Manchester City fluff their lines on big Champions League night
It was supposed to be the night when Manchester City finally emerged from the giant, hulking shadow of their “noisy neighbours” and took their place alongside them amongst Europe’s elite.
It didn’t happen.
It was supposed to be the night when City’s expensively assembled stars took the club to the next level, ensuring that they could attract a higher calibre of player next season and push on even further.
It didn’t happen.
It was supposed to be the night when Roberto Mancini dispelled any lingering doubts about his management style by brushing aside Tottenham Hotspur and reaching the Champions League.
It didn’t happen.
Instead, Manchester United still have every reason to crow about being the top dogs in their city, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and co. weren’t able to inspire the victory that their club so desperately needed and question marks now hover over Mancini and his immediate future. Somewhere in a mansion in Dubai last night, a television screen would have been smashed in anger at Peter Crouch’s late winner. Its okay, they can afford another one.
But can City afford to miss out on Europe’s top-tier competition for much longer?
Operation “Middle Eastlands” hasn’t exactly been a quiet revolution so far. Big stars have been targeted and missed, others have been hit, but – with many top players still sceptical about the future of the club – City still won’t be able to attract the world elite without Champions League football. December’s sacking of Mark Hughes and appointment of Mancini hinted at a club who were running before they could walk. The Italian now needed to deliver a top-four finish. He hasn’t.
Harry Redknapp has though, and we should really be talking about Tottenham’s achievement today.
As the world and his wife knows, Spurs had just two points from eight games when Redknapp took over in October 2008, and while they were never in danger of relegation the due to the quality of their squad, the manager’s achievements since then have been rightly lauded.
They have spent money. Spurs are second only to City in terms of net spend in the last three years – and a long away ahead of the traditional top four – but Redknapp appears to have moulded his players into more of a team than City are.
They could still pinch third place from Arsenal, but in all likelihood Redknapp will still have to guide them through a potentially tricky Champions League play-off in August if they are to take their place amongst Europe’s elite, but few could deny them that honour.
They appeared to be hungrier than their opponents last night. City fans might have waited decades for a place in the Champions League but their players haven’t. Ten of the 14 that featured for them last night have played in the competition proper before, compared to just Heurelho Gomes and Crouch from Spurs.
That desire radiated from Tottenham’s white shirts, and Crouch’s deserved winner has given them the chance – and it is still just a chance, remember – to face the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan next season.
City’s wait for that chance goes on. The power and influence that their money has bought them hasn’t stretched to Champions League football.
Dreams of mixing it with the big boys – and of emulating United – will remain just that for their fans, who must have woken up today hoping that they’d had a nightmare, before realising the startling reality.
It did happen.
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