mrmojorisin75 Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/16/sfnjim116.xml Ronaldinho Manchester City fantasy sells season tickets even if he fails to turn up By Jim White Last Updated: 11:45pm BST 15/07/2008 Hands up anybody who seriously believes that Ronaldinho will be slipping on a sky blue shirt over the next week and parading himself as Manchester City's latest signing. Frankly, anyone who reckons that the gap-toothed Brazilian will take up a job in Manchester when there is one on offer in Milan might be wise to seek medical help. Not even Noel Gallagher, whose enthusiasm for all things City is unimpeachable, can see it happening. "If he can't pull his finger out for Barcelona he's not going to do it away against West Bromwich, is he?" says the Oasis guitarist, a man who has family experience of those unwilling to extract a digit for the cause. But in a sense it doesn't really matter that the former best player in the world is in all probability heading for the San Siro. City's officials will have done what they set out to do: reassure fans dismayed at the sacking of Sven-Goran Eriksson that it is worth renewing their season ticket. There was the club's owner at the tail-end of last season cast as a man with about as much idea of how to run a football club as the average City fan has of how to operate a military dictatorship. And now suddenly, thanks to the unlikely pursuit of a fallen idol, he is being cast as having sky blue blood coursing through his veins. As a City source said this week: "Can anyone question the ambition of the owner now?" To be fair, City are by no means alone in such fantasy bidding. The summer transfer merry-go-round has long been fuelled by tales of improbable movement. Every day we read that X is going to Y and Z is staying put when the fact is, come the start of the season, Z will be at Y, while X remains where he is, contemplating a future in the reserves. This is a month of shenanigans which have nothing to do with genuine playing requirements (it is telling that City's shrewd manager, Mark Hughes, has kept his counsel throughout the Ronaldinho saga). Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Spurs used to be the masters at the unlikely July transfer bid, their name linked to the most glamorous of names, only for reality to dawn come early August with the signing of Ruel Fox. The summer transfer market is like a reworking of the game played by Hollywood casting agents called you want, you'd settle for, you get. Normally it relates to movie issues: you want Brad Pitt to star in your film, you'd settle for Edward Norton, but you get Danny Dyer. In City's case, the fans want Ronaldinho, they'd settle for Robinho, but even as they dream they somehow know they'll end up with David Nugent. Unfortunately, by the time he is paraded on Aug 9 it will be too late for them to do anything about it. By then they will have bought their season tickets. And in all this, that is the real ambition of their owner. _______________ As this is taken from a paper it patently can't have any truth, sense or relevance to NO posters but I honestly think it makes interesting reading as an NUFC fan this summer. Lots of it I see as applicable to us at the moment, minus the obvious fact we appear to not have even made half the effort Citeh have so far in the window. Been wanting to post something reflecting my feelings at the moment (resignation of impending mediocrity I suppose), think this just did it for me - Danny Dyer, coming to a cinema near you!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
khay Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Half the effort? we have signed more players than them so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shearer_united Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 There isn't really an incentive for him to go to city (other than cash) and they don't even play in the champions league. Besides, the premier league is too physical for Ronaldinho - He wont be as good as if he was in an italian or spanish league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I doubt whether City's pursuit of Ronaldinho was a cynical exercise in boosting season ticket sales. It very much looked like an owner's fantasy, on the false reasoning that one great individual is going to transform a side. Ronaldinho always seemed reluctant to go to Manchester, so I reckon City have had a lucky escape. Throwing money at an unwilling player isn't a sensible route to go down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Half the effort? we have signed more players than them so far. aye, that tells the story... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Yeah, what we really need is a ridiculous bid for a player who's never going to come here. I suggest we bid £100m for Ronaldo. That won't make us look stupid or anything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shearer_united Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I think the idea of Manchester City wanting to bid for Ronaldinho and making their desires for him publicly known is to make the man city fans happy and over-excited over changes that might take place over the summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stalker Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I wouldn't be suprised if Nike had a large say in where he ended up going. Can't imagine their exclusive contract with him would be worth that much if he's playing at Man City Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmojorisin75 Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Yeah, what we really need is a ridiculous bid for a player who's never going to come here. I suggest we bid £100m for Ronaldo. That won't make us look stupid or anything. was anyone asking for that dave? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzieMandias Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 NICE ONE BRUVA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Could be worse,could be Kieron Dyer in Brokedown Mountain! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UV Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Aye, Ashley's good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Modric, sell a few seats, and then get Gutierrez in on a free. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Badhead Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Aye, Ashley's good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Modric, sell a few seats, and then get Gutierrez in on a free. Spuds announced they'd signed Modric before renewals even went out man. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Aye, Ashley's good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Modric, sell a few seats, and then get Gutierrez in on a free. You're trying too hard now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UV Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Aye, Ashley's good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Modric, sell a few seats, and then get Gutierrez in on a free. Spuds announced they'd signed Modric before renewals even went out man. I guess it would be more relevant to the intimation in the article than making a bid for a player weeks into the season then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Badhead Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Rather, it is all about marketing. And for chairmen, the delicious thing about summer transfers is that they don't have to be completed to accrue helpful headlines. Aye, Shepherd was good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Ronaldo or Rooney, sell a few seats, and then get Bowyer in on a free. Aye, Ashley's good at that stuff. Make a noise about making a bid for Modric, sell a few seats, and then get Gutierrez in on a free. Spuds announced they'd signed Modric before renewals even went out man. I guess it would be more relevant to the intimation in the article than making a bid for a player weeks into the season then. I take it you are retracting your clear implication that Chris Mort lied in the official programme about our club bidding for Luka Modric then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElDiablo Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Proppa nawty... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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