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| |  Posted 18/12/2006 13:15:14 | |
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| With the amount of foreign money flooding into the Premiership these days, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for those clubs without a wealthy benefactor to compete with the nouveau riche of the top-flight.
One club still on the search for a Russian oligarch/ Icelandic banker/ American entrepreneur of their own is Manchester City but, although speculation is growing that a new owner could be on the horizon, it seems unlikely that anyone will be in place within the next six weeks, meaning that Stuart Pearce will have to make do with a fairly limited budget when it comes to bolstering his squad in the January sales.
Excellent home form has kept City clear of the drop-zone to date, but Sunday’s first Premiership reversal of the campaign at home to Tottenham Hotspur is likely to have set a few alarm bells ringing, especially with West Ham United having beaten Manchester United later in the afternoon to close the City’s gap over the last relegation position to just three points.
Although there is unquestionably quality in the ranks at Eastlands, Pearce has a relatively small squad by Premiership standards and a run of injuries could prove disastrous given their lack of experience and numbers in depth, so a foray into the transfer market is a must.
Shaun Wright-Phillips has long been linked with a return to the club, but the only prospect of that happening would appear to be either in the form of a loan deal or with Micah Richards heading to Stamford Bridge in a swap deal with an additional few million pounds heading north. The fact that City are being heavily linked with Crewe Alexandra’s Billy Jones (who is able to play at right-back or in midfield) does suggest that they might be preparing for Richards’ departure. Someone like Wright-Phillips would certainly bring some much-needed pace and creativity to the midfield, with other targets said to include QPR winger Lee Cook, Turkish playmaker Yildiray Basturk (Hertha Berlin) and Slovenian Robert Koren (Lillestrom) all indicating that Pearce is seeking someone with a bit of spark.
The main priority for Pearce though has to be in attack, with the four main strikers currently on the books simply not delivering the goals. As we approach Christmas, Georgios Samaras and Bernardo Corradi have weighed in with just two Premiership goals apiece, while Darius Vassell has contributed just a single goal (the now obligatory strike against former club Aston Villa) and Paul Dickov has yet to trouble the statisticians. Daniel Sturridge is the big hope for the future, but Pearce is probably correct in trying to bring him through gradually.
Samaras has potential and looks the most likely of the current crop to hit the goal trail, but a club in City’s financial predicament probably required something closer to the finished article for the £6 million they splashed out. Corradi’s two goals against Fulham recently were nicely dispatched, but those expecting a sudden upturn in his goal return might be a tad disappointed judging by his record to date, having never previously bagged more than 10 league goals in a single season.
Again, the finances dictate that Pearce will be restricted to bargain hunting, with many of the names linked to date - Freddy Eastwood (Southend United), Izale McLeod (MK Dons), Andwele Slory (Excelsior), Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux) and Michalis Konstantinou (Olympiakos) - unlikely to raise expectations levels much among the City faithful. Perhaps the most interesting name is that of Werder Bremen striker Ivan Klasnic. The 26-year-old Croat has been largely out of favour this season and is out of contract in the summer. His arrival would be a major coup for City, although competition for his signature is likely to be fierce.
Whether or not a takeover materialises at some point in the coming months, Pearce’s future at the club is likely to be dictated by results over the remainder of the current season. His transfer dealings over the coming month could have a significant bearing on events.
David Hulott
17 December 2006
It's practically Christmas today! |
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 13:16:02 | |
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tribalfooball.com - December 17, 2006
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce is lining up Lens winger Aruna Dindane. The Ivory Coast international can play out-wide or through the middle and is emerging as City boss Stuart Pearce's top target for January, says the People. |
It's practically Christmas today! |
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 13:24:29 | |
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| | very good article - succinct and to the point the bit about richards worries fuck out of me though
--------------------------------------------------We're on a mission from God |
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 14:59:48 | |
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| | Agree. Very Good Article! Just proves that January will be the making or breaking of SP and our season. I really think that the board have no alternative to make the funds available. We MUST buy wisely. We have to go for attack minded players. It's a MUST. I would personally ignore Chelsea and SWP. Let's not even go there with the swap deal for Micah. When the journo's get hold of a story like that, then they generally force the issue. The European signings SOUND good, but again, this is the PREMIERSHIP. Can they cut it, will they need the time that we haven't got to bed them in? I'd personally go down the route of throwing some large money at enticing Darren Bent AND David Bentley.
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 15:05:17 | |
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Used to be SB, you know
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| I think Darrent Bent would do very well for us, but very much doubt he'd come to City. Certainly not in January. If he was going to sign for us it'd be end of season, and even then I think there would be much more attractive propositions coming his way, unfortunately.
Keeper of the heretic's fork of doom. |
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 15:13:31 | |
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| SB's Seasonal Bloating (18/12/2006)
I think Darrent Bent would do very well for us, but very much doubt he'd come to City. Certainly not in January. If he was going to sign for us it'd be end of season, and even then I think there would be much more attractive propositions coming his way, unfortunately.I don't know SB. If we upped his wage offer and did everything we could to get him, including matching any other teams offer, maybe, just maybe. Who is in the hunt? Everton - not got loads of dosh available. Fulham? Blackburn?
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 15:17:15 | |
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| [b]
with other targets said to include QPR winger Lee Cook, I was speed-reading and had to do a swift double take - I thought it said Lee Crooks.
________________________________Predicting false dawns since August '07.
 
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 15:43:40 | |
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Used to be SB, you know
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| SIR JOEY BAG! (18/12/2006)
SB's Seasonal Bloating (18/12/2006)
I think Darrent Bent would do very well for us, but very much doubt he'd come to City. Certainly not in January. If he was going to sign for us it'd be end of season, and even then I think there would be much more attractive propositions coming his way, unfortunately.I don't know SB. If we upped his wage offer and did everything we could to get him, including matching any other teams offer, maybe, just maybe. Who is in the hunt? Everton - not got loads of dosh available. Fulham? Blackburn? No idea which clubs are actually interested and how much is paper talk, but Chelsea, Arsenal, United, West Ham and Newcastle have all been mentioned. The first three have obvious appeal plus plenty of funds available, West Ham have the emotional link with Curbishley, and Newcastle pat astronomical wages that we couldn't (and shouldn't) match. Not to mention the fact that Charlton are desperate to hang on to him if at all possible.
Keeper of the heretic's fork of doom. |
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 19:03:31 | |
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| Bah Humbug! Barber (18/12/2006)
with other targets said to include QPR winger Lee Cook,
I was speed-reading and had to do a swift double take - I thought it said Lee Crooks. I thought it said Terry Cooke!
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| | | Posted 18/12/2006 23:21:16 | |
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| SIR JOEY BAG! (18/12/2006)
I don't know SB. If we upped his wage offer and did everything we could to get him, including matching any other teams offer, maybe, just maybe.
Who is in the hunt?
Everton - not got loads of dosh available.
Fulham?
Blackburn?
I reckon it'd be the likes of West Ham, Villa, Newcastle, Spurs (obviously), Pompey and us with an injection of cash, that would be interested and be able to afford him. And it'd be us, pompey, west ham and villa that'd offer him a first team spot almost every week, with West ham having the obvious advantage of being local and having his old manager there. But then you can't rule out Arsenal (who've been looking for a goalscorer other than Henry for ages now), Liverpool (with none of their strikers demanding to be the first on the team sheet yet) and Man Utd (with Saha their only real goalscorer). And he'd obviously go to any of them ahead of us. |
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