by Chinners » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:52 pm
Robinho: Why I flopped at City
Speaking exclusively to Eurosport, the Brazilian said he did not have a problem with manager Roberto Mancini, despite being sent out on loan shortly after the Italian replaced Mark Hughes.
"English football is difficult," said Robinho, now at Milan.
"It's not easy to adapt to it. In English football it's not the whole team playing, touching the ball in the Brazilian way.
"Mancini is an excellent coach. I never had any problem with him. He was always a good coach, and always respected me, and I always respected him. The problem is that English football is not an easy game for me."
Robinho went on loan to Santos in January, six weeks after Mancini took the manager's job, but the forward said he was motivated by a desire to make Brazil's World Cup squad having fallen down the pecking order at City.
"I had the project to arrive to the World Cup in a good physical condition. And at Manchester City, I was not playing every game. So it was not good for my fitness," he said.
"I know myself physically, and I know that the more I play the better I am physically. That's why I decided to go back to Santos. My goal was really to be on top for the World Cup."
Robinho arrived at City for a British record fee of £32.5 million in September 2008, on the same day the club was bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan.
Despite a largely disappointing time at the club, in which he scored 16 goals in 53 games, Robinho said it was the right move for both him and for City, as he paved the way for other big-name players to join.
"You have to demonstrate your value on the pitch. I don't feel a better or a worse player because I was the most expensive," he said.
"I believe it was good for me and for City, because I opened the doors for other big players to come to City. Maybe if I hadn't signed there, no other big player would have signed there. I was the first of the big players present in this club. So it was good."
West Ham, Wigan chasing Man City winger Wright-Phillips
The Daily Star says Wright-Phillips’ days are numbered at Eastlands and Roberto Mancini will let the England winger leave next month.
Hammers manager Avram Grant and co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold will meet this week to discuss potential transfer targets, which will include the possibility of making a cut-price move for Wright-Phillips in January.
City splashed £8.5m to bring Wright-Phillips back to the club from Chelsea in 2008 – but they will let him leave on the cheap to get the winger off their wage bill.
With Sullivan and Gold still sorting out the club’s precarious finances, the Hammers are unwilling to break the bank to bring him to Upton Park; Wright-Phillips would have to take a pay-cut from his current £65,000-per-week wages to aid a move.
A loan move for Wright-Phillips with City paying a portion of his salary would suit the Hammers.
Wigan Athletic are also plotting a January loan move for Wright-Phillips, who has a house in Cheshire and, therefore, wouldn’t have to relocate to join the club.
However, like West Ham, the main stumbling block for the Latics in landing Wright-Phillips would be the cost of the deal.
Spanish press: City strike Atletico deal
Spanish publication AS suggest Manchester City have struck a collaborative deal with Atletico Madrid, which will see the two clubs share sponsorship contacts and information on player scouting.
The report intimates the cash-rich Premier League club’s new relationship with Atletico, could give Roberto Mancini first refusal on the La Liga side’s star assets Sergio Aguero and David De Gea, both of whom have been strongly linked with Manchester United and Chelsea.
AS indicate the strategic alliance is one of the most important in Atletico’s rich history, with the Spanish club set to benefit from Manchester City’s widening scouting network and global appeal, while the Premier League club will undoubtedly endeavour to keep a closer eye on any Spanish talent emerging through the ranks.
Intriguingly the relationship would reportedly enable Manchester City to steal a march on their Premier League counterparts in the hunt for Aguero and De Gea.
The latter has in recent weeks been widely reported as the man earmarked by Sir Alex Ferguson to replace Edwin Van der Sar, and last month the Times suggested the Red Devils had opened talks over a £15 million deal.
Although the story was subsequently denied, Ferguson is known to be a huge admirer of De Gea but could face an even tougher task to land the prodigious stopper given Atletico’s new relationship with their bitter rivals.