Harry Redknapp may admit to glancing enviously at Mark Hughes’ spending power, but Manchester City are still waiting for their new-found riches to translate into significant success on the pitch.
Hughes was handed his seemingly limitless budget on transfer deadline day when Abu Dhabi United Group announced their planned takeover of the club.
That left the manager with just enough time to break the British transfer record by spending £32.5 million (US$59.6 million) on Real Madrid’s Robinho and after the enforced international break, the Brazilian finally made his debut last week against Chelsea.
PHOTO: AP
The subsequent 3-1 defeat was a chastening experience for Hughes and his players, but at least they had the excuse that Chelsea played like potential champions.
Against Omonia Nicosia five days later City had no such excuse as they stuttered their way to a 2-1 victory in Cyprus in their UEFA Cup first round first-leg tie.
Prior to Robinho arriving, Hughes had already spent ambitiously to bring in Brazilian Jo, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Tal Ben Haim.
And the upbeat mood around the club means that results are now quickly expected to improve in the league, starting with victory over Redknapp’s Portsmouth side at the City of Manchester Stadium today.
“Mark Hughes must be wondering what is happening to him after going there as manager, but if you are presented with the opportunity to buy top players you don’t turn it down,” Redknapp said. “And it’s possible City could become a top side again, just as they were, I remember, in the days of Colin Bell, Franny Lee and Mike Summerbee.”
Hughes has been working hard to keep a lid on the growing expectation that was fueled further last week by the suggestion Brazil striker Ronaldo could join compatriots Robinho, Jo and Elano at City after leaving AC Milan last season.
And the manager was at pains to point out that Michael Johnson’s new five-year contract was evidence that the club would not abandon its home-grown youngsters in favor of more expensive big name imports.
“The key message is that if you are good enough you will prosper here,” Hughes said. “Michael [Johnson], Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge are players who all have a real feeling for the club. I believe that is important if you want to progress.”
Portsmouth were also in UEFA Cup action this week, defeating Portugal’s Vitoria Guimaraes 2-0, and have recovered well in the league after a daunting opening that included meetings with Manchester United and Chelsea.
Redknapp accepts that the injection of so much cash into City makes it even harder for his own side to challenge effectively at the top of the table and apply pressure to the well-established top-four of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
The demands of competing at home and in Europe are likely to be reflected in Pompey’s starting line-up, with both John Utaka and Armand Traore expected to be rested after their midweek exertions.
But Redknapp insists success in the Premier League remains his club’s primary ambition.
“We want to go as far as we can in Europe because we know how much it means to the fans,” Redknapp said. “They deserve it after suffering all the barren years here. But long term, the Premier League is still the No. 1 because that is how you measure progress of a club like this. We’re in good form, three wins in a row now, and although it will be a tough game, we’ll have a go and be positive, attacking teams when we can.”
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to