Newsletter #721

I’m afraid that the contents will have to speak for themselves tonight.

NEWS SUMMARY

General Stuff

City Go Live: Surprise, surprise, City’s first game of the season, at home to Watford, is in line to be televised live on OnDigital on Sunday August 12th. Kick off time is to be confirmed. OnDigital is ready to announce its list of live fixtures to be shown from August to December, week commencing July 2nd.

Pearce is the Man: Stuart Pearce was quickly named captain of City by Kevin Keegan. Pearce takes over responsibilities from Alfe Haaland with immediate effect. Hopefully this will have a beneficial effect on Alfe as his form appeared to suffer when burdened with the captaincy last October.

FA Assessors have apparently been raving about our new captain’s coaching abilities. Pearce has been taking the UEFA coaching badge course at Loughborough University. Reports say that he has been a straight ‘A’ candidate and has consistently been in the top three students on all sections of the course.

More Youth News: As well as the recent England call up, Academy players Lee Croft and Dorryl Proffitt have been named in the Adidas/PFA Platinum Group for next season. This scheme was set up to support the leading young talents in the country. Proffitt, a striker, was interviewed by the Press Association and enthused about his time at City. He said, “It’s a great set-up at City and they encourage their young players,” he added. “They are well known for it. I am ambitious and always set myself scoring targets at the beginning of the season. It gives me something to aim for”. Croft, an attacking midfielder who could have gone to play Rugby League for Widnes and Wigan, also praised City’s Youth set up saying, “I love the game and City have a great youth set-up”. Continuing, he added “They are highly rated and people like Paul Power give you a lot of help and encouragement.”

Keegan – New Rule Book: Keegan announced this week that the players can expect some changes when they return for pre-season training. He refused to divulge the details but confirmed “When the players return there will be some new club rules, which I believe will be very important for them.” The new rulebook will be on a confidential basis between the squad and Keegan. The boss continued on the enigmatic note, adding “I have had the chance to have a really good look at the club during this time. First impressions have been important; just walking into the Carrington training ground for instance I realised that most clubs I have been at have not had a facility like this.” He finished by saying, “It is what it can be too, not just what it is, so we are doing a lot of alterations. The players will see a lot of changes when they come back”.

International Blues: Danny Tiatto was omitted from the Australian squad for the second leg of the World Cup Qualifier against New Zealand. The winger was forced to sit it out after his sending off in the first leg. Reserve striker Chris Killen did make the game, playing up front for the Kiwis. Incidentally Australia won 4-1 on the day, 6-1 on aggregate and will now face Colombia, Brazil or Ecuador in the next stage. Paulo Wanchope scored for Costa Rica in their 2-1 win over Jamaica, in another World Cup Qualifier.

Nationwide Glad to Have Us Back: After the depressing trawl through our fixture list, it comes as no relief that certain clubs are delighted to have seen us relegated. Figures from the 1999/2000 season indicate that City’s travelling support led to an average boost for away games by up to 10,000. Newly promoted Rotherham’s commercial manager, Dave Nicholls said “At times in the away end we’ve had only 89 fans in from Colchester and 92 from Bournemouth on cold Tuesday nights, but we’ll be expecting the full 3,400 seats to go when City come over”. Further till ringing can be heard at the Bescot stadium where Walsall chief executive Roy Whalley is expecting a bumper crowd. Probably rubbing his hands with glee, he said “Manchester City came here a couple of years ago and we had a full house, and I expect it will be the same again.” Warms the cockles of your heart doesn’t it!

Ins, Outs, Rumours

Mark Kennedy has agreed terms with Wolverhampton Wanderers and is expected to sign over the next week. The fee of £1.8 million, rising to £2 million, is nearly double what we paid for the talented left winger, but with Danny Tiatto clearly being the preferred choice in that position, it can be seen as reasonable business. As long as he doesn’t come back to haunt us next season. Kennedy is currently on holiday and will undergo a medical this week. Kennedy, 25, will sign a 5-year deal with the Black Country outfit. He was always a talented player whose lasting memory will be the goal celebrations gainst Blackburn on the final game of the season. In the Premier League he didn’t quite establish himself, due to injury and, some people think, a lack of confidence. His season was also disrupted by his behaviour whilst on duty for the Republic of Ireland; consequently he still has yet to force his way back into Mick McCarthy’s plans. Good luck to Mark, apart from when you next play against us; incidentally this could be on November 10th, when Wolves come to Maine Road.

Darren Huckerby is being rumoured to be next on the list to leave the club. Tabloid speculation this weekend say that his former club Coventry City will make a £2 million bid, once they have sold Craig Bellamy to Newcastle United for £6 million. Huckerby cost £2.5 million and it would be hard to see City accepting less than this, even if they did wish to sell him. Also Keegan has already made it clear that Huckerby is his preferred striker in a possible front 3 line up with Wanchope and Goater.

The MEN’s Paul Hince has penned his thoughts on City’s prospective hit list of possible signings. The list is the usual suspects, with a few interesting additions as reported here in McVittee on previous occasions. As a recap, here they are:

Jason McAteer, welcome to leave at Blackburn; Dennis Irwin, available on a free from the Swamp; Lee Clark, homesick for the North, but also rumoured to have been offered a new deal at Fulham; Robert Lee, Newcastle midfield general, could be a good signing, but possibly waiting for a backroom job at Newcastle; Jason Koumas, highly talented creative midfielder at Tranmere, is on a lot of clubs’ wanted lists and may have a chance of the Premiership this year, rather than next; Jonathan Greening, another of the Swamp dwellers, also linked with a move North, following Steve McClaren to Middlesbrough; Stephen Hughes, left-sided creative midfielder, currently unwanted at Everton. Has also been linked with a move back to London with West Ham, but this was before Redknapp got the chop. David Ginola, ageing charmer with a nice head of hair, Paul Gascoigne, punch drunk in the states, do me a favour. Robert Earnshaw, very talented striker, currently at Cardiff, who knows, maybe we could resurrect the Prior deal with the Welshmen, and finally Geoff Horsfield, unsettled at Birmingham.

Ex-Blues’ News

Fat Bob could be on his way from Wolves. Robert Taylor is being apparently offered to Brentford in an attempt to lure Gavin Mahon to Wolves. Taylor has had a very disappointing time at Molineux, suffering a succession of injuries and never really making his mark. His former club Gillingham are also said to be interested. As well as Darren Huckerby, Coventry are apparently interested in former City winger Michael Hughes. Joe Royle, who obviously didn’t take up Dave Whelan’s offer at Wigan, is now linked with an advisory rôle at Chester City. Also at Chester, former legend and record appearance maker, Alan Oakes has apparently rejected a coaching rôle at the Deva Stadium.

Former reserve centre half and once reported M.E. sufferer Rae Ingram has agreed to join Port Vale on a Bosman, when his contract at Macclesfield ends.

Motorcycle enthusiast Peter Beagrie has been linked with a move to Reading after being freed by Wigan Athletic.

SHAUN GOATER DAY – NOT

Hi guys

Sadly, Shaun Goater Day was a one-off last year in Bermuda and 21 June is not an annual day of Manchester City/Shaun Goater celebrations. Incidently, we mid-Ocean island dwellers are Bermudians – rather than Bermudans.

Shaun was however at a friendly match on our turquoise island on Saturday night (23 June) when Trinidad thoughtlessly thrashed Bermuda 5-0. Shaun did not respond to my suggestion that he get his boots on and get out there and do something to stop the rout. Happily he seems to be saving himself for the coming promotion battle. Oh, and promoting his mum’s cleaning business.

A smiling Bobby Robson was also in attendance looking tanned and relaxed. I doubt he picked up any real tips from a less than inspiring game. Sadly we followers of the Academy had to clap politely (we are very polite in Bermuda) when Theatre of Prawns star, Dwight Yorke, popped one in for the visitors. Talk about double whammy. There were all too many ToP shirts in evidence in the 3,000+ crowd who endured this defeat. Perhaps someone could send out a consignment of Feed The Goat attire which I can pass around this island of football fanatics. Beautiful evening though with warm breezes wafting off the ocean.

FIXTURE CHANGES – ALREADY!

The home game with Sheffield United on Sat 1 Sept and the much awaited away game at Millwall on 6 October both fall on international weekends. Expect them to be postponed a few days after you’ve made your travel arrangements.

OPINION – DANNY TIATTO

As a few people from down this way have noted, it’s not very often we hear Manchester City being mentioned down under. Certainly the word ‘Manchester’ crops up quite a bit. News readers have taken to calling United either just plain ‘Manchester’ or even more infuriatingly the ‘Red Devils’ – the MUFC marketing tentacles even reach into the news departments of our commercial television stations. However, lately we have heard City mentioned quite a bit and it’s usually in connection with how soon a certain Danny Tiatto will be leaving them. Danny’s agent, Reg Tiatto (who incidentally is also his brother) can’t open his mouth without saying something like ‘Danny has fought hard to make it to the top in football and it’s unlikely he will settle for anything else this season’. No doubt Danny agrees. Whatever else then, he is certainly shopping himself about. Which is his right as a professional footballer. Rest assured though, Danny will only stay with City if it suits him. Either Kev assures him that First Division football is only a temporary hiccough or they throw loads of money at him. Having said that, there is no doubt that he is great for City or that City have been good for him. Having watched him a bit when he played in the National League for Melbourne Knights and when he was back on international duty, his time at City has transformed from an out and out mentalist into an out and out mentalist who can actually play football. Joe Royle and Manchester City have to take some credit for that, although I doubt that will enter into any transfer negotiations. Although Keegan seems to have a liking for the mentally unbalanced with the arrival of Stuart Pearce. Perhaps he could sign Kevin Muscat from Wolves and our backline would be completely certifiable (rather than just playing like they are).

OPINION – FANS ETC.

Didn’t even know I had written an article (it was an article to me!) until I saw that someone was replying to it! Let’s see if the sober ones are as good.

I wrote in not in defence of Weaver but attacking the methods that people were using to run him down. I personally thought that he should have been dropped sooner to help him along. We delight in the fact that we are often told that as long suffering fans, what splendid chaps we are Ra Ra Ra. Try telling that to Weaver, Edghill, Brightwell and that German goalie whose name escapes me until I hit that send button. We can pick on a player like the best of them when we feel like it. What we sometimes forget is that all crap players have one thing in common. No, two things… o.k. at least one thing in common and that is that when they appear on the pitch they were selected by the manager. Not one of them insisted on being picked. In fact I’ll wager a guinea sir, that a few wish he hadn’t f***ing bothered (which makes them and us in complete agreement).

You are probably wondering at this point – is he still arguing the same way as he was when he started? I might have to reread it to answer that myself. So I’ll do that while you read the next bit and I’ll catch you later.

KK says that to stay at City you have to pass the “Grimsby Test”. So if it’s a football game that means they have got just 20(!) games to prove themselves. I don’t think he’s waiting that long so it must be that he asks them all to name their favourite fish. Anyone who says “Prawn”: Boom! Down the road matey. So now you know.

Didn’t like that reminder in the last but one issue, of the Southampton connection; I’m bald as a coot and the hairs still stood up on the back of my neck.

OPINION – WHAT IS GOING ON?

Kennedy:

I don’t believe we have sold him to a rival club? What is going on, isn’t he an asset? Keegan better spend the money wisely!

Stadium:

The chief exec of Manchester City Council is called Howard Bernstein; any relation to our chairman?

WHY BLUE?

My dad bought me the entire Man City home strip in 1977 from Harrods! Obviously this was after the 1976 League Cup win and he thought they would continue to be a winning team. I would like to add that my father knows nothing about football, now lives in Australia and calls me the black sheep of the family. To*ser.

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