Well, the reason they have these debts is because they're spending so much money on players. And they know they can afford to spend silly amounts because they're going to have all that CL revenue coming in every year.

But like I said earlier. I want my club to earn success without needing to spend £20m+ on players. It will seem very nice for City fans now, but in a few years when they're used to doing well and expecting alot more, a top 4 finish won't be so acceptable, they'll be expecting, and demanding to win the league.

Being a top team may bring success, but you certainly get alot less enjoyment out of a season that if you support an average club.

it's a vicious cycle.

man u for example already have an incredible dept, in order to stay affloat they must win, they must spend to win. thats why i think you can sort of justify the price tag on berba, they need a guy like him if they want to win trophies this season.

Totally agreed the fee is stupid and it is because of the name but the owners don't mind because it's probably one of the best impact signings they could have got.

All the people that say they are worried for football are just worried about the English league and City turning into another Chelsea. I mean in recent years English football clubs have done far better in Europe and people on the continent simply don't like it.

Exactly, no one seems to pick Crespo out as a complete flop in England like they do Sheva. I still don't get that when they spent nearly £17m on him!

Yeah £32m does seem a lot but I seem to remember United fans getting upset a few seasons ago when they paid £12 odd million for a relatively unknown 18-year-old and we all know how what a genious piece of business that was from Ferguson!

Granted, but I think they are not in as much trouble as everyone thinks. They are one of the, I'd say the 2nd biggest iconic club on the planet, the amount they make in merchandise and stuff is ridiculous.

Being European Champions again will just emulate that. They could spend all the money in the world this summer but the main thing they needed to do, more than for just results on the pitch was to keep there #7 this year and they have done so.

Like Tennie said. CL money is not the key for their dominance. Even if you make the final you "only" earn about 50 million Euro, which is only enough to pay Berbatov. If the UEFA money would be the key other CL clubs would spend crazy amounts as well. But neither the clubs in LaLiga (besides Barca and Real that is) nor clubs in the Bundesliga can pay such crazy amounts of money.
Yes, Crespo moved for a lot of money in Italy as well. But what happened to a team like Lazio or Parma. They're in real big financial trouble now. ManU and Chelsea have much bigger debts than those two...yet nothing happens. I agree with Michel Platini that this can't go on forever.

Chelsea I agree with, if Roman pulls the plug I don't know that they could keep up. It would be a far worse version of the Leeds situation a few years back.

As for United I'd say there a bit bigger than Lazio & Parma! If the Glazier's left I can't think of many of these foreign consortiums passing the chance by to pick them up. I mean on football terms owning Manchester United is really something it's like owning, Milan, Barca or Madrid no one else comes close to these in my eyes.

I went out to get something off a friend, I saw two people in City shirts with Robinho on them. Funny isn't it, City fans in Birmingham, wonder why I've never seen them before. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Their owner, Dr. Whateverhisnameis has not ruled out a £100m+ bid for Cristiano Ronaldo in January. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) THis is silly, you can't offer that sort of money. Please step in UEFA! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) The English league is like Football Manager now, every world class player is gonna be here and no where else until they start investing in other countries!

It makes you wonder why they aren't investing in other countries?

Eventually the top 10 teams in England will be the top 10 teams in the World at the rate this is going. It's becoming mad! City are far worse than Chelsea though, their first bloody transfer broke all the records than any Chelsea transfer has ever done. The names I've heard in January: Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Gomes, David Villa, Sergio Ramos. It's like just picking your World XI.

I think this could be the becoming of salary caps and maybe even spending limits.

It is getting stupid.

What's even stupider is the blatant illegality of their approach: "We want Ronaldo, Torres, Fabregas, etc." Does he not know you can't just go and say things like this? Points deduction please, FA!

I find the lack of respect of their chairman towards our sport and our country quite disgraceful. At least alot of the other owners aren't so disrespectful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I wouldn't mind salary caps, or the 6+5 rule thing. In fact, if that came in today, we'd probably win the league. 7 English players in the starting lineup and our highest earner is on 40k a week! And it doesn't matter how much money City have, they'll never be able to buy those 3 points we took off them 2 weeks ago. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Top 4 in 2 years: Chelsea, City, United, Arsenal.
Top 4 in 4 years: City, Chelsea, United, QPR.
Top 4 in 6 years: City, Chelsea, Liverpool (With DIC), QPR.

And unless more guys with stupid amounts of money start takeovers or rules change, it'll stay that way.

In other news, Keegan was fired.. but has been re-instated or something.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Sep 2 2008, 09:48 PM

Basically they would transform City into a brand, ala Berlusconi Milan (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)


I read about it in the local papers this morning, apparently AD United's strategic investment division have singled out investing in the EPL as a top priority when compared to other alternatives (like something more rewarding). In other words, City will be transformed into a product, kinda like Chelsea in the amount of stars it bolsters into the team. And if on their first transfer they bring in Robinho from 'Real Madrid' and for a record EPL fee. All I know is, these guys are in it for business purposes only and with the fact that Barclays Bank makes it possible that EPL teams will always get their share of extra help (in terms of debt), the EPL teams will always remain an attractive place for a foreign investor with the capabilities, to come in and make a cash machine out of the product.

Aaarggh...

I don't know about the others, but I don't like hearing what's happening in the EPL.
I can't stand does artificial teams. It's one thing when a local millionaire suddenly decides to waste his money on Blackpool and bring them back to the ol' days of glory.

But this? An Asian criminal taking charge in a local town rival? A Russian guy who's been pardoned in Russia and granted a leave after snitching and co-operating with a modern dictator? I don't know, mostly I don't like Berlusconi's politics and he's been called many names in the past,..but this is a whole new level here.

It was sure nice to see a team like Chelsea rise from the unexpected like in a Championship Manager 00/01 game from out of nowhere. But this? This is too much. It's gonna explode and backfire at one point. It must go that way...

I'm very interested to see how fickle all the foreigners are. I bet we'll be seeing lots of City shirts outside of England now. Glory hunters is one thing, but foreign glory hunters. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/puke.gif)

Speaking to The Guardian today, Al-Fahim revealed that he is serious about helping City to become the biggest football club in the world and plans to prove it with a bid for Ronaldo in January.

"Ronaldo has said he wants to play for the biggest club in the world, so we will see in January if he is serious," he stated.

i love this guy, he seems pretty damn serious, i love the ambition (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

dont worry manure already have tones of those, not to mention real maturd (IMG:http://i38.tinypic.com/t0glqr.gif)