Ballague on Mark Hughes & Citeh

[Frogfish]

Writing in my column in The Daily Mirror today I have suggested that some might claim Manchester City`s big signings were either second choice or carrying a bit of baggage. Sat with their technical staff in a sweltering Barcelona the other night, I questioned if that really mattered...

Kolo Toure traded in the red of Arsenal when he realised Wenger had lost faith in him, but he felt strange walking around the Nou Camp in City`s colours. Adebayor still has much to prove after just one good season and several at Arsenal claim the dressing room is a much healthier place without him. Gareth Barry`s move materialised after the Villa player spent countless hours discussing a future at Liverpool with Steven Gerrard; while Tévez waited in vain for an offer from Real Madrid or Barcelona that never came. Robinho told Real Madrid they had to sell him to Chelsea or he would retire and sell pizzas on a beach in Rio.

And then there are the ones that got away, who did not fall under the spell of City`s wealth. Xabi Alonso was not interested, preferring Real Madrid (City will pursue a passing central midfielder once they land Lescott); David Villa told his agent he didn`t want to leave Spain and Eto`o wound up at Inter – although, for the record, it was City who eventually pulled out of the deal once their self imposed 48 hour deadline had passed and Eto`o had sent four text messages to Hughes pleading for more time.

What matters now are the players at City, not those who aren`t. As long as Adebayor receives a pass from Tévez, Ireland is supported by Barry and Toure is defending corners –City`s quality improves immensely and is enough to reach the target imposed by their owners to be top six this season, top four a couple of years on.

Progress is key: Roma was not build in a day and while the competition struggles to make ends meet, City are already plotting where they will spend their money in January.

The overenthusiastic might use the coincidence of a United defeat and a City victory over Barcelona as proof of the dawn of a new era. But Hughes` feet are on the ground and everyone at the club knows it`s far too early for that: most agree that the top four will remain unchanged for a while yet.

City`s pursuit of Lescott means there are more than a few Evertonians who would beg to differ but, from the outside, I have a growing respect for City`s steady growth, for their efforts to be understood and for Hughes` dignified silence when confronted by his critics. Much of the criticism stems from fear: not simply of City`s wealth, but that they might upset the status quo – and the new kid on the block must always fight that little bit harder to prove himself…

Good article and a lot of truth in it.

 

[Paddy]

A lot of shite rather.

 

[FoxForceFive]

ballague's a no-nothing cunt with an undeserved reputation.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=Paddy link=topic=35394.msg930176#msg930176 date=1250942061]
A lot of shite rather.
[/quote]

OK let me re-phrase. A little bit of shite or stating the blindingly obvious, but also some common sense as far as targets is concerned and I also agree with him about Hughes, it would have been easy to have stood up and fought back against the bad press but he's maintained a dignified silence that is impressive.

 

[TheBunnyman]

Sounds like Ballague's on the payroll at City now.

I didn't know they beat Barca though - when was that?

 

[SaintGeorge67]

Wednesday. Vladimir Weiss was superb by all accounts.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=35394.msg930189#msg930189 date=1250943544]
Wednesday. Vladimir Weiss was superb by all accounts.
[/quote]

Who?

 

[SaintGeorge67]

A kid they have on the right wing. Looks the business.

 

[Frogfish]

Had to look him up !


Full Name Vladimir Weiss
Birth Date November 30, 1989
Birth Place Slovenia
Height 1.73m
Weight 71 kg
Age 19
Position Midfielder
Squad No 40

Another impressive product of the City youth academy, the Slovakian winger caught the eye with some dazzling performances in the 2008/09 Youth Cup.
A player of great potential, Weiss boasts pace and skill on the ball and is a handful for any defence. He can also whip a free-kick in well and has been compared to mid-1970s Chelsea player Charlie Cooke by academy boss Jim Cassell.

A small, but incisive, creative force, Weiss has a selfish streak and can often take on an extra player before considering the pass. However, there are no doubts as to his potential and he is held in very high regard by the City staff.

 

[Frogfish]

I loved Charlie Cooke - great player !

 

[Paddy]

It was practically a Barca c team.

 

[Le Chacal]

four text messages...

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=Paddy link=topic=35394.msg930204#msg930204 date=1250944368]
It was practically a Barca c team.

[/quote]

That's doing them rather a disservice - almost all their stars got a run out and Citeh were missing Robinho, Adebayor and Bridge.

Barcelona 0-1 Manchester City

0-1 Martin Petrov 28'

FC Barcelona😛into, Montoya (Alves 45), Fontas (Henry 63), Puyol (Bartra 31) (Pique 63), Maxwell (Muniesa, 63), Toure (Tiago 45) Busquets ( Keita 45), Gudjohnsen (Jonathan, 45), Pedro (Messi 45), Bojan (Ibrahimovic 45) and Jeffren (Gai Assulin, 54).


Manchester City:Given, Onuoha, Kolo Toure (Ben-Haim 45), Dunne, Zabaleta (Garrido 65), Weiss, Ireland, Barry (Etuhu 70), Wright-Phillips (Trippier 80) , Petrov, Tevez (Bellamy 65).