OCCUPIED COUNTRY

Friday, September 05, 2008

Can't Buy Me Love

So. What a difference a couple of weeks make. I can still remember the “Manchester City on the verge of financial meltdown” headlines that were bandied about by the bone-idle, generally London-centric press mid August. Probably reasonable conjecture at the time given the fact that Thaksin was looking increasingly vulnerable to comparative skintness and failing the “fit and proper person” test that the authorities have come up with, but none of it based on good old investigative journalism.

To be honest you don’t normally have to do much investigation work when reporting on City, there are moles all over the shop. Historically Manchester City has been known as a colander club by the football press, full of holes and leaking information like a sieve so it would’ve only required a modicum of effort for a journo to check some facts before firing up MS Word. But a modicum is a modicum and it’s so much easier to order another round and agree a line to take with all your fellow hacks than to get off your fat arse and do some proper work.

I would love to have seen their faces when the news broke that the Arabs were coming though.

Which brings me to the Arabs. Hmmmm. Not sure about this, not sure about this at all. I know that football has already changed irrevocably what with the introduction of the Premier League, Sky and the vast amounts of money already washing about the sport. I know that in order to compete in a meaningful way at the top of the tree a club will need to spend a hell of a lot of money (as well as having a knowledgeable and tactical manager obviously). I know that football clubs are increasingly having to be owned by multi-billionaires or even multi-trillionaires to be able to spend the money needed. I know that my club is now in this enviable position. But I also know that true, meaningful success can’t be bought and it seems to me that that is exactly what our new owners are thinking. Money = success. Well it ain’t necessarily so and I can see in the not too distant future our increasingly impatient owners forcing more and more “Galacticos” on Mark Hughes against his, and the majority of fans, wishes. I can then see Mr Hughes walking away from the job and Dr Sulemain bringing in a “world name” on a profound salary and sitting back while the trophies come rolling in – hopefully.

But success isn’t only measured on the pitch, what of our fabulous Academy? Probably the best one in the country and one that has produced countless Premiership, Championship and lower divisions players in recent times. One that has produced a number of current first teamers such as Micah Richards, Nedun Onouha, Michael Johnson, Stephen Ireland, Daniel Sturridge, Ched Evans and, of course, Shaun Wright-Philips. I just hope beyond hope that the link is not lost, I hope that in three4 or four years time I will be supporting a mix of locally-grown talent and world class footballers. The thing that worries me most though is the fear of the club losing its soul completely. Now don’t get me wrong I think City’s soul is already a couple of miles down the road and well on its way to oblivion, but this takeover could and probably will give it all the acceleration it needs. Manchester City as a world footballing brand has never really appealed to me and it never will no matter what Dr Sulemain, Gary Cooke and the rest of the visionaries may say. When I’m abroad and I see somebody wearing a City top I know that I could have a conversation with them about our club. It would be informed conversation. It’s not like a Manchester United or Chelsea “supporter”. Half the time if you meet someone in Greece or Spain with a Chelsea top on all they know about the club is a post-Abramovitch history. I fear that City will soon be a brand known the world over and that just isn’t right. Not right at all.

Mind you this is City, knowing our luck the oil wells will run dry and we’ll be back in division three with those other big-spenders Leeds. Icarus anyone?

Is it ever going to stop raining? Only asking because I can remember what the sunshine is like – just. God only knows what Robhino will make of the unremitting, pitiless drenching he’s going to experience when he finally pitches up at (Middle) Eastlands. The drear grey skies of Manchester will be an eye-opener for our Brazilian wunderkind. Let’s all hope he finds it a refreshing change from hot colours and climate of Brazil and Spain I mean, there’s only so much sunshine you can take isn’t there?

Well, isn’t there?

Eldest finally ties the knot in Santorini in a couple of weeks and there’s quite a few of us making the trek Greece-wards for the nuptials. It’ll be nice seeing the Sun again.