Newsletter #1248

Mixed fortunes for the Blues from the mini-tournament in China as the squad return to prepare for the Porto game and defence of our preciously-guarded Thomas Cook trophy.

James is linked with a move to Portsmouth for £2 million, with City rumoured to be after Swedish ‘keeper Isaksson, and talks with Tunisian defender Trabelsi continue. Distin meanwhile is doing himself no favours with his erratic performances and stalling over contract signing.

We have views tonight on the transfer rumours, pre-season, TV and request from Illinois.

OPINION: TRABELSI

Very interesting news today, courtesy of the Sky Sports website, that we are taking a good look at Tunisian “defender” Hatem Trabelsi. Traditionally these past few years he’s played right full back for club and country. For a variety of reasons, and yes I need to get out more often, but for a variety of reasons I was doing some detailed research on the Tunisian World Cup squad. Trabelsi is a former winger and a very good passer of the ball. It would not be out of line for him to play down the right side as a winger or midfielder and it would seem he would be especially suited to playing as a wing back if such a formation was used. I don’t propose that City play with wing backs, but he’s capable.

As I’ve mentioned before, I keep looking for City to address how they are going to feed the ball to Samaras – Gera and Greening were apparently in great crossing form yesterday – but balls can come from any part of the park and this guy could be useful over and above being a good defender.

OPINION: DISDAIN FOR DISTIN

Please, please, please, can someone tell me why all the fuss about this player? He must be the worst centre half ever to play in a City shirt.

[Certainly hasn’t done himself any favours with yesterday’s performance – Ed]

OPINION: OPPORTUNISTIC KNOCKS

City have picked up many injuries in the pre-season games in China; hopefully they all will be minor and can be shaken off soon. Stuart Pearce put himself on the bench in the game versus the Japanese side Kashima Antlers; I bet secretly he was just itching to play (but did not like the reason for putting himself on the bench as a sub, i.e. injuries to players). As much as I want City to win every game, losing 3-4 was not as important as coming back home with fit players.

The trouble with playing games such as in China or USA, is that the teams that play against the British clubs go all out to beat a British team, and it’s like winning the World Cup to them, and so the rough play ends in injuries, whilst to the British teams these games are a treated as a warm up, and exhibition games.

Way back before the 1968/69 season, City toured the USA and Mexico in pre-season games as the League Champions. They only took I think 17 players. City had so many injuries they had to call off the tour, and had a bad start to the season at home.

Right now Chelsea are playing in the USA and Joe Cole has been injured and it does not look good, so at least he will not be in the line-up versus City in the first game, but that’s beside the point, no team wants injuries.

The bottom line is that the teams have to play some competitive games for the new season’s preparation, and have to take the bad with the good; besides, it’s good PR for the clubs.

I think that this week we shall see lots of movement in the transfer market before the start of the season, even though the deadline for transfers is at the end of August. Clubs like to have all their players lined up before the kick off.

Come on you Blues!

OPINION: ODDS ON

Perhaps Joey re-signed because he saw the 14-1 at Skybet too – and reckoned he could do his bit for the card count and make a few bob on the side!

OPINION: SLOW BOAT TO CHINA

With Manchester City playing in China, it brought back memories of the League Cup in 1976. I was on a World Cruise working on the Canberra and we were in Hong Kong harbour. With Hong Kong being seven hours ahead of the UK, I remember being on the upper deck in the dark with my Phillips short wave radio listening to the game; as Dennis Tueart scored his fantastic overhead goal, I gave out a shout that must have scared all the seagulls in Hong Kong.

Being on the subject of memories, I will tell you about the FA Cup Final in 1969. I was working on the Empress of Canada cruising out of New York. Manchester City had won the League Championship the season before, but started the 1968/69 season with many injuries to first team players, so City had a bad start to the new season. I figured that the first team players would be fit for the F.A. Cup, so I put my bets on the F.A. Cup that year.

When City beat Everton in the semi-final, I asked to leave the ship on arrival in New York for “domestic reasons”. The company, Canadian Pacific, said OK but you will have to pay your own fare back to the UK. When I arrived in Manchester airport I got a taxi early that morning straight to the MCFC Social Club with all of my luggage, to see my friend Roy Clarke. I said “I have just flown back home from New York for the Cup final; can you please find me a ticket?” Roy came up with two tickets behind the goal where Neil Young scored the winner. God Bless Roy Clarke.

The win gave my back my airfare and a bit more, and on the following Monday (after my hangover from celebrating our win had gone) I got a new job on the Holyhead Ferries.

I have many more fond memories of supporting the best club in the world; just want to see City win another trophy soon.

Come on you Blues!

OPINION: CHANNEL M

Ref the comments from James Walsh on the programme delivered by Channel M, and his disappointment. It is all well and good James comparing the content to that served up by the BBC and others, whilst having a pint in his local. Being based in Sydney, coverage of our team is extremely thin on the ground. That said, I soaked up all the footage of the pre-season friendlies, interviews, and insights and look forward to their next package.

James, enjoy it for what is and not what you are used to!

OPINION: 50 PENCE

Thought Joel Perry’s ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ to French Tony in the last issue was brilliant, well done sir.

That said, what a cracking header in the 2nd China game, thought he was a huge improvement just by not falling over so often or feigning injury, and as for the “Who are you?!” comments on the soundtrack from Steve Wigley during Tony’s attempt to come on as a substitute but was prevented from it by the “mystery” man in black (bet he was a City fan on tour) – just classic!

REQUEST: BLUES VIEWING IN ILLINOIS

I’m up in Champaign-Urbana at the University of Illinois, about 2 hours south of Chicago. If anyone knows a bar or restaurant near to here where I can see City play Chelsea on the opening day of the season, I’d be grateful. My girlfriend doesn’t really need the expense of purchasing the season-long package her cable provider has, and I’d rather not spring so much just for one match myself, although I might have to if no one can offer an alternative!

MCIVTA FAQ [v0506.02]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Heidi Pickup)          : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Don Barrie)         : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org
Technical problems (Paul)        : paul@city-fan.org
FAQ (David Warburton)            : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org

[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

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

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

http://www.uit.no/mancity/ 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.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club”.

[6] Where can I find out about the fans’ committee?

The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. The Fans’ Committee has been relaunched as “Points of Blue”. It has appeared on the club website as a minor entry under “Fans Zone”.

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

The GMR pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr/sport_intro.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://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, 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.uit.no/mancity/players/

[11] Can I buy shares in the club?

Yes you can: Shares in Manchester City PLC are traded on OFEX. The latest prices can be on found the OFEX web site http://www.ofex.com/ (registration required) or in the business section of the Manchester Evening News.

[12] 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/.

[13] Where can I find a list of City-related websites?

Try Wookie’s Lair: http://www.wookieslair.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links

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: