Lu Martin: Allegedly Guardiola sees City as "small club"

[urban genie]

being classed as a big club is a recent (last 25yrs) media concept, lapped up by fans of the so called big clubs, what exactly is a big club?

Trophies? - we've won some, not many but more than others
attendance? - always had decent attendances despite the myths spread by rags
Wealth? - well we have that
Stadium and facilities? - world class academy and campus and a modern stadium
History? - If history to modern football only equals trophies then modern football is an arse.
Present standing in the game? - Depends on whose narrative is being set, I would say we are fair to middlin in this respect.

It's all a load of bollocks, and who cares what others think of us I know how important city are and what rich if topsy turvey history we have had, if being classed as a big club means turning into twats like the rags, chelsea and tarquins I'll pass on the moniker, rather just get on with it winning stuff playing good football and doing what we do our way.

 

[Bluewonder]

I think it's nonsense to suggest that because we weren't successful historically it affects our propensity for success now

 

[ancoats]

the so called little clubs win things aswell that's football pep

i really think pep is trying to say the system in england is what beats the rest of the so called smaller clubs the 70%/30% things go the way of the power club in games and demand respect and the refs have to bend over and take it in the poo hole even the pundit and media are not to darken the airways with stuff about the big club

 

[remember arthur mann]

It's a generation thing, when I was a young kid, Liverpool we're dominant, then utd took over. if we keep being successful, all the kids growing up now will all see us as a big successful team for the rest if their lives, whether they support us or not

Wolves were THE big club in my day, Billy Wright and all that jazz !!

 

[Saddleworth2]

T

I'm quite riled about a comment in the media. Apparently it's come from Pep's mouth.

'He see's City as a second rate club in England, similar to Villareal in Spain'.

We are in no way comparable to Villareal. We never have been and never will be, I can't fathom the justification behind it. Last season they averaged just over 17,000 fans a game. We got over 35,000 MORE than that. We come from a big industrial City (which Villareal is not - it's a small fishing port) which we share with the most successful club in England. We've always been a cup side and have won numerous trophies (even before our late resurgence) whereas they have never won anything. I genuinely can't understand that comparison at all.

Now if you want to discuss how big a club is, there are only two things you need to look at. Firstly I'd argue trophies. In the entire history of English football we're 8th (out of hundreds). If you look at the most successful teams over the last decade (which is more relevant to how big a club currently is) we're third - ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Villa.

Now the next thing, and most importantly (IMO) is attendances. Our average attendance last season was higher than the following clubs: Rangers, Celtic, Liverpool, Inter Milan, PSG, Athletico Madrid, Benfica, Feyernord, AJAX, Newcastle, Monchengladbach, Hamburg, Juventus and AC Milan. We're the 8th best supported club in Europe. We hold the highest attendance away from Wembley in England and have done so for 80+ years. When we were in division three we averaged 28,261 fans. That was more then the following clubs (who played in the top division): Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham, Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forrest and Southampton. You could argue the number of travelling fans held us back from averaging over 30,000 fans that year too.

We are a big club. The only clubs in England that can argue to be much bigger than us are Arsenal/Liverpool/Rags. That's the be all and end all. I can understand that we're not as big as Barca or Bayern, but don't ridicule us and put us in the same bracket as a club that can't average more than 20,000.

thats an excellent post. I hope this is a translation thing. If Pep does think that, he needs another refresher into our history. Don't really understand it without the context of his comments. No doubt he will get grilled so hopefully he can clarify what he means. If it's simply that we don't yet have the global attraction of 6 or 7 other clubs then ok. But Villarreal come on!!

 

[GeekinGav]

Who cares about what nomarks outside the club think about us?

City fans just care about our club, our team. Who gives a shit which club is bigger than another or that there is media bias?

I want City to do well and achieve success. That's our main goal and all this background noise about Pep, 'Small Club', "never be a big as the Scum" is irrelevant and is just clickbait what people fall hook, line and sinker for.

Focus on City and ignore all the other shit that we cant control and life is a lot more simple.

 

[Rolee]

Any context for this? When was it said? Is Pep himself quoted?

 

[KUN_a]

Who cares about what nomarks outside the club think about us?

City fans just care about our club, our team. Who gives a shit which club is bigger than another or that there is media bias?

I want City to do well and achieve success. That's our main goal and all this background noise about Pep, 'Small Club', "never be a big as the Scum" is irrelevant and is just clickbait what people fall hook, line and sinker for.

Focus on City and ignore all the other shit that we cant control and life is a lot more simple.

Speaking sense and with rationality. Thank you.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Every time I look at an aerial view of the new training ground I can only think that it's a tenth the acreage of RagCarrington!

 

[kaz7]

Any context for this? When was it said? Is Pep himself quoted?

This is it,no article quotes or anything just some hack

Lu Martín (journo) to Cadena SER: "This is not my opinion - Pep thinks City are a second-tier team in the Premier League, like Villarreal."