Premier League - Robinho: Why I left City camp

Eurosport - Wed, 21 Jan 09:04:00 2009

Robinho has spoken out over his exit from Manchester City's Tenerife training camp, saying he returned to Brazil on family business.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester City Man City-Wigan Robinho - 0

The £32.5 million striker claimed he told the club he would go home, even though City's chairman Garry Cook had previously admitted he did not know where Robinho was.

The 24-year-old denied he had been involved with a dispute with manager Mark Hughes and said his departure had nothing to do with City's failure to sign fellow Brazilian Kaka in a world record deal.

"I had made Manchester City aware that I needed to return to Brazil because of a family matter," Robinho told the BBC.

"I will return to the club and hope to sort this out as soon as possible."

He added: "I feel it is important to underline that I did not return to Brazil because of the Kaka deal.

"He is one of my good friends and it would have been great to see him at Manchester City - but it had nothing to do with his decision to stay in Milan.

"I am committed to helping Manchester City become the force the owners assured me they will become."

City do not play again until January 28, as they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest and have no fourth-round fixture this weekend.

Earlier on Tuesday, Cook confessed he was in the dark over Robinho's whereabouts.

"I do know Robinho is not at the training centre in Tenerife," he said.

"If he has left the training ground it is a breach of club discipline. I am waiting for a full debrief."

Reports in South America suggested Robinho returned to Brazil to sort out personal issues.

"There is no game on at the weekend and Robinho needs to take care of his son's passport," a man named Evandro, who claims to be Robinho's security guard and personal friend, told ESPN Brasil.

The same report said he will not return to Manchester until next Monday.

British reports claimed that Robinho walked out on City after Hughes reneged on a promise to let him celebrate his birthday on January 25.

Whatever the truth of Robinho's trip, the adverse publicity comes as more bad news following Kaka's rejection of a lucrative transfer from Milan late on Monday night.

There were reports that Brazilian members of the City squad - Robinho, Elano and Jo - were among those who talked Kaka out of the move, which would have netted him an estimated £500,000 a week.

Those claims are unlikely ever to be verified but City officials are now struggling to control the adverse publicity and uncertainty over Robinho's whereabouts.

City smashed the British transfer record when they splashed out £32.5 million on the 24-year-old in August last year.

Widely assumed to be joining Chelsea, Robinho plumped for City when Real Madrid refused to do business with the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Individually, Robinho has been a success, netting 12 goals for his new club - all but one in the Premier League - and becoming an instant hit with the City faithful.

However, City's failure to establish themselves in the top half of the table under Hughes has been source of disappointment to the club's new Arab owners.

The forward has even offered Hughes advice over team-building, claiming last week that although he would like to see Kaka at Eastlands, defensive reinforcements should be the priority.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. namesron your talking rubbish again look at chelsea­ league postion over the last 10 years to see where they­ finnished maybe no history really but like eveery thing­ all good things come to those that wait

    From mickyboy, on Thu 22 Jan 7:45AM

  2. chelsea fans make me laugh-slagging of city because­ they are trying to break into the top four.before your­ russian took over, you yourselves were a below average­ team with a not very large fan base.now you have all­ jumped on the bandwagon and have the nerve to berate­ us.

    From namesron24, on Thu 22 Jan 5:15AM

  3. IS dannysbac from Mars , does anyone understand him??­ also mugpits.... have you NOTHING better to do all day­ than write @#$% on this forum??

    From Chris W, on Wed 21 Jan 12:50PM

  4. chris young.... get a grip!, you mean to tell me that­ IF Leicester City EVER get beck to the EPL and they­ start making money again and buying new Premiership­ players you will moan to the club to just play 11­ white-blue-eyed Anglo-saxon players or else???, how­ pathetic, your comment, like many others on here about­ my club are just plain and simple JEALOUSY.

    From Chris W, on Wed 21 Jan 12:47PM

  5. I tip flying Egles of Nigeria and the young­ Pharoah's of Egypt for final in the on going­ African Youth Championship in Rwanda.

    From Peter, on Wed 21 Jan 9:17AM

  6. And finally, derby played far better than mancity, if­ you watched last night's game you will agree why­ scoring goals is not enough but winning the
    Match is­ crucial....and what's what champions do, they win.

    From Majoser, on Wed 21 Jan 9:06AM

  7. If torres could snub manutd for liverpoo, then robinho­ should have known that you sign where your compatriot­ is managing, and therefore sign for chelsea.
    I'm a­ member of the lucky manutd fans, we rock.

    From Majoser, on Wed 21 Jan 9:00AM

  8. All the good girls are mothers and married already.­ Stop harassing my brothers for no reason....you tall,­ then you mixed racial.

    From Majoser, on Wed 21 Jan 8:54AM

  9. Wayne Bridge never got a chance at Chelsea we should­ have kept him and not bothered with A Cole he is no­ better so a waste of money as far as Im concerned.Good­ luck Wayne but its a step down going to City.The really­ good players will always go to Chelsea Liverpool and­ Man Utd no matter how much money City have From Chelsea­ Pete

    From pattayapete, on Wed 21 Jan 8:50AM

  10. In elite circles, the organization is like a locomotive­ and everyone has his role.
    The footballing business is­ like military and the lower you lie, the more orders­ you take from above, why on earth does robinho feel­ like he's a part of mancity owners, for him to­ recommend who's to be signed or not? He should be­ obedient or just stay home and make more kids

    Robinho­ is showing the importance of having gone thru some­ school which's not a soccer school cos players are­ just behaving in a very absurd way.

    From Majoser, on Wed 21 Jan 8:46AM

  11. robinho is quite a few bricks short of a full load...!

    From gavin c, on Wed 21 Jan 8:44AM

  12. There're rumours that robinho is getting four times­ what he earned in real madrid for a week, so its ok­ when they fine him, he's made what he'd make in­ real madrid for a year already.

    From Majoser, on Wed 21 Jan 8:24AM

  13. to: Victor V You're my man!!!

    From dante, on Wed 21 Jan 8:15AM

  14. to: icedgrande You're 'Grande' Ciao!

    From dante, on Wed 21 Jan 8:11AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Man City, more like inter titty lol. Follow a proper­ team like Leicester. Its in L1 I know, but its not full­ of foriegn pratts, how many White, blue eyed­ Anglo-Saxons actually play for the top­ teams............not many. Why sing the praises of a­ load of imigrants, what about our lads, you bunch of­ hypocrites.

    From chris, on Wed 21 Jan 8:11AM

  16. Man City, more like inter titty lol. Follow a proper­ team like Leicester. Its in L1 I know, but its not full­ of foriegn pratts, how many White, blue eyed­ Anglo-Saxons actually play for the top­ teams............not many. Why sing the praises of a­ load of imigrants, what about our lads, you bunch of­ hypocrites.

    From chris, on Wed 21 Jan 8:10AM

  17. Somebody isnt telling the truth.... on national radio, ­ a city official announced that Robinho was absent from­ the training camp as a result of disciplinary action­ imposed by the team manager.... then Robinho reports he­ had permission to return home on family business. ­ Looks like its all falling apart to me....

    From Keith, on Wed 21 Jan 8:09AM

  18. ROBINHO SHOULD HAVE SAID 'WHY I LEFT REAL'

    From dante, on Wed 21 Jan 8:08AM

  19. How come people advertising other websites,like post­ 278 never get "invalid comment"­ ??

    Yahoo,Eurosport,whoever...Do something about all­ this @#$% and let people who have something to say­ about sport get their comments posted!!

    From jhr881, on Wed 21 Jan 7:17AM

  20. UNITED!!!!!

    From e.brissonnette, on Wed 21 Jan 7:06AM
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