Benitez disrespectful - Gareth Barry

[cracker]

Once again Rafa was right as he almost always is so why shouldn't he say it. Facts are that (as rafa said) the market is stupid this summer and MC and RM are the main offenders....and imo despite everything neither of them will win their leagues next season and MCFC will not be in the top four - they are just buying individuals with no real thought as to how the team will be structured once they come and a lot of their signings have dodgy attitudes so tbh I do not fear City at all.

 

I just wish more top players had the attitude of Fernando Torres whose conduct on and off the field since joining us has been legendary. Tbh I can see Barry being dumped in fairly quick time by the latest new MCFC signing (remember Bellamy siging 6 months ago was it and being told he was guaranteed a place for the duration of his contract - wheres that now? - with Tevez, RSC and Ade as well as Benjani and Bojinov and Robinho of course - do they know that you cannot play 5 or 6 strikers at once?).

 

Also everyone knows that their defence is the problem and at present they have not replaced Richard Dunne who is their weakest link and if they do, they plan to go for Terry and Lescott when Carvalho and Jagielka are better so that shows how much they know about judging a player.

 

Watch MCFC all end in tears - it always does.

 

But really I do not care about City - LFC is my main interest.

[havarantagain]

Ha, you couldn't make this shit up...ooopss they have!Some may think that shitty will challenge for a top four slot. But let he not forget that four mercenaries or more maketh not a team, nor a manager have they not to work the magic glue to make one. Hughes will be gone by xmas and shitty will be the new spuds of 2009/10 season. Mark mind my words, your out of your depth.

[sir roger]

I am a bit torn over this.

 

I am one of Rafa's biggest supporters on here & have no doubt what he said was true about Barry , but I'm not sure he needed to say it.

 

We need to focus ourselves completely on the job at hand this season & do not need any unnecessary sideshows.

[Code]

We should be guaging players on how much they want to play for us. If they aren't desperate to play for us, then they shouldn't be bought. Barry wasn't. I wanted him here but I am glad that we didn't buy him because he lacked the passion needed to play for our club. I can't speak for all of you but I know I only want players here that are prepared to fight to wear the shirt.

 

Yeah because boyhood reds like Pennant, Keane and Bellamy have worked wonders have they not.

 

We should sign quality players, if they are desperate to play for us or not is pretty irrelevant.

[Paul]

City's spending doesn't seem to be very coherent, though. They've bought an assortment of strikers, a number of the players they have bought aren't exactly young Bellamy is 30, Santa Cruz is soon to be 28, Barry is also 28, Wright-Phillips will be 28 in October, Wayne Bridge is 29 next month and some of the players they already had in the team aren't young anymore, Dunne is 30 and Petrov is 30. The way they are going, they will have to completely replace the team they have bought in a couple of seasons because of the players' age. It would interesting to know who is responsible for this policy, whether it Hughes or there is interference from higher up in the club because, to me, the whole thing is a lunacy so irrational that it's doomed to fail in its current form. City probably will experience success eventually but I think it will require a change in policy before they achieve it.

 

The policy makes sense to me, in so far as it has taken a while for them to actually focus on one. Last season, Hughes was in trouble with a dressing room that was filled with other people's players: some signed by Erikkson and that agent mate of his and Robinho signed on the last day of the window by Gary Cook for the owner. He then had all sorts of bother asserting himself as they all saw him as a mere puppet manager who'd be gone within months (see the reported problems with Brazilians and Richards, and the ill-fated attempt to sign Kaka for evidence).

 

However, it now appears to me that the owner has seen the error of his ways, recognising that the only effective way to build a club is to trust the man at the helm and back him to hilt. Hence the Hughes signings. In the last window he went for anyone he could get who he thought he could trust and would also improve the team (Bellamy, SWP and Bridge). Remember that, while question marks still remain, they looked incredibly unstable as a club six months ago, with "Hughes to go" stories in the papers every week. In short, they were "stabilise the ship" signings who may well stick around for a while, but may also prove to be stop gap measures.

 

Since the end of last season, Hughes has then gone for players that he believes are the best he can get who also have Premier League experience. So, Tevez, Barry, Adebayor, Terry, Lescott and Santa Cruz have been targeted. In that context, those players make sense to me, regardless of age, with the possible exception of the latter. However, he is a player that Hughes knows and trusts, and he's also a player who gives them a very different option to the rest with his ability to hold the ball up.

 

Beyond this window and/or season, the next set of signings will be at the very top end of the market, assuming they achieve the all-important CL qualification, which I think they have a great chance of doing. Hughes has simply tried to build the club in appropriate stages, signing players at each level to fulfil specific requirements. The fact that it's all happened in a little over twelve months is merely indicative of the nature of what they're trying to achieve and, I suspect, the time it took for the owner to realise that there are two ways to throw money at a football club, with one way (backing the manager and having a plan) being far more likely to succeed than the other (the Real Madrid galacticos policy).

 

Clearly time will tell, but I get a strong sense that Hughes is making all the key decisions now and that he's getting them mostly right. John Terry is the biggest one for them because of the stature, experience and leadership he'll bring with him. However, even if they miss out on him (and I'm not sure they will), I still think they'll edge The Arse out of the top four and cause all sorts of problems for the rest of us in the coming season. In a strange way, I think a stronger City could actually make our chances of winning the league stronger (assuming we keep Xabi, which is crucial in my opinion), as I think we've got the most focused, balanced and hungry squad now and will be better equipped to weather the City-related storm than everyone else.

 

Whatever the truth of all this, I think we're in for a fantastic season, both from the Red and the neutral perspectives, and City are a big factor in that opinion.

[SpeedyG]

The policy makes sense to me, in so far as it has taken a while for them to actually focus on one. Last season, Hughes was in trouble with a dressing room that was filled with other people's players: some signed by Erikkson and that agent mate of his and Robinho signed on the last day of the window by Gary Cook for the owner. He then had all sorts of bother asserting himself as they all saw him as a mere puppet manager who'd be gone within months (see the reported problems with Brazilians and Richards, and the ill-fated attempt to sign Kaka for evidence).

 

However, it now appears to me that the owner has seen the error of his ways, recognising that the only effective way to build a club is to trust the man at the helm and back him to hilt. Hence the Hughes signings. In the last window he went for anyone he could get who he thought he could trust and would also improve the team (Bellamy, SWP and Bridge). Remember that, while question marks still remain, they looked incredibly unstable as a club six months ago, with "Hughes to go" stories in the papers every week. In short, they were "stabilise the ship" signings who may well stick around for a while, but may also prove to be stop gap measures.

 

Since the end of last season, Hughes has then gone for players that he believes are the best he can get who also have Premier League experience. So, Tevez, Barry, Adebayor, Terry, Lescott and Santa Cruz have been targeted. In that context, those players make sense to me, regardless of age, with the possible exception of the latter. However, he is a player that Hughes knows and trusts, and he's also a player who gives them a very different option to the rest with his ability to hold the ball up.

 

Beyond this window and/or season, the next set of signings will be at the very top end of the market, assuming they achieve the all-important CL qualification, which I think they have a great chance of doing. Hughes has simply tried to build the club in appropriate stages, signing players at each level to fulfil specific requirements. The fact that it's all happened in a little over twelve months is merely indicative of the nature of what they're trying to achieve and, I suspect, the time it took for the owner to realise that there are two ways to throw money at a football club, with one way (backing the manager and having a plan) being far more likely to succeed than the other (the Real Madrid galacticos policy).

 

Clearly time will tell, but I get a strong sense that Hughes is making all the key decisions now and that he's getting them mostly right. John Terry is the biggest one for them because of the stature, experience and leadership he'll bring with him. However, even if they miss out on him (and I'm not sure they will), I still think they'll edge The Arse out of the top four and cause all sorts of problems for the rest of us in the coming season. In a strange way, I think a stronger City could actually make our chances of winning the league stronger (assuming we keep Xabi, which is crucial in my opinion), as I think we've got the most focused, balanced and hungry squad now and will be better equipped to weather the City-related storm than everyone else.

 

Whatever the truth of all this, I think we're in for a fantastic season, both from the Red and the neutral perspectives, and City are a big factor in that opinion.

 

Very well put. That's largely how I see it.

[stringvest]

The policy makes sense to me, in so far as it has taken a while for them to actually focus on one. Last season, Hughes was in trouble with a dressing room that was filled with other people's players: some signed by Erikkson and that agent mate of his and Robinho signed on the last day of the window by Gary Cook for the owner. He then had all sorts of bother asserting himself as they all saw him as a mere puppet manager who'd be gone within months (see the reported problems with Brazilians and Richards, and the ill-fated attempt to sign Kaka for evidence).

 

However, it now appears to me that the owner has seen the error of his ways, recognising that the only effective way to build a club is to trust the man at the helm and back him to hilt. Hence the Hughes signings. In the last window he went for anyone he could get who he thought he could trust and would also improve the team (Bellamy, SWP and Bridge). Remember that, while question marks still remain, they looked incredibly unstable as a club six months ago, with "Hughes to go" stories in the papers every week. In short, they were "stabilise the ship" signings who may well stick around for a while, but may also prove to be stop gap measures.

 

Since the end of last season, Hughes has then gone for players that he believes are the best he can get who also have Premier League experience. So, Tevez, Barry, Adebayor, Terry, Lescott and Santa Cruz have been targeted. In that context, those players make sense to me, regardless of age, with the possible exception of the latter. However, he is a player that Hughes knows and trusts, and he's also a player who gives them a very different option to the rest with his ability to hold the ball up.

 

Beyond this window and/or season, the next set of signings will be at the very top end of the market, assuming they achieve the all-important CL qualification, which I think they have a great chance of doing. Hughes has simply tried to build the club in appropriate stages, signing players at each level to fulfil specific requirements. The fact that it's all happened in a little over twelve months is merely indicative of the nature of what they're trying to achieve and, I suspect, the time it took for the owner to realise that there are two ways to throw money at a football club, with one way (backing the manager and having a plan) being far more likely to succeed than the other (the Real Madrid galacticos policy).

 

Clearly time will tell, but I get a strong sense that Hughes is making all the key decisions now and that he's getting them mostly right. John Terry is the biggest one for them because of the stature, experience and leadership he'll bring with him. However, even if they miss out on him (and I'm not sure they will), I still think they'll edge The Arse out of the top four and cause all sorts of problems for the rest of us in the coming season. In a strange way, I think a stronger City could actually make our chances of winning the league stronger (assuming we keep Xabi, which is crucial in my opinion), as I think we've got the most focused, balanced and hungry squad now and will be better equipped to weather the City-related storm than everyone else.

 

Whatever the truth of all this, I think we're in for a fantastic season, both from the Red and the neutral perspectives, and City are a big factor in that opinion.

 

I take your point, but the success of the 'strategy' (I'm far from convinced that what is going on at the moment is any more than tactical) is heavily dependent on them getting into the CL sooner rather than later. It's also very expensive; as Dirk points out, there will be little return on most of those players, and many will need replacing in one or two years time. I'm not sure that collectively they are of the appropriate quality to give them the significant push they will need.

 

Even with Terry, I'm not sure the quality quite lives up to the hype. He did often seem sluggish and by no means a commanding presence in the Chelsea team, a team which would allow far fewer penetrating thrusts (ooer) at their back line than City are likely to experience. Terry exposed regularly behind a porous midfield will turn out to be a more ordinary player than most of the London press could countenance.

 

I hope for his sake that Hughes has a defensive plan B, because it's by no means clear that Terry will succumb to the money call. City's weakness has for most of the last 10 years been their defensive half of the team - unless Hughes addresses this as a matter of urgency (and it will take a lot more than the acquisition of a trophy CB) they'll struggle to sustain a challenge through the season.

 

Still, you can see them potentially taking a few points off the top teams, which should make things even more interesting this year. The title will be won with less points than this year, I'm sure of that.

[23_Carra_Gold]

Yeah because boyhood reds like Pennant, Keane and Bellamy have worked wonders have they not.

 

We should sign quality players, if they are desperate to play for us or not is pretty irrelevant.

 

Harry Kewell was a top quality player when we signed him. Something went wrong and I'd place a fair ammount of money on it being his attitude.

 

Desire to play for us is just as important as quality.

[Hermes]

Mark Hughes will be sacked by Christmas.

 

 

................but with his massive pay off he'll sail around the world on a Santa Cruz.

[Unrighteous]

I think that they'll miss out on the CL this season... They've got Abadabadoo/Toure missing for the African Cup of Nations. The bloated squad will have lots of discontent, I think, as well.

[Red Nick]

I am a bit torn over this.

 

I am one of Rafa's biggest supporters on here & have no doubt what he said was true about Barry , but I'm not sure he needed to say it.

 

We need to focus ourselves completely on the job at hand this season & do not need any unnecessary sideshows.

 

With Hindsight what a fantastic post that was

[King Emlyn]

................but with his massive pay off he'll sail around the world on a Santa Cruz.

That's actually very good in fairness

[INTORRESTING]

Harry Kewell was a top quality player when we signed him. Something went wrong and I'd place a fair ammount of money on it being his attitude.

 

Desire to play for us is just as important as quality.

 

I think he was really unlucky and he was desperate to succeed imo. He was crying his eyes out after we won at cardiff and didnt want to be in the photos.