THE PREM ERA 43MANCHESTER CITY
Ofcourse, Manchester City believe
this is deeply unfair and they have a
natural alliance withnouveau richeclubs
like Paris Saint-Germain in feeling cruelly
disadvantaged, certainly in comparison
to the old football money and status
of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real
Madrid and Manchester United.
“I think we should be given more time
to adjust to the demands of FFP,” says
Brian Marwood, City’s chief of football
operations, and a former England
international turned club administrator
- a transition he made after working
for11 years in the commercial world
with Nike. “Why should somebody be
penalised for wanting to be successful?”
Marwood and City emphasise
the long-term vision of their strategy.
While the immediate focus is on football
- including a challenge for the Premier
League crown – there is plenty of good
work behind the scenes: the building of
anew academy,the creation of strong
internal systems, a serious scouting
overhaul and the revitalisation of
the Manchester City name.
The academy plans, based in part on
the famousLa Masiamodel of Barcelona,
are undeniably impressive – the facilities,
the links with St. Bede’s College school,
the desire to educate youngsters in
football and life, the ambition to develop
their own players and in future to rely
far less on transfer spending.
The club’s scouting system has been
transformed too, now rivalling the best.
A key figure here behind the scenes
has been former Norwich City player
Rob Newman, their Spanish scout who
played a vital role in the acquisition of
David Silva and Spain starlet Denis
Suarez, an18-year-old midfielder
already on the fringe of the first team.
An underestimated part of the
Abu Dhabi revolution at City is the
regeneration of the club’s spirit. Success
on the field is vital, of course, but there
has been a big emphasis on community
work and also re-engaging with club
legends such as Mike Summerbee,
who inspired the club’s last league
championship success long ago in- The old winger has been
made the club’s official ambassador,
an active rather than honorary role.
If it is City’s new money that makes
Europe fearful, it is Manchester United’s
long dominance in their backyard that
is the second great challenge for City.
Manager Roberto Mancini understands
this clearly and already has one hugely
significant success in gaining the respect
of United’s veteran boss Alex Ferguson
for his hard-line approach both in
dealing with players and with creating
a winning philosophy. On another side
of the coin, Mancini admits to a certain
envy of United’s long-term strength
when he says: “Every team that faces
United is afraid. It takes 20 years to
create that and it will take many
more years of work here at City
togettowhereUnitedarenow.”
It explains why Mancini, despite
some fierce media flak, was dedicated
to defence in his first18 months at the
club before developing a more stylish
side this season. Perhaps this best
illustrates the steel in the Manchester
City revolution, that long-term thinking
trumps short-term issues and
aggravation.
“He started with the basics and
then we were able to acquire more
expressive players,” says Marwood.
“You have to have faith in what he’s
doing. We won the FA Cup last season
and now I think we have a style of
football that people seem to enjoy.
Roberto has done a fantastic job.”
Certainly, there is a sense of a
football club that will not be derailed
by criticism and scorn, a club that will
not be deterred by local or continental
obstacles in pursuing its grand vision
to become part of football’s elite.
Barely a dozen years ago City
were marooned in the third tier of
English football. Now their Blue Moon
anthem is being heard all over Europe.With 91 minutes on the clock, the dream was dead.
ManchesterUnitedwereonthevergeofa1-0win
at Sunderland, taking them three points clear of their
neighbours at the top of the Premier League table. City
were trailing 2-1 at home to Queen’s Park Rangers; they
had to score twice to seal the title on goal difference.
Then, the first ray of hope burst through the clouds
of City despair. Edin Dzeko met a David Silva corner
to head in the equaliser – 2-2.
QPR, down to ten men afterJoey Barton’s sending
off, showed no interest in keeping the ball, instead
launching it towards City goalkeeperJoe Hart before
retreating to the edge of their own penalty area,
as they attempted to baton down the hatches
for the final few minutes.
At this point,Sky Sportscommentator Martin Tyler,
whose role in the retelling of this game has become
almost as important as Sergio Aguero’s, takes charge.
“It’s finished at Sunderland. Manchester United have
done all they can – that Rooney goal was enough for
the three points.
“Manchester City are still alive here. Balotelli...
AGUEROOOOOO!”
Aguero’s goal – the one-two with Mario Balotelli,
the feint to buy himself an extra yard of space, and
the emphatic finish past a helpless Paddy Kenny –
was a display of almost unthinkable composure,
the dictionary definition of “keeping your head
when all about you are losing theirs.”
That composure quickly dissipates, as the Argentine
whips his shirt off and sprints away in delirious ecstasy.
“I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever
again!” Tyler continues, as the Etihad Stadium erupts
into complete celebratory chaos. “Watch it, drink it in!
“They’ve just heard the news at the Stadium of
Light. Two goals in added time for Manchester City
to snatch the title away from Manchester United.
Stupendous!”
While Tyler’s reaction has gone down in the
record books, his next line is less well-remembered,
yet proved highly prophetic: “It might just be the
start of a dynasty.” And so it proved. In the following
decade, no team won more Premier League titles
than Manchester City, as they cemented their
status as the dominant club in the country.AGUEROOOOO
TWO MONTHS LATER...Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini