Gio....

Refused to pass the ball? They used to just give it to him and stand back to let him get on with it; the lazy bastards! I cannot count the number of times I've seen him pointing or waving with his hands for players to run into space... they never did.

He was not the complete player for a number of reasons but he did have more genuine skill, flair and balance than any other player I've ever seen kick a ball (in person) and that includes George Best.

You see people creaming themselves these days over runs that the top stars make and bits of skill; he could do all that and more. You can question the calibre of opposition but if they were so poor why didn't other players rip them to shreds like he did?

Truly gifted player the likes of which we will be lucky to see again playing for us.
 
Kinky by name said:
Refused to pass the ball? They used to just give it to him and stand back to let him get on with it; the lazy bastards! I cannot count the number of times I've seen him pointing or waving with his hands for players to run into space... they never did.

He was not the complete player for a number of reasons but he did have more genuine skill, flair and balance than any other player I've ever seen kick a ball (in person) and that includes George Best.

You see people creaming themselves these days over runs that the top stars make and bits of skill; he could do all that and more. You can question the calibre of opposition but if they were so poor why didn't other players rip them to shreds like he did?

Truly gifted player the likes of which we will be lucky to see again playing for us.
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My Dad still compares his balance and ability to beat men with Best without a hint of irony.
 
I think my view on him was skewed by an autobiography I read of a manager who sold him. I seem to think it was Joe Royle.

He said within it, that he was one of those players who would never work for the team, but was capable of a moment of brilliance in a game. This is great when you have a team like we have now, but the type of football we were playing then, was all about effort over talent.

Also, I seem to remember that the dressing room thought he was greedy and would often try to beat his man rather than give the ball to someone with a better chance. We only remember the times it came off, but for every one time something magical happened, there were ten where he lost the ball then looked on as the guy walked past him.

I'd love him now, but it was the right decision to let him go at the time, if the above is true.
 
Was my first city hero, the player i used to try to immitate in the school playground .. GIO GIO GIO GIO . Would love to see him in our current team imagine what he could do with the outlets we have now in Tev,Manu,Bellers,Sweep etc or the link play with him and Superman .... good blue lord ...


CTID
 
Brilliant talent. It's a shame it wasn't put to proper use and instead wasted with a load of cloggers at City. He should have left after that first season when he reportedly had the pick of any club in Europe. But he stayed loyal to us because he loved City. Absolute legend in my eyes.
 
Definitely the most gifted player I've seen in my 20 years as season ticket holder, he was amazing. Imagine what he would be worth now? Remember us all literally begging him to stay the last home game of the season before we went down, in hindsight staying with us probably cost him his career.
 
Damocles said:
I think my view on him was skewed by an autobiography I read of a manager who sold him. I seem to think it was Joe Royle.

He said within it, that he was one of those players who would never work for the team, but was capable of a moment of brilliance in a game. This is great when you have a team like we have now, but the type of football we were playing then, was all about effort over talent.

Also, I seem to remember that the dressing room thought he was greedy and would often try to beat his man rather than give the ball to someone with a better chance. We only remember the times it came off, but for every one time something magical happened, there were ten where he lost the ball then looked on as the guy walked past him.

I'd love him now, but it was the right decision to let him go at the time, if the above is true.
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Of course he lost the ball on occasions, but the way you portray it there mate he was constantly losing it and dropping us in the shit. That's not true. What I do remember constantly happening was Gio finding space and not getting the ball, Gio laying it off and going for the return but never receiving the ball back because the other lad couldn't keep hold of it, but most of all I remember him looking forlorn, hands on hips as the defence had once again fucked up and conceded a shit goal. He was surrounded by some of the worst set of footballers MCFC have ever fielded during his time at the club and he should not carry the can for that.

Royle would say that, he decided to not pick him and we went down. I'm biased, I loved Gio, but I don't like the way younger fans who never saw him just point to the two relegations and the fans who did see him take Royle's side. It's all about opinions though, and my opinion is that if Robinho had the ability to run at pace with the ball that Gio did we would have truly had a player on our hands the last two seasons.
 
m27 said:
Although it wasn't in the Premiership, the 6-0 at home against Swindon sticks in the memory. He scored a Roberto Carlos style free kick, took the piss all game despite them trying to kick him off the park and then went off to a standing ovation from all the City fans and some of the Swindon fans.

He got 10/10 in the Sun on the Monday. I don't think I've seen that before.
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my daughters first game :)
 
How many goals did he score from open play in his City career?

I've forgotten now, but once worked it out from mancity stats. If poor team mates were the reason for his team's poor form at City, what were the excuses at Ajax and Derby?

I loved him at first, but in the end I knew he was no good for us.
 
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