Khaldoon Interview on OS

[bluemurray]

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.

Its a fact that we have made huge progress as a club since September 2008 and while there was bound to be difficult moments and 'bad days at the office' we have had far fewer of those than might have been the case. The pluses have far out-weighed the negatives and with the calibre of management currently leading the club you can only see much greater progress to come. Certainly the new Academy is going to be a massive boon for the City of Manchester, for football both city and nation-wide and for the local economy - even rag mates of mine acknowledge the positives of the substantial inward-investment ADUG have brought to Manchester quite apart from their immediate football-based ventures. Perhaps the most exciting prospect will be when we do see the club regularly producing top talent which finds its way through our 'holistic' system and into the first team year-in-year-out.

As for what others say or publish about us, I care not a jot; they are but gnat-bites on a Rhino's back!

 

[CheethamHillBlue]

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.

I feel the same and the fact it p1sses the rags off is an added bonus.

 

[Sir peace frog]

just watched the interview and like last year it has raised my hope again.

one thing that i did pick up on,and sorry if someone has already said this(not read every post) imo the next manager after pellegrini will be vieira,in two years time the elite squads will be coming of age and who better than the man who will bring them on to intergrate them into the first team squad and if that happens watch out,because those young players will think vieira is a god and will run through brick walls for him.

sorry butting getting very giddy again.


new years resolution,stop watch the agueroooooooooooooo and stop watching khaldoons end of season interview

 

[Mancity1980]

I remember the day of the takeover very well and the sense of excitement it brought. You just knew this was our once in a lifetime opportunity to be what only we thought we could be. It has happened but now its like we are going to go beyond that into something that I never thought we would be. I would have happy with winning the league and socking it to the rags, knocking them off their pedestal. Now I don't think our owners won't stop until we are the biggest franchise in world football reaching a level of global consciousness never seen before, now who out there ever dreamt of that before August 2008?

 

[bluebarn]

After watching that interview you can't help but feel exhilarated for the future of the club. Khaldoon may be softly spoken, but the message he delivers is relentlessly positive. The way he speaks about the executive set up is glowing. I hope he is a good judge of the people he appoints, because if things get screwed up now (and I have no reason at all to think they will), there may be some egg on face.

I can't ever remember hearing anyone associated with the administration of a football club speak in this manner. They are conscientiously improving every facet of the club with specific targets and goals that will presumably be met. You can't help be left with the impression that we will be a global giant of the game, with a sustained period of success that we could never have dreamed about until very recently.

 

[SheeshKebab]

just watched the interview and like last year it has raised my hope again.

one thing that i did pick up on,and sorry if someone has already said this(not read every post) imo the next manager after pellegrini will be vieira,in two years time the elite squads will be coming of age and who better than the man who will bring them on to intergrate them into the first team squad and if that happens watch out,because those young players will think vieira is a god and will run through brick walls for him.

sorry butting getting very giddy again.


new years resolution,stop watch the agueroooooooooooooo and stop watching khaldoons end of season interview

I'm still trying to cut down on them both. Think one day there's gonna be a 'City-a-holics Anonymous'... I'll be a regular

 

[PrestwichPeteMcfc]

Has anyone got any idea how much time (approx) Khaldoon spends on City in an average working week?

One of the main strengths of our ownership and executive set up is that, unlike other clubs with wealthy owners, the day to day running is left to capable executives - Txiki (football) and Glick (operations) reporting to Soriano. Khaldoon seems to be a very good mediator between the Manchester team and the owner.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

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.

Seven? Bloody Johnny Come Latelys! ;)

Seriously though, you can count me in on all of that as well. Standing in the fog and rain watching a City side comprising 4 centre halves across the back and 4 one paced defensive midfielders across the middle, lose 1-0 to bloody Wycombe at the end of an industrial estate, might be something that defines us and helps keep our feet on the ground, but I sure as hell don't want to go back to it!

 

[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.

Seven? Bloody Johnny Come Latelys! ;)

Seriously though, you can count me in on all of that as well. Standing in the fog and rain watching a City side comprising 4 centre halves across the back and 4 one paced defensive midfielders across the middle, lose 1-0 to bloody Wycombe at the end of an industrial estate, might be something that defines us and helps keep our feet on the ground, but I sure as hell don't want to go back to it!

Yes, walking through that industrial estate before that awful game at Wycombe was a particular low point. Visiting grounds like that in the league, and losing, showed how far we had fallen.

Funnily enough I had cause to go to Wycombe last week and you'll be pleased to know that it's still there ;-)

Joe Royle was a big fan of 4 centre-halves. I saw him deploy that tactic at Pride Park once. It was a thoroughly depressing afternoon. I like Joe, he 'gets' City, but modern and forward thinking he wasn't.

As you say ExB, those days help define our club and us as fans, but why the fuck would anyone want to go back to that? I rather like dining at the top table.

 

[mcfcryan]

Khaldoons face when asked about transfer activity, was similar to that of a little kid at Christmas, the excitement in his face for next season could be seen beaming out of his face.

Like most of the supporters in here, we remember those times where things were truly in the mire, I started going in 1993 (5 years old), when we didn't sign Sinclair, and all the attraction of our lowest point at York away a few years later. (I wasn't there, but remember the papers after it).

As a club we've come such a long way in 14 years, and as fans we have to share the ambition of Khaldoon, and understand that sometimes it's good to be greedy, good to be angry because we've lost a game, good for us to expect to win everything, because isn't that what our owners and executives do? Now we've tasted success, we wan't more, we can have our memories of when times were unmitigated garbage, and we still laughed on the way home, but we can't keep going back to it when we lose to a team who are not as well off as us.

It really riles me when I see fans saying "we don't know how lucky we are, you can't be upset at us losing to Southampton away (yes I did shed a tear), because it's not as bad as losing to Wycombe" - why not? Losing hurts no matter how good your team should be. I think a fair majority of fans that the club are trying to win over will never truly have the conviction of the winning mentality, whilst their memories are still stuck on the cobbled streets of Maine Rd, and the tears they poured onto them.