Was Alan Ball as bad as people remember?

Paul Walsh was outstanding for us, quite incredible that Ball got rid of him.
If I remember Walsh had been hacked by the rag DJ Sweeney in a friendly at the Butcher's Arms and when he came back wasn't the same player, probably right to sell him but jeesh the replacement!!!!
 
He kept going back to Everton - it never worked out and to be honest his drinking was spiralling out of control by the time he left City so not sure he was much of a loss. Paul Lake covers this in his book). Agree it looked like he was building something but his managerial career declined rapidly in the years after he walked away from us.

I honestly believe that if Kendall had stayed, we could've won a league title in the next couple of seasons. The early 90's were the most open in my whole football supporting life. Liverpool's dominance was at an end, and United were yet to enter their period of dominance. Arsenal were probably the best team but there were opportunities for others. City and Palace came up in 1989 and 2 seasons later we finished 5th and Palace 3rd. Leeds came up in 1990 and 2 seasons later they won the league. Sheffield Wednesday came up in 1991 and finished 3rd that same season Leeds won the title. Norwich led the table with 7 games to go in 1993. While I think winning the league the season Kendall left in 1990-91 was out of the question due to Arsenal racking up an impressive points total, it was definitely doable in 1991-92. That season we finished 12 points behind champions Leeds with Reid as manager but it could've been a lot closer if not for an awful run of form in February and March which saw us drop 17 points out of a possible 24. Who knows how it would've panned out if Kendall was still our manager?
 
I haven't checked but wasn't this the season when we lost 6-0 to Liverpool, Rosler threw his boots into the crowd at the end of the game, and Ball then went on about how great Liverpool had been to watch, and in doing so further inflamed City fans?
 
Ball was awful, wanted him to do well just like every other City Manager. Trouble is as soon he was appointed I just thought that he is Mr. Relegation and we'll get relegated under him, pity Franny couldn't see it...….Clarke was abysmal too, terrible time to be a City fan
 
I honestly believe that if Kendall had stayed, we could've won a league title in the next couple of seasons. The early 90's were the most open in my whole football supporting life. Liverpool's dominance was at an end, and United were yet to enter their period of dominance. Arsenal were probably the best team but there were opportunities for others. City and Palace came up in 1989 and 2 seasons later we finished 5th and Palace 3rd. Leeds came up in 1990 and 2 seasons later they won the league. Sheffield Wednesday came up in 1991 and finished 3rd that same season Leeds won the title. Norwich led the table with 7 games to go in 1993. While I think winning the league the season Kendall left in 1990-91 was out of the question due to Arsenal racking up an impressive points total, it was definitely doable in 1991-92. That season we finished 12 points behind champions Leeds with Reid as manager but it could've been a lot closer if not for an awful run of form in February and March which saw us drop 17 points out of a possible 24. Who knows how it would've panned out if Kendall was still our manager?
Howard Kendall was a good manager for us and I think he would have given us success had he stayed. But under Swales bungling incompetence, well no chance for anything to come into fruition as countless other managers hadn't a chance to succeed.

I think when Kendall left he said something like city is a love affair but Everton is a marriage. And I also think he went back to Everton to try and rekindle the success of winning the league twice, FA cup and cup winners cup. It wasn't to be though and I seem to recall him managing a Greek team after Everton.
 
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Looking back were we just in free fall and with Ball just happening to be the manager at the time, or do you think he played in big part in our ultimate downfall?

I read once that if you took away the awful first 3 months of the season where we collected around 2 points, we were actually top half from our first win up until the end of the season. Ultimately of course we were still deservingly relegated but I just thought it was an interesting note.

To be honest I don’t think he ever endeared himself to the players or fans and he even claimed after a thrashing away at Liverpool that he had enjoyed the scousers performance.
still gives me nightmares...
 
Horton wasn't sacked he was told by Lee that he wanted to bring in Mr X, don't know who it was, if Mr X did not come then Horton would stay in place if Mr X came he would look after Horton but he wasn't prepared to wait and see. Horton knew that Huddersfield were looking for a manager and he fancied that cant blame him as I would have done the same Mr X left Lee down and this is why he turned to Ball, he wasn't a mate of Lee's.

I cant agree that
"Lee single biggest blight on Manchester City",
"if not in the whole history of the club"

Lee picked up the 20 year mess left by swales, the business was close to bankrupt when he took over. Swales did his best due to his bitterness with Lee to wreck his takeover he hamstrung the club with his exit deal and it only recovered when the Sheikh took over. Lee was then forced to spend a big chunk of the take over money on the Kippax stand rebuild he was also let down by Colin Barlow I think Lee made a mess of things but he did his level best to turn things around in the best interest of the club whereas swales was only interested in what the club could do for him and his huge ego, City was a vehicle for his ambition, he wasn't a City fan and never saw another game once he left despite having hospitality seats as part of the deal waheas Lee still attends games
mr x = George Graham...
 
Howard Kendall was a good manager for us and I think he would have given us success had he stayed. But under Swales bungling incompetence, well no chance for anything to come into fruition as countless other managers hadn't a chance to succeed.

I think when Kendall left he said something like city is a love affair but Everton is a marriage. And I also think he went back to Everton to try and rekindle the success of winning the league twice, FA cup and cup winners cup. It wasn't to be though and I seem to recall him managing a Greek team after Everton.

Kendal won’t remember if he managed a Greek team . He was a massive piss head by that stage
 

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