Even more predictable than Elano’s departure are sensationalist stories of Robinho’s devastation at the departure of his best mate. The Mirror is first to the presses with this one.
Robinho:
“I am very sad to see Elano go because he was a team mate and has been a friend for many years.
“I understand the decision but I always believed that he would be part of this project. I never believed the rumours and I will miss our dinners and meetings.
“I wish and believe that Elano will be king at his new club. City have made some great signings and it has been made complicated for some players.
“But I have spoken many times with the coach and praised Elano but it was the decision of the club and impossible to change.”
Now I don’t doubt that Robinho is sorry to see his compatriot’s departure, but modern footballers, particularly those from different continents are used to such movements. It’s all part and parcel of the game. Afterall Robinho and Elano have said their goodbyes before when they departed Santos. And which of us doesn’t feel a little sad when our best friend at work/college/school leaves for pastures new.
Stories of Robinho’s unhappiness at City and linking him with other clubs has been a regular story for the press since the day he arrived, and will doubtless continue to the day he eventually does bid farewell to Beswick. This is not because he’s about to go anywhere, but because he’s the closest thing we have to a ‘media galactico’, stories about whom can sell copies of hard pressed newspapers and generate page views for their web sites.
It’s tiresome, but an inevitable byproduct of having higher profile players. Liverpool fans have to put up with similar fare regarding Torres and Aresnal fans have the Febregas back to Spain stories.
Robinho has the added bonus for the press of being someone who speaks quite freely. Yes he said he’d score thirty goals last season, and good luck to him in trying to do the same this season. Let’s not over analyse casual comments about winning mentalities or stating the obvious in that Barcelona play good football.
Instead we should be grateful for someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, at a time when homegrown players appear media coached to death – I love watching Wright-Phillips with the ball at his feet, but his post match interviews can readily cure insomnia.
The club have announced an “Open House” event next Thursday which will feature an opportunity to see our new signings going through their paces. It all sounds a bit cheesy for anyone over the age of eight, but there could be some interest in seeing whether Carlos Tevez’s heel and Roque Santa Cruz’s knees can manage a knockabout. We wait with baited breath.
Highlights are set to include:
- The squad being split into teams for some games.
- Roving entertainers, face painting, balloon modellers and a T-shirt launcher.
- The squad wearing their “dazzling freshly designed Umbro training kit”.
- The presence of Moonbeam and Moonchester.
- The chance to become the team’s mascot for the Celtic match (if you purchase the new training kit with a club membership card and are under 15).
Gates open at 2pm for a 2.45pm start with supporters encouraged to take along flags and scarves, etc. The compare will be Hugh Ferris from Key 103 and I hope to God he isn’t the same person who was so excruciating at the recent friendly against Orlando Pirates.
Without aping the Real Madrid “galactico” introductions to much, it seems to fit with Garry Cooks desire for the club to stay connected with the local community while we also seek to build ourselves on the wider stage.
Not surprisingly, Elano has cited a need for regular first team action in the run up to the South African World Cup as the reason for his move to Galatasaray.
“I spoke with my national coach Dunga and he told me it will be difficult to enter me on his World Cup list if I am not playing football regularly.
“I need time on the field. This season is very important. I dream of playing in the World Cup.
“I have received a few other offers, but this is the best one for me and City.
“I never had any problems with the coach, but Hughes may not have had total confidence in me.”
The last line sounds particularly diplomatic. There’s a lot I’ll miss about Elano, and not just the perfect penalty record. I still believe he was the most incisive passer within the team, better even than Ireland on his day. Of course his good days were far to rare, but there was always the nagging feeling that a better man-manager than Hughes (I’m thinking a Hiddink or even a Redknapp) would have got an awful lot more out of him. He undoubtedly had the ability to be a City legend.
Blue Days
31 July 2009
Elano /
A report in today’s MEN and a footnote in The Times both claim City have lined up either Chelsea’s Alex or Newcastle’s Sebastien Bassong as an alternative to Joleon Lescott.
The Times:
The Times understands that Sébastien Bassong, the Newcastle United defender, or Alex, the Chelsea centre back, are being lined up as alternative targets.
MEN:
The Blues are preparing bids for Newcastle’s Sebastien Bassong and Chelsea’s Alex after Everton firmly rejected an improved £18m bid for England defender Lescott.
It makes sense for City to start weighing up alternatives given the flat refusal of David Moyes and Everton to entertain bids for Lescott. It also fits with City’s apparent transfer policy of judging each deal on it’s individual merits and being prepared to walk away if the sums go above what Hughes, Cook and Khaldoon Al Mubarak think it is worth.
Both these players are 6′ 2″ which would seem to be a pre-requisite for the centre of our defence given that none of Toure, Onuoha or Richards are over six feet tall. Dunne is 6′ 2″, but appears far from guaranteed a first team place next season.
Being a left footed centre half who could provide cover at left back were qualities that Hughes was keen on with Lescott. It’s interesting to note that Bassong is also able to provide this, as he states on his Facebook page.