Why didn't you go to the Leipzig game?

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Spot-on. I also think all football fans are oversensitive at the moment. They have been battered by Covid and family issues and they haven't forgotten the ESL saga. All clubs need to work hard to build a stronger relationship with their fans. We have shot ourselves in the foot with persistent comms blunders internally and externally. Has Khaldoon taken his eye off the ball?

Looking from the outside, I have felt for a bit that while Khaldoon is an incredibly busy individual, City is no longer the priority it is for him and Abu Dhabi?

I only put that down the to the expansion of the CFG, the lending which has been going on to build up the group, the equity sales, the refinancing.

The CFG has always been Soriano's baby, he's a footballing snob, too busy trying to cosy in with the 'elite' that laughs behind his back.

He's created an executive clique of his choosing, enabled by someone like Khaldoon, obviously in thrall to a managerial titan, but with an increasing sense that Pep is doing us a favour by staying.

The relationship isn't equitable IMO. The club has bent over backwards for Pep but not put people and systems of equal standing in place to ensure the lower rungs of the ladder are structurally sound.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Pep may have brought this on with his words, but the press and every plastic twat in the country have got exactly what they want out of this and we have helped. City fans in part turning on the best Manger the club has ever had for a throw away comment in a post match interview. Our loyalty being called in to question by plastic internet knobheads fueled by a clearly biased press. By shear coincidence in the same week that the Scum have had a truly awful result. Coincidences eh, gotta love them.

Our loyalty is being called into question by our manager.

I don't care how fucking good he is; my loyalty to the club and our fans comes well in front of my loyalty to a manager.

 

[Scareye]

Our loyalty is being called into question by our manager.

I don't care how fucking good he is; my loyalty to the club and our fans comes well in front of my loyalty to a manager.

Mine too mate. If I thought for a second it was done deliberately I would be at the head of the mob, pitchfork and burning effigy at the ready. I don't think it was and while I know its a topic to be discussed, there is an over reaction that is fueling the bile of everyone that wants us to fail.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

We don't need it mate, all of what you say is true.
But do you believe it was a deliberate act? Do you also believe that a pile on by upset blues will ease the situation?
I like others am annoyed by what he said I am just not sure the wailing and gnashing of teeth is helpful.

It was a deliberate act by Pep to illicit a response, but he hasn't thought about the wider ramifications.

The statement was unsolicited. If the interviewer had said, 'Pep, there were ten thousand empty seats tonight and the ones here were quiet?', we would be burning Matt Smith at the stake.

I believe the empty seats and early leavers irks him, but he hasn't attempted to seek answers for that, as far as we know.

He would be better served putting private pressure on his paymasters and bosses to demand solutions, rather than igniting a public match that was only ever going to have fuel thrown on it by those who want to see the club fail at every turn.

We have the right to be annoyed. Everyone has their own personal journey with City.

For me, Pep is not as stupid man, but he regularly says stupid things that we generally let slide.

When it is an attack on our own supporters, however thinly veiled, he deserves a reminder that he is a servant of our club and, as such, should appreciate there would be 50k coming on Saturday, regardless of the opposition.

As it is, the photographers will be taking pictures of the empty seats dotted around, rather than the fifty-odd thousand, 38,000 of them, who have already forked out this week!!

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

We don't need it mate, all of what you say is true.
But do you believe it was a deliberate act? Do you also believe that a pile on by upset blues will ease the situation?
I like others am annoyed by what he said I am just not sure the wailing and gnashing of teeth is helpful.

Better to debate on here, than open dissent from the stands, suppose!

 

[Del_Bosque]

I went but it was a pain in the arse.

Queues massive at N1 to get in and to get a pint. Food stalls didnt open till nearly 40th min so queues were huge at HT and well into 2nd half.

And the parking/traffic on the way home was grim.

Not in any rush to get back to the next night game.

Atmosphere was generally decent though with more in the stands than I was expecting and it was a great game of football.

 

[mexico1970]

Our loyalty is being called into question by our manager.

I don't care how fucking good he is; my loyalty to the club and our fans comes well in front of my loyalty to a manager.

That really is exactly what it is, if you take a step back it's all a bit strange. I want a manager that is going to big the fan base up not criticise them.

It's not much to ask, obviously Pep feels safe enough in his job to sound off when and wherever he pleases, I for one genuinely don't care if he re-signs.

 

[cbl]

As it is, the photographers will be taking pictures of the empty seats dotted around, rather than the fifty-odd thousand, 38,000 of them, who have already forked out this week!!

i’ve said this previously but it stinks of privilege to think our working class fans can afford tickets (and all the other costs involved) for 3 games in one week. anyone that turns up gets a clap on the back from me; especially after the debilitating year most have had after covid.

for me to take my nephew to the CL game and this weekend it’s cost me £130 just on tickets. in one week. i am old enough to understand and appreciate how fortunate i am to be able to do so. not everyone else is in the same boat. i am sure there are fans who would love to attend games but just don’t have the disposable income to be able to.

let them take photos of the empty seats. i couldn’t care less. if that’s all they can say about us as a team then i’m happy.

our loyalty isn’t coming into question here. they’ve taken his comment which i have no doubt was about the atmosphere and not the level of support, and twisted it and misconstrued it.

 

[wagonman]

I didn't go 'cos I am an old pensioner living in the hills of Central Portugal.

And I think too many Blue Mooners are over sensitive...

JJ

 

[MeatnSpudsMCFC]

The irritating part about this trivial story is how none of it is factually correct, but Pep making those remarks is just giving media outlets like Sky, Talksport, Guardian etc. the ability to print it without question. Sky have posted this story at least several occasions in just 24 hours.

There’s very little to beat the club with but Pep giving people something like this is just idiotic. Hope he learns from it as the result from Wednesday has now gone completely unnoticed.