Premier League - Parker: City should be wary

Eurosport - Wed, 03 Sep 11:41:00 2008

Former England defender Paul Parker believes Manchester City fans should remain wary of the impending takeover of their club.

City of Manchester Stadium - 0

"Exciting as it may be for City fans, the impending takeover of the club, and the investment which that has and will continue to bring, is sure to heap extra pressure on manager Mark Hughes's shoulders.

With the backing of ADUG's millions, expectation levels at Eastlands are now set to go through the roof.

I just wonder if Sparky was prepared for all this.

When he left Blackburn, he never expected to take over a club that were targeting a Champions League place by the end of the season - a goal which ADUG have been quick to set.

The agenda has changed significantly since the Dubai contingent became involved - and that may not suit Mark.

One thing is for sure - he will not be able to manage the club like he could at Blackburn. At Ewood Park, Sparky was the boss, he was in control and he knew everything that was going on.

ADUG freely admit that first and foremost they are businessmen. And as we have seen all too often, businessmen do not necessarily know how to run a football club. But unfortunately, sometimes they think they do, and that's where the problems begin.

Will Mark be able to bring in who he wants and who he feels he needs under the new owners? Only time will tell, but recent experiences elsewhere suggest he will not enjoy the same level of control that he did at Blackburn.

For a start, I don't think Mark had a say in the arrival of Robinho at Eastlands in that dramatic last minute swoop on deadline day - he was on the golf course all afternoon.

Clearly, someone from ADUG decided it would be a good idea to flex their financial muscles early on and buy the manager an expensive tool, but I think this particular tool has arrived too early in Mark's City career.

He has barely had time to settle at the City of Manchester Stadium, let alone get to grips with the squad he inherited. A player like Robinho is usually brought in to complete a side, not to help lay foundations. Mark needs to be given time build his own side first.

It is a curious union. Robinho has been there and done most things at Real Madrid, winning two Liga titles during his three years there, while City have not come close to winning any major trophy in the last 30 years.

Robinho is used to sharing the spotlight with some of the best players in the world, but at City he will now have to deal with shouldering the limelight on his own. City fans will expect something from him every time he touches the ball and certainly, life at City will be quite different to what he has become used to.

Question marks remain over his ability to deal with the rigours of the English game. Remember that when Robinho's compatriot Elano arrived in the Premier League he blazed a trail of glory early on, only for the physical demands of the game to catch up with him soon enough.

Robinho, who has a similar build to Elano, is a temperamental player and it remains to be seen whether he can handle those difficult trips to the JJB Stadium or the Riverside on a cold night in November.

Can money buy success? Perhaps, but only in the short term.

What it can't buy is stability - the more money washing around a club, the higher the stakes. And with high stakes, there is more often than not a greater likelihood for sudden change.

City fans be wary."

Eurosport

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  1. just because mancity and chelsea are going for d same­ player does'nt mean that city has arrived.There­ have always been the big four and city are no where­ near.saturday's game confirmed it.they were totally­ outclassed by the greater blues,CHELSEA.As for a trophy­ dis season, its not happening 4 city.

    From Chigozie, on Mon 15 Sep 4:23PM

  2. There a two teams in Manchester...United and United­ Reserves..

    From TIMOTHY, on Thu 11 Sep 8:20PM

  3. I respect Paul Parkers opinion and I like it that­ he's always fair in what he says and thinks,but I­ also have to say,that most of the time i disagree wtih­ him.I thought Eriksson would be ok for city as a­ manager,to bring stability,he thought he wuold be a­ disaster-nowhere near that.Also I remember him saying­ that Reading would find it hard to stay up in the first­ year-he obiuosly was't watching the championship(or­ at leat the highlights) the year before,he would have­ not got so suprised-and there have been a few­ things,where his piont of view seems a bit­ stubborn.Then again,he gets some things­ writgh,offcourse.

    From MikleS, on Tue 9 Sep 1:25PM

  4. i think paul parker is right,man city fans should not­ be offended by paul's wisdom,furthermore didn't­ chelsea's shevchenko demand the same respect just­ like robihno(2 years ago),hughes himself know and­ confesses, fergie is a champion and millions of dollars­ can win nothing-look at chelsea last season, only a­ good team combination can!!!!.

    ryan

    From charles, on Tue 9 Sep 12:56PM

  5. Let me guess charley k. your a red well let me tell you­ city will be winning cause we can get any1 we want and­ united will be losing just like they did against us­ blue boys last season and by west ham oh sorry and by­ bolton. barcelonas the best team and united was lucky­ to get past them last season.

    From chris_clark_1989, on Thu 4 Sep 12:23PM

  6. The sh.ite talking reds are expected. There is a lot of­ uncertainty and a lot of money being wafted about. I­ accept that "some" fans of other teams will­ want to jump all over City's new position. Most of­ it normally pours out even if City hold Colchester to a­ 1-1 draw in the Jellybaby Cup.
    What irks me the most is­ the comments coming from "City" fans.­ Stirring and poking a nest full of jealous reds will­ only make them buzz louder.
    The best statement to make­ is to post the end of season table...if we are in the­ top4 then...that will speak louder than any­ "almost pre-season" jibberish.
    I really hope­ this moneybags situation is handled properly and that­ Sparky is allowed to do what he is good at.

    From Andy, on Thu 4 Sep 10:45AM

  7. Maybe thats also when you should start talking,­ Chris.

    You've won nothing for 30 years. Or come­ close to winning, for 30 years.
    Honestly, do you think­ that is going to change now?
    Now you have some­ money?
    Hhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha­ ha!!!!!
    It is YOU then who knows nothing about­ football. Goodbye Chris, I hope you get better­ soon.....

    From Charly K, on Thu 4 Sep 9:21AM

  8. The problem for City is that, Robinho excepted, they­ won't actually be able to bring in the sorts of­ players that will make them a top 4 club. It is a­ paradox because in order to be top 4 they need to have­ top 4 players. Man City could throw 200mil at Barcelona­ for Messi, or Milan for Kaka and neither of them will­ join City. The idea that United would sell any key­ player to City is a laugh. City could offer 500mil to­ United for Ronaldo and they wouldn't take it.

    In­ the end, Fergie will overcome all as usual and while­ Man City eventually may compete with the other chav­ clubs like Chelski and oust the also rans like­ Liverpool and Arsenal, United always come out on top in­ the end. This is just how it is.

    From Winston Bunn, on Wed 3 Sep 8:22PM

  9. things may look good at the moment,drink and be merry­ you blue fans as all will turn out as it always has at­ your great club, get a reallity check you bunch of­ wannabees, the sandstorm from the east will hit­ eastlands and nothing that was ever built of sand ever­ lasted, but the empty barren deserts, just like your­ trophy cabinet, sorry sparky but get out now and let­ them go down like that russian sub.

    From calfox, on Wed 3 Sep 2:07PM

  10. CITY will finish forth this season......IN THE CARLING­ CUP !!!!!!!

    From fluffy.bits, on Wed 3 Sep 1:59PM

  11. man city r @#$% .always have been always will be

    From victoria, on Wed 3 Sep 1:41PM

  12. Sparky will be out on his ear by May

    From PETE L, on Wed 3 Sep 1:20PM

  13. I honestly can't believe that these City fans have­ comments like "well be top four by the end of the­ season etc etc " for a start who's picking the­ team. Do they honestly think that Hughes said to the­ new owners " I want SWP robinho Berbatov, by­ midnight tonight and by the way ask if Ronaldo is­ available in four months time" As they keep­ pointing out over the last 2 decades or so, it took­ Fergie a few years to win the league & he is­ recognised as probably the greatest modern manager in­ football. How on earth do they think a mixture of A­ Thai dictator, an Arab royal family & an unproven­ manager are going to do it in less than 12 months. Also­ it is a good job these Arabs have got deep pockets as­ they will never get a return through the­ turnstiles.

    Chunko

    From ray.bickerstaffe1, on Wed 3 Sep 12:31PM

  14. It's a good job Man City are not playing Wigan at­ the JJB or Middlesbrough at the Riverside in November­ in that case, I guess.. though they're playing on­ 28th October at Riverside, so it's cutting it­ close... :)

    From Ross Carpenter, on Wed 3 Sep 11:49AM

  15. very good comments by P Parker. I think time will show­ it as well.

    From nemanhenareh, on Wed 3 Sep 11:48AM

  16. wilsonian locally city are sometimes known as the­ liars. look at stats for last season
    your ground was­ rarely filled indeed there was an average of 6000 empty­ seats every
    game. first game this season there were­ 12000 empty seats against west ham. no doubt
    all those­ missing fans will come crawling out of the woodwork­ soon.

    From Gwynn, on Wed 3 Sep 11:48AM

  17. i hate to say it but one over inflated player price­ wise isnt going to get man city into 4th... only around­ 8th - 10th at best...

    From mark h, on Wed 3 Sep 11:41AM

  18. Before you scold P.P. again, maybe he is thinking the­ right way. What is the reason for buying Man. City ???­ Is this a fan with pits full of money ???? This is a­ group of business men who are looking for a brand name­ to buy into and then control for their own adgenda.­ This they have said. They want to raise the profile of­ football in Dubi and use the club to do this. Again­ this they have said. Buying a player, last minuit just­ to show you have money. This brings questions of­ judgement.

    From plewis696, on Wed 3 Sep 11:30AM

  19. To Baharbk & Waisamuk: True, Ambramovitch will­ eventually leave, Ferguson and Wenger will retire, but­ if Man City don't make it big soon (in the next­ season or so) what is to stop these new owners selling­ up and investing in the next sporting business­ opportunity? Remember, they are not true Man City fans,­ it's a business decision to invest and sometimes to­ cut one's losses. My late father was a Man City fan­ (Bert Trautman time!). I wonder how many English­ players will be playing for City if they keep buying­ for outside the UK IN 2 YEARS TIME?

    From jonathan g, on Wed 3 Sep 11:28AM

  20. dadada

    From muzzy_moltisanti, on Wed 3 Sep 11:25AM
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