MCFC

Not all deals are signed in Abu Dhabi

Since the new owners arrived at Manchester City journalists , the media, other clubs and football fans in general have been queueing up to tell Manchester City they are ruining football.  Charged with trying to buy their way to the top table, over-paying players and forcing other clubs out of the market.  Creating ficticious deals worth millions to ensure they pass the Financial fair play rules due to come into effect.  Anybody would belive when listening to the media that our new owners were using Manchester City as a play-toy which will be thrown away once they have got football out of their system.

What we truly see though is an impact purchase whereby a 5 year plan put in place by Thaksin Shinawatra has been further enhanced and developed by an Arab investment company.  This plan driven by a football model on the pitch and an investment across East Manchester which will see Manchester City not only become a profitable model for other clubs to admire but also help regenerate an area of the city which badly needs it.

Take for instance the player purchases.  In this January transfer window the sideshow which has been Carlos Tevez over-shadowed the fact that MCFC’s only purchase was a loan signing to help cover in midfield and was a player Roberto Mancini knew well.  In actual fact we are likely to have seen a profit from January with the sale of players like Nedum Onouha.  The papers were full of articles discussing Carlos Tevez and we all read them but I don’t recall reading any column inches congratulating Manchester City on a particularly Frugal transfer window.  An initial spend held over from Thaksin’s time in charge which allowed us to break into the top four and tap into the highest revenue streams which with careful management and a strategy for remaining at the top table will allow Manchester City to continue to develop the club in other areas without putting it at risk.    

Much has been made by the media of the re-naming of the stadium and the surrounding area and the fact that our sponsors are Abu-Dhabi based companies.  Umbro, EA Sports, Paddypower, Malmaison, Jaguar?  In fact out of 14 sponsorship deals only 4 of these are Abu Dhabi based and although the investment is large it is not just the UK and Manchester City where Abu Dhabi is making it’s presence known.  Etihad Airways continues to develop it’s airline fleet at a tremendous pace along with other Middle Eastern airlines and the region is becoming a global player by advertising the region as a destination to do business and leisure. 

Paddypower couldn’t be further from an Abu Dhabi based company.  Based in Ireland it has increased it's UK and online presence with a simple and intuitive website and business model which underlies it's corporate structure.  Providing services to Manchester City fans and looking to develop an innovative model with the club Paddypower believe their Multi-million pound advertising investment will pay dividends for them and for Manchester City fans alike.   One thing you cannot accuse them of though is being from Abu Dhabi.    

Like with all the runours and hysteria which has been whipped up by people outside of Manchester City the club and their owners have continually chosen to keep quiet whilst continuing to develop their vision for the future.  This vision was set out within six months of the new owners arrival and very little has been announced which hasn't fallen within that original remit.   

What sells papers isn’t the announcement that MCFC’s City in the Community arm have continued to provide free training skills and workshops across the North West or that the aim of our Academy is to provide world beating training services including a sixth form college in an area of the City which needs investment and resources. 

What sells papers these days is gossip and bad news which means sooner or later the focus will have to be centred elsewhere.