100000000000007 Great comedy Man City moments

I think it’s Messi, Iniesta and Xavi in particular. That was a fantastic Barca team but like I said, I think when Puyol started declining they became boring to watch. He also seems to have no solution outside of spending money when things start going against him. Good manager, but not one of the greats imo.

And also this idea that he 'built' the treble winning side of 2009.

Actually he basically just added Pique and Dani Alves to the squad that Frank Rijkaard had built.

Messi
Xavi
Iniesta
Henry
Eto'o
Yaya Toure
Puyol

etc etc... all established first teamers already.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

So you're saying Barcelona haven't been overly reliant on Messi? Ok pal.

Just out of interest how many champions league finals has Guardiola managed to get to without Lionel Messi, or indeed a once in a generation batch of spanish talent?

I mean, i know he's had his hands tied managing minnows like Bayern Munich and cash-strapped man city, but you know... surely a genius of such unparalleled calibre could manage at least a final?

Post-Guardiola Barcelona have been over-reliant on Messi, yes, but that's not a debate considering he's one of the greatest players ever, and they're strapped-for-cash.

However, my point is specifically about Guardiola's Barcelona, which he built from scratch stylistically, binning off Champions League winning players like Ronaldinho and Deco for a bunch of kids from La Masia. That same group of kids won every £#%&!ing trophy available under his management, whilst also bagging back-to-back European Championships, and a £#%&!ing World Cup. All without Messi.

You talk about Guardiola's lack of Champions League success, but has he not won the tournament as a manager the same amount of times as SAF? Easy to look at his lack of Finals, but how many managers, other than Zidane, have had consistent, back-to-back success in that tournament in the last decade? It's the most difficult tournament in the world to dominate.

Fact is, Guardiola built the greatest club side in 20 years, through the implementation of his own unique footballing philosophy, before transplanting that game to Germany and England, winning the league titles in both countries, with the same level of utter dominance on the pitch. To suggest he's anything other than an incredible manager, and arguably the best in the world of the post-Ferguson era, is madness.

Originally Posted by Neo

Post-Guardiola Barcelona have been over-reliant on Messi, yes, but that's not a debate considering he's one of the greatest players ever, and they're strapped-for-cash.

However, my point is specifically about Guardiola's Barcelona, which he built from scratch, binning off Champions League winning players like Ronaldinho and Deco for a bunch of kids from La Masia. That same group of kids won every £#%&!ing trophy available under his management, whilst also bagging back-to-back European Championships, and a £#%&!ing World Cup. All without Messi.

You talk about Guardiola's lack of Champions League success, but has he not won the tournament as a manager the same amount of times as SAF? Easy to look at his lack of Finals, but how many managers, other than Zidane, have had consistent, back-to-back success in that tournament in the last decade? It's the most difficult tournament in the world to dominate.

Fact is, Guardiola built the greatest club side in 20 years, through the implementation of his own unique footballing philosophy, before transplanting that game to Germany and England, winning the league titles in both countries, with the same level of utter dominance on the pitch. To suggest he's anything other than an incredible manager, and arguably the best in the world of the post-Ferguson era, is madness.

I refer you to my above post.

Also please don't ever compare Guardiola to Sir alex.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I refer you to my above post.

Also please don't ever compare Guardiola to Sir alex.

Guardiola inherited players from Rijkaard, like any manager does when they're starting a new job, but he clearly built that new side stylistically from scratch. He put in a new band of football, and that's inarguable.

Your second point is just a cheap attempt to score points on a United forum, as clearly I was simply comparing Champions League wins between Guardiola and SAF, and nothing more.

I hate the weird bald @#%&! (Pep, not you), but to suggest he isn't a world-class manager is absurd IMO. He's the best in the world, and has the record to back it up.

Of course he's spent an insane amount of money, but so do a lot of managers, but they don't all produce the same level of football he consistently has.

Originally Posted by Neo

Guardiola inherited players from Rijkaard, like any manager does when they're starting a new job, but he clearly built that new side stylistically from scratch. He put in a new band of football, and that's inarguable.

Your second point is just a cheap attempt to score points on a United forum, as clearly I was simply comparing Champions League wins between Guardiola and SAF, and nothing more.

I hate the weird bald @#%&! (Pep, not you), but to suggest he isn't a world-class manager is absurd IMO. He's the best in the world, and has the record to back it up.

Of course he's spent an insane amount of money, but so do a lot of managers, but they don't all produce the same level of football he consistently has.

Again, nobody is suggesting the man isn't good at his job. But i argued that I don't enjoy the football his sides generally play and that his abilities as a manger will always be countered by the fact he's never managed a club which isn't already in a position of dominance, both financially and in terms of squad strength.

I admire Klopp more than i'll ever admire Guardiola. He plays better football, with inferior players.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Again, nobody is suggesting the man isn't good at his job. But i argued that I don't enjoy the football his sides generally play and that his abilities as a manger will always be countered by the fact he's never managed a club which isn't already in a position of dominance, both financially and in terms of squad strength.

I admire Klopp more than i'll ever admire Guardiola. He plays better football, with inferior players.

this.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Again, nobody is suggesting the man isn't good at his job. But i argued that I don't enjoy the football his sides generally play and that his abilities as a manger will always be countered by the fact he's never managed a club which isn't already in a position of dominance, both financially and in terms of squad strength.

I admire Klopp more than i'll ever admire Guardiola. He plays better football, with inferior players.

All of this.

If that coat had no sleeves and a bit of lagging I reckon sueders would wear it

Originally Posted by Sparky***

And also this idea that he 'built' the treble winning side of 2009.

Actually he basically just added Pique and Dani Alves to the squad that Frank Rijkaard had built.

Messi
Xavi
Iniesta
Henry
Eto'o
Yaya Toure
Puyol

etc etc... all established first teamers already.

I get the feeling he added lots of peds. He was caught using peds as player so I don't put it past him of doing that as manager. Maybe we will have footballleak story confirming that to us one day

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I refer you to my above post.

Also please don't ever compare Guardiola to Sir Alex.

This

Originally Posted by JamesPolk

I get the feeling he added lots of peds. He was caught using peds as player so I don't put it past him of doing that as manager. Maybe we will have footballleak story confirming that to us one day

It's widely speculated that Spanish sport was riddled with blood doping throughout the 2000s up to the time of Spain's world cup and euro championships win.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operac...to_doping_case

The case is still apparently ongoing, although up until this date they've only thrown the cyclists under the bus.

On 5 July 2006, Fuentes was indignant that only cyclists had been named and said he also worked with tennis and football players.[2] On 27 July 2006, IAAF was assured by Spanish prosecutors that no track and field athletes were involved.[58] On 23 September 2006, former cyclist Jesús Manzano told reporters from France 3 that he had seen "well-known footballers" from La Liga visit the offices of Dr Fuentes.[59]

In May 2007 Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, at a World Anti-Doping Agency meeting in Montreal, was reportedly interested in the contents "of the Puerto file".[60] Le Monde had reported in December 2006 that they had possession of documents of Fuentes detailing "seasonal preparation plans" for Spanish football clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. These plans did not specifically name any players.[61] No other athletes had been named.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I admire Klopp more than i'll ever admire Guardiola. He plays better football, with inferior players.

With, it increasingly appears, a similar shelf life to Mourinho however

Nobody disputes that city's achievements under Pep are impressive, its just that there is a certain hollowness to them - and not *just* because of their unlimited spending power either.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

With, it increasingly appears, a similar shelf life to Mourinho however

Nobody disputes that city's achievements under Pep are impressive, its just that there is a certain hollowness to them - and not *just* because of their unlimited spending power either.

How are they impressive and hallow at the same time if we disconnect how it's all been funded? and we know that fraudiola wouldn't be were he is if it wasn't for manour.

I had a row about this with a mate recently. He was saying how great City have done, revamped the Eastlands area, brought in millions in investment to Manchester, and everything over in UAE is all about City, they're City mad, football mad etc etc., they are the model Utd should be striving for.

I had to point out that Beswick is still a shithole after ten years, and if UAE are so sport-orientated, why cheat with the financial doping?

I love how they have become everything the fans say they hated, and they don't see the irony.

Originally Posted by programmes?

I had a row about this with a mate recently. He was saying how great City have done, revamped the Eastlands area, brought in millions in investment to Manchester, and everything over in UAE is all about City, they're City mad, football mad etc etc., they are the model Utd should be striving for.

I had to point out that Beswick is still a shithole after ten years, and if UAE are so sport-orientated, why cheat with the financial doping?

I love how they have become everything the fans say they hated, and they don't see the irony.

Correct. And all the money has been routed through offshore holdings so no tax is payable...

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Again, nobody is suggesting the man isn't good at his job. But i argued that I don't enjoy the football his sides generally play and that his abilities as a manger will always be countered by the fact he's never managed a club which isn't already in a position of dominance, both financially and in terms of squad strength.

All true.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

It's widely speculated that Spanish sport was riddled with blood doping throughout the 2000s up to the time of Spain's world cup and euro championships win.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operac...to_doping_case

The case is still apparently ongoing, although up until this date they've only thrown the cyclists under the bus.

All true.

Originally Posted by programmes?

I had a row about this with a mate recently. He was saying how great City have done, revamped the Eastlands area, brought in millions in investment to Manchester, and everything over in UAE is all about City, they're City mad, football mad etc etc., they are the model Utd should be striving for.

I had to point out that Beswick is still a shithole after ten years, and if UAE are so sport-orientated, why cheat with the financial doping?

I love how they have become everything the fans say they hated, and they don't see the irony.

Spot on.

Fredsters are lobbing truth bombs around like confetti.

Originally Posted by Rorschach

All true.
Fredsters are lobbing truth bombs around like confetti.

Unfortunetly Fredsters cannot do anyting about all of this, if they could mansour would have to kiss his sport washing project good bye in tears and man city would find themselves relageted down to league 2 (tier four) as punishmeant for bring such a disgrace of an exercice to English football.

Originally Posted by doudou

Correct. And all the money has been routed through offshore holdings so no tax is payable...

I'm pertty sure thats not only breach on sporting regulations but on some UK laws as well, so I wonder why HMRC are not all over their dealings after the football leaks stories. Even if HMRC could probaly not use the football leaks files directly as published by der speigel, I would still like to image HMRC could start investiagtion and optain those files legally.

Nrat

What about the dirty pigeons?

Originally Posted by dunk

Nrat

tldr: it was the jews at cas.