Premier League - Lescott 'better than Terry and Rio'

Eurosport - Thu, 27 Aug 08:53:00 2009

John Terry and Rio Ferdinand may be England's first-choice central defenders but Manchester City manager Mark Hughes believes his new £22m signing Joleon Lescott is even better.

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Premier League Manchester City Sylvinho Mark Hughes Joleon Lescott - 0

"I'm delighted to welcome Joleon to the club," Hughes said after completing a protracted deal to buy Lescott from Premier League rivals Everton.

"It's been a long and difficult process but I feel Joleon is the best centre-half in the Premier League and will be for many years to come.

"He's key to what we are trying to achieve. I've been really keen to bring him here because the key as a manager is being able to work with your targets and now it's just a case of integrating him into the team," added Hughes.

England international Lescott, who was unveiled as a City player with fellow new signing Sylvinho (pictured with Hughes and Lescott), said he made the switch because City had more chance of breaking into the league's top four.

"I had a good rapport with the Everton fans and got on well with them," said the 27-year-old. "They were great with me and I'd like to thank them.

"I gave my all for them when I was there but everyone outside the top four is aiming for the same thing and Manchester City are better equipped to get there than Everton."

Lescott, who has agreed a five-year deal with City, is the club's sixth major signing since the end of last season, joining Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure at Eastlands.

The defender was accused of having a poor attitude by Everton manager David Moyes after he made it clear he wanted to leave Goodison Park for City.

Lescott was dropped from the squad after Everton's humiliating 6-1 opening-day home defeat by Arsenal earlier this month and made to train on his own.

"It hasn't been easy and I had to weigh up my options. The criticism I got was disappointing because I don't think I've disrespected the club," Lescott said.

"If I did then I apologise but I just want to be part of this successful time at Manchester City.

"I'm looking forward to training and getting started. I haven't trained for a while so I want to get back out there."

City, who have won their opening two league matches, travel to Portsmouth on Sunday when Lescott is expected to make his debut.

PA Sport

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  1. see the ref come to liverpool,s rescue. no way davies­ should have been sent off, that,s one team man utd­ don,t have to worry about. gerrard is still overated.­ chelsea , man utd to dominate this­ season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From johngaffney44, on Sat 29 Aug 5:18PM

  2. MARK HUGHES IS AN IDIOT, FULL STOP

    From johngaffney44, on Sat 29 Aug 1:31AM

  3. lescott say,s he,s joined city for there ambition, be­ real lescott ,city will never match utd, or liverpool.­ come back in 18 years or so you reterd blues. come on­ you red,s liverpool, utd.­ forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    From johngaffney44, on Sat 29 Aug 1:23AM

  4. are city going to win the carling cup ? i don,t think­ so they only beat palace a second rate team. mark­ hughes is the biggest fool in the premiership, along­ with the stupidest load fan,s in football, all they­ ever worry about man utd, they are retards.

    From johngaffney44, on Sat 29 Aug 1:16AM

  5. city will never match utd/chelsea/liverpool arsenal­ lescott is a joke , hughes is a joke in fact man city­ are the biggest joke in the premiership, and the­ biggest dreamers come on the top four, show shity city­ what they really what they really are­ @#$%.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    From johngaffney44, on Sat 29 Aug 1:10AM

  6. Captain John Terry was named `Club Defender of the­ Year' by UEFA for the third time in his career at­ the Champions League draw in Monaco. - so you can poke­ that up right ur LESSCOT !!!

    From CFC M8, on Fri 28 Aug 12:33PM

  7. oh no!i cant belive it!terry is way better than­ lescott and rio.rios better than lescott.lescott is­ good,but no better than rio or terry.chamion league­ winner of the year,john terry is great.yes i think its­ right for lescott to go to manchester city with­ tevez,adebayor,barry,right phillips,bridge and given­ adding santa cruz!i trhink still terry is better and­ rio.terry should stay at chelsea cause hes capitan.rio­ i dont know?well i think he should go cause of­ tevez.and rio replace richards or bridge.i think thats­ a choice.but this year i think 1 will come chelsea 2­ arsernal 3 manchester city!4 man.u!if rio joins they­ might come third or forth.but still totenham a really­ good start.won against liverpool which i think will­ come eighth.won against west ham two one.in first­ place.so its hard for all.and maybe totenham will come­ forth.im noy shore.chelsea fan writing.thanx.i hope u­ guys see me at stamford bye.

    From Mauricio, on Fri 28 Aug 10:52AM

  8. John Terry was today announced as the top defender in­ Europe which includes the U.K. How has Mark Hughes got­ the nerve to say that the numpty he signed is a better­ player. Why did he try to sign JT? Was it just to add­ to his player trophy cabinet because he will not add­ any trophy to the main cabinet. Never did know what he­ was talking about even before he got all the money to­ spend. Should have gone to specsavers.

    From j.sgibson, on Thu 27 Aug 10:36PM

  9. ahahahahahaha what a head line ahahahahaahahaha ahaha­ ahah ah a

    From Tom, on Thu 27 Aug 8:43PM

  10. Rob, i would say your as thick as hughes. terry p1sses­ on lescott and ferdinand. Wake up you @#$%.

    From afcwasps, on Thu 27 Aug 8:03PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    maybe Mark is right. England has never won anything­ with those two behind!!!!!!!!.

    From Abayomi, on Thu 27 Aug 7:41PM

  12. comment 420, And thats from a man u fan, terry is a­ god, lescott is not in the same league as Terry!!!

    From PETER, on Thu 27 Aug 7:33PM

  13. Now that is what i call funny!!! mark did and dose not­ rate that lescott better then Sir john terry, Sir john­ terry did not want to go to a rubbish club like city,­ he went for terry, terry said NO then Mark went for­ Lescott!!

    From PETER, on Thu 27 Aug 7:31PM

  14. What!!!!! lescott for 24 million,even 10 million­­ Vermaelen better than this chump.

    From Tham, on Thu 27 Aug 4:46PM

  15. BETTER THAN RIO AND TERRY IN HIS DREAMS,,, HES JUST HAS­ TO JUSTIFY THE OVER PRICED TRANSFER FEE FR A PLAYER WHO­ HAS SCORED MORE OWN GOALS THAN ANYONE HAS GOT NOT PACE­ CANT SCORE AGAINST THE BIG CLUBS SULKS LIKE A BABY, AND­ HAS NOT MAJOR STRONG POINTS SO IF I HAD PAID THAT FOR­ HIM I WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT WITH SOME @#$% TO EASE THE­ PRESSURE ONCE THE PLAYER PUTS THE SHIRT ON AND STARTS­ PLAYING, WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY....

    From millwall Tim, on Thu 27 Aug 4:26PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I would agree that Lescott is a much better player than­ Terry, but a close second to Rio would be a more honest­ indication of his greatness...

    From Rob, on Thu 27 Aug 4:20PM

  17. To comment 426... Everton is no small cub, its a club­ with history...

    From c.vijesh, on Thu 27 Aug 4:02PM

  18. i laugh everytime i see this headline

    From dave, on Thu 27 Aug 3:22PM

  19. I don't know why people take these kinds of­ comments so seriously. Manager's always lie to the­ media to give lift their players confidence. It's­ like in FIFA when you have the option of lying to the­ reserves telling them they will get some minutes. For­ example when Mourinho was with Chelsea who did he say­ was the best striker in the world? Drogba. A year ago­ he was saying it's Ibra. Later this season surely­ he'll be saying it's Samuel Eto'o.

    From jdsbrasa, on Thu 27 Aug 2:58PM

  20. Just one question for Mark Hughes: Did you inhale,­ smoke or drink anything suspicious before making this­ comment?

    From xyz, on Thu 27 Aug 2:34PM
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