Newsletter #1556

With the pre-season friendlies winding up against Celtic on Saturday, a more coherent City display saw us ease some of those early concerns and trot out 2-1 winners in a game in which the opposition fielded three ex-Blues. We have opinion on the “Old Firm” friendlies tonight, together with opinion on the spending spree, reaction to Schindler’s piece and the usual requests.

MATCH VIEW: MCFC 2 CFC 1

The last pre-season game at CoMS turned out to be a game when we saw the players getting to know each other better and playing some good football, with some sharp passing between each other. It was also nice that City should win our last pre-season friendly game before the real Premier League games start this weekend at Blackburn.

The two goals scored by City were very well taken goals, first Barry with a very well timed run to score from a Zab cross. But Celtic scored a goal that was created by an ex-City player Samaras, who passed the ball to Killen, the ex-City Kiwi who scored a nice goal to make it 1-1. The second City goal came from a striker Craig Bellamy who with his speed to catch a defender off balance, with a quick turn one way and then the other, and bang – the ball was in the back of the net.

The atmosphere at the stadium was great under a sunny Manchester sky, and when Tevez came on 25 minutes from time he was given a standing ovation.

The team look almost ready for the first real game of the season, I say almost because we still need another central defender to strengthen the squad for a long season ahead. It doesn’t look too good about getting Lescott from Everton who have made it very clear they don’t want to lose him; well no team likes to lose their best players but it happens all the time.

MCFC still have until the end of August in the transfer market but it must be remembered that a team will always be reluctant to lose a player if they can’t find a replacement in time, so the sooner the better for everyone.

Looking back at all the pre-season games, Mark Hughes has tried to give all the players some time on the pitch, so as to have everyone ready when needed. The season ahead is going to be a very exciting one, and the supporters and fans are surely buzzing with anticipation of a victorious season; good luck City!

Come on you Blues!

MATCH VIEW: RFC 3 MCFC 2

Went to the game in Glasgow and thought that until the last 20 minutes, when the large number of substitutions started to have too big an impact, there were some real signs of success. Both our goals were from good moves involving Rob and his attitude was very positive.

I’m a big fan of Dunne but again there were a couple of times that he mis-read the ball, which in a ‘real’ game would have ended in a booking or more.

Barry seems a little off the pace but the biggest concern for me is the way that Bridge wants to charge forward a little too much.

Overall a good day out, although I have to say that being sat in the Rangers end was like going back 20/25 years. They had 2 security guards in the gents and this is a friendly! Got told I was very brave (or is that stupid methinks?). If Bellamy had scored at the end I would not have jumped up. Best part was the Rangers fans saying they felt Given was rubbing it in by wearing green – he’s a goalkeeper!

I’m in Abu Dhabi for the first game of the season so will be interested to see how much interest there is – hope it is on in the sports bar of the hotel; will be wearing the shirt with pride.

OPINION: FOR BETTER OR WORSE?

Here’s a question for you all: who’s worse, City for having the money to buy players, or the clubs when they hear City are interested, adding another £10 million to a player’s value.

It seems to me that many clubs, managers, club owners, Platini and the tea lady at Hereford United have double standards regarding money. We’re classed as the bad guy, although people are keen to take our money, and that’s starting to brass me off somewhat.

I said when Frankie bought the club that this was the end of football as we know it. More and more money’s coming into the game, and in my view ruining it. Okay everyone wants to be successful – I’d like a Premier League title before I die! – but at what cost? Soon there will be an elite league, the likes of Hull, Stoke, etc. will not be able to compete with the ‘money’ clubs, and where will that leave football?

At present, clubs are going into administration faster than Martin Petrov down the left wing! There’s a programme on Sky in New Zealand called ‘Grassroots Rugby’, players of all shapes and sizes and fitness playing rugby the way it should be played, for the love of it. When I first played 1st team football I got the princely sum of 10 shillings a win!

How times have changed, huh? Oh well, just hope we stick it to a few managers this season, it’ll be nice!

(being polite here)

OPINION: LACKLUSTRE APPROACH

Not to moan this early in the season but I thought Mark Hughes’ response to the 3-2 loss to Rangers was typical of similar comments he made last year after embarrassing losses to Stoke and WBA.

With one friendly left before the season kick-off at Blackburn, Sparky is talking about his team gelling together and is not worried about the defensive breakdowns that resulted in Rangers’ three goals. But this is the difference between City and teams like United and Chelsea.

United and Chelsea expect to win, whether it’s a meaningless pre-season friendly or a league or cup match.

City continue to make excuses when they don’t win. But if City are really going to compete against United, Chelsea and Arsenal for a top four spot, they are going to have to start winning very soon. So far in pre-season, City have won one of six matches and have scored a total of five goals; not exactly an awe-inspiring record.

Winning is very much an attitude and it is something City haven’t achieved that much since Keegan led them back into the Premier League. It’s annoying in Canada to watch TV commentators laughing at our multi-pound team stumbling against Rangers (wasn’t that last second goal typical of our defensive woes last season?).

Yes I believe Sparky has the players to make this season memorable but they are going to have to gel pretty soon.

Similar results against Blackburn and Wolverhampton at the start of the league campaign are going to put Hughes under the gun.

OPINION: SCHINDLER’S PIECE I

I would like to firmly support the posting written by Phil Banerjee in the last issue regarding Colin Schindler’s recent newspaper article. The article was most certainly a tad OTT and possibly on the verge of being offensive to all true City supporters. I find it depressingly strange how some people bemoan the fact that we are no longer a joke of a football club. No longer the plucky little loser. No longer a soap opera, no longer ‘typical City’, no longer the laughing stock of Manchester to be humoured, mocked and pitied by the football media et al but a club that now has foundation, wealth, professional management at all levels and is clearly going places and very quickly! I find it a time to rejoice. Not a time to make offensive and nasty comments about our new owners and our ‘new’ football club.

I have read all of Mr Schindler’s football publications and thoroughly enjoyed them to be fair, particularly ‘Manchester United Ruined My Life’. However, I believe there are very few serious Premier League supporters of any club that would not welcome the changes we are now starting to experience. Why is it other clubs can do the same and it is viewed as ‘the modern face of football’ etc. but when MCFC happen to have the richest owners in all of the world it’s obscene? I can understand snide comments from other clubs as it’s downright jealousy pure and simple (and yes that does include Mr Ferguson across Stretford way), but coming from one of our very own is strange and also a little sad. I for one have had more than my fair share of ‘ups and downs’. I have had enough of just gaining a draw and not being badly beaten by the Stretford Rangers being something to wildly celebrate. I have had enough of not lifting a trophy for 34 years. I, like virtually all City fans, will enjoy our days in the sun. I will enjoy the feeling of our football club being feared and respected as a footballing entity. And boy-oh-boy will I enjoy it if and when we finally lift a trophy!

Phil B is correct to take Colin Schindler to task for his comments and article. It really does make you wonder why making real progress and potentially being a highly successful football club is such a sin?

OPINION: SCHINDLER’S PIECE II

Unlike you Phil I thought Colin’s take on City is almost spot on. But unlike him, I think change can be positive as well as negative. Unfortunately for us older fans who remember the 60’s and 70’s with great fondness, City has changed somewhat in the intervening 30 years, some good, some of it bad. ‘Smiling Frank I’ll do it my way’, being the icing on the cake. A very corrupt person that made Swales look like St. Peter.

Where I defer from Colin is that I think our new owner has a really good take on where the club should go. A very astute businessman that can only be good for the club.

What we as a club and fans need to do is to forget what our Red neighbours are doing and winning and concentrate on being the best we can be, both on and off the pitch. For too long this anti-Red sentiment is seen as nothing more than jealousy, throwing the toys out of the cot.

The only thing that will shut people up is win, win, win! Then we can be as hated as United! Just kidding! I love Ernie’s enthusiasm for the club.

REQUEST: BLUES VIEWING EN ROUTE TO MANCHESTER

I’m driving from Christchurch to Manchester on the 15th so will miss the Blackburn game, but was wondering if anyone knows of a venue showing the game live somewhere from Gloucester to the Midlands?

If they could contact me by email I’d be really grateful!

REQUEST: NEW MOBILE CITY SITE

I have built a free mobile website for City fans that pulls together the latest team news and blog articles so that they can read them on their mobile. It works on any phone that can access the web and fans can register for free via our WAP or web sites.

If you would like to know more about the service drop me an email or visit http://natajak.com/mbn1d/home.jsp?affiliate=281479288484990&club=Man+City

REQUEST: ONLINE VIEWING

Still no details on the TV on the City site? They cover friendly games but not Scottish games. Why not just show a schedule?

MCIVTA FAQ [v0708.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Heidi Pickup)          : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Alex Rowen)         : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
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Technical problems (Paul)        : paul@city-fan.org
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[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings by email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page

http://www.mcivta.com/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site.

[4] What is the club’s official web site?

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

Manchester City FC recognises three supporters’ clubs: The “Official Supporters Club” (http://www.mcfcosc.com/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.mancitycsa.com/) and “The International Supporters’ Club”.

[6] Where can I find out about Points of Blue (formerly the Fans’ Committee)?

The committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. Points of Blue appears on the club website as a minor entry under “Fans Zone”.

[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?

The Radio Manchester (née GMR) pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/sport/manchester_city/index.shtml.

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found at http://mcfc.videoloungetv.com/do/preLogin?clubSiteCode=MCFC&CMP=AFC-003.

[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?

http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premiership games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer, http://www.soccertv.com/, and http://www.livesoccertv.com/.

[9] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?

Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html

[10] Do any squad members have their own web pages?

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.mcivta.com/players/

[11] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth analysis try http://www.mcfcstats.com/.

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.

Heidi Pickup, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: