Newsletter #1431

An extremely short newsletter tonight. We have opinion on the ‘news’ that the whole of the first team have been put up for sale, season card refunds and an excellent article that has been sent in by John taken from a Thai newspaper.

Heidi is on her holidays for the next two weeks, so I will be editing and sending out the newsletter in her absence. Please keep your contributions coming to the usual address of <editor(at)mcivta.city-fan.org>.

FIRST TEAM UP FOR SALE?

What the hell’s happening over there, now we hear the entire first team has been put up for sale. Hart, Johnson, Richards, Dunne – might as well make Jim Cassell and the Academy redundant as well.

After supporting City for over forty years, through all the ups and downs, cock ups, and downright stupidity of this club, nothing surprised me about supporting City. This caps it all, what a bunch of w*****s.

Makes you want to support the Reds!

Thanks a heap, Thaksin.

SEASON TICKET REFUNDS

I read in a previous newsletter it was possible to obtain a refund on season tickets already paid for… If anyone could please let me have some info on this it would be appreciated.

I am season ticket holder of 30+ years. However, after recent events both on and off the pitch – enough is enough. I will spend the time and money on my family.

A THAI INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER’S VIEW

A colleague of mine who visits Thailand a few times each year sent me this article. Whilst there are some local references that may not mean much to MCIVTA readers, the general message is pretty clear.

Why playing politics is much easier than football
By Tulsathit Taptim
The Nation
Published on May 7, 2008

When Manchester City fans hit club owner Thaksin Shinawatra with an adapted version of “Another Brick in the Wall”, it’s safe to presume that the charms of “My Way” are no more.

As he listened to the defiant terrace chants on TV, it must have occurred to him that running a football club is tougher than playing politics.

And this is no joke. The sights of City supporters waving Swedish flags and carrying masks of coach Sven Goran Eriksson only add to my compilation of scientific evidence that maybe it’s a good idea for Thaksin to quit football and return to his familiar territory.

To any doubter out there, here’s the entire list of reasons why Thai politics is a stroll in the park compared with British football management:

• One party reportedly spent Bt5 billion in the 2001 election. That, whichbecame an unofficial minimum amount with which one can “buy” political power inThailand, can barely buy Barcelona’s Lionel Messi at his current market price.
• Politics can glorify those at the top, but football club owners have the samedignity as a sugar daddy. Can one be a champion of democracy and dictator at thesame time? Of course, just make sure that when you return home from a well-dignifiedpolitical exile, don’t forget to threaten to sack the coach of afootball club you just bought.
• A football club owner with “blood on his hands”, possibly from extrajudicialkillings, can be affectionately called Elvis Presley. Then again, the kindest ofclub owners can become Adolf Hitler if fans are slightly upset.
• In politics, when trouble looms, splash state’s (taxpayers’) cash and problemsare solved. In football, the bigger the crisis, the deeper you have to dig intoyour own pocket.
• In politics, when a minister is banned, use his wife or elderly father. Infootball, if a key player is banned, your team is screwed.
• A Prime Minister can shuffle his Cabinet for fun. The best a club owner can dois make a big PR fuss out of a signing his favourites who will never get to playin the real team.
• Making thousands of voters chant your name is easier than making 11 players -whose salaries you pay for – bow to you before kick-off.
• If the team wins, the coach gets all the credit. If the team loses, theowner’s management style is to blame. In politics, if the economy booms, theprime minister gets the praise, and when things turn sour, he can always sackthe finance minister.
• With just enough money and power, you may be able to get the Constitutionrewritten to erase your crimes. No amount of money and power can overturn anoffside call that could send your team into relegation.
• Spend state money wisely and the country is yours. You break the bankfinancing the team you bought, but it’s always declared a “fans'” club.
• Bouncing back from a coup that disposed of you, rewriting the Constitution towhitewash yourself, rearranging all political mechanisms to your favour – allthese combined are easier than getting Manchester City to the Champions Leagueor even the UEFA Cup.
• Yes, political life is tough, with the likes of Sondhi Limthongkul and all,but at least you don’t have Oasis singer Noel Gallagher brand you, before aworldwide audience, a nutcase who lives in cloud cuckoo land.
• Again, with just enough money and power, potential enemies such as SnohThienthong and Banharn Silapa-archa can roll over and prostrate themselves.In football, the richer you are, the more determined smaller teams will be toknock your club out of the FA Cup, just like Sheffield United did recently.With shrewd use of nominees, your government can approve big rewards to yourcompany and get away with it. Try signing a player from an agent who is remotelylinked to you.
• They have good tax authorities in Britain and Europe.
• Critics unhappy with the government’s performances or obscure financialdealings can be conveniently dubbed unpatriotic. Call Noel Gallagher “not a realfan” and see what happens.
• The current pro-Sven campaign portrays the Swedish coach as a political victimwho’s getting the sympathy of the masses. So, who’s the villain here? And wait,does this mean Thaksin paid billions of baht to be seen as a bad guy?The targeted new coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, will cost Manchester City betweenBt700 million-Bt1 billion a year. Thaksin must know better than anyone how muchor “how many” that money can buy in Thailand. Politics gives you second, third,fourth and twenty-fifth chances. If Thaksin fails Manchester City, their fanswill make Sonthi Boonyaratklin and PAD look like Santa Claus.

TURN ABOUT?

If there is a turn about by Thaksin to keep Sven, we shall be thinking was it because he could not get anyone else who he had in mind, or was it all a big sham?

Whatever, a lot of damage has been done, and there is a lot to overcome to get the club heading in the right direction, with the right PR.

For the sake of Manchester City FC, the owner should come out ASAP to name the manager/coach for next season.

Meanwhile, us the supporters and fans await Thaksin’s decision.

MCIVTA FAQ [v0708.01]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

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[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 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.uit.no/mancity/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.

Madeleine Hawkins, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: