Newsletter #211

Still the news machine rumbles on… and still nothing actually happens. The main, and most welcome news, is that Uwe and Ball have had a much-publicised kiss-and make-up. We have two (contrasting) opinions of Christian Dailly and a rather juicy (but true?) rumour about how Martin Phillips acquired his nickname (well, it is summer!)! There’s also a report on the much vaunted MCIVTA FC (OK, perhaps not!) and a Why Blue. Oh, and by the way, we’ve actually sold a player…

Additionally:

NEWS – MONEY AVAILABLE IF NEEDED…!

Friday:

In an interview on GMR today, after describing the boardroom changes that are to take place, Francis Lee was asked what had happened regarding the expected clear-out of players during the close season. Lee’s response was that he felt the present squad was good enough to take us back into the Premiership but that if needed, money would be available for one or two new players. No mention was made of any possible outgoings, thought it still seems that Niall Quinn and Steve Lomas may not be City players by the start of the new season.

City are still keen to sign Christian Dailly but seem unwilling to make a formal, written bid for the player. If things don’t move along quickly, he could well move elsewhere.

NEWS – NORWEGIAN BUSINESSMEN

Friday:

I found some comments regarding the takeover bid from Gjeldsten/Roekke in the newspaper “Aftenposten” this morning. Aftenposten is a serious newspaper, not a tabloid. The article was found on the economy pages of the papers, not the sports. Here’s an excerpt from the newspaper where their bid is being commented;

The English newspaper “The People on Sunday” is reporting that the two Norwegian “wonderboys” are set to buy the English football club Manchester City, but this is being denied by Gjeldsten.

AFTENPOSTEN; “Do you deny that you could be making a bid for the club?”

GJELDSTEN; “That’s a hypothetical question. We don’t know the club, and we are not really looking for an English club at the moment.”

So he doesn’t deny that a bid can be made. But people investing money hardly speak before the deal is sealed, so it could be something in it.

NEWS – CITY SELL SOMEONE!

City have finally managed to complete a transfer – the sale of David Kerr to Mansfield Town for around £20,000.

Alan Ball and Niall Quinn have had a “clear the air” meeting which looks to have been a success. It seems that there wasn’t actually anything to clear the air over, according to Ball, who says that Quinn was misquoted last week. It also seems that Aberdeen’s enquiries about Quinn were made two weeks ago, not this week. I wonder how much of this to believe personally, but if it means Niall is staying, that’s good news in my book. Quinn still has two years left of his contract BTW.

City are to sue the Sun newspaper over allegations that Francis Lee is having to buy out Peter Swales’ shares in the club.

City have made a “final bid” for the services of Christian Dailly. He is “dead keen” to sign for the Blues and is “thinking about” taking legal action re the Bosman ruling if the bid is not accepted.

No enquiries have been received as yet for Keith Curle.

United got £600k for Tony Coton, nearly twice as much as they paid for him!

NEWS – RÖSLER AND BALL KISS AND MAKE-UP!

A report in Saturday’s MUEN (alongside a picture of Eric Cantona at United’s training ground) says that Alan Ball and Uwe R