posted Sep 8, 2008

Who won the FA Youth Trophy last year, were finalists the year before, been there 5 times since 1986. Won the academy league last year nuff said I think.

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posted Sep 8, 2008

Richards has been at city since he was 13, wright phillips since he was 14, Sturridge a very talented player and considering he is still only 19 is a bright prospect I could carry on listing but I'm off to watch the tennis. West Ham held onto any players? Na I didn't think so.

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posted Sep 8, 2008

That's right EaStMiDz ignore the arguments against you, just tell us more about the best youth academy in the world.

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posted Sep 8, 2008

I always knew Mark Hughes would say something like this because thats the sort of manager he is. He was never gonna go around and splash the arab's cash, hes not that sort of manager. Just look at how good david bentley turned out under him after being mediocre at Arsenal, and the way Sparky resurected Roque Santa Cruz's career. He will only buy players like ronaldo, torres, messi if the squad needs them. Although I do belive that if Hughes goes because he isnt buying enough big names then his sucessor will sure enough be a threat to the academy.

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posted Sep 9, 2008

You're probably right bubblegum .... but thewse Arabs aren't here to sit back and nurture youth, in the hope that anyone from that setup will be a ' Big Name '

1. If the Arabs are true to their word and buy BIG, there isn't any chance of any Academy players getting a sniff of 1st team football at Citeh

2. Hughes will not be there in 12 months time - big spenders want big name managers ..and that rules Hughes out of holding the job past the end of this season.

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posted Sep 9, 2008

Very good point there. Hughes is doomed. To be honest I thought he made a massive mistake moving to the club as it was under Shinawatra, and now... well... I don't know.

I agree that he's a sensible manager who runs a club soundly. That means he's no fit for Abu Dhabi United.

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posted Sep 9, 2008

Wealthy owners come and go. United have at various times in recent years been owned by the Edwards family,Irish racehorse owners,A PLC and now wealthy Americans. They all viewed their interest and ownership as an investment vehicle, success on field breeds higher profits so investment in players is just like any other commercial venture investing in profit generating assets. A Healthy academy system generates profits for a club. The new Arab owners may be less interested than other owners in this but how long will they stick around? I suspect the City academy will be producing premier league players long afer the current owners have gone off and bought a Formula 1 team or a small country...

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posted Sep 9, 2008

These new owners are playing the game like a computer game. Money is no object to them, they want instant success which will take more time then it did with Chelsea to bring in new and good players. Players have already said no to them (and the money) so they will find it tough to get all the players they want.

They will never make the money back they have spent (or will) on players. They will have spent to much money on players to make it impossible to make it all back from just winning cups. But I suppose they wouldn't care as they do have 560 billion! That is like every £1 to our £500 is every £1 billion to their £500 billion :O Basically a kid walking into a sweet shop.

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posted Sep 10, 2008

I'd just like to point out, for all those getting carried away about "the arabs wanting instant success" etc , that it hasnt been the owners of Abu Dhabi that have been going on about C.Ronaldo for 130m etc etc it has been Al Fahim, who is by all accounts more celebrity than businessman. Al Fahim is reported to have upset the real owner Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with his grand-standing and will not be on the board at City at all.

Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is a football fanatic and is understood to be alot more knowledgable about football.

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posted Sep 10, 2008

Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is a football fanatic and is understood to be alot more knowledgable about football.
**************
What ... through ' Championship Manager ' ?

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