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Douglas Higginbottom wrote:

Slim wrote:How does Faour look? I remember in a tournament a couple of seasons back he was tremendous and it seemed everything went quiet on him after that.

I am still waiting to see that something special from Faour but he is growing on me and I need to recognise how young he still is. He has probably flattered to deceive but last night I was quietly impressed. He was up against a big big guy and took the buffeting in his stride and I thought actually used his body quite well to shield the ball and hold the ball up. Had couple of blocked attempts on goal and showed great belief when he hit the free kick just over in the 2nd half.

Brahim looked something special in that second half. He had runs which really lifted the whole crowd with his pace and dancing feet but there was a purpose and end product. Comparing him to Kinkladze I think is fair and time will tell whether he can live up to that and even go further with maybe a greater appetite for the game.

I thoroughly enjoyed the game last night watching the ultimate in men against boys. Sat with Twosips just behind Jason Wilcox was also enlightening. He does shout quite a lot but it seemed to be a mixture of 2 things. One was encouragement over things they did even if it didn't come off and second were regular reminders of positional stuff. Telling individuals to be further up, deeper or whatever. Just added to enjoying the game for me to be that close to the manager.

Nice taster for the season and I can't wait for more. Off to watch the ladies tonight.

Stood out for me that too. Found it well interesting.

Wrote a fuller, more detailed report here all by the way.

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.co.uk ... -u18s.html

Lost you at the end Doug! Got caught up in the crowd huddling around the players. Was a pleasure as ever though and I'll see you at the CFA soon no doubt. Really enjoyed that game, and I bet your wrists still stinging ha.

Re Brahim one thing that really stood out was his attitude. He worked incredibly hard throughout, and he looked absolutely delighted to win the game too. Threw his arms up in the air at the full time whistle, despite it just being a friendly, and then with an absolutely massive grin on his face he went round congratulating his team-mates one by one. He was merely feet away from me as i was leaving so I shouted over 'Congrats Brahim. Brilliant performance' to which he ran over and shook my head and said 'thank you thank you!'. Adorable little blighter - my girlfriend who I dragged along for the day with me just wanted to pinch his cheeks ha. Bodes well that like our other impeccably talented Spanish lads - Garcia, Angelino, Maffeo and Fernandes - that he's also incredibly grounded seemingly.

Ntcham is set to join Genoa on a 2-year loan with a purchase clause. City will include a buy-back clause.
All according to Twitter. Very unusual deal isn't it? 2 year long loan, purchase clause and buy-back clause!

Twosip/Doug, what's your take on Ntcham - does this deal make sense?

mr_nool wrote:Ntcham is set to join Genoa on a 2-year loan with a purchase clause. City will include a buy-back clause.
All according to Twitter. Very unusual deal isn't it? 2 year long loan, purchase clause and buy-back clause!

Twosip/Doug, what's your take on Ntcham - does this deal make sense?

Ntcham was OK, but he wasnt the player who took your eye whenever I was watching the EDS. It might be a very smart move putting that buy back clause in if he kicks on, the lad has certainly got something.

i don't understand why we would loan him out for two years - it makes no sense.

Dameerto wrote:i don't understand why we would loan him out for two years - it makes no sense.

I am with you here. A year long I get. A sale I get. But a 2 year with a purchase clause? If we don't think he's good enough for us, sell him now and get the brass in

I guess there are benefits to two year loans. It allows a club to treat him like one of their own. Sometimes loans can go a bit awry when it doesnt click immediately as the club only sees it as a temporary thing (a year isnt really that long) and they end up benching the player in favour of one of their own. Fofana was a good example, finding himself benched behind players likely to be at the club the next season when the shit got real towards the end of the Fulham's year. Understandable too from their perspective.

At least with a two year loan the club can include them in their long term plans and they can actually see some of the benefits of it too, thus adding an extra incentive to use him properly. Plus, there's always the point that Ntcham probably needs two years. He won't be ready in twelve months at all and they'd only be looking for another a year from now. This solves a lot of potential problems.

But the rumour was that there is a compulsory buy clause at the end of it - as I said it makes no sense. It's the kind of thing we do with high wage first-teamers that we're having trouble shifting. I'm inclined to think someone is either on the windup via social media or got their wires crossed with the details.

I read there was an option to buy? We have a by back clause too don't we?

Re Ntcham. This explains it..

https://www.reddit.com/r/MCFC/comments/ ... is_4m_our/

That makes a helluva lot of sense to me. Good deal.

twosips wrote:Re Ntcham. This explains it..

https://www.reddit.com/r/MCFC/comments/ ... is_4m_our/

That makes a helluva lot of sense to me. Good deal.

That does makes sense. I saw that Unusual got a two year loan deal at Genk as well.
I have a feeling that we get a lot of player in as a gamble/to make a quid or two as well.
If he sets the world on fire during his two years at Genk, we will just bring him back. if he's doing alright, but not great, we will still get a good transfer sum for him. (I know there's also a work permit issue, but that still doesn't warrant a two year deal.)

aka the Chelsea way.

I wouldn't mind that tbh.

I Just Blue Myself wrote:aka the Chelsea way.

I wouldn't mind that tbh.

And just to prove the point: City have just loaned a 19 year old African lad I never heard of to Dutch side Fc Twente.

mr_nool wrote:And just to prove the point: City have just loaned a 19 year old African lad I never heard of to Dutch side Fc Twente.

Mr. Nool:

I'm wondering if that transfer of Thomas Agyepong, from City to FC Twente might also be an eventual permanent sale, rather than a long-term loan?

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topi ... -fc-twente

There has been a couple of loans to Swedish clubs, at least to Djurgårdens IF, from Manchester City, but I've never seen the names of those players mentioned anywhere by twosips or doug. Seems odd to me.

If anyone fancies some positive half-time reading, I went to see the u18s this morning. They beat QPR 5-3. Nmecha grabbing a hat-trick and Diaz and Buckley getting the others. Was a hugely exciting, attacking game. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

http://inesteemedkompany.blogspot.co.uk ... 3-qpr.html

If anyone wants a ticket for tomorrow's under 18's game I have a few spares.

L'Equipe reports that Lopes is on his way to France (Marseille or Lyon) after not being able to reach an agreement with City on his new contract.
I would br really disappointed if this happens. I don't think he looks the finished product yet, Denayer and Iheanacho are farther along, but he is very promising and not too fat behind someone like Navas and will probably surpass him in just a few years. Letting him go will be a big waste of money and will be sending the wrong signals to the rest of the almost graduates of the EDS.

L'Equipe reports that Lopes is on his way to France (Marseille or Lyon) after not being able to reach an agreement with City on his new contract.
I would be really disappointed if this happens. I don't think he looks the finished product yet, Denayer and Iheanacho are farther along, but he is very promising and not too fat behind someone like Navas and will probably surpass him in just a few years. Letting him go will be a big waste of money and will be sending the wrong signals to the rest of the almost graduates of the EDS.

mr_nool wrote:L'Equipe reports that Lopes is on his way to France (Marseille or Lyon) after not being able to reach an agreement with City on his new contract.
I would be really disappointed if this happens. I don't think he looks the finished product yet, Denayer and Iheanacho are farther along, but he is very promising and not too fat behind someone like Navas and will probably surpass him in just a few years. Letting him go will be a big waste of money and will be sending the wrong signals to the rest of the almost graduates of the EDS.

aha, l'equipe, the biggest shit stirring media outlet in the WORLD

Je suis un imbécile

Wonderwall wrote:

mr_nool wrote:L'Equipe reports that Lopes is on his way to France (Marseille or Lyon) after not being able to reach an agreement with City on his new contract.
I would be really disappointed if this happens. I don't think he looks the finished product yet, Denayer and Iheanacho are farther along, but he is very promising and not too fat behind someone like Navas and will probably surpass him in just a few years. Letting him go will be a big waste of money and will be sending the wrong signals to the rest of the almost graduates of the EDS.

aha, l'equipe, the biggest shit stirring media outlet in the WORLD

Je suis un imbécile

How the hell should I know which French papers are credible or not? I don't even know French.