Could there be some juicy quality fringe players to be had? Top players that just cant get into the team now and will have even less chance next season but all of whom would be great signings for the likes of us? Adam Johnson (it surely cant have escaped him that being a bit part player for City has cost him a chance to go to the Euros over Downing), Johnny Evans, Danny Welbeck (will SAF look to buy a top striker to partner Rooney), Michael Carrick, Ji Sung Park, Micah Richards to name but a few? We could do a lot worse than target these sorts of players imo or at least offer them 1st team places on a regular basis.
I agree they might become available, but my main worry is that wages (particularly in Man City's case) will be a huge stumbling block..
Johnson - definitely yes. Problem being he's young and English, and Man City want to keep english players to fit in with the new rules or whatever. Evans - he's been arguably their best defender this year, I don't think Man U would part with him for the kind of money they'd get Welbeck - going to be at least second choice, young and english, man u won't part but he'd be too expensive anyway Carrick - played almost every game this year, will be abckup at worst Park - worth very little financially to sell, and his value is great to SAF in the big games, more than anyuone would be willing to pay Richards - Never thought about him, but missing out for England may be the last straw for him. However, (see Johnson) Not trying to pick faults, just imo none of those players would be available to literally ANY club in the League. I think the likes of Anderson, Hernandez, Bebe, Boyata, Santa Cruz are the best sneaky deals to be had.
I know what you're saying mate, but Jesus, someone like Adam Johnson, who, IMO, is the best winger in the country, if he's not happy getting £50k a week, and playing week in week out? What do these people want? Seriously, Man City offering players crazy money are ruining the game.
I totally agree mate...The game has never been so out of balance, in a financial sense, as it is now..
Thing is, if these players cant play first team they are going to suffer in the international games as with Richards and Johnston this summer. I'm not saying we will or could sign them but I'd like to think we were thinking about it?
Money can be a motivational factor to a certain extent, but when you're getting more money thrown at you than you and your extended family could ever spend in a lifetime, what would you rather do? Play in front of a few hundred a week, or 40k to 50k? Bank balances come before passion in a lot of cases I reckon. The greedy twastards.
The totally grievous part of the current situation is that a player can be a multi-millionaire at 25 without a medal to his name, or worse still not having played a full 90mins game for seasons.
Sadly Cest, I don't think anyone gives a **** about Internatinal football now, it's all about Champions League.
But Johnston and Richards for instance are missing out there as well and will probably only play in domestic cups where the first team will be rested? Both players were on the brink of becoming full internationals only 18 to 24 months or so ago. Today, neither can even get into a squad selected by and Englishman. They need first team places to have a chance of that.
Aye, but the fact Johnson went City in the first place says it all Cest, he went for money, simple. Those 2 would be awesome for us, play every week, be adored, and shift us towards Europe. Not for our alleged 40k a week wage cap though, no chance on gods earth.
You're right in a way Mons but I still think AJ thought he would play in a majority of games and not a very peripheral figure. I think he would be open to a move to a club he will be virtually guaranteed to be first choice. If he sticks around at City until the summer of 2014 until his contract ends, he might only have a 120 games to his name in 4 and a half years at City or less. He has only played 73 EPL games for City (a majority of those as sub) and a total of 97 games (again a majority as sub) in all competitions since February 2010. I think if City splash the cash again this summer, AJ will be marginalised further and he isnt getting younger.
I personally think Johnson is out of our reach if he was to leave Man City, they will be a lot bigger clubs move for him than us with the incentive of european football as well.
I beg to differ. What top team would go for a player than isn't even in the 18 man squad for City. UTD won't, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal won't. Liverpool arn't a big club anymore - they only have their history. Johnson can IMO only move to the next band of teams. Us, Newcastle, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool. As stated above, the only problem is wages. Will these types of players reduce their wages for a permanent spot in a team. I would hope so, but you never know. I would love to play for a team - even bloody non league.
Weren't we close to signing him for 7million quid before Citeh came in and gazumped us? We weren't as attractive a proposition back then as we are now. We still had that yo-yo tag, the upheaval from Keane quitting, and Bruce isn't known to be the best of man-managers... Citeh coming in with their billions would prove to be a very attractive club to win things. Unfortunately for AJ, he came in with a few other players, and Silva has stolen the show there. Thats the downfall of playing for them, they just keep buying without thinking about the players they have now. Bridge, Adeybayor, Santa Cruz, Johnson... they thought they would play all the time, but they were replaced so easily.
isnt that the case for all teams though eventually, you buy better and the players that have been there, are left behind, or sold. The Problem is with Man City they gave the players from 3-4 years ago lucrative contracts to get them in the 1st place, now that they are surpless to requirements, no one can afford them, and those that can, dont want them as they are not good enough for them. (if they are not good enough for Man City they are not good enough for Arsenal/Chelsea etc)
Good point Mush,money means everything to these buggers whilst football has become kinda secondry. In the case of Adam Johnson, if you all recall we were in for him at the time...well I have it on good authority from an excellent source that he and his agent were actually on SAFC premises when City got in touch..and they both promptly made their excuses and did a U turn. So Folks thats the kind of attitude we're dealing with these days
