English Players Should Be Wary Before Making Switch To Man City
So far this summer Manchester City have been linked with English stars Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, Saido Berahino and Jack Wilshere.
Now all those players are fine international talents but are City targeting them for their ability or because of their passport?
I know that is a bit cynical but lets look at a few facts.
The Premier League work with a home-grown rule which means that every side has a first-team squad capped at twenty-five players. Of those twenty-five players, each squad then has eight spaces designated for home-grown players.
A home-grown player can be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21).
Interestingly that definition also brings Alex Song into the picture as he spent six seasons at Arsenal and he too has been linked with a move to the Etihad.
Now if you look at the players who have left Man City this summer and you quickly notice James Milner, Frank Lampard and Micah Richards.
Those are three English players who at different times supplemented the City squad as first team squad players, who were also home-grown.
So you can see why English targets might be seen as a priority this summer.
A name jumps out at you when you look at Man City’s retained list, not because of his world-class skill actually the truth is quite the opposite with Richard Wright.
Wright was a goalkeeper who at one time was considered the next David Seaman. But alas Wright never came close to reaching that potential and was floundering in the Championship in his mid-thirties.
Then out of the blue Richard was signed up as a third-choice keeper at Man City. In his three full seasons with the ‘Citizens’ Wright has never made a competitive appearance for the club.
Now maybe Wright is a great influence in the changing room but then he could be offered a coaching role. People will always say he’s an over the hill goalie who has benefitted from the home-grown rule as he gets a weekly wage for doing very little.
Some will say that if that were the case then more could have been done to keep the likes of Dedryck Boyata or Micah Richards. But those are young players who can’t stall their careers forever. They crave first-team football and leave on frees to get that dream.
City could have got fees for Richards and Milner in the past but obviously money isn’t a major concern for the Manchester side. They have a history of keeping home-grown talents to their contracts just in case they are needed and/or to supplement quotas.
Then you have the expensive young English talents who come in, get overlooked in favour of foreign talents and depart confused and frustrated after their time at City. Jack Rodwell, Scott Sinclair and Adam Johnson all signed for the ‘Light Blues’ but had to leave due to lack of first-team opportunities.
Obviously potential new recruits like Wilshere, Berahino, Delph and Sterling will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds and getting regular first team action.
But look at City’s other targets: Paul Pogba and Kevin De Bruyne.
Will Wilshere or Delph get a place ahead of Pogba? Yaya Toure still hasn’t departed and interest in him seems to have faded substantially with Inter Milan looking set on signing up Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Sterling is young and still learning, while De Bruyne won’t be making a trip back to the Premier League unless he’s guaranteed a run in the starting eleven. Then you need to factor in that Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas and David Silva will also be wanting to start as many games as possible.
In my opinion, Berahino needs to look at a team a step down from the ‘Top Four’ a Spurs or Everton say. I can’t see him getting past Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony and Edin Dzeko.
So for any English player considering a move to the Etihad will need to remember they need to fight tooth and nail to get anywhere near the Manchester City side, even if they sign for £50m or get £100k a week.
If you don’t mix it with the very best then you could be dumped or worse you could be kept on for four years and only pick up a big wage packet and your face on the team photo.
Posted on June 21st, 2015 by scott
Filed under: Article
Not a very original article Scott (your name is a proper noun so it has a capital letter). We’ve heard all this before again and again and again. In fact if truth be known were sick and tired of reading such tripe.
So the top and bottom is whichever Nationality the players are that are signed, if they are good enough they will play, if they aren’t they won’t. Isn’t the way of the World at all large clubs?
Blewmoon: The ‘scott’ is an error from the web designer not myself. I am clued up on my name cheers.
I only write about what takes my fancy. I am sure I’m not the only one with this kind of article but I can’t help that. I’d also suggest the title kind of gave away what you were about to read. I’d also like to say that I wasn’t criticising your team. Football is a huge business and City are just trying to get best squad possible within the rules. But maybe it’s not best place for certain players.
HeavyRiffs: Pretty much. Easier to see it at City this summer. I’d also say it shows us that English players don’t represent value for money. I could argue other large sides use their youth squads better and promote youngsters more.
I have been watching city for 50 years we are the last team to win a championship with ALL english players pal 70% of our acadamy players are from greater manchester your statement is so stupid its true if they are better than what we have they will play simple so do your research on arsenal who for the last 17 years have been the french feader club until they started to win nothing
Arsenal actually use their youth set up to good effect. But they do so by buying more young foreigners, some don’t like that as it stifles English talent and I get that. But those are the rules.
Again I am not attacking City. They are successful. I am only pointing out the difficulties English players have and will have getting into the team.
Adam Johnson was a championship player nobody would take a chance on. He played plenty for City improved and THEN got in the England side. Micah Richards played plenty but then got injured constantly Zabaleta who couldn’t get a game took his chance and is better. Barry played plenty. Milner played plenty. Rodwell was constantly injured and never match fit. Sinclair proved not to be good enough. Hardly the graveyard for English talent is it?
Your first ‘fact was incorrect so I stopped reading there.
‘Of those twenty-five players, each squad has to have at least eight home-grown players.’
No! You don’t have to have any! 8 spaces in the squad can only be filled by homegrown players. It is not a quota you have to fill!
Ian – Even though that was taken from EPL site, I have reworded it just for you.
The Goat – I never said it was a graveyard. Just not the easiest place to get regular football. I disagree that no one would have taken a chance on Adam Johnson. Did the rest other than Barry really play week in and week out? Milner was used often but not usually a starter on a regular basis.
Milner had more play time last season than ramsey wiltshire evans chamberlin jones this list goes on your facts dont stack up pal if you are going to write anarticle get your facts right
So, from your comment “Just not the easiest place to get regular football.”, why have you singled out English players.
Surely the headline should read “Unless they are top quality, players should be wary before making switch to Man City.
Not really the headline you’re looking for, is it?
And as for not criticising Manchester City, why were Chelsea not mentioned in the article.
Oh just because you say and every other anti city bandwagon batty so, jog on
Paul – Wilshere was injured for most part & if I am being honest hasn’t shown enough to be a major signing for City. Even though Oxlaide-Chamberlain missed a chunk through injury he still managed 17 starts compared to Milner’s 18. Ramsey played 2010 mins compared to 1744 mins by Milner. Jones, Smalling, Rooney, Young, Terry & Cahill all got more mins.
Now if Milner wasn’t happy, then why leave?
Jack – I can assure you I have written plenty about Chelsea in the past and not all good either. I am just looking at City’s reported wish-list and passing comment.