Bit of a strange one this really. I've got Geordie family so I'm pleased they have got rid of Ashley, but getting Saudi money? I do wonder just who would fail a fit and proper persons test at the FA.
I think they will face the same problems we did - the best managers and players are not motivated by money. That's the tricky one. Agents are motivated by money and they'll no doubt have every player in Europe being offered to them. However, they can bid £900m for Mbappe and pay him £50m a week, but he won't go there. We found this out trying to land Kaka and Messi in the early days. Players like KdB, Dias etc want to win trophies and Ballon Dors, not big bank balances. Kane is a great example of a filthy rich player who could win the Ballon Dor but won't ever win a trophy whilst he's at a duff club.
Of course, what you need to do is find the ones who want money (Robinho, Bridge, Adebayor) and use them as stepping stones to get the class acts. But you also need to bring in the ones who want to be the best they possibly can be (Kompany, Zabaleta, Yaya, David Silva, Aguero) and the really hard part is picking between the two. I bet Adebayor was sensational at training for the first month, but would be checking his online banking every day.
If I was the owners, I'd be very concerned about going down this season. They need to keep Bruce in this season just to steady the ship. They have to stay up, come what may. Then they can look at bringing in someone decent. However, the "money axe" will mean that all the players there won't be there next season. That could kill morale and if they go down, it's a hard division to get out of - particularly with a lot of money, new manager and new players.
Money isn't easily spent on improving teams. I honestly think the money at City was important, but the best "signing" we made was Khaldoon. The guy is a class act. He's barely put a foot wrong and we're the textbook on how to run a club. He was cut from the same cloth as Bernstein - the right guys at the right time.
They won't mess about. They will start spending in January and they can't trust an idiot like Bruce with any money.Who will go? It's such a precarious position and at least Bruce knows how to keep them up - even though I can't stand him or the way they play.
I've now got this vision of Zidane going in there and trying to get Callum Wilson playing like Benzema! :)
If I was a decent manager, I'd ask for £1bn to try to get a half decent squad together! :)
Not a chanceCity might get positive commentary for a change when we play Newcastle on BT or Sky
Couldnt have put it better myself. Won £700 on that prick getting the stoke job because that was literally his level. Actually, his level is what hes employed as now … fuck all.No offence mate but Hughes built a decent enough side and had them looking over their shoulders at the unfolding relegation scrap.
Thank god he was sacked or I truly believe we really would have gone down with a billion in the bank.
Mancini saved City. Gave us our respect back and catapulted us into the big leagues. Pellets took the job after that and kept things going very smoothly winning another title and a couple of trophies, laying the ground work ready for the genius that is Pep.
Hughes was a classless, clueless, cuntstain.
Would be funnyits certainly a different environment now than it was back in 2008. Partly due to the likes in Newcastle voting for FFP. Id suggest they hoover up the best talent they can below Champs League teams initially or players wanting away from those teams.
Antonio/Benrahma/Sarr/Barnes/Bamford/Raphina/Mbeumo/Zaha/Lamptey/Abraham/Lingard/Luiz/Philips/Ake/Ward-P/Maddison
As you say if they go down, which is a real possibility it would be disastrous.
not really, they'd have so much firepower compared to the rest of the division with parachute payments and the EFL FFP wouldn't touch them as shown by Leicester and Wolves. In fact, it would probably be the scenario where they could clear so much of the deadwood, free up the wage bill and do a Wolves model.its certainly a different environment now than it was back in 2008. Partly due to the likes in Newcastle voting for FFP. Id suggest they hoover up the best talent they can below Champs League teams initially or players wanting away from those teams.
Antonio/Benrahma/Sarr/Barnes/Bamford/Raphina/Mbeumo/Zaha/Lamptey/Abraham/Lingard/Luiz/Philips/Ake/Ward-P/Maddison
As you say if they go down, which is a real possibility it would be disastrous.
Good shout that.Ok, if you were the Newcastle board who would you go for?
I think I'd be tempted to give Benitez a bell - popular with the fans, knows the league and seems to be well respected. I think he'd go back knowing he's got a blank chequebook.
They won't mess about. They will start spending in January and they can't trust an idiot like Bruce with any money.