Manchester City

TA, I still think that we are going to have to work very hard to build a solid membership and supporter base, even with the likes of Villa, Duff and others on board. It's going to require a big marketing and PR effort because we are coming off a low base, two awful seasons, and interest wanes very quickly unless you keep the momentum going. We lost momentum over the past couple of months and see how quickly negative sentiments started to creep in. Since pre-season started we've started well on the PR side, but now it's critical to keep it going. If you look at all CFG (or pre-CFG, ADUG) projects they have all been regarded as incredibly difficult.. I sometimes get the feeling that Sheikh Mansour love a long term challenge Agree, I think now or most likely post World Cup CFG need to make a statement about the intentions or goals or vision if you like about the club. Until now we (lose generalisation ) have been under the impression that Melbourne heart now City are a club about youth development, community values and playing attractive soccer. I think it's extremely important that its stated categorically that is our mission and that all club related decisions are based on this philosophy. We don't need to know every detail (although that would be nice), but more a general statement of intent if you like. Once and for all tell the world what most of us have been drawn club by, these core values. My father told me to judge a man by his actions, not his words. When you're on top of the league winning trophies every season, with the best football academy in Australia, then you'll be able to judge CFG's true intentions. Words are nothing, ask anyone who ever believed the promises of a politician.

The sheikh didn't have a clue where the feck Manchester was before he bought us. IIRC he tried to buy a Spanish club but found out that the supporter-owned Spanish clubs were nearly impossible to buy. Thaksin (our prior owner) got into legal troubles and City nearly went broke after Thaksin's assets were frozen and he became a fugitive. Sulaiman Al Fahim came to Sheikh Mansour with the idea of buying a bad luck club in some place called Manchester, he got interested and the rest is history . We weren't his first choice, either. I doubt most fans remember this today.

It doesn't really matter, John. There were a handful of City fans who weren't content when we were taken over. The ones who couldn't cope left and now support some other club. The ones who stayed got to see us become the dominant force in English football. 10 years or 100, it doesn't matter. The sheikh will make Melbourne City the strongest A-League club. That may sound arrogant, but it's the truth. For every supporter who leaves, many more will join.

It's your club in the sense that you are a supporter, if you decide to stay. Short of fan ownership no club belongs to the fans. Someone else will always own it. That's true of every league in every country. Sheikh Mansour is by far the best owner in world sports. Villa is just the start, prepare to have all your dreams come true. When you're filling your trophy case with silverware every season no one will care that the name or colours were changed. In the dominant sport in Melbourne (AFL), the ownership actually is member-based. There's a president, board, CEO and so on, but no owners in the AFL. So, for Victorians that are new to football, it actually takes a bit of getting used to, that one person can wield so much control and (if dissatisfied), as members we can't just vote them out. Interesting. I didn't know that. Fan ownership is usually touted as an answer to situations like Portsmouth. Mansour isn't like that, though. He's infintiely preferable to fan ownership, which would never be able to bring in a player like David Villa.

It's your club in the sense that you are a supporter, if you decide to stay. Short of fan ownership no club belongs to the fans. Someone else will always own it. That's true of every league in every country. Sheikh Mansour is by far the best owner in world sports. Villa is just the start, prepare to have all your dreams come true. When you're filling your trophy case with silverware every season no one will care that the name or colours were changed.

Sheikh: David you're going to the A-League Villa's wife: Australia? Sheikh: Yes Australia. Here is their currency Villa: Pack your bags honey, we're going Down Under

Same colour combo as NYCFC minus the orange http://www.soccerbyives.net/images/2014/03/NewYorkCityFCBadge1-NYCFC.jpg

Boom! lol I'll have to tune in.

So... David Villa for 10 games. I told you when you were bought. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

You're seeing big headlines for NYCFC because NYC is the #1 club in the North American region. That's been in the works for some time. Both our current and former CEOs viewed the US as the primary overseas marketing region due to the potential for growth. Keep in mind that the CFB's Asian region is still in the early stages. We just invested in Yokohama and now are rumoured to be exploring a purchase in Shanghai. The failure in the colour thing might complicate things.

You're misunderstanding what the City network of clubs actually is. We are a global community of clubs that will share scouting resources, player development techniques, opponent data, sponsors, and football philosophy to help each other win. Your name and trademark might change, but Ferran Soriano will put the right people in charge. His motto is to play pretty football, develop local talent and trophies will come. The lads around Melbourne will have a great opportunity to develop as players when he introduces world class youth coaches and methods. Our young lads are destroying their domestic opponents. If that doesn't interest you, fair enough. To everyone else, you're in for one hell of a good time. Not that it matters really...but.. I had a giggle at that.. The football philosophy of Man City is not to to produce local talent. It is to buy championships at all costs no matter the debt. First, we don't have a penny of debt and neither will you. You will never have to worry about insolvency or any of that, Mansour will pay out of his pocket. Second, the children who entered the academy when we reformed are absolutely beasting it at youth level. Silly scorelines and attractive football, tiki taka and all that. The older ones, not so much as they were under the old system. This is probably what your lads will look like in three or four years We're buying lots of players to be competitive because we don't have the graduates now to compete at the highest level. We will in four or five years.

You're misunderstanding what the City network of clubs actually is. We are a global community of clubs that will share scouting resources, player development techniques, opponent data, sponsors, and football philosophy to help each other win. Your name and trademark might change, but Ferran Soriano will put the right people in charge. His motto is to play pretty football, develop local talent and trophies will come. The lads around Melbourne will have a great opportunity to develop as players when he introduces world class youth coaches and methods. Our young lads are destroying their domestic opponents. If that doesn't interest you, fair enough. To everyone else, you're in for one hell of a good time.

Welcome to Sheikh Mansour's big golden palace lads, you've just been minted.