[Football] Congratulations Man City.........

[Brovion]

I think you can argue that the ownership thing is far more than just money - if your owner is a life-long fan, from a family who've been involved with the club for decades, it's not quite the same as being owned by an oil state.

There is some truth in that, but really that's just the straw we clutch at to try and sound morally superior. Ultimately it's the money that buys you what we have and what City have. I've been a fan since 1966 but if I owned the club we'd be playing on Preston Park in the Sussex Sunday League.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I may be wrong, but I can't imagine City fans get all that much satisfaction from these titles. I appreciate money alone doesn't equal titles and success, and they DO play wonderful football. But they are so far removed from the Man City of old, its like a different club.

Then again, maybe I'm breaking a few panes in my little glass house there.

I know 3 City fans.

Lifelong supporters and they are loving every second.
Two of them are proper lefties and struggle witht the nature of their ownership a bit, but on the footballing side, they absolutely love it.

 

[amexer]

Congratulations from me. One of few sides outside Albion put myself out to watch. Easy to say it is just the money but many other clubs have spent same or more. Difference is they have put together a team rather than individuals. It does fascinate me how all players can play in any position and so often play without any recognised forwards

 

[Hotchilidog]

I have a surprising amount of long term City mates and they too are also revelling in this period of success, they were certainly there when things were not so glamorous. I am pleased for them. That said I am not mad about how they have bought their way to the top but the football is exceptional and when at their best just mesmerising to watch. I do not know why but they seem less grubby than the other megabucks teams such as RM, PSG, Barca etc.

Anyway given how much Pep loves Potter hopefully he can sort us out 3 points next week and we can get the Aguero talks going whilst he is at it.

 

[Beach Hut]

Congratulations however their fan dynamic is sadly changing. Last time I travelled away to the Etihad there were numerous Citeh fans on the train to and from London, previously this never happened.

United, fair play you get used to morons outside Piccadilly Station, wearing knock off half and half scarves asking how do you get the ground but not previously with Citeh

 

[drew]

I have a surprising amount of long term City mates and they too are also revelling in this period of success, they were certainly there when things were not so glamorous. I am pleased for them. That said I am not mad about how they have bought their way to the top but the football is exceptional and when at their best just mesmerising to watch. I do not know why but they seem less grubby than the other megabucks teams such as RM, PSG, Barca etc.

Anyway given how much Pep loves Potter hopefully he can sort us out 3 points next week and we can get the Aguero talks going whilst he is at it.

My wife's family are all Citeh fans and have had season tickets right through the bad times.

As for buying their way to the top, obviously they have, but haven't we also bought ourselves to the position we are in (or at least TB has)?

 

[Driver8]

Well yes, but we are in no position to point fingers. We are in the Premier League, in a lovely ground with a state-of-the-art training centre. We are miles away from where we were in 1997. We haven't got that because we deserved it for all our sufferings - we've got it because we have a rich owner. The only difference between us and Man City is they've got richer owners who've spent more.

I think there is more difference. We are fortunate to have a fan that is very rich whereas they just got picked by Abu Dhabi as the the team they wanted to splurge their oil billions on. It could have been anyone, there were no historical links. We could just as easily be talking about Bolton or Birmingham City. They just got lucky.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Amazing what a few quid can do



Nice one Sven

 

[Hotchilidog]

My wife's family are all Citeh fans and have had season tickets right through the bad times.

As for buying their way to the top, obviously they have, but haven't we also bought ourselves to the position we are in (or at least TB has)?

There is no denying without Bloom's money we would not be in the Premier league. I'd argue it is not the same as a sovereign state with unlimited funds buying a team to increase its soft power profile.

Bloom is a fan, the bulk of Tony's investment has gone on the infrastructure, the bricks and mortar of the Amex and the Performance Centre which should help generate further revenues rather than just splashing cash on expensive players. Our record fee is still only £20m which is peanuts in PL terms. There is clearly a limit to Tony's largesse and there should be. So I'd say that the two situations are not the same.

I don't begrudge City their success. It's not just the money there it's the coaching and the attitude of the players who seem to be reasonably likeable bunch with a decent work ethic.

 

[vagabond]

My wife's family are all Citeh fans and have had season tickets right through the bad times.

As for buying their way to the top, obviously they have, but haven't we also bought ourselves to the position we are in (or at least TB has)?

No, just not even at all close to Man City levels.

 

[blue-shifted]

No, just not even at all close to Man City levels.

But it's a difference of degree rather than a fundamental difference of kind.

 

[drew]

No, just not even at all close to Man City levels.

The principle is the same. The outcome isn't (yet).

 

[drew]

There is no denying without Bloom's money we would not be in the Premier league. I'd argue it is not the same as a sovereign state with unlimited funds buying a team to increase its soft power profile.

Bloom is a fan, the bulk of Tony's investment has gone on the infrastructure, the bricks and mortar of the Amex and the Performance Centre which should help generate further revenues rather than just splashing cash on expensive players. Our record fee is still only £20m which is peanuts in PL terms. There is clearly a limit to Tony's largesse and there should be. So I'd say that the two situations are not the same.

I don't begrudge City their success. It's not just the money there it's the coaching and the attitude of the players who seem to be reasonably likeable bunch with a decent work ethic.

I take it you're not aware of all the investment in the surrounding area near the Ethihad, including Citeh's comprehensive training centre. They've done considerably more for the local community than the other team in Manchester.