Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Congratulations Manchester City

On achieving the domestic treble.

Something that no other English men's team has ever done.

Amazing achievement. What a fantastic team they are. Unbelievable quality.

I really felt quite sorry for Watford yesterday. They are a really good side, yet at Wembley it was like men against boys; it could just as easily been 10-0. City didn't even bring Aguero on.

Kudos to Vincent Company too. The man is a legend. Even City will struggle to replace such a talismanic player.

I’m really torn on the subject of Man City
I admire their football, it’s great to watch, but and it’s a huge BUT, if you have their unlimited budget, and possible FFP breach, how hard can it be? I had the same problem when Chelsea bought the trophies for years.
On yesterday’s game, when your subs bench cost over £230m and you are facing a starting XI that cost about £43m the result should be (and was) entirely predictable.
Hats off to the Watford fans yesterday even at 4,5 and 6-0 they were still right behind their team.

I think football has always been this way. Before City and Chelsea came into money it was United and Liverpool that dominated the league. The two richest clubs in the country. They did not get the money because they were successful, they were successful because they had money. Yes city have spent a lot of money but they started from a very low base. If you look at united they have outspent virtually every club in the last couple of seasons but not got the results.
Does it spoil the game? possibly but having watched some of the football in recent weeks, it's the best I have ever seen and both european finals have just English teams.

Unfortunately, the blinkered financial view is one held by many observers influenced by an often biased and ill informed media which, due to the unquestioned allegiances of "journalists" to City's rivals tend to spin a web of regurgitated part truths.

Historically, owners of clubs have ensured that they have "bought" trophies and titles by injecting their own money into those clubs. All of a sudden, because it seems that one particular club has far more money than the others and they might struggle to compete it becomes an issue. As a result the cloak of deceit that is FFP is devised. Those clubs are representative of a cartel which used to be called the G14. Those clubs have, in the past practiced what they now purport to be abhorrent and it is hypocritical to say the least.

The English portion of those clubs could easily have spent the money that City have over the last few years and indeed some have spent more. The fact that those clubs haven't spent it as wisely as City says more about their own business model than it does about City's.

It is unfair to compare the two benches on show yesterday without comparing similar benches in years gone by. There will always be the haves and have nots in this world. Should there not be then the underdog, much loved by the British psyche, wouldn't exist.

A club spending their own money to buy success is nothing new, a club spending their own money so successfully certainly is.

The Watford fans were excellent yesterday, they displayed the kind of loyalty that was a way of life to City fans during their years in the wilderness.

Well done Watford.

English? Two out of 12 inc the manager. And thats ignoring the nationality of the money that bought the team.

I suppose the home stadium is English.

I congratulated the club. The club is situated in England and plays in the English Premier League.

As for the stadium it is owned by Manchester council and built with funds contributed by Sport England.

Is that English enough for you?

It was Chelsea who instigated FFP in the Prem, when it became obvious that City were far richer than they were. They were backed by Liverpool, Man U, Arsenal, and Spurs.

This is why I can't find it in my heart to resent Man City's fans winning the lottery.

Even when they were down in the 3rd tier of English football, they were getting crowds of over 30 000 for their home games.

Years of putting up with jokes along the lines of "There's been a break in at Main Road. Thieves have cleared out the trophy room. Police are looking for a man with a blue carpet".

Their current success puts me in mind of that old Bob Monkhouse joke....."They all laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian. They're not laughing now".