My Email from Brian Woolnough

[Gary James]

There's no point worrying about comments from journalists. They have newspapers to fill and will write anything to provoke reaction.

I'm sure he knows that football development is not something that happens overnight, so the fact England failed is the result of several years of mistakes, poor planning etc. City cannot be blamed for that because we've only been spending for a maximum of two years, and some of that significant spend has been on English players (Wright-Phillips - if we think back 2 years, Barry, Johnson, Bridge). All of these were already England internationals, or became England internationals at City.

Buying non-English players this summer can not be the reason England failed.

The impact of City's spending will be felt nationally in a few years time if indeed there is an impact. If England win the World Cup in 4 years time, then that may be because of City's investment in facilities, the Academy, Elite/Reserves Squad and so on. If England struggle more than they have this time AND City possess a team of non-English internationals then fair enough, criticise then.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Of course he's aiming at the wrong target. The problem is the FA and the lack of proper development of young talent who are unable to compete at the top level.

Look at the "youngsters" in the England team - only Rooney, Lennon & Milner are under 25 (plus Joe Hart). There are 11 German players (plus Neuer) under 25 in their squad, including Ozil, Badstuber, Mueller & Boateng. Same number in the Spanish squad.

But it's much easier to take a pop at City as that sells papers.

 

[SWP's back]

I sent him:

Brian,

To call this latest column of yours awful would be an understatement. The only reason that I do not swear is due to the filters at work. You say England fail so consistently and blame Man City. One question - How? England have been awful since 1970. Man City have had money for two seasons.

Why not single Arsenal out instead? Man City currently have Nedum Onuoha, Micah Richards, Adam Johnson, Wayne Bridge, Joe Hart, Gareth Barry & SWP in their squad and all played atleast 20 games last season. They are all English (and we are looking to add Milner by all accounts - though massively overpriced as he is English). So that is 7 with us and possibly one more.

Arsenal have whom exactly? Gibbs and ermm....... Oh yeah, that is right, no one.

Your agenda is obvious. You have shown yourself a fool. You are the sole reason I shall never be buying the Star again.

Plus a lot of other City fans feel the same - just check the bluemoon forum where an 8 page thread (so far) is discussing your merits, or lack of them.

If I was as bad at my job as you are at yours, I would resign.

And fair play, he replied with:

It is not just City, this applies to all clubs bringing in so many foreign players and stunting the growth of English talent. I care passionately about the England team and it's a losing battle

So I followed up with (and he hasn't replied a second time):

Brian,

I appreciate your reply but I must ask this; If it is not just City, then why title your piece "City Spending Spree...." then?

I would say the Man City have produced far more home grown players over the last 5 years than any of the so called "Big 4". Hell, two brilliant young England players were not even picked (Hart & Adam Johnson), so blame the manager, not the club.

If you had titled your piece something else and not singled out Manchester City, then I am sure many fans would not have been so cross. But to lay the blame at the media's current villain just smacks of jealousy. As I say, Arsenal, Liverpool & Manchester United are not exactly chocked full of promising young Englishmen but they are the media's darlings and therefore "untouchable".

As for what you said about City's fans not caring. You are damned right, club football is far more important, takes up most weekends for 75% of the year and it is where I pour my hard earned cash. I was not happy when England lost to Germany but I was in a far better mood than when we lost the Carling Cup semi 2nd leg at Old Trafford this year. We have been through some right old crap at our place and stayed loyal, don't you think it is only right to let us enjoy this time in the sun without laying the blame for Rooney, Lampard, Terry, Gerrard et al not performing, at our door?

Do you not understand the reason for buying foreign players this summer? One is the expense of English players (Milner £30M?? - When Silva cost £24M) The second is that (as has just been proven), there are not enough good English players at the present time. That is to do with the coaching at grass roots level. Stopping coaches from drilling the technique out players at a young age with the old "If in doubt, boot it out!!" mantra. Look how Spain play all over the pitch, do you really think that, as kids, they were rollocked for playing the pass rather than hoofing it as far from danger as they could?

That is the real cause of the decline (since 1970 when we last had a decent team). Not Man City becoming rich 2 years ago.

He is a twat though.

 

[Freestyler]

Just sent this now:

Hi Brian,

I am lead to believe other city fans have emailed you in regard to the article you published about city ruining the national side, in every email you replied to you dodged the original questions and failed to come even close to answering the questions asked, i have seen all these emails and basically just make you looked stupid don't they?

anyway it's all been said really in their emails about the amount of academy players we have had play in the first team and all the rest, i don't need to state any obvious points or facts your way which have already completely blown you out with the pathetic stupid lazy arcticle,

but why single city out? scared are we because were gonna dominate english football so you thought you would have a pop at us?

would i be right in saying your a spurs fan? ....a team which i can't recall fielding half as many city academy products in the last 5 years,

toure with his £220,000 a week?, which is also nonsense, more garbage, slow news day?

aren't you the same paper that claimed he had his medical in england when he actually had it in spain, and you also said he only made 17 apperance all season when he made over 34?... says it all really.

your a clown, talk garbage, what's your next story gonna be.....david silva on £350,000 a week?

you really haven't got a clue have you?

nuff said.

spot on. but don't hold your breath waiting for a reply from this clown.

he's just replied now with this:

''None of you get the point. The England team is in a mess and we need new young talent for the future. If City or any club keeps buying foreign players that is not going to happen''

 

[stonerblue]

Where's the mention of Joe Hart and Adam Johnson in that article? After the WC debacle weren't the journo's crying for AJ to have been taken and for HArt to be between the sticks from now on???

The problem with the England team is ego's and arrogance and the fact Fabio didn't play his strongest team in the all three of the warm up matches, instead he experimented... really? just before a national tournament he's still experimenting with the side!!! Surely we should have been getting them to play together as a team!

picking the England team is like making love to a byoodiful woman...

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Reply that the problem is with the academies and that our youngsters aren't as technically developed, and that they need to play with the best of the foreign talent to learn new aspects to their game and that as english players are so limited and over-valued that foreign clubs won't take them, that foreign players have to come here, because the english development in clubs across the board is appalling.

He can hardly blame City for buying foreign players to compete with those in the CL who do it anyway, so yeah, really it's an English problem, not a City problem, we've done more than most clubs in regards to youth development.

 

[tommyducks]

If he cares more about country than club then he is totally out of touch with football fans in this country.

 

[ono]

spot on. but don't hold your breath waiting for a reply from this clown.

he's just replied now with this:

''None of you get the point. The England team is in a mess and we need new young talent for the future. If City or any club keeps buying foreign players that is not going to happen''

Lol you'd expect a high rolling journo to be able to actually out forward a decent argument. Or not...

 

[Skip Donoghue]

he's just replied now with this:

''None of you get the point. The England team is in a mess and we need new young talent for the future. If City or any club keeps buying foreign players that is not going to happen''

Lol you'd expect a high rolling journo to be able to actually out forward a decent argument. Or not...

that's the problem with his article he has no argument to put forward with regards to city anyway, it is a crock of shit and just about selling papers and having a pop at city nothing more with the preface of caring about the future of the England football team

 

[GaudinoMotors]

He's not amused