MAN CITY INFO VIA THE ARCTIC #128

Date: Friday 22th September 1995

This is my last issue before flying off to Cala Bona :-) From now on all emails to this list should be directed to Ashley at the address:

mcivta@tollbar.u-net.com

Ashley wants all match reports from the game this weekend to be sent as soon as possible on Monday, as he's working under a deadline to get MCIVTA out before Tuesday. Otherwise you'll have to wait until Wednesday, and that's rather long don't you think?

It's been hard for us City fans recently, but somehow the result from Old Trafford, where York demolished the rags by beating them 3 nothing, gave us back some hope. At least we're not the only club making mistakes, and we still have the home match to go.

Finally; Creaney seems to have settled quickly. I can't remember the last time a City player scored on his début (Trevor Francis perhaps?). If he starts scoring goals like the one against Newcastle, he'll make another good buy by Ball. The next match will definitely be a crucial one. Boro at home has to be a win if we plan to have Premier League action at Maine Road next year. However, some have raised their voice on the matter and suggested that relegation won't mean too much harm. There's a couple of comments about that in this issue.

So here's one for the road, and bury them 'Boros!

TEAM NEWS

Garry Flitcroft is likely to return to the side against Middlesbrough. Alan Ball says that there has been no direct contact from Blackburn about Flitcroft but has not ruled out a sale. David Kerr has gone on a month's loan to Mansfield Town, with a view to a parmanent move for which a fee has already been agreed. Dundee United are now interested in signing David Brightwell. The reserves won 1-0 at Hull City on Thursday night, with Tony Coton playing the full 90 minutes.

THE CURRENT SQUAD

Wycombe 0 City 0 is a good result relatively speaking because we all know:

Man Utd 0 YORK 3

Our moment of glory this season probably but anyway I was unhappy to see that City might sell Flitcroft. I think without him we will go down because I feel that he is a class player. It is too early to start selling off a player of his quality at a time when we are, so we're told, entering a new era. We saw that against Wycombe and part of the match against Newcastle that without him we really are not a Premiership side. Flitcroft has the ability to inspire because at Arsenal he did get stuck in and if this happens in any side then it does encourage others.

As with Summerbee, perhaps Kinky could do with a run out in the reserves? Unless he has an ego the size of a lorry then it might not hurt. Playing against perhaps slightly lesser players he'll have an opportunity to show his skills in a less pressured environment.

I have a feeling that our problems are centred around low confidence, mainly due to poor pre-season perfrmances and also a lack of communication. However, the defence, with the exception of Edghill seems fairly solid (ignoring the Newcastle game that is). Curle and Symons seem to have an understanding but do they communicate with Immel? Immel I believe has been playing well, keeping goals against down to a minimum. Perhaps a week link is with Kinky? He doesn't seem to have a position if Beagrie plays and by the looks of things he is having a problem fitting into the English game.

So, I myself don't really know how we are going to improve things. Ball's main responsibilty has to be keeping players' heads up, reminding them that they are not too bad as players and that like last season can beat the best. But that is City all over - can beat the best and lose to the worst. Team-wise I would try to keep it the same when possible. Creaney only played one game and scored a very good header from a very good Summerbee cross, Summerbee showing what he can do when he beats the full back and gets a cross in.

So far all our three goals have come from headers. Last season we scored more headers than any other Premiership club. Methinks our build-up play around the edge of the opponents' box isn't too hot.

Better times ahead I'm sure - but when I don't know.

RELEGATION I

Is it time to panic yet? Relegation is now looking like a distinct possibility for us now, but what is worrying me most is the way people are actually saying it might not be a bad thing. At the end of last season, people on the list were saying how financially crippling relegation would be - so what has changed? If we do get relegated, you can wave bye-bye to Rösler, Curle, Flitcroft (if Blackburn don't get him before then!), and possibly Beagrie and Kinky! This would further weaken the team and the loss of Uwe would deeply distress this City fan.

Jeremy Poynton (MCIVTA 127) said that 'releagation didn't do Forest any harm', but as a Forest friend of mine pointed out, they only had one bad season whilst we have been down there for a few seasons now. So if we do go down, we may stay down for more than one season. Surely that is good enough reason to fight for our lives!

RELEGATION II

Personally I believe it's far too early in the season to be afraid of relegation. Jeremy and Paul have mentioned that Lee and Ball will need more time than just one summer to turn things around at Maine Road. There's been some speculation whether or not Lee is capable of raising cash to strengthen the squad: with the current situation, where the price of mediocre footballers has gone through the roof, I'm glad he's not able to join the race.

In the last couple of years we have raised promising footballers like Flitcroft, Sheron, White, Lomas, Ian Brightwell, etc. I honestly believe that's the way to go. Perhaps buying a few foreign stars for the crowd will help on the economy in the short run, but after a while the fans won't be lured. After Klinsmann, Gullit and Bergkamp it will all be settled and foreign players will come and go more frequently than before.

The problems Ball seems to have at City stem from the manager trying to change the players' way of thinking. He wants them to play football in a way they don't understand, yet. When they finally do I'm sure we will start winning matches and be a serious threat to teams like Newcastle and Liverpool. And regarding the relegation issue mentioned by Jeremy and Charles: relegation has never done a club any good. It's always up to the players and manager to build a good team, regardless of which division they play in. Relegation means smaller attendances and less money for the club. With Franny spending millions on buildings it would be a disaster if City were relegated.

FRANNY AND RODNEY...

Re: Franny & Rodney were lovers... (MCIVTA 127)

Rodney also discussed the position of AB on his train trip with FL. FL said that he intends to stand firmly behind AB. Marsh thought that sounded quite ominous for Ball.

VONK ON THE MOVE?

GMR reports that Michel Vonk is set to rejoin Peter Reid at Sunderland for half a million pounds. City are still reported to be interested in Tranmere winger John Morrissey and also an unknown 19-year-old from Warrington whose name escapes me.