Manchester City a.k.a The Fight Club...

Okay is it me or does yesterdays incident at the Manchester City training ground bust up between Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor show that the Manchester City squad always seem like it's one spark away from blowing up?

I mean with combustible characters like Emanuel Adebayor, Nigel De Jong, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez what did everyone expect? They got rid of Craig Bellamy for his attitude and replaced him with quite a few "Craig Bellamys".  

I will go through some of the incidents which have rocked City in the last 6 months just to show how the club has the ability to implode and try to come to own conclusions on the matter...

Carlos Tevez vs Roberto Mancini, Part 1 (October 3, v Newcastle)

This was early on in the season, October to be precise, at halftime in a match against Tevez was unhappy with what he perceived as the defensive set up of the team. He shared these frustrations with his teammates and Mancini overheard this and took exception to being criticized by one of his players.

Both men lost their tempers to the degree that Mancini said Tevez wouldn't start the second half. Eventually other players and coaches calmed the situation and Tevez was back on the pitch to help City win the match.

When questioned about the matter Mancini said "What happened in our dressing room happens in others as well. And when it matters it is good that it happens. Against Newcastle we had gone to sleep in the first half, so the confrontation with Tevez was exactly the alarm call everybody needed.

"The confrontation with Tevez was really ballsy. And in the second half City deservedly won. The alarm call worked well. We [Mancini and Tevez] sorted everything between us before the restart. And when I took him off at the end we shook hands again. Now and then a good shake-up is healthy."

I think this was a brilliant piece of spin from Mancini, he also retained control over the dressing room, after this incident the usually vocal Carlos Tevez made no public comment on what happened...

James Milner vs Yaya Toure (October 24, vs Arsenal)

This has to be the mismatch of the century 6ft 3 13 stone Yaya Toure has a bust up with 5ft 9 11 stone James Milner. City had a man sent off and were 3-0 down and tempers flared. This wasn't a major incident but Milner still felt the need to justify what happened to the press. Milner speaking to that reliable source of information The Sun... said "It was heat of the moment, it happens every single week, people wanting to win games

"There are no problems at all between me and Yaya, two people who want to win and it ends as soon as you step off field.

"It says we're very hungry to win. I think you would be worried if there wasn't that hunger and desire to win.
Everyone here is desperate to win and win trophies. You'll see that in changing rooms up and down the country every week.
 
"You'll hear people saying things and disagreeing, because players want to win matches."

Milner performing a Mancini-like spin routine out of the hole he was in. At this rate it looked like Manchester City wanted to win the league twice as much as challengers Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea who have had the combined number of 0 bust ups this season...

Emanuel Adebayor vs Vincent Kompany (October 30, vs Wolves)

This one was the first genuinely public spat involving two City players guess who was involved? One Mr Adebayor... This argument was about Kompany committing a foul on Wolves striker, Kevin Doyle. Adebayor felt the foul was needless and made that known to his teammate, Kompany responded to him by saying it was Adebayor who gave away the ball which led to the foul.

They ended up squaring up to each other (I'd put money on Kompany to win that one) but before the hand bags could be drawn Yaya Toure separated the pair. Adebayor went public to explain away the spat 

"Sometimes you have to shout and bawl to try and get a reaction from your team-mates and sometimes that means getting them worked up in order to do the right thing for the team," Adebayor told www.mcfc.co.uk.

"That's what great teams do. It is all about passion and desire to do well and if Vincent and I are guilty of that, neither of us have a problem with it.

"We are really good friends and we have had a good laugh about some of the things that were written about us yesterday. It was funny because it is totally inaccurate.

"The press have treated it as though there has been some kind of massive fall out, but it couldn't be further from the truth - these things happen all the time in football at every club, either in matches or on the training ground and the only reason, as I say, is passion. 

"Vinnie and I love this club and are passionate about helping to make it successful. If that means the odd disagreement, so be it.

"Trust me, if I have to have arguments with all my team-mates every single weekend in order to help us win the game, I will be doing exactly that and I would want the same in return."

Jerome Boateng v Mario Balotelli (December 3, Training Ground)

After a quiet November it was business as usual at the Eastlands after Mario Balotelli and Jerome Boateng got into a scuffle in training. Balotelli reacted after a tackle from behind by Boateng.

After they were separated manager Mancini was seen having words with both players and the pair were photographed making up although Boateng was still dropped for their next match.

City as usual released a statement saying "We are not remotely concerned by this. It is a reflection of the competitive edge the players apply to training every day. It only lasted for a few a seconds and it's not something we are concerned about." This is starting to get repetitive isn't it?

Carlos Tevez vs Roberto Mancini (December 4, vs Bolton)

This was Tevez's most public spat with his manager. He scored to put his side in the lead against Bolton and was later substituted. He reacted badly to this and even shouted at his manager. 


Tevez V Mancini 04/12/2010

His manager Mancini so far has been careful at not criticising his players in public and again he defended his player “I’m happy for that. I’d like all the players to be like Carlos. At the moment, every player wants to stay on the pitch but I needed a player like Milner on there because he is taller than Carlos and better at set pieces. I have no problem with what Carlos said.”

I'm sure that wouldn't have been what was said privately but by not criticising Tevez in public he restored is own position at the club and ensured Tevez couldn't escalate the situation further.

Carlos Tevez vs Manchester City Board... (December 12, All Over The English Media)

This time it wasn't physical fighting that became an issue with Manchester City it was their Club Captain Carlos Tevez declaring a media war on some unnamed executives at the club and handing in a transfer request... 

"Since signing for Manchester city, I have enjoyed playing for the supporters. They have welcomed me to the club and I regret that it has come to this.

"They deserve success as reward for their passionate and patient support. The club is very fortunate to have supporters like these. Anybody who has watched me play for Manchester City cannot question my commitment and passion for the club whenever I have worn the shirt.

"However, I can confirm I have handed a transfer request to the chairman of Manchester City Football Club. Now I need to clear my head and think because this is an important part of my career. My feelings have not changed and it is regrettable we have reached this situation but It is something I have felt for some time and have spent many hours thinking this through.

"I wanted to leave in the summer, but was convinced to return to the club. Sadly, my feelings have not changed. I hugely resent the management's suggestions that I have been unduly influenced by others. It was my decision and mine alone. I am disappointed that the management should now see fit to try to portray the situation in another light.

"My relationship with certain executives and individuals at the club has broken down and is now beyond repair. I do not wish to expand on this at this stage. They know, because I have told them. I wish to clarify that I have no personal issue with the manager Roberto Mancini.

"I could have signed an improved contract, offered by the club during this season; however this decision is not about money. I have made that clear to both the board and the management on several occasions. The owner has been very generous with what he has offered to me. I would like to thank Sheik Mansour for his understanding and support.

"I want to thank the supporters for making me welcome at Manchester City and hope they agree I have given my all for the club on the pitch."

So in this statement he keeps Mancini and the owner Sheik Mansour happy by keeping them free of criticism and also praising them in the statement he and he alone release obviously... He has now withdrawn his request to leave after City played hardball and didn't enter any negotiations with Tevez's representatives regarding how to keep Tevez happy, reiterating that he is still under contract and very well paid...

Emanuel Adebayor vs Kolo Toure (January 4, Training Ground)

Well now to our most recent and probably most violent episode of the Eastlands drama. Its a fight between well known trouble maker Adebayor and the usually much quieter Kolo Toure.

Media reports have suggested that there has been an ongoing feud between the two since Toure made remarks about player at City airing their grievances with the club and manager publicly. Many saw this as a thinly veiled attack on Adebayor and see this as a culmination of months of tension.

Reports say that the pair were pulled up by manager Mancini in the same manner that Balotelli and Boateng were after the incident. Toure has also spoken up playing down the situation "We both lost it but it calmed down quickly. Other players and the manager came to separate us. It's already forgotten.

"In any case, with Adebayor it's not the first time and it won't be the last. At Arsenal we often had a similar set-to. We know each other well, maybe too well. In any case that proves we have energy to burn; it's not that negative." The club have also released a statement saying the same thing.

I think that this incident has accelerated the speed that City will get Adebayor off their books. His fight wasn't with any player at the club. Toure is respected and well liked by the owner of the club Sheik Mansour and is also vice captain.

Conclusion

Okay so from looking at the incidents to be honest most of them have happened since the beginning of the season that's not even six months as I said earlier. What is going on at Manchester City? The club have said on numerous occasions that this happens at every club. If this is the case why don't we hear about it? I mean I'm sure if two Manchester United or Arsenal players had a fight in training we'd hear about it. And with the on-pitch spats that is a very rare for any club only a few come to mind in the last five years.

I personally think these problems are due to the way the squad was put together. The management of the club has put together a group of players with various different personalities in such a short space of time, there is not hierarchy or understanding between the players. If you look at the captain of the club Tevez he is no leader of men and he has too many issues of his own with the club to keep control and resolve any spats between various players. 

The one person who has come out with any credit is Roberto Mancini who has handled the issues he has come up against without compromising his own position and without giving the media a feeding frenzy. When he joined the club I wasn't a big fan, but now looking at whats been going on I couldn't see Mark Hughes handling this kind of squad full of volatile, high profile and yet very good players.

Ultimately I don't think these incidents are a major hindrance to City's quest for silverware as the players all, other than Adebayor, seem to want the same thing, to help City win a major trophy. All the bumps along the way like these are just something for us to write about, nothing more...