The Owners

[Anonymous]

Cracking post Tolmie. I understand Billy's point, too.

I am also as sure as I can be that we had talks with Mourinho last easter. I felt Cook almost admitted it at one point in the media - I can't remember the exact quote.

Who knows whether a gentleman's agreement was reached for the summer.....!?!?!

I have grave doubts about Hughes but still a little hope. Things will be clearer by Christmas.

This thread has turned into a pretty sensible debate.

Honestly, the Mourinho thing - I don't see it happening. No way in hell. He's not going to take over at City unless we finish in the top 4. Which if we do, we won't be looking for someone to replace Hughes.

I'm curious though - realistically, what do you think it will take to get the owners to start thinking about a mid=season change? Would we have to drop into the bottom half of the table, or just slip away from the champions league spots...

I guess it depends in a way on what you think the real target for this season is...

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I made the point about Roy Hodgson and Harry Redknapp on another thread and the way they turned failing squads around with little or no buys. Now I'm certainly not saying I want either of them as our manager, but to me they proved they are quality managers, irrespective of whether they bought the player in or not.

Redknapp has spent only a bit less than us (and we'll finish above them by some margin). And Hodgson - was that the same guy who effctively took Blackburn down to the Championship or was that his less successful twin brother?

But if they're so good then why don't you want them?

 

[kippax71]

I agree entirely with the last few posts. We've a massive hang up in this country with the manager and building something and being given time. But of all the hugely succesful footballing countries this is the only one that works this way. I made the point about Roy Hodgson and Harry Redknapp on another thread and the way they turned failing squads around with little or no buys. Now I'm certainly not saying I want either of them as our manager, but to me they proved they are quality managers, irrespective of whether they bought the player in or not.

Barca, Real Madrid, Inter etc constantly change their managers but the squads are full of excellent footballers, the coach then makes the best of it. They are still amongst the most succesful clubs sides in the world, justs because taggarts managed them lot for the length of time he has doesn't necessarily make it the only way.

That has just blown your whole post apart. Slime ball blinker Redknapp spent that much money on wages and players at Portsmouth he nearly bankrupted them. As for his spendimg at Spuds well it must be over the £120M mark by now.

 

[moomba]

Redknapp has spent only a bit less than us (and we'll finish above them by some margin).

Spurs have spent less than a nett £50m since Redknapp arrived there, much less than us.

HAving said that I wouldn't want him at the club, largely because he is a twat.

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

The idea that if we bring in a new manager we will have to sell all the players is bogus.

Good managers do not need to do this. They are quite happy working with players bought by the previous manager. Lampard and Cole were integral to Mourinho although Ranieri purchases.

It is only managers who are insecure or lack confidence who have to surround themselves with their buys. Usually old players or friends.

A good manager would be delighted with the quality of City´s squad. If you judge a squad by the quality of the bench then

Onohua, Richards, Johnson, Petrov, Bellamy,Ireland, Kompany, RSC, Silvinho

No need for major overhaul. Just organisation.

Mourinho's first buy for Chelsea was Paulo Ferreira from his previous Club Porto, who he had also signed for Porto when manager there. This put Glen Johnson (a Ranieri buy) out of the picture, leading to his departure to Portsmouth.

Also during that initial summer he signed Ricardo Carvalho from Porto, and began to phase him in as first choice partner to John Terry at Centre Back. This contributed to him beginning to play Gallas (another Ranieri buy) out of position at left back, causing frustration in the player, who then also moved on. Mourinho brought in Ashley Cole in the deal that led to Gallas joining Arsenal, which removed Wayne Bridge (a Ranieri buy) from the first team, so he joined City.

He also signed Thiago over from Portugal during his first summer at Chelsea - a player he had been trying to sign when at Porto .

Mourinho brought in Hilario, also from Porto, which reduced Cudicini's role at Chelsea. Cudicini wasn't a Ranieri buy, but it was Ranieri who installed him as first choice keeper at the Club.

In one breath you claim that Mourinho provides evidence of being a good manager, but then you claim that only insecure managers lacking in confidence do exactly what he did when at Chelsea.

 

[Anonymous]

Redknapp has spent only a bit less than us (and we'll finish above them by some margin).

Spurs have spent less than a nett £50m since Redknapp arrived there, much less than us.

HAving said that I wouldn't want him at the club, largely because he is a twat.

It would be interesting to see what Spurs' total gross spend has been since Santini took over...

 

[Happy Feet]

I posted this in another thread, but think it deserves a thread of it's own.

It's apparent that there's again moral outrage on Bluemoon at Mark Hughes' inability to improve the players he has, to beat the likes of Burnley, Fulham, Birmingham, et al To do anything other than blame Elano and Sven for all his own shortcomings. To dismantle a perfectly good youth system. To sack all the decent staff at the club and replace them with under-qualified mates of his. To play nothing but negative, long ball football. To be a glorified Sam Allardyce. The list of Hughes' crimes are as endless as the Hughes Out threads...

It begs the question...what the fuck are these supposedly perfect owners of ours doing sitting on their hands. Ultimately, the buck stops with them. They are the ones who have been publicly backing Hughes since they took over. They are the ones who have let him fritter away over 200 million pounds on workhorses like Bellamy, Santa Cruz, and Tevez.

Surely it makes sense to just get shot of Hughes now and bring in someone better - which lets face it, if we believe even 50% of the stuff written on here about Hughes - won't be difficult. The reality is that come the end of this season, if we don't finish 4th, there's no way we will be capable of attracting the kind of players we would want. Furthermore, even attracting a manager of the ilk of Mouinho or Hiddink is out of the question irrespective of what other people think, if we aren't playing champions league football next season.

So you see, it's a huge season this one. Isn't it time our owners stepped up to the plate. Showed that they know what they're actually doing in running a football club. Demonstrate the kind of nous which undoubtedly is going to be required in the coming years to ensure long term success at the club. Shouldn't they now, or in the very very near future, take responsibility for the "Mark Hughes Project" - rather than hiding behind the blank cheque book which they've given him. Accept that he is not what the fans want, and he is not good enough. I'll repeat myself. Take some fucking responsibility, show some leadership and character, and stop hiding behind empty rhetoric about stability, and long term planning...

Get a job and stop mithering.

 

[moomba]

As for his spendimg at Spuds well it must be over the £120M mark by now.

Defoe £15m, Palacios £12m, Keane £12m, Cudicii free, Chimbonda £1m (???), Naughton/Walker £5m (???), Crouch £9m, Bassong £8m, Kranjcar £3m (???), Walker free. - £65m purchases

£24m sales - Zokora £8m, Bent £10m, Chimbonda £2m, Boateng £4m

Around £41m worth of spending over two transfer windows.

 

[Sleeping_Easy]

another poster said earlier he was going to judge hughes on where we were after the chelsea game, this got me to thinking, if were in the top 4 after wins against liverpool, hull and chelsea will all the hughes outers be a little quiter in there disgust or maybe even have a change of opinion or will they still be just as noisy in wanting rid. I personally think hughes should be giving to the end of the season, barring any alarming dropdown the league, if were in the top 4 he keeps his job if not then we start the search for a new manager. Just remember the world cup is a show case for top managers as well as top players.

 

[dingdingding]

So our board are a shower of cunts for being loyal and supportive towards the manager?

Fuck me, you really can't win sometimes.