Special report: Inside City's dream factory
"Manchester City – killing football since 2008” read the rib-tickling City banner in the away end at Tottenham on the opening day of the season.
It was the Blues fans’ ironic response to some of the nonsense that has been spouted about the club since their takeover by Sheikh Mansour.
The huge injection of money, had, we were told by some of the supposed great and good of the game, distorted the transfer market, created a wage explosion and crushed their own, famed academy in one fell swoop.
The dubious validity of the first two accusations have been debated at length, but the notion that the Blues have somehow stifled their own proud record of producing academy players simply does not stack up. Indeed, a brisk walk around the academy premises at Platt Lane speaks of a set-up which is not just thriving as of old, but bursting with innovation and progress, and which has benefited from £10m of investment over the past two years.
With Uefa’s financial fair play rules appearing as a small storm cloud on the horizon of all of Europe’s biggest clubs, the academy becomes more central to City’s future than it has ever been.
City’s strategy for meeting the stringent new rules is to build a new team for the short term with the kind of outlay which has brought superstars like Carlos Tevez, David Silva and Yaya Toure to the club.
But by the time the regulations are in full swing in 2019, and the club has to meet its outgoings from its revenue, they hope the academy will still be churning out top players.
City envisage the academy being the biggest and best in the world by then, but Platt Lane’s head of education Peter Lowe says their basic task has not changed.
“People talk about the £300m or whatever it is that the current owners have spent on the business, but buying players is not a new thing in football,” he said.
“It may have gone beyond what we have seen in the past, due to the price of players these days and the number we have brought in, but this club has also produced 34 players who have made the first team in the 12 years since the inception of our academy.
“There are 10 internationals in that and over 60 who are now playing in other forms of professional football. That is a pretty impressive record in anybody’s books and we will continue to produce players here because that is the expectancy of the owners.
“We know that our part of the bargain is to produce a sustainable structure, a sustainable business, in which we can continue to produce players.”
Mancini has bought into the strategic nature of what City are trying to do – he blooded several youngsters last season, and has continued to hand out chances.
“We have had several players in the first team this season, and Alex Nimely-Tchuimeni , Greg Cunningham and Abdi Ibrahim all played in the first team last season, while Dedryck Boyata is continuing to make a career for himself in the first team,” says Lowe. It’s not a bad return. This is the inside of a business where people are suggesting it wouldn’t continue – well it has continued, and we expect it to continue.
“We don’t produce players to play in the next game – we produce players for a career. Our product is longevity, not a five-minute job.
“The expectations of the company have not changed in that regard. The heat hasn’t been turned up at all – the pressure of the first-team manager is to get results, and our pressure is to produce players.
“That is no different to what it was ten years ago. When people see a player come through to the first team and do well, people then expect to see others do the same.”
The sight of players Guidetti, Nimely and Cunningham seeing some daylight in terms of the first team is pure gold for the staff at the academy. As well as vindicating their work, it also offers inspiration to the scores of young players who roll up at the facility, in the heart of south Manchester.
One of them is Harry Bunn, a promising 18-year-old striker who has been at the academy for nine years, and is the son of Oldham Athletic legend Frankie. And he says that the influx of masses of superstar players which came with the takeover has, far from daunting the youngsters, served to inspire them.
“The club’s history of bringing players through had a massive influence in me coming here,” he said. “It shows that players here will get a chance in the first team as long as you are good enough.
“The takeover has been a great thing. Every day you come in here and want to work hard to prove yourself, and when you see the big names ahead of you, it just spurs you on to do well.”
But City are intent on not becoming a meat market for professional footballers, and have introduced an intriguing scheme aimed at making sure they produce well-rounded human beings able to cope with the pressures of fame and fortune, or deal with the consequences of failing to make the grade.
Football has badly neglected that human side of player development in recent years, leading to car-crash footballers like Paul Gascoigne or Joey Barton. And tales of high-profile spending have helped to alienate Premier League footballers from their public, leading to a vision – often exaggerated – of a cosseted breed who live in bubbles, far removed from the everyday world. There is one story of a former Premier League manager who had previously been a top professional player, and had to ask advice on how you go about buying a television. He had everything laid on a plate for him since the age of 16, and simply did not understand the basics of everyday life.
City not only want to equip their young players with such ordinary life skills, but also to let them see the other side of life.
For that reason, every week players are involved in City’s community work, helping to coach not only kids from the club’s junior academy, but also underprivileged and disabled youngsters.
“If you cast your mind back to the disastrous results in the World Cup, a lot came out in the press,” said Lowe. “I remember one article that talked about the demise of a player’s development, not in a technical sense, but as a whole person.
“The term ‘holistic’ has been over-used, but we believe that if we provide an education for players in what the business of being a professional footballer is all about, we think his ability to become a better player – in terms of being a human being within the game – will increase.
“We have boys who leave the club every week to attend functions with City in the Community, and boys who are part and parcel of the junior academy coaching scheme.
“It also helps our boys to develop skills of an inter-personal nature, and reacting with other people, but they are also learning the other side of the job, which is being a coach.
“And it also looks at dealing with financial issues in a player’s life as he develops and gets more success in the game, and the ability to earn money becomes a reality.
“It’s a wide-ranging programme, and we feel we have gone a little step further in the development of a young player.
“We also need to teach them to be independent. Players are human beings at the end of the day, and inhabit the same society as the rest of us.
“They have the same pressures in that society as the rest of us, although theirs might be exacerbated somewhat. But they are human, open to the rigours and pressures of everyday life, so it’s about skill development.”
Santa is £4m gift for Rovers
BLACKBURN are weighing up a £4million January move to bring striker Roque Santa Cruz back to Ewood Park.
The Paraguyan has had a miserable spell at Manchester City since his £17million switch in 2009.
And with his family settled in the area, he has told friends he would welcome a return to the East Lancashire club.
Rovers chief Sam Allardyce has made an experienced striker his top priority now he has cash to spend following the takeover by poultry firm Venky's. He knows City are in no hurry to sell but would be willing to listen to offers as Santa Cruz is way down Roberto Mancini's pecking order.
They will be looking for around £4m for the ex-Bayern Munich man.
But Rovers could meet that asking price after Venky's chairwoman Anuradha Desai promised Allardyce a January warchest.
She said: "New players will be arriving. Money will be available. We are not a selling club now."
Manchester City do battle with Chelsea for PSG youngster Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Deportivo star Pablo InsuaManchester City and Chelsea are keen on Paris Saint-Germain's teenage striker Jean-Christophe Bahebeck. The 17-year-old has yet to sign professional forms.
The two clubs are also among a group of Premier League sides monitoring Deportivo La Coruna youngster Pablo Insua who is regarded as one of the best young players in Spain.
Deportivo president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro said: 'He is under contract this season and three more, but it is an amateur contract.'
Chelsea, meanwhile, are tracking Partizan Belgrade's teenage defender Stefan Savic.
The 19-year-old made his Montenegro debut against Northern Ireland in August and also impressed during his country’s goalless draw against England at Wembley last month. The 6ft 1in centre half had a trial at Arsenal earlier this year.
Manchester City set sights on £15million Udinese ace
Manchester City have made an enquiry about Udinese defender Cristian Zapata, according to reports.
The Colombian has been valued at around £15m and can play at either centre-back or right-back.
Inter Milan have also been credited with an interest in the 24-year-old, but Radio Caracol claim that Udinese would prefer to sell to a club outside of Italy.
And that would put Roberto Mancini's mega-rich side in the driving seat to sign Zapata.
Blades will net £18m from West Ham over Carlos Tevez saga
Sheffield United are to receive a total of £18.1m from West Ham over the Carlos Tevez affair in stage payments that will be completed by 2013. The figure was itemised for the first time on Wednesday in the Blades' annual accounts.
Chairman Kevin McCabe, who fought a prolonged legal battle over the controversial circumstances of his club's relegation from the Premier League in 2007, has pledged to use the money to make his club 'totally free of external debt.'
It emerged that United borrowed £15m from Santander against the Tevez settlement and that the club now intend to repay the loan inside the next three years.
McCabe said: 'As money comes in from West Ham, the debt reduces.' He spoke yesterday of ensuring that the club's only liabilities would be his own commitment, an investment in shares and loans of around £60m.
The accounts reveal that United - whose retained loss of £18.6m is cushioned by the Tevez income - have sold Chengdu Blades, the club they owned in China, and have disposed of their interest in a hotel adjoining Bramall Lane.
DAILY BOLLOX
Stephen Ireland is looking for a January move away from Aston Villa. Fulham boss Mark Hughes is keen after the pair worked together at Manchester City, but the Cottagers would struggle to find the £8m asking price. Daily Star
Liverpool and Tottenham target Ola Toivonen expects to stay at PSV Eindhoven this winter - but the Sweden striker has opened the door to a summer move. Daily Mail
Lille admit they face a battle to keep hold of Liverpool target Eden Hazard. The 19-year-old winger is also been tracked by Arsenal and Manchester United. caughtoffside.com
Goalkeeper David De Gea has insisted he will be staying at Atletico Madrid, despite interest from Manchester United. Daily Mail
Dimitar Berbatov's agent has claimed the Manchester United striker will not be going anywhere in January. Emil Dantchev said: "There's nothing to say. He will stay in Manchester." The Sun
Chelsea are tracking Partizan Belgrade's teenage centre-back Stefan Savic as a candidate to bolster their threadbare defence. Daily Mail
Championship promotion chasers Swansea City want Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge on loan. Daily Mirror
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has been promised funds to bolster his squad in January by the club's new Indian owners. Daily Mail
Middlesbrough defender David Wheater will move to the Premier League in January, says his former team-mate, Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing. The Sun
Sheffield United boss Gary Speed is chasing Arsenal's highly-rated young striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas for a loan deal. Daily Mirror
Birmingham City's £3m midfielder Michel is wanted by Real Mallorca in January on a six-month loan deal. Daily Mirror
Bolton are ready to let Andy O'Brien join Leeds permanently when the transfer window opens. The defender has extended his loan spell at Elland Road until the start of January. talkSPORT
Crystal Palace manager George Burley is set to make a shock move to take Notts County's much-travelled striker Lee Hughes on loan. Daily Mirror
Millwall manager Kenny Jackett is ready to bid for Bournemouth's 12-goal Northern Ireland striker Josh McQuoid. Daily Mirror
West Ham striker Carlton Cole has questioned the tactics of under-fire Hammers manager Avram Grant during their 3-0 loss at Liverpool last weekend. "In the first 10 minutes we had lost the game, psychologically anyway," said Cole. Daily Mail
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou insists the west London club have not been affected by last week's shock departure of assistant manager Ray Wilkins. The Sun
Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge insists there is no crisis at the club despite recent speculation over the future of manager Carlo Ancelotti. talkSPORT
Liverpool's Ryan Babel has blamed former Reds boss Rafa Benitez for the problems with form and fitness that have blighted his time at Anfield. "I wasn't allowed to train extra under our former manager. Even when I wasn't involved," said Babel on his Twitter feed. Daily Mail
German former Tottenham midfielder Steffen Freund says English football needs to take its lead from Germany if the England team is to be successful. The German national U17 coach believes English clubs need to place greater focus on youth development. talkSPORT
Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson believes the Gunners are suffering from mental problems and they must overcome them quickly if they are to challenge for the Premier League title. The club have lost four of their last six games in all competitions. talkSPORT
Wales still want veteran Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs, who is on a six-man shortlist, as their next national manager. Daily Mirror
Former assistant manager Ray Wilkins was sacked by Chelsea only two weeks after a bust-up with the club's chief executive Ron Gourlay, who had criticised the management team's use of substitutes. Daily Express
Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has seen his football exploits recognised by a salsa tune. The World Red Army featuring salsa artist Choco Orta have released Chico Is The Man, which details the 22-year-old's rise to stardom. The Sun
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