It's quiet 10, no apologies! (continued)

[Young Blue]

Maybe the money is drying up...

Yet we're committing huge sums to extending players contracts and rebuilding around the ground.

Maybe priorities have changed and we're no longer fishing for 4-5 1st team players each window. We're now Champions, and it would be stupid to sign another 4-5 first team players who are not as good and older than what we have.

Try and find a striker who is better than Balotelli, Aguero and Tevez. Impossible.

or a midfielder who can out-power Yaya Toure. Or a midfielder with the vision and touch of Silva and Nasri. Very difficult.

If I were City I'd keep the powder dry until an exceptional player becomes available, and at the same time I'd be trying to hoover up all the outstanding young talent for the academy so that we dominate football for years to come

The best clubs are continually looking to improve their squads. Even though we pipped the PL last year we shouldnt rest on our laurels.
We have weakness we must strengthen if we are looking to challenge Barca, RM and the like in the CL. Chelsea and United are looking to improve significantly.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I said a few weeks ago that I thought we might well wait until the end of the window before doing any business, looks like I might be right.

Generally speaking there is far less money sloshing about in football due to the euro/banks crisis and teams are tightening their belts. Any team who has been posturing when we come knocking, adding extra 10mil to realistic fees because it's City, will start to get a tad twitchy nearer the end of the window if they actually need our cash. Plus these sides probably won't want to be reinvesting the cash so in order to stop an outcry from their own fans will prefer to do business with us nearer the end of August so they can just bank the cash.

 

[nmc]

i assume deals will be announced out of the blue without the customary 2-3 weeks of newspaper leaks, speculated medicals, leaks about contract negotiations etc, because there just isn't time for that.

SURELY we will here something soon

Well there are two schools of thought on this forum. One group believe we are paying a blinder behind the scenes and bombs will fall into place before the end of August. The other group are in a flap and think our transfer business is in disarray - in part due to Brian Marwood. Over the coming couple of weeks one group will be proved correct.

Personally I believe there will be no incomes until there are out goers - if Ade and RSC et al refuse moves then that will block all incoming moves - but that's entirely my opinion.

On the basis of no activity to date I'd guess out target for next season is to win the league with a flutter at the CL - we needed 3 or 4 major signings to make a serious move on the CL - then again we could get as lucky as Chelsea and win it with this squad.

In 12 months time with Bridge, RSC, Ade ( year left) and De Jong gone we will have some serious room for manoeuvre.

 

[Lomas has a lob on]

Does anyone think Agger could fill Yaya's role when he is away for afcon?

Um, NO!

 

[nmc]

i assume deals will be announced out of the blue without the customary 2-3 weeks of newspaper leaks, speculated medicals, leaks about contract negotiations etc, because there just isn't time for that.

SURELY we will here something soon

This HAS to be the right view
Bobby signed a 5yr deal
He constantly talks about improving
Surely we won't stand still
Here's hoping

Agreed but Bobby has signed for 5 years not just a few weeks. Assurances re cash will have been given but we have some serious mistakes from the Hughes era to move out of he club - to bring he wage bill under control before we can go on another sending spree. Bobby may have to endure a tight budget for 12 months to spend more freely later.

 

[kunaguero10]

Does anyone think Agger could fill Yaya's role when he is away for afcon?

Um, NO!

perhaps we could get petrov to fill in for clichy now and again though.

on a serious note, could it be that we aren't signing players till late on to avoid paying extra wages?

 

[Rammy Blue]

on a serious note, could it be that we aren't signing players till late on to avoid paying extra wages?

Nah, we're just being prudent and making sure we don't get taken to the cleaners on both incomings and outgoings.

We don't need any new players to be in and ready for the start of the season, we can wait until end of window and integrate them slowly.

As was said on previous page by nmc....

Well there are two schools of thought on this forum. One group believe we are paying a blinder behind the scenes and bombs will fall into place before the end of August. The other group are in a flap and think our transfer business is in disarray - in part due to Brian Marwood. Over the coming couple of weeks one group will be proved correct.

 

[Lomas has a lob on]

Does anyone think Agger could fill Yaya's role when he is away for afcon?

Um, NO!

perhaps we could get petrov to fill in for clichy now and again though.

on a serious note, could it be that we aren't signing players till late on to avoid paying extra wages?

Maybe! But I think a combination of things, are contributing to the lack of transfer activity.
FFP, is definately something that the powers that be, are wary of.
The Euro's and on a smaller scale the olympics have made the window smaller and harder to operate in.
I think we are missing Cook.

 

[Robinho's Subbuteo]

Um, NO!

perhaps we could get petrov to fill in for clichy now and again though.

on a serious note, could it be that we aren't signing players till late on to avoid paying extra wages?

Maybe! But I think a combination of things, are contributing to the lack of transfer activity.
FFP, is definately something that the powers that be, are wary of.
The Euro's and on a smaller scale the olympics have made the window smaller and harder to operate in.
I think we are missing Cook.

I think we're missing Tolmie.

 

[danebanksheik]

Does anyone think Agger could fill Yaya's role when he is away for afcon?

Um, NO!

perhaps we could get petrov to fill in for clichy now and again though.

on a serious note, could it be that we aren't signing players till late on to avoid paying extra wages?

I dont think so.
We obviously dont know for definite who we are chasing but strong indications are that we went for Hazard and we are chasing Van Persie. I dont believe it is a money issue I think it is more likely that we lost Hazard and may lose Van Persie because the perception is that they wont be the main man and wont play every game.

We are also talking on here of a centre-back and a DM as "cover" - players out there will possibly see it that way too and top rated players in those positions may not fancy becoming bit part and they have also seen what has happened to other international players like Bridge, Ade, RSC etc who get spat out.

It also worries me slightly that Mancini appears to distance himself from player signings, I would think a prospective new player would be hesitant if they dont get to speak to the manager (and so feel important- these are big egos that need fluffing) before he makes the decision to join.

When we win the league a few more times and become established at the top then these things become less important but at this stage of the club's growth we still have to work hard on selling the project.

I still think we will sign good players.