Khaldoon Interview on OS

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

I agree with what you're saying, he has everything, class,articulate, yet the f**k up before the final has to land on some ones feet.

Alledgedly that was leaked by Barca to Spanish media night before the final to distract City on the day,as revenge for us taking their 2 execs

We did not take their "Execs" they had left Barca before they came to us,I think there is a bit more to it than that

I think it's because we tried to take players/staff from all areas of barca, didn't one of their youth coaches turn us down. Exciting times lay ahead and after the gloom of a fortnight ago I'm now looking forward to next season.

 

[NorCalBlue]

Any clues Dave to pass on,apart from stadium expansion,etc ?

I'm not trying to play 'itk' about stuff mate. I just feel the last few weeks have proven the club's ambitions beyond doubt. And I feel we have top quality personnel right through the club, to fulfill those ambitions.

A couple of years ago we felt at times like a Ferrari being driven by a teenager. I feel those days are gone.

A couple of years ago a Ferrari was being driven by a teenager (all around Moss Side with a wallet full of cash, apparently).

 

[adrianr]

Any clues Dave to pass on,apart from stadium expansion,etc ?

I'm not trying to play 'itk' about stuff mate. I just feel the last few weeks have proven the club's ambitions beyond doubt. And I feel we have top quality personnel right through the club, to fulfill those ambitions.

A couple of years ago we felt at times like a Ferrari being driven by a teenager. I feel those days are gone.

Good analogy. There was definitely a lot of naivety, bleeding into a severe unwillingness to criticise the owner and management who had given us more than we ever thought possible in the early days of the takeover. I was definitely one of the former. I thought we'd be looking at the Chelsea blueprint of wealthy take overs and learning from their mistakes; Instead we just stormed around making new ones.

That said it was always going to be the beginning that was the toughest and we've had to come much much further than Chelsea did. If we'd had Txiki and Ferran at the club from the beginning would we be notably better off now? Would we have been able to attract better players? Build from youth any sooner? Maybe would have gotten rid of Hughes straight away but that's about it. Accelerated growth comes with accelerated growing pains.

 

[Ducado]

Any clues Dave to pass on,apart from stadium expansion,etc ?

I'm not trying to play 'itk' about stuff mate. I just feel the last few weeks have proven the club's ambitions beyond doubt. And I feel we have top quality personnel right through the club, to fulfill those ambitions.

A couple of years ago we felt at times like a Ferrari being driven by a teenager. I feel those days are gone.

Good analogy. There was definitely a lot of naivety, bleeding into a severe unwillingness to criticise the owner and management who had given us more than we ever thought possible in the early days of the takeover. I was definitely one of the former. I thought we'd be looking at the Chelsea blueprint of wealthy take overs and learning from their mistakes; Instead we just stormed around making new ones.

That said it was always going to be the beginning that was the toughest and we've had to come much much further than Chelsea did. If we'd had Txiki and Ferran at the club from the beginning would we be notably better off now? Would we have been able to attract better players? Build from youth any sooner? Maybe would have gotten rid of Hughes straight away but that's about it. Accelerated growth comes with accelerated growing pains.

Mistakes you say?

I can't see that they have made that many, apart from giving Hughes all that money, we had to ram raid the top four whilst we had the opportunity, and now we are looking like we are established at the top, which is a huge achievement in itself, I prefer to see it as the club evolving

 

[davymcfc]

We are in good hands. I feel very very confident about the future ahead.

 

[The Doctor]

We are in good hands. I feel very very confident about the future ahead.

Couldn't agree more! We had 24 months before financial restrictions cramped our progress and we did it.............boy did we do it!
2012-2013 we've taken a breather sorted our house out internally and now we are ready to again!
Bring it on!

 

[WNRH]

So happy he represents us. Brilliant man.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I think there is a huge divide now between some of the "old school " City fans who have fond memories of wet , cold days at Maine Road with match days looking something like a Lowry painting and all the horrible disasters and cock-ups that made this great club and its supporters what it is today and some of the more pragmatic amongst us. Of course we must never forget our history but we must not let it dictate our future .
Lots of us rightly saying that we must try not to be the cynical , corporate entities that the scum have become , and , as an old git myself , I despise bland corporate speak but we must move with the times . We will always be City fans first and foremost whoever is in charge and whoever pulls on that blue shirt and that is vital for this club.
The sheikh , Khaldoon , and all the big business types that are now ( thankfully ) in charge of City's future have a vision untainted by its past, and , as billyshears said , it is amazing to see some of the cynicism of some of the contributors on this thread .
Khaldoon may not have been at York away , but he's going to take us to bigger and better places than that!

Great post. It sums up a great deal about the chasm which exists among our support. When you think of where we've come from and where we're going to, could it ever be any other way?

Me? I want this club to be all it can be. When I stood on those crumbling terraces in those "shit grounds" with "no fans" did I dream about my team dining at the top table again, challenging for trophies and being in Europe? Of course I did.

There is no nobility in poverty. Being shit, as someone said on here once, is shit.

Fate has dealt me, as someone who decided to follow City, against his family's expectations at the age of seven, an unexpected and wonderful hand and I'm fucked if I'm going to pass it up.

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

Any clues Dave to pass on,apart from stadium expansion,etc ?

I'm not trying to play 'itk' about stuff mate. I just feel the last few weeks have proven the club's ambitions beyond doubt. And I feel we have top quality personnel right through the club, to fulfill those ambitions.

A couple of years ago we felt at times like a Ferrari being driven by a teenager. I feel those days are gone.

Good analogy. There was definitely a lot of naivety, bleeding into a severe unwillingness to criticise the owner and management who had given us more than we ever thought possible in the early days of the takeover. I was definitely one of the former. I thought we'd be looking at the Chelsea blueprint of wealthy take overs and learning from their mistakes; Instead we just stormed around making new ones.

That said it was always going to be the beginning that was the toughest and we've had to come much much further than Chelsea did. If we'd had Txiki and Ferran at the club from the beginning would we be notably better off now? Would we have been able to attract better players? Build from youth any sooner? Maybe would have gotten rid of Hughes straight away but that's about it. Accelerated growth comes with accelerated growing pains.

I dont think we were naive at all. Our owners were determined not to become another Chelsea and thats why they gave Hughes time.

This week on here I have supported Hughes in his appointment as the new Manager of Stoke. Four years ago, on this Forum the only talk was of "City moving to the next level". Even with his limitations in not being able to set up a Football team to defend and get the basics right and spunking a shed load of money, Mark Hughes just about got us to the next level and we made our massive upgrade by appointing Mr Mancini at just the right time. The fact that our owners dismissed him when we had got to our first semi -final in God knows how many years is testament to that, absolutely no sentiment involved.

We have come from so far back I cant see how Txixi and Soriano could have made any difference, especially with the players we brought in at the time - the reality is that Wayne Bridge was a regular in the side that went from mid table to a game against Spurs for a Champions League place.

I dont know enough about the youth set up and development to comment but it's worrying that nobody has broken through since the investment and I am certain that we have been very naive as a Club with regards the hostility from the Media - the fiasco of the dismissal of Hughes and the look on Roberto's face the day before the Cup Final and tomorrow's disgusting article in the "Daily Mail" tells us that.

Off centre - our plans in the Community and the Club's commitment to the City of Manchester itself; and all this has been clear from day one remember, in my opinion shows that for the last five years we have made a damn fine fist of it.

Just missed a Champions League spot, 2 defeats in cup semi finals, a Champions League spot 3 years running, losing finalists in the cup final and then the "biggies"; at least 3 (possibly 4) outstanding world class players in the side, tearing that scummy banner down on 14 May 2011 when we won the FA Cup and then a year later Aguero day.

Our enemies and that can be EUFA, United or the Media are not going to let us walk all over them and will put up a fight, but as the 5th anniversary approaches - I am more than satisfied with how we have done.

 

[pierretheblue]

I hope he doesn't do one next season , some right moaning fuckers on here..

We could win every comp we enter for the next 20 years, reduce season tickets to a fiver and at every game you get a free pint and pie, and still some fuckers will find something to moan about.
Does my head in.

i'm gonna reserve judgement till i know what filling will be in the pie! :)