Wide spread reports suggest that City have been in talks with Barcelona for the transfer of Samuel Eto'o, but is that the case?City have admitted that talks have been held with Barcelona, but insist that the meeting was not about Eto'o or any other player. City claim that the meeting was set up to start building a relationship with Barca and say that they will try to do this with all the elite clubs.
Hughes said........
"There has been speculation about players all year.''
"It is something that we accept and has become predictable.''
"The meeting was not about individuals but how both clubs can help each other.''
"As a club, we are trying to get relationships with clubs who would not previously have passed the time of day with us.''
"Now, because of Sheikh Mansour, they want to have a relationship and talk about plans that would benefit both clubs.''
"We are aiming to have this kind of relationship with all top clubs in Europe."
It is more than believable that we would want to strike up partnerships with all the big clubs and I am sure it is something we will look to do, but I am still not convinced that this meeting was solely about building a relationship.If it is true that it was Joan Laporta that came to meet Garry Cook to talk about something like 'building a relationship' then I would be surprised. Laporta is Barcelona's president and from a documentary I watched about the running of Barca a few years ago I know he is the main man there. I am not convinced that he would come to England the day before his club play in the Champions league to talk about something that could be considered unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
As well as being the driving force behind Barca Laporta has his own law firm to run, a family to look after and then on top of that he has things like death threats to worry about, something that he regularly receives from Barca hooligans that he stopped from going to the Nou Camp. So when I take all that into account I am convinced that he was here to talk about much bigger business.
I am hoping that the meeting was to talk about the transfer of Eto'o, he is one of the best strikers in the world and would surely be a great addition to our squad.
What do you think would Eto'o be a good signing?
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not on tonight's showing, he wouldn't...
ReplyDeletehe'd be amazing full stop!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think its a 'We will let you buy Eto'o if you give us a clear run at Villa' kind of meeting
ReplyDeleteDon't Know about you Guys, But I would prefer Iniesta
ReplyDeleteFootball today is more sophisticated! What is ment by opening relationships? Is it to swap youth players so they gain experience in other countries or is it a cover for hidding transfer speculation.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone outside of City really know's, but I think Garry Cook has leant very quickly not to show City's hand, and to the best of his ability, hold his cards close to his chest.
Garry was stung by Milan over the KaKa deal and being a little naive in his football dealing's I think he allowed the media and the Italians to get to good a look at his hand.
It's quite clear to me that Milan were interested in a deal for Kaka, but after seeing the outrage of their own fans suddenly had no option but to reverse as quickly as possible out of the deal.
We've all seen this before and as usual Milan did there utmost to make it look like someone else's fault. Garry Cook's inexperience was given the blame and yet another opportunity to poo poo City came about. Really it was Milan's fear of upsetting their fan's and alienating Kaka should any deal fail to go ahead, that brought thing to it's, City are to blame conclusion.
So to make my theory clear, and it is only a theory, I think City are trying to do some sort of business with Barca., yes, but we are also trying to take account of damage limitation. I think the club see's that we are vunerable in the transfer market place.
We don't have Champions League football and by most we are still thought of as little old City.
We are wide open to cry's of "He'll never go there" and "Why would he go there" then there's mockery that follow's any failure to sign big player's. Our own fan's feel the disappointment and the media love to laugh at our attempt's to sign the big name's. Then as we all know if we do get the big name's, it's only because we have money.
All quite on the western front is fine by me, the more City don't say suit's me fine, and in fact that's how I prefer it to be.
If player's want to come they will and vice versa, the media are going to link us with everyone for 2 reasons, 1 Because they have to sell papers or webspace, and 2 Because it will help them do their favourite thing of putting City down should we fail. The less ammo we give them the better for me, but I know they'll make it up to suit themselves anyway.
So in conclusion I say to all City fan's "stay cool this summer" we have to move forward quitely, if we have to work the shadows, so be it, stealth is good for us, we've shouted from the roof top's and we've fell off the roof, so let's do it right this time and get what we want behind closed doors, save ourselves any embarrassment and be professional in the way we do business.
We are in a very good position if we play our cards right, we could sign some top players so let's all put on a poker face and play out a potentially winning hand.
its probably more like trying to buy old pensioner Henry more like it
ReplyDeleterelationship building... very funny.
ReplyDeletea canny move i suggest to snuggle up to a team like barca, very stable compared to madrid. Great youth team. Get a freindly affiliate going would be great.
Tommy very true let's get nice and cozy with Barca it would do us no harm to have close one of euro's top clubs as for eto'o yeah he's had a screamer of a season i do think David Villa is still better player Eto'o is only one man backed by a squad of superstars which includes Messi and iniesta reality is City are prop after Gud Johnston.
ReplyDeleteSummer will be much of the same wild rumours flying about and general City bashing saying its a disgrace and football is being destroyed ect, ect, of course if Manure or Chelski want to do it thats alright its hailed as ground breaking.
I seen Elano wants to sign new City contract if thats city only signing it will do me on his current form.
Actually Tommy going back to the documentary I seen about Barcelona a few years ago, they were not very stable at all and infact were quite the opposite.
ReplyDeletePeter, Henry is on fire again so I don't think it would be awful if it were him we wanted to sign.
The comment about it being to let them have a clear run at Villa, well that is possible but not because Barca are worried about losing out to us, more so that we don't push the price up.
As for the comment on prefering Iniesta, he is a world class player and I think if I could sign any player on the planet it would be him.
BR121, I would love to see Elano stay as well, he has had 1 great season and now 1 indifferent season, next seaon it could all come together for him again.
I am sorry I couldn't reply to your comments by using your names but you guys havn't left your identity. It's a shame that I can't put names to comments, for example the comment left at 00:50 had obviously had a lot of thought put into it and was very good to read, but no name which I think is a shame. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAMES, thankyou.
P.S. I am sorry that I didn't reply to your comments earlier but my net was down for maintenence for a short while today, my apologies.