Rate it!

10 votes

When the Abu Dhabi United Group announced themselves to the football world just three short weeks ago, it looked as though the Premier League would be turned on its head.

The record-busting purchase of Robinho, another audacious bid for Ruud van Nistelrooy turned down and links with seemingly every top player promised to make Manchester City a constant source of entertainment.

Many predicted that money would be shelled out by the bucket-load, followed by absurdly high expectations that would not be met quickly enough, leading to a series of managerial hirings and firings before the group got bored and took their circus elsewhere, leaving City up the proverbial creek.

But, now that the 'T's have been crossed and the 'I's dotted on the takeover of the club by new chairman Khaldoon al-Murbak (pictured with former chairman Thaksin Shinawatra during Sunday's 6-0 demolition of Portsmouth), now ADUG's real nefarious plan has come to the foreground.

For Sheik Mansour has revealed that - rather than throw big bundles of cash all over the shop in order to build his own set of Galacticos - he intends to build 'sustainable' success, back manager Mark Hughes's judgement and - wait for it - listen to the fans!

In a statement, Mansour said: "We are ambitious for the club, but not unreasonably so, and we understand it takes time to build a team capable of sustaining a presence in the top four of the Premier League and winning European honours."

He then gave out the line that will be dragged out when the City boss is given the elbow for not winning the Champions League next season by saying: "We consider Mark Hughes to be one of the prime assets of the club. We will back his judgement in what players to bring in and look forward to working more closely with him in the future.

"We will absolutely spend time listening to the fans about what you think about the future of the club. We are very aware that without the fans there would be no club to buy and your voice will be heard by the organisation at the highest levels."

All of this sensible rhetoric has left GS a little deflated. After all, what's the point in being bought by a ludicrously rich Sheikh if they are going to actually run it properly?

One club that could never be accused of being run properly is of course Newcastle United. After bowing to the Toon fans' wishes by announcing his intention to sell, club owner Mike Ashley has had to scour the globe for someone gullible enough to buy.

That journey may have reached an end in Africa, as an un-named Nigerian businessman is said to be up for buying the club.

Chris Nathaniel of NVA Management emitted possibly the understatement of the century when he said: "I have been working hard to get wealthy Nigerians to buy the club.

"The consortium has raised £350 million," he added, which is good news for Ashley who reportedly lost £300million on HBOS shares last week.

So, now that someone crazy enough to buy the club has been found, who will be the man to captain this fair vessel freshly bound for oblivion?

Why, Kenny Dalglish of course. Well, that's according to the Daily Star, who reckon that the smiley Scot is being lined for a return to the club by Ashley, and will be assisted by former Liverpool boss Roy Evans.

Dalglish's 18 months in charge of the club 10 years ago Newcastle finish second in the league and reach an FA Cup final, but their slide out of the Premier League's upper echelon began soon afterwards, and he left ignominiously just two games into the 1998/99 season.

No-one else seems to think so, however, and with not even so much as a club 'source' quoted in the story, the prospect of Ashley downing pints of Kaliber in a 'King Kenny' shirt are pretty unlikely.

West Ham gave a good example of how to recruit a manager in an efficient and timely fashion, but their new Italian boss Gianfranco Zola will not be joined by his compatriot, Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo.

Fiore coach Cesare Prandelli said of a proposed £12 million transfer: "West Ham want Montolivo? This season he will make the leap in quality here. Twelve million is not a great offer."

Elsewhere, the Football League are set to discuss introducing a quota for academy players for matchday squads. The rule could even come into force next season if the 72 member clubs can agree on the finer points of it at a meeting in December.

And, in a rare piece of transfer news in these post deadline days, Stelios Giannakopoulos is set to join up with Phil Brown at Hull City after being released by Bolton at the end of last season.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport