Do City leave you cold?

[Taribo's Gap]

Absolutely.
I doubt any real football fan could argue against this.

Why do people try to gatekeep football fandom like this? Apparently in order to be a "real football fan" you need concern yourself and agree with a certain POV regarding spreadsheets, cashflows, organizational strategy, infrastructure investment, regulatory efficacy and legal settlements, instead of, you know, football.

I'm sure there are a bunch of old hooligans out there who think that fans who overly dwell on this stuff along with new emphases on data analytics, loudmouth pundits and social media are not "real football fans."

 

[kaiser1]

Why do people try to gatekeep football fandom like this? Apparently in order to be a "real football fan" you need concern yourself and agree with a certain POV regarding spreadsheets, cashflows, organizational strategy, infrastructure investment, regulatory efficacy and legal settlements, instead of, you know, football.

I'm sure there are a bunch of old hooligans out there who think that fans who overly dwell on this stuff along with new emphases on data analytics, loudmouth pundits and social media are not "real football fans."

There might be folks who think if you don't attend matches live in the stadium or from the same city as the club you cannot be a real football fan

Every successful club spends money, The top 4 clubs in every league are usually the highest spenders, Some get their money from a rich sugardaddy, some get it though govt favoritism and some through commercial success

 

[Greyfog]

Such a soulless club. Achievement means nothing. Horrible

 

[Fluctuation0161]

Why do people try to gatekeep football fandom like this? Apparently in order to be a "real football fan" you need concern yourself and agree with a certain POV regarding spreadsheets, cashflows, organizational strategy, infrastructure investment, regulatory efficacy and legal settlements, instead of, you know, football.

I'm sure there are a bunch of old hooligans out there who think that fans who overly dwell on this stuff along with new emphases on data analytics, loudmouth pundits and social media are not "real football fans."

Nothing particularly controversial about my comment. None of the things you list in your post were part of the discussion.

Did I touch a nerve?

 

[Fluctuation0161]

There might be folks who think if you don't attend matches live in the stadium or from the same city as the club you cannot be a real football fan

Every successful club spends money, The top 4 clubs in every league are usually the highest spenders, Some get their money from a rich sugardaddy, some get it though govt favoritism and some through commercial success

Some cheat. Then block any attempt to get them to adhere to the rules with state funded lawyers.

That's sport?

 

[Taribo's Gap]

Nothing particularly controversial about my comment. None of the things you list in your post were part of the discussion.

Did I touch a nerve?

That you think you have some measure of what a "real football fan" should think is...interesting. I doubt any real Redcafe poster could argue against this. Do carry on though...

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Bit random but was reading about Girona’s great start to the season and this bit really struck me.

On the other side, 19-year-old Brazilian Savinho – signed on loan from Troyes who, like Girona, are owned by the City Football Group – was not wanted by PSV and was not happy either but has provided four assists and two goals already and may just be the most exciting footballer in La Liga at the moment

If this lad keeps developing then it’s inevitable he’ll end up at City. The jewel in the City Group crown. How can any single club model hope to compete with this?

 

[noodlehair]

Bit random but was reading about Girona’s great start to the season and this bit really struck me.



If this lad keeps developing then it’s inevitable he’ll end up at City. The jewel in the City Group crown. How can any single club model hope to compete with this?

They can't, and it will eventually kill the PL and probably be what opens the door for Saudi/Qatar into European competitions, and then City will be a dead rubber because they'll basically be the same as the alternatives except with shitter weather.

 

[Cantonagotmehere]

I never watch them unless it's a 'big' game. I record most Premier League matches that are on here the States, and love to watch Luton vs Wolves match, etc... I hate watching Citeh for many reasons.

 

[Taribo's Gap]

Bit random but was reading about Girona’s great start to the season and this bit really struck me.



If this lad keeps developing then it’s inevitable he’ll end up at City. The jewel in the City Group crown. How can any single club model hope to compete with this?

Very few, if any, City Football Group players have actually made any meaningful impact on the City first team. I can't recall one. The standards are quite high and exacting.

Is the main cause for concern here that, through CFG, City essentially gets a first look or right of first refusal on a broader pool of talent than a single-club model would allow and can hoard and evaluate that talent in an anti-competitive manner and seize upon a superstar talent should it emerge through that evaluation process? They seem more than happy to just splash money on talent than to let it come up through the ranks.

More germane to the first team, there also was that coincidental series of moves this summer when Nunes when from Wolves to City, Cancelo was loaned from City to Barcelona, Eric Garcia was loaned from Barcelona to Girona and then Wolves got Santiago Bueno from Girona, who is highly rated. So perhaps the multi-club model indirectly gave them more maneuverability in the transfer market than they would have had otherwise?

Or is it the usual concern with conflicts of interest, non-arms length transactions, suspect transfer pricing and competition concerns if co-owned teams in the participating in the same tournament?

 

[cpresc]

To all the English folk here complaining about where City got their money from... are you all comfortable with living in England? Using the wealth accumulated from the British Empire? Just interested to know where you draw the line.

 

[MackRobinson]

I view City no different than Barry Bonds, obviously great but obviously a cheat.

 

[MackRobinson]

To all the English folk here complaining about where City got their money from... are you all comfortable with living in England? Using the wealth accumulated from the British Empire? Just interested to know where you draw the line.

False equivalence. Football club != country. Also, you can't just pick your nationality. Even if they do have a probably with England there is nothing they can do.

 

[Eckers99]

To all the English folk here complaining about where City got their money from... are you all comfortable with living in England? Using the wealth accumulated from the British Empire? Just interested to know where you draw the line.

Christ, not this again.

 

[Fridge chutney]

To all the English folk here complaining about where City got their money from... are you all comfortable with living in England? Using the wealth accumulated from the British Empire? Just interested to know where you draw the line.

Do you use a cell phone? Have you ever driven a car? Yes?? Hypocrites! How dare you voice an opinion! I am so smart!

 

[Herschel Krustofsky]

Bit random but was reading about Girona’s great start to the season and this bit really struck me.



If this lad keeps developing then it’s inevitable he’ll end up at City. The jewel in the City Group crown. How can any single club model hope to compete with this?

I was looking forward to reading that article on the train this afternoon.

Got to the bit you bolded then instantly lost interest!

 

[horsechoker]

If you live on earth, don't even try to criticise Manchester City

 

[tomaldinho1]

Bit random but was reading about Girona’s great start to the season and this bit really struck me.



If this lad keeps developing then it’s inevitable he’ll end up at City. The jewel in the City Group crown. How can any single club model hope to compete with this?

It’s worse than you think.
CFG bought Girona and then gave a massive wedge of the ownership to Pep’s brother. That’s not a joke.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I was looking forward to reading that article on the train this afternoon.

Got to the bit you bolded then instantly lost interest!

Same. I’ve a good friend who lives in Girona. Lovely place. I was hoping for some feel good content, without knowing who owned them. Now I have to hate them. Oh well.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

It’s worse than you think.
CFG bought Girona and then gave a massive wedge of the ownership to Pep’s brother. That’s not a joke.

City fans will try to convince you there's nothing wrong with this and that the brother could have acquired the club alone. The fact he didn't, and the fact he acquired it with an institution his brother is a key part of, obviously doesn't matter.

 

[tomaldinho1]

City fans will try to convince you there's nothing wrong with this and that the brother could have acquired the club alone. The fact he didn't, and the fact he acquired it with an institution his brother is a key part of, obviously doesn't matter.

Complete coincidence

 

[JB08]

I'm genuinely bored - struggling to get excited or feel passionate about the game. We are shite and they are financial cheats.

 

[kaiser1]

Though the cost of both squads are similar, the quality of football suggests they are playing a different sport

 

[RaddyRed]

Though the cost of both squads are similar, the quality of football suggests they are playing a different sport

They were playing by different financial rules for a decade or so.

 

[Redplane]

They were playing by different financial rules for a decade or so.

Yeah just to put it in simple terms: someone explain to me how they could not only expand and modernise all their facilities multiple times since the last time OT or Carrington had major work done AND buy some of the world's best players and manager AND still comply with FFP.
Meanwhile we have a leaking roof literally and figuratively.

 

[Lord SInister]

Some of us are nowadays sounding like Liverpool fans in the 2000s when they used say, all our success is due to Fergie sharing bed with referees.

While ofcourse Manchester City have shady business going on, but PSG is a prime example that only having money isn't going to build a dynasty that City has build. Many thought they would fall from grace once the likes of Aguero, Silva, Kompany, Toure and so on are gone. But they have clearly build a team and a club which is arguably the best in the world. All we can now hope is they are relegated for their financial crimes.

 

[ElCholo]

Its even not derby anymore. They trash you regulary

 

[Hammondo]

Yeah just to put it in simple terms: someone explain to me how they could not only expand and modernise all their facilities multiple times since the last time OT or Carrington had major work done AND buy some of the world's best players and manager AND still comply with FFP.
Meanwhile we have a leaking roof literally and figuratively.

Because investments into their facilities is not included in FFP.

 

[ExecutionerWasp001]

Its even not derby anymore. They trash you regulary

This your first time back on earth for a while. Big shock oil money has ruined a once competitive derby.

 

[eire-red]

Its even not derby anymore. They trash you regulary

I'd say for 90% of fans, United vs Liverpool is the derby they care about. Nobody cares about City, United would rather see City lifting empty trophies than Liverpool, and vice versa.

 

[Lord SInister]

This your first time back on earth for a while. Big shock oil money has ruined a once competitive derby.

I think we should stop blaming oil money, we were competitive when Chelsea came with their oil money or Blackburn with their financial doping in the 90s. City's oil money has nothing to do with us being utter tripe for more than a decade.

 

[Sandikan]

Some of us are nowadays sounding like Liverpool fans in the 2000s when they used say, all our success is due to Fergie sharing bed with referees.

While ofcourse Manchester City have shady business going on, but PSG is a prime example that only having money isn't going to build a dynasty that City has build. Many thought they would fall from grace once the likes of Aguero, Silva, Kompany, Toure and so on are gone. But they have clearly build a team and a club which is arguably the best in the world. All we can now hope is they are relegated for their financial crimes.

Only people who know nothing about football thought their financial behemoth would drop when some players left.
Pep leaving might give a slight drop but it'd their whole set up which is their strength.

 

[erikcred]

Some of us are nowadays sounding like Liverpool fans in the 2000s when they used say, all our success is due to Fergie sharing bed with referees.

While ofcourse Manchester City have shady business going on,...

So... our complaints are based in fact as opposed to those Liverpool fans?

but PSG is a prime example that only having money isn't going to build a dynasty that City has build.

Erm, City have a grand total of 1 CL more than PSG. In terms of domestic success there's barely any difference. Even accepting your argument, just because there's a shady incompetent team in PSG, that doesn't lessen City's shenanigans. What sort of shite logic is this? We should appreciate how good City became through cheating because other teams proved that cheating is not a guarantee of European success?

 

[FootballHQ]

Only people who know nothing about football thought their financial behemoth would drop when some players left.
Pep leaving might give a slight drop but it'd their whole set up which is their strength.

They'll lose intensity when Pep goes.

They had very good teams under Mancini and Pellegrini.

From period of 2012 up to 2015 their points totals were this: 89, 78, 86 and 79 so used to drop off after winning the league so that's the big opportunity for the chasing pack.

 

[B20]

Some of us are nowadays sounding like Liverpool fans in the 2000s when they used say, all our success is due to Fergie sharing bed with referees.

While ofcourse Manchester City have shady business going on, but PSG is a prime example that only having money isn't going to build a dynasty that City has build. Many thought they would fall from grace once the likes of Aguero, Silva, Kompany, Toure and so on are gone. But they have clearly build a team and a club which is arguably the best in the world. All we can now hope is they are relegated for their financial crimes.

They have cheated expertly is what you're saying.

 

[adexkola]

Its even not derby anymore. They trash you regulary

It wasn't a derby prior to the oil money, it was an annoying game we almost always won.

Bar their early days when they had money and were inept (which made for some good contests), one side was/is almost always doing the thrashing

 

[tomaldinho1]

They'll lose intensity when Pep goes.

They had very good teams under Mancini and Pellegrini.

From period of 2012 up to 2015 their points totals were this: 89, 78, 86 and 79 so used to drop off after winning the league so that's the big opportunity for the chasing pack.

Not sure, if they can sustain the level of backing they have with Pep they will be just as good. They might play differently but as long as they attract a top 5 manager, they'll continue to win everything until Saudis usurp them.

 

[Tyrion]

I was listening to the 2nd captains football podcast which includes Ken Early (mentioned in the OP) and they discussed a paper about City fans and how they view their club. It was an analysis of sportswashing and how to shapes peoples opinion. I thought some people here may find it interesting: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10126902231210784?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.9

This bit is from the conclusion:

Through their ownership of MCFC, the Abu Dhabi United Group has not only broadened international perception of the UAE beyond repression and autocracy to associations with sporting excellence, but have also co-opted elements of the club's fanbase as aggressive defenders of their regime.

 

[HTG]

I was listening to the 2nd captains football podcast which includes Ken Early (mentioned in the OP) and they discussed a paper about City fans and how they view their club. It was an analysis of sportswashing and how to shapes peoples opinion. I thought some people here may find it interesting: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10126902231210784?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.9

This bit is from the conclusion:

I have a feeling a certain fan will deny all this and defend City in an aggressive manner pretty soon.

 

[RedRocket9908]

Im suprised tbe City fans havent done a petition demanding that ADUG remove the word United from their name, I mean they were pathetic enough to force Hyde United to drop United from their name and change all the red seats in their ground to blue ones when the City reserves used Hyde's ground for home fixtures.