Link to watch todays match

I have several places that I go to watch City away matches when I cannot make it but I have just been informed about a stream that runs at 750 kbps, so I thought I would share it.

http://www.trgoals.net/ is the site and I believe City will be on channel one, I have a very reliable stream that I will be watching on so if anyone uses this link please be sure to let me know how it was.

No.2 America and Claudio Reyna

At number two in my top ten viewers is America and the player I have chosen for them is Claudio Reyna.

As a youth Reyna was a much coveted player and when it came time for him to go to college he was not short of options. In 1991 Reyna chose to go to the University of Virginia after being offered a full scholarship, in his time playing for the University football team Reyna had received personal awards as well as national recognition from some of Americas leading magazines as being the best up and coming player in the country.

After his impressive displays at College level Reyna earned a call up for the 1994 World Cup, with the competition being held in his home Country. The competition put Reyna even more in the spotlight and resulted in him being signed by Bayer Leverkusen shortly after the competition.

Reyna struggled to settle in Leverkusen and was sent out on loan to Wolfsburg in 1997, he started to find his feet in German football while at Wolfsburg and went on to be the first American to Captain a European Club whilst playing for them.

In 1999 whilst still on loan at Wolfsburg Reyna caught the attention of Glasgow Rangers, he subsequently signed for the Scottish club in April of the same year. Despite often being played out of position Reyna continued to impress while playing in Scotland and only spent a couple of seasons there before being whisked away by Sunderland.

Sunderland paid almost three million pound for Reyna in 2001 and the early signs made it seem money well spent, unfortunately in 2002 Claudio injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and missed the rest of 2002 - 2003 season. That proved to the end of his Sunderland career.

At the end of the 2002 - 2003 season Reyna signed for City, although the time he spent at City was also hampered by injury, Reyna was a player loved by the fans. When he did play his simplistic approach was lovely to watch, dare I say it but sometimes it was hard to believe that an American could look so classy. In Jan 2007 Reyna's City career came to an end but not because of his injury battle, the club announced that Reyna had requested to leave due to personal reasons.

On the 24Th of January 2007 Reyna returned home and signed for New York Red Bulls, his time at the club did not last long due to his continuous injury problems and he retired from the game on the 16Th of July 2008. After retiring from playing Reyna became the United States soccer federations youth technical director.

Reyna is a player I certainly think could have been at least near World class had he been allowed to fulfill his potential, although regardless of that he will always be very highly thought of by every one in football and the City fans in particular.

No.3 Netherlands and Nigel de Jong

At number three in my top ten viewers is the Netherlands and the player I have chosen for them is my current favourite City player Nigel de Jong.

I have to start by saying that I absolutely idolise Nigel de Jong, I relish seeing him play every week.

Jongy started his career in his homeland with Ajax, making his first team debut in 2002 aged just 18. Nigel became an important player in the Ajax team over the four year period he was there, with his contract coming to an end he decided to move on to Hamburg in January 2006 in a cut price one million euro deal.

After some great displays for both club and country de Jong found his true calling in January 2009 when he signed for City. Mark Hughes was reported to have paid at least £10 million more for him than he would have had to if he waited until the summer, which I think was a great decision on his part considering how influential he is to our team.

With the likes of Tevez and Silva taking all the limelight I don't think de Jong gets anywhere near the type of credit he deserves, from anyone who is not a City fan of course, he is for me easily one of our best players.

The way Nigel plays is a joy to watch, his commitment every time he steps on the pitch is second to none. I love watching his hard line no nonsense style of play, every time I see him going for a tackle I get excited because I know he is going to try and take the ball off the opposition at all costs.

For me Nigel is the best in his position in the Prem at the moment and I hope he stays with City for many years, he would also be my choice for Captain.

Unfortunately most of the videos of de Jong were centered around him breaking peoples legs, this is the best I could find, saying that this video of his game against Chelsea was one of his best performances for City to date.

City finally announce Gai Assulin signing *videos*

Gai Assulin has finally been announced by the Club as a City player.

He has been at the club for a little while now but City have been monitoring a knee injury and have also been sorting out compensation with Barcelona.

Barcelona had high hopes for Assulin, he was touted as a future world star, something which was acknowledged throughout football not just by his own club.

Currently 19 years old Assulin was given his first pro contract by Barca as a 16 year old with a massive 20 million euro buy out clause in it, which shows you how much he was rated.

After deciding he would not get a proper chance at Barca he decided to leave when his contract expired, leaving City to pay nothing more than a small development fee to Barcelona.

Other clubs were interested in him including Blackburn whom he trained with as well as Arsenal, but City won the race for his signature so lets hope he can fulfill all that speculated potential.

Poor excuses, who can replace him?

Tevez has released a statement, a statement that I am not buying into all that much.

First the statement.
"Since signing for Manchester city, I have enjoyed playing for the supporters. They have welcomed me to the club and I regret that it has come to this.

"They deserve success as reward for their passionate and patient support. The club is very fortunate to have supporters like these. Anybody who has watched me play for Manchester City cannot question my commitment and passion for the club whenever I have worn the shirt.

"However, I can confirm I have handed a transfer request to the chairman of Manchester City Football Club. Now I need to clear my head and think because this is an important part of my career. My feelings have not changed and it is regrettable we have reached this situation but It is something I have felt for some time and have spent many hours thinking this through.

"I wanted to leave in the summer, but was convinced to return to the club. Sadly, my feelings have not changed. I hugely resent the management's suggestions that I have been unduly influenced by others. It was my decision and mine alone. I am disappointed that the management should now see fit to try to portray the situation in another light.

"My relationship with certain executives and individuals at the club has broken down and is now beyond repair. I do not wish to expand on this at this stage. They know, because I have told them. I wish to clarify that I have no personal issue with the manager Roberto Mancini.

"I could have signed an improved contract, offered by the club during this season; however this decision is not about money. I have made that clear to both the board and the management on several occasions. The owner has been very generous with what he has offered to me. I would like to thank Sheik Mansour for his understanding and support.

"I want to thank the supporters for making me welcome at Manchester City and hope they agree I have given my all for the club on the pitch."

Right for a start these people that he has fell out with, if it isn't the manager then why should it concern him so much, secondly I would 99% guarantee that the owners would get rid of directors and any one else who is insignificant in the grand scheme of things before they let Tevez walk.

It sounds to me like the best excuse he could come up with, I love Tevez as do we all but he has potentially just ruined our season with his stupid actions.

His statement and the clubs statement totally contradict each other, the club say he wanted a new deal, he says he turned one down, the City circus is well and truly back in town.

I do hope it can be sorted out and Tevez stays but if not who can we bring in to replace him? We will need a top class striker to score the goals he scores and there isn't that many around, especially ones that will be easy to get.

Obviously Real Madrid and Barcelona will probably come knocking and if they do then I would be asking for their star players in return. Ronaldo? Messi? Ibrahimovic will definitely be thrown into the ring by Barca as they know Mancini likes him, saying that Milan have first refusal on him but then maybe that would mean the possibility of taking Pato from Milan.

I honestly think that Real Madrid will be front runners and asking for Ronaldo who I think could be swayed by massive money would be my first option, if that failed I would probably ask for Higuain in a loan swap so we can see if he can do it in the Prem before we commit to a deal, I also think that would be a realistic option.

I think all of our preferred choice would be to keep Carlos, but if not who would you go for?

Carlos Rooney has transfer request rejected

This is an absolute joke, this is exactly what Wayne Rooney did to Utd. Tevez's agent's are having a laugh, City won't renegotiate his contract mid season so they have told him to put a transfer request in.

Why they have to go down this route is beyond me, it is obvious that if they waited until the end of the season when the club is not concentrating on winning titles that Carlos would be rewarded with a pay rise considering the way he is playing.

My phone has been going all morning over this and the reaction from most of my pals is that we should tell his agents to get someone to give us fifty million and he can walk. I am angry but I am not sure how to feel about Tevez at the moment, I would like to see him release a statement on the back of this.

Here is the statement from the club which I am very happy with because they have made it as clear as day what the motive is.

It is with disappointment that we confirm to our supporters that Carlos Tevez has submitted a written transfer request. The Club can also confirm that the request has been rejected.
The Club remains disappointed by this situation and particularly with the actions of Carlos' representative.

Roberto Mancini and all at the Club have shown, and will continue to show, sensitivity to Carlos' personal circumstances including the issue of his family being based overseas. Indeed following his suspension as a result of the game against Bolton, Carlos requested, and was given, special dispensation by the Manager to take leave overseas.

The written transfer request is in stark contrast to Carlos' stated position in both public and club contexts. Significantly, over recent months, the Club has also received numerous requests from Carlos’ representative to renegotiate and improve his playing contract as well as more recently a request to extend that contract by another year.

However, in line with the Club's policy of not negotiating playing contracts mid-season this has not been granted. Carlos' current five-year contract has three-and-a-half years to run and he is the highest paid player at the Manchester City Football Club.

This is both an unfortunate and unwelcome distraction and the Club will remain focused on the games ahead in what is turning out to be a very promising season. The door remains open for Carlos to be selected to play.

No.4 Germany and Bert Trautmann

At number four in my top ten viewers is Germany and the player I have chosen for them is Bert Trautmann OBE.

Bernhard Carl Trautmann is a true example of a legend.

Bert signed for City in 1949 and played for the blues until 1964.

Bert's life in England started after being captured by an English soldier during the second World War. When Bert was finally allowed to return home he declined and decided to stay on in England where he worked on a farm and played football for St Helens Town. After some impressive displays for St Helens he attracted the interest of several sides but City won the race for his signature and that's when his legacy began.

When I hear about Bert Trautmann's talent it always makes me feel gutted that I didn't get to see him play. Those who did see him play hold him in such high regard and with good reason.

A lot of people, especially the younger generation instantly link Bert's name to the 1956 Cup Final in which he played part of the game with a broken neck, although it was not only this occasion Bert performed heroics for City, week in week out Bert's great displays were earning him World wide acclaim.

Classed by some as the best goalkeeper they have ever seen, Bert Trautmann's name will never be forgotten at City or in football.

All my knowledge on Bert is of course researched or things that I have been told, I have given a quick run down on him rather than blatantly steal someone else's hard work, I suggest you read his wikipedia page because it makes great reading and gives you the full story of his extraordinary life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Trautmann

No.5 France and Nicolas Anelka

At number five in my top ten viewers is France and the player I have chosen for them is Nicolas Anelka.

Anelka was signed by Kevin Keegan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2002 for a club record fee of £13 million, the deal also saw Alioune Toure leave City for PSG.

The signing of Anelka was massive to City fans, I remember the excitement like it was yesterday. After a few very unsteady years all of a sudden we had signed a striker that was known and respected around the World, at the time it was a dream.

Anelka did not disappoint us either, he was everything we expected. He was World class, his pace, his vision, his movement and his finishing were exceptional and had City fans brimming.

Unfortunately Anelka's possible departure from City was always being mentioned and it was very unsettling, to be honest looking back and opening my eyes, I dare say a lot of it was engineered by Anelka because as soon as the chance came to leave he was gone.

When he did leave City for Fenerbache in January 2005 I took it as a direct insult to City, to leave a club playing in the best League in the World where he was playing well, to go to the Turkish League I thought was strange to say the least.

His reasons were all to do with playing Champions League football, to me that meant putting himself in the spotlight to big European Clubs. A player like Anelka would never normally want to play for Fenerbache but it seemed if it got him out of Manchester then it would do for him.

I certainly think it was a shame that Anelka couldn't settle at City, I think considering he was doing well at the club and the fact that was loved by the fans that it would have been a good decision on his part, but it wasn't to be.

Anelka has a place in City's history forever because he scored the first City goal ever at Eastlands, it is a real shame he wont be remembered for is commitment to the club.

No.6 Italy and Rolando Bianchi

At number six in my top ten viewers is Italy and the player I have chosen for them is Rolando Bianchi.

Bianchi signed for City in 2007 on the back of a great goalscoring campaign in Serie A, unfortunately his goal scoring exploits came to a halt when he came to the Premier League.

Although Bianchi was popular with the City fans he was not able to settle in England and returned to Serie A in January when he signed for Lazio on loan. Lazio did not sign Bianchi on a permanent deal and he instead signed for his current club Torino on a five year deal.

It is a shame that Bianchi could not settle, I think we were all waiting for him to get used to the pace of the Prem but it never came. Although he is currently playing in Serie B, Bianchi is doing good at Torino and is extremely popular there.

No.7 Australia and Danny Tiatto

At number seven in my top ten viewers is Australia and the player I have chosen for them is Danny Tiatto.

Danny Tiatto is a player I remember well and to be honest I used to love him when I was a kid.

Danny spent six years at City and I for one enjoyed all six of them. Tiatto always kept me on edge because you just did not know what he was going to do, would he go on a breath taking run that would amaze you or was he going to karate kick someone in mid air which would equally amaze you.

To be honest Danny is normally remembered for his wreckless approach that he had at times, but he was a very capable footballer. I used to really enjoy watching Danny in full flow, his pace and skill excited me as a lad, as did his tough tackling no nonsense style of play.

I don't think City fans will easily forget Tiatto, I certainly know that I won't and can definitely see him being a player that will come up in years to come when I am boring my kids with the players I used to watch as a lad.

Danny still plays at the age of 37 for Melbourne Knights and no, since leaving City he has not changed his style of play or his attitude on the pitch one little bit.

I struggled to find videos of Danny playing for City, his great goal that never was is on the second video.

No.8 Poland and Kazimierz Deyna

At number eight in my top ten viewers is Poland and the player I have chosen for them is Kazimierz Deyna.

Obviously I only know about Kazimierz Deyna through what I have been told and from watching videos of him.

Kazimierz Deyna was a midfielder signed in 1978 from Legia Warsaw, he made his City debut in November of that year. Unfortunately his time at City was blighted by injury and he had only made 38 appearances for City by the time he left in 1981.

Regardless of his lack of playing time Deyna was loved by the City fans who could see his class when he did play. I must say he is someone I like to watch when I get my Dads VHS tapes out and it is easy to see why he would have been loved in the days when special players really were special players.

I struggled to find decent videos of him online which was a shame so if anyone can find a good one please do post the link.

Kazimierz Deyna (23 October 1947 – 1 September 1989)

Man City vs FC Salzburg highlights

Easy win on a very cold night, not much more you can say about it. In case you haven't seen any highlights yet, here they are.