broke him.
He stood out for us. A goal every 5 games is hardly world class.But not irrelevant to how good he was for us, as they bought him based on how he played for us. The rest of his career never lived up to expectations, but for us he was fantastic, hence Ajax bought him.
From memeory Ball started to drop him as we got towards the crunch games in the relegation season. We were dog shit without him and the fans would go mad. If we didnt have him at all maybe it would be different but having us play turgid crap wile he sat on the bench did not work.He stood out for us. A goal every 5 games is hardly world class.
Would we have stayed up had we played a more defensive, team orientated player? We’ll never know.
That was more down to Ball’s ineptitude though. We probably would have gone down either way.From memeory Ball started to drop him as we got towards the crunch games in the relegation season. We were dog shit without him and the fans would go mad. If we didnt have him at all maybe it would be different but having us play turgid crap wile he sat on the bench did not work.
He stood out for us. A goal every 5 games is hardly world class.
Would we have stayed up had we played a more defensive, team orientated player? We’ll never know.
The same argument could be made, but no one ever goes gung ho to avoid relegation, so it’s a moot argument.Well Bernardo Silva scores 1 in 5 games for us and that is in a side which scores considerably more goals than the side Gio was in, so not sure that proves anything.
No, you are quite correct we will never know but we had issues all over the pitch that year due to the manager. The same argument could be made for playing more offensive players.
You slagged off the only two players from the shit times who are blue to the bone and gave everything for the club when we was down amongst the dead men.Kinky did play well in that game but for me his best games were when Flitcroft was in same team, but for me he was massively overrated just like Rosler was
Kinky played best against Oxford, Swindon and Southend. He played almost every game in the PL and scored 5 goals including penalties, and most of his goals came during Frank Clarke's purple patch in the second tier.Well Bernardo Silva scores 1 in 5 games for us and that is in a side which scores considerably more goals than the side Gio was in, so not sure that proves anything, as it very much depends on their role/position etc and of course the players around you.
No, you are quite correct we will never know but we had issues all over the pitch that year due to the manager. The same argument could be made for playing more offensive players.
Edit: just had a look at the side who faced Liverpool on the last day - some decent players who all had decent spells prior to Ball. In contrast to Pep he made everyone worse.
The same argument could be made, but no one ever goes gung ho to avoid relegation, so it’s a moot argument.
Bernardo also presses, harries, intercepts and has a passing completion percentage of over 90.
Kinkladze made 5 mazy runs a game and waited for the ball in the meantime.
Lol ok Frank.Firstly, never said we should go gung so its not just a moot argument, it is one I have not made.
Yes Bernardo does do all those things very well and this highlights there is more metrics to measure a player than goals which you used to criticise Kinkladze earlier.
The last paragraph is a bit silly, for some reason you seem desperate to slight him, fair enough. Personally I am glad I got to watch him and appreciate his special talents.
Kinky played best against Oxford, Swindon and Southend. He played almost every game in the PL and scored 5 goals including penalties, and most of his goals came during Frank Clarke's purple patch in the second tier.
Agree with that, he was brilliant occasionally and invisible in many games.A wasted talent maybe but we will never knowWonderful talent, some great memories that lighted up dark times but for me Kinkladze was lazy and he wasted his magnificent talent.
Biggest mistake he made was becoming best mates of Nickolas Summerbee, that was the beginning of the end, a very bad influence.
Outside of Manchester he is unknown but he should have been mentioned in the same breath as Madonna and Messi.
Saw himself as a singer did he?Outside of Manchester he is unknown but he should have been mentioned in the same breath as Madonna and Messi.
Mancini’s first game as manager was against Sjoke wasn’t it?Not sure if this helps the debate, but here goes.
I was at Maine Road,in the lower seated kippax(still can't get my head around that) for Gio, s debut v Tottenham
It was a nil nil draw...not a dull nil nil...but very different to the Brilliant nil nil draw at white Hart lane,1st game under Mancini..I digress..
Gio from Georgia played centre mid.alongside Gary Flitcroft,our young home grown England u21 player from Bolton.
Kinkladze basically spread magic around the pitch wherever he went.
It was a thing of beauty.it was the 86th minute before he actually gave the ball away....a stray pass.....thats how good he was as a Footballer....he was absolute dynamite, all short passes..,one twos/ wall passes,intricate. , .playing with a group of players he barely knew.
Spurs did not know what to make of him.they could not touch him.
He was class.pure and simple.....Quality.
That was his 1st game for City.nil nil.