Newsletter #385

I’m afraid this is a very sparse issue indeed, not a single match report has been submitted so I can’t include one! If anyone can bear to write one, I’ll include it in the next issue. Maybe it’s now dawned on most of us that we are going down to the obscurity that is Division 2. You can either enter denial mode or more realistically, accept it now, that way at least you can feel genuine amazement and give thanks should it not come to pass. However, short of divine intervention, the only thing that’s going to save us, is if everybody else down the bottom loses as well, and then we’ll still have to get the odd draw from somewhere. Sorry to sound so negative but that’s the way it is. So much for balanced editorials…

For those lucky individuals who haven’t yet heard the score, Bradford won 2-1 after City had led, and managed to concede two goals through the centre, one of them another farcical defensive mix-up.

Here’s to all 2,000 of you – I’m sure the numbers on this list, or even at Maine Road, will hardly be affected by this small hiccup in our illustrious history!

REQUEST – MCIVTA

I’d like to make an appeal for someone to collate (and keep updated), the entire City squad. This would mean keeping a record of who is on loan to whom and who has been bought and sold (and for how much). It would require a little bit of effort to put together but should be easy enough to maintain after that. It could then go in MCIVTA once a month so that it’s easy to get a picture of how the squad is evolving. If someone would like to start off by putting together the current squad and where they all are, or even better, the current squad including all the players from the start of the season and where they are now, this would be really useful (as the Fat Controller says!).

Any volunteers?

NEWS SUMMARY

Friday 27th – Monday 30th March

Nothing of note happening really at the moment so I’ve abandoned the usual daily format. Mainly because on all but today there was nothing really to write about. Biggest event of note of course was us getting beaten again. I couldn’t make the match so I can’t comment on the performance, but I still stand by my criticism of JR even in the face of last issue’s conflicting viewpoint. My ill feeling toward the man was only increased by the rumour that not only Gio will be leaving in the Summer (apparently this is definite now, as is the fact that he won’t play for us again. At least that’s the talk from the Maine Road kitchens…), but Murtaz and Kakhaber as well! Now Tskhadadze I won’t lose any sleep over for the simple reason that he’s not overly impressed me so far, but if we’ve got a better defender at the club than Shelia then I’m a United fan! Perhaps Joe comes from the same school of xenophobia as his big mate Reidy – a man who alledgedly managed to persuade Macclesfield’s Chris Byrne that a move to Sunderland was in his best interests purely on the basis of his policy of ‘not allowing any blacks at the club’. But you didn’t hear that from me. Maybe Joe can stomach black players but has something against Eastern Europeans perhaps? Apparently Tskhadadze is available for a piffling £50,000 and if Shelia doesn’t fancy hanging around on his own then Royle will also allow him to leave. Incredible. I know I’m going to get criticised (again) for saying this, but if we’re gonna go down I’d much rather have done it with Frank Clark!

Anyway, now that a couple of people who’ve told me things in confidence are cringing with despair after my Reid and Gio not playing again comments I’d better move on. Royle remains defiant after Saturday’s crucial defeat, asking the fans to grin and bear it for a little longer. “With the other results we’re not actually worse off except there’s another game gone and I still believe we can win enough games to stay up. It’s tight but it’s been that way ever since I came here. My job now is to lift the players on Monday, reorganise the side and hopefully win a home game next week. I think one or two players switched off at half time and we were very sleepy. We conceded two goals from straight down the middle of our defence which shouldn’t happen with three centre halves.”

Those disappointed by Ian Bishop’s apparently poor début should take heart from the fact that the gritty midfielder picked up a knock early on and was playing through the pain for most of the time he was on the field. As JR stated, “He got a very heavy knock early on and was struggling at half time but wanted to carry on. Once they got level we needed 11 fit men and I thought Gerard Wiekens might have helped the midfield but we were again caught ball watching.”

Another failing to make an impression on his début was striker Shaun Goater who, by all accounts missed at least three glorious opportunitites. JR: “He had a promising début and had three decent chances. He will make opportunities and his record says he will score enough.” Apparently Goater himself was so digusted with his performance that he apologised to each of his team mates individually after the game and denied himself the opportunity of a post match free booze up after the match in the players’ lounge!

Apart from that there was little more than idle speculation of an improved contract offer for Uwe, the possibility of moves in the summer for both Lee Briscoe and Mike Sheron (with the former seeming much more likely than the latter) and talk of Graham Taylor’s Watford making an enquiry about signing Cloughie should they make promotion to the first division at the end of this season. Oh yeah, and Jeff Whitley faces a one match ban (game to be determined) after his sending off for two bookable offences on Saturday.

And that’s your lot. Hate mail and demands for me to pack this news lark in should be directed to Ashley for inclusion in the next issue…

SHAUN GOATER

I believe I may be the only recipient in Bermuda of the excellent newsletter. What would I do without all the wonderful news that is sent twice a week? Times can only get better.

You may wish to know that Shaun Goater is a bit of a hero over here and his exploits are followed by sports fans in Bermuda. Today March 27 the transfer took up most of the front page of the sports section. If anyone is interested in what was said then this can be accessed at www.accessbda.bm.

You may also be interested in another article published today where Clyde Best (ex West Ham) and the Bermuda national coach is looking to perhaps secure the release of SG in early May for the National squad. This may prevent him playing for City right to the end of the season.

I will be happy to provide you with any other newstips that come to my attention in the future with regard to SG.

Keep up the great work.

THE NAME GAME

Do they, do they rose London?

Prior to trying some new dictation software I assumed that I had the crisp enunciation, finely-tuned intonation and perfect pitch of a BBC World Service newsreader. Sadly the computer did not share this assumption. Apparently these are all former City players:-

• After a man (Arthur Mann)
• Ferry it dealt in (Francis Lee)
• The rank cowardice (Frank Carrodus)
• Tease me crave (Keith McRae)
• Mike was a well (Mike Horswill)
• Tommy cake tin (Tommy Caton)
• Tummy booze (Tommy Booth)
• Mike somebody (Mike Summerbee)
• Drag us love looks like an election! (Dragoslav Stepanovic)

I’ll leave you to work it out: I’m off to elocution lessons (it does say on the box that you have to train this particular program. Quite).

If you must know, the one at the top of the article was Uwe Rösler.

EWAN MCGREGOR’S VIEW ON UNITED

Choose United.
Choose 7 failed attempts at the European Cup.
Choose to be knocked out of Europe 9 times in 10 seasons.
Choose to be the European laughing stock.
Choose to waste countless millions.
Choose to support a team from a city you’ve never even been to.
Choose whining.
Choose to wear sh** grey shirts then blame them when Southampton stuff you.
Choose to release Cantona because he’s the one who recognises how sh** Cole is.
Choose cheating.
Choose not to condemn your player after he has just been convicted of murder.
Choose to spend your career in the reserves because the money’s good.
Choose a psychopathic Irishman for your captain and call him a gifted visionary.
Choose to waste £7 million on Cole.
Choose the arrogance to field reserve team and then bleat about consequences.
Choose a racist albino with pink eyes and a red nose as your goalkeeper.
Choose not to be liked by anyone and pretend not to care.
Choose your own referee and assistants – except in Europe.
Choose a Scandinavian paper boy as your top goal scorer.
Choose to have the biggest squad in football and then complain about injuries.
Choose your club before your country.
Choose Wales before England.
Choose Paddy Roach.
Choose to be ar**-licked by the media and then accuse them of anti-United bias.
Choose to forget 1975 to 1989 ever existed.
Choose to change the team you support every 10 years.
Choose to shield your players from TV interviews until they can read and write.
Choose Remi Moses.
Choose to change your kit 6 times a season.
Choose self-deception and delusions of grandeur.
Choose the highlight of your club’s history as an air disaster.
Choose your best ever player as an incoherent, wife-beating, alcoholic Irishman.
Choose to poach your “impressive youth policy” from other clubs.
Choose to sign a world class centre forward beginning with SH and pretend not to care when you get Sheringham instead of Shearer.
Choose to go for the Triple then end up with **** all.
Choose embarrassment.

Choose United!

OPINION – PLAYER TRANSACTIONS

It seems that City is trying to make a run at staying out of the relegation zone like they did last year when FC came on board as manager. I believe that the acquisitions of Bishop and Goater, the Bermudan from Bradford will be a big help to City. I am basing my statement on what I’ve read about the happenings at Maine Road through prior issues of MCIVTA. I most certainly like to see City stay up and then work for promotion next season. Can anybody tell when the season ends? I’m planning a trip to NYC where there is another City fan who has located a place that shows English FA games including City. I hope to hook up with him and watch a game.

OPINION – KINKLADZE AND BEARDSLEY

Could someone please enlighten me? A few short weeks ago, we didn’t have enough place for both Beardsley and Kinkladze in the same team while fighting in the relegation “dogfight”. We couldn’t afford two “creative” players in the team at once. So Beardsley went back to Bolton. And Kinkladze isn’t being picked at all. Does this make sense to anyone?

OPINION – KINKLADZE

It continues to baffle me how Joe Royle can justify excluding the club’s most talented player during the current relegation battle. Joe says that the team must create more attacking options and provide a better service to the strikers yet at the same time deprives us of our most creative player in the opposition half and the one most capable of providing the service he is asking for!

Joe has questioned Kinkladze’s frame of mind and in what seems another dig at the player repeatedly states that he is interested in playing only those who are 100% committed to the club. Having read Steve Kay’s article (MCIVTA 384), that Kinkladze is now reduced to training with the “A” Team I wonder if Joe’s next move will be to buy him a one way ticket to Georgia?

Of course I am assumimg in my criticism of Joe Royle that Kinkladze is willing to do his best to help City avoid the drop. I’ve no reason to believe otherwise as his loyalty to date has been admirable and he has repeatedly stated his love for the club, the city and the fans who have given him the chance to play in English football.

The transfer speculation which has been ongoing for as long as I can remember may have unsettled Gio but why not deal with it once and for all and allow him to concentrate on his football? If he has decided to leave at the end of this season then why not issue a joint statement or hold a press conference with both player and manager present stating that as Kinkladze has to think of his football career long term he would like to play at a higher level and offers will be considered during the summer. Until then he remains fully committed to Man City. It’s only stating the obvious but would allay some of the uncertainty and speculation.

I don’t know many City fans who would say that we are a vastly improved side without Kinkladze even with the addition of Polllock, Jobson and Bishop. The bit of magic that Gio can provide could make the difference between us staying up or going down. He’s not a one man solution but he’s a serious threat for the opposition to deal with and who else would you rather see with the ball around the opposition penalty box, not to mention set pieces and free kicks?

I don’t mean for this to sound like a criticism of Joe Royle as manager, I think he was a good choice, but rather of his dealing with a specific situation – Kinkladze. I’d be just as happy if we stay up without him playing but believe we have more chance with him than without.

Having read on Saturday (Mail 28th March) of Juninho’s continued love for Middlesbrough and that he would like to return one day, I couldn’t help but think that City are missing yet another opportunity. Surely, instead of excluding one of our greatest ever players from the most crucial period in the club’s history we should allow him to demonstrate his passion for the club. When he does leave at least it could be on a more amicable note. Who knows, if/when City ever regain Premiership status Kinkladze may wish to return. Why burn bridges?

OPINION – MIRACLES

Having just endured yet another silent journey south from a City match. I have been sitting eating my dinner and reading the Pink that I picked up before getting home. After looking at the position we are still in and being grateful that at least those below us lost as well, I found myself unknowingly scanning the second division table to see which clubs are there and what sort of trips we are in for next year.

Being forever an optimist, I have not really allowed myself to think this way before, but having seen that our deadline day signings have not had an immediate impact on the team and that Gio is obviously not going to get another look in (is it true that he really was training with the kids last week?) then unless Joe knows what he is doing and it is all part of the master plan, then I think it is time to start looking for miracles over the last six games.

Please God, don’t let us have to go to Stoke last game of the season needing a win to stay up. I have been to too many last day disappointments already to last me a lifetime. And this year has all the makings of an even worse day than Luton.

Can anybody tell me how to get to Torquay?

BLUE OPINION – ROYLE OUT AND NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

I am not joking – this idiot (Royle) has got to go and the sooner the better. But Oh no, this is Man City, where whoever you are, the fans will give you a two year “Do As You Please” pass and the chairman will let you buy and sell whoever you want, regardless.

He has been here about 2 months and couldn’t have got things more wrong if we had appointed an absolute dunce to run the club (sorry my mistake – it appears we have done). Let’s take the simple example of Scully – why was this guy never given a chance by Clark and now Royle? If Stoke and QPR were after him, then doesn’t that tell you something? Next, to then claim as Royle did, that Scully was sold because the current system doesn’t allow for wingers is dumbness of the highest order. You are the manager – you change the damn system if you want to. You only have to look at England’s p***-poor performances in recent weeks to get an evaluation of the usefulness of the “trendy” wing-back system. Every manager in the country seems to be following this tactic, as if they have been taken over by some alien force. McManaman a left winger, played at right wing-back – sound familiar to anyone?

Now, let’s talk about bottle. How gutless to waste more of the club’s valuable money on players we do not actually need (Jobson and Pollock) – how many centre halves and midfielders do we need to have before someone says enough is enough? How did Royle determine that Pollock is better than e.g. Brown or, Jobson better than the eh… the dozen-or-so centre halves at the club? And as for Skip Symons as captain – the record speaks for itself – one clanger every week – absolutely guaranteed. As I have said, these are gutless, spineless decisions – the very easiest routes to have taken, given the circumstances. Why not instead show some real bottle, scrap the wing back system, play Scully on the left, Thomas on the right, push Gio upfront and really take the dross in this division on? Sorry, I want to do it the “tough-man’s way” let’s play 6 at the back and pack the midfield with scrappers: thank God we keep losing, it is what this approach thoroughly deserves. I never ever want to see City play with three centre halves again – am I the only one sick of it, particularly in this mediocre division?

Of course, I’ve left the shameful treatment of Gio to the bitter (literally) end. Here is perhaps the only example of a world class player actually caring about the club he plays for. No Ravanelli, Juninho or Collymore bollocks from our little marvel. No, instead, he says, “I want to help City… I love the club.” And what thanks does he get? Dropped from the first team, demotion to the A-team, s*** upon by the local newspaper and subjected to a Pravda style revision of history with regard to his contribution to the club. Comparing him to Reid, Megson and Co. is as ridiculous as comparing Nobby Stiles to George Best, and then blaming Besty for Northern Ireland’s complete failure to win a World Cup Final (which of course old Nobby did didn’t he?). With regards to Gio its very simple, if you can’t see that he is class then you are watching the wrong sport – and you should be enforced to watch the likes of Man. City 0 – Sheff. Utd. 0 every week (don’t worry though, this is now on its way thanks to Royle).

I am not sorry to sound so angry – at this rate we are going down, and I for one am not happy about it. Are you? Attack versus defence – what do you want to see? I think Royle is making some elementary mistakes with his team selections (sound familiar?). But it is the treatment of Gio that is the most upsetting – we will not see his like (i.e. class plus loyalty) at Maine Road ever again – and we have let him down very very badly indeed. Next time you hear Ravanelli etc. make absurd pay demands, whinge about wages, relegation battles etc., think of Gio’s treatment and let’s admit it – Ravanelli has got it right. Please, let’s have no more remarks from City fans about how important loyalty is to this club – the minute we dig up a player that cares for the club, the sooner he is treated like absolute s***.

THANKS!

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank those people who e-mailed me, to tell me what I already new in my heart, that is that I am a Blue and will always be a Blue and to this end so is my son. Going out now to buy him a new away kit. Thanks.

WHY BLUE?

I was born in Manchester and although we moved six months later to Scotland, I still felt attached to the city. As soon as I was old enough to appreciate football (about five years old) I decided that I’d have to support a team from my home town despite the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen etc. in Scotland. The simple reason for City was the fact that I preferred the colour blue. Pathetic I know, but it’s been Blue for the last twenty five years now and I’ve no intention of changing.

I once met some family friends on a visit back to Manchester when I was about eight (and a Junior Blue at the time) and the wife of one of them worked with Jimmy Nicholl’s wife and I was asked if I’d like to meet some of the team. To my mum’s amazement (she didn’t understand these things!) I said no thank you as I was a Blue through and through. I have never seen City play except on television and one day I promise myself I will, although I did visit Maine Road once.

I moved down south to college near Beverley and had access to the net and e-mail and since then I have constantly kept up to date with the news which I heard very little of up north. I’d just like to say thank you to those who go to see City play and provide their reports and to MCIVTA, keep up the good work.

RESULTS

Full-time scores for Saturday, March 28 1998

Birmingham City		1 - 0	West Bromwich Albion
Bradford City		2 - 1	Manchester City
Charlton Athletic	4 - 2	Nottingham Forest
Huddersfield Town	1 - 1	Queens Park Rangers
Ipswich Town		1 - 0	Reading
Oxford United		2 - 0	Norwich City
Sheffield United	2 - 1	Port Vale
Stockport County	0 - 1	Crewe Alexandra
Stoke City		0 - 3	Tranmere Rovers
Sunderland		2 - 1	Bury

Up to and including Sunday, March 29 1998

                               HOME            AWAY
                        P  W  D  L  F  A   W  D  L  F  A   Pts   GS
  Nottm Forest         39 14  2  3 43 19   9  6  5 24 19    77   67
  Sunderland           39 12  6  2 42 19  10  4  5 30 22    76   72
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  Middlesbrough        38 14  3  2 41 10   8  6  5 23 26    75   64
  Charlton             39 13  5  1 41 17   7  4  9 30 32    69   71
  Ipswich              39 11  4  4 37 17   7  9  4 27 21    67   64
  Sheff Utd            37 14  4  1 36 14   3 10  5 20 24    65   56
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  Birmingham           40  9  6  5 23 14   7  8  5 29 19    62   52
  Wolverhampton        38 12  5  3 34 18   5  3 10 13 21    59   47
  Stockport            40 12  5  3 41 18   4  2 14 20 38    55   61
  Oxford Utd           40 11  5  4 33 16   4  3 13 22 36    53   55
  Bradford             40 10  8  2 24 16   3  6 11 17 27    53   41
  West Brom            40  8  6  6 21 21   6  5  9 18 25    53   39
  Swindon              40  9  5  6 26 21   5  4 11 13 38    51   39
  Crewe                40  7  2 11 21 33   8  3  9 25 24    50   46
  Huddersfield         40  7  5  8 25 24   5  5 10 20 34    46   45
  Tranmere             38  7  6  5 24 18   5  4 11 19 28    46   43
  Bury                 40  6  9  5 18 19   3  9  8 19 29    45   37
  Norwich              40  7  8  5 20 24   4  4 12 17 38    45   37
  QPR                  40  8  7  5 27 19   2  7 11 18 37    44   45
  Port Vale            40  6  6  8 22 22   5  3 12 25 36    42   47
  Portsmouth           39  7  5  8 24 28   4  3 12 17 27    41   41
  -----------------------------------------------------------------
  Man City             40  5  5 10 22 22   5  5 10 21 26    40   43
  Stoke                40  6  5  9 24 34   3  8  9 14 27    40   38
  Reading              40  7  4  9 25 29   3  5 12 11 40    39   36

WWW MANCHESTER CITY SUPPORTERS’ HOME PAGE:
http://www.uit.no/mancity/

MCIVTA ADDRESSES:
Contributions: Ashley – mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com
Subscriptions & Club Questions: Steve – sbolton@buxtonrd.u-net.com
Technical Problems: Paul – paul@city-fan.org

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in MCIVTA are entirely those of the subscribersand there is no intention to represent these opinions as being thoseof Manchester City Football Club, nor of any of the companies anduniversities by whom the subscribers are employed. It is not inany way whatsoever connected to the club or any other relatedorganisation and is simply a group of supporters using this mediumas a means of disseminating news and exchanging opinions.

Ashley Birch, mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com

Editor: