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What does Mancini need to do to close the gap on Manchester United?
Published by Ian John on January 28, 2010
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Last night’s Manchester derby was a typical blood and thunder affair, packed with drama and incident both on and off the field. Wayne Rooney’s last gasp header giving United the two goal cushion they needed to avoid extra time and take them through to the final at the expense of their neighbours across Manchester. A bitter blow for City fans to swallow, especially given that they lost the league game against United in similarly dramatic style, in injury time, earlier on this season.
It is obvious that given their level of spending, City have closed the gap on Manchester United (and indeed all the other top teams) considerably. However Roberto Mancini must be aware that the task he has taken on is not a small one, even given seeming unlimited funds. Making that step from a team on the cusp of the top four, to actually becoming part of it and winning trophies and contesting finals with the regularity that the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and even Liverpool have done, is a huge task for any manager and from last night’s showing, City are still just a little short of being there.
So what does Mancini need to do? Is it merely a question of buying more expensive and technically ‘better’ players?
Well certainly that will help. While City look imperious at Eastlands, away from home their defence, in particular, has shown an alarming tendency to concede the softest of goals all season long. As good as the youngster Boyata is, and it is clear that Mancini rates him, would City have been better off having someone like, say, Alessandro Nesta in their back line to cope with Rooney? Garrido at left full back also remains a weak area of the team and it is little wonder that the Sky Blues are being linked with Cristiano Ansaldi of Rubin Kazan.
The problem City have, is that the players they need, they can’t buy. Not because they can’t afford them, but simply because they are not perceived as a big club.
Many fans have mocked City’s ambitions to become the biggest club in the world citing that money alone does not afford them such lofty a status, that history and pedigree, two things money can’t buy, are just as important in being perceived as being one of the world’s biggest. Reel off a list of the worlds biggest clubs and they all have one thing in common. Success. Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich. City may well have more money than any of these, but they do not have that attraction of being a proven team at the highest level.
The catch 22 situation Mancini is in at the moment is that City need the top players to progress to that position and bring them success. They need a Ronaldo, a Messi, a Kaka, a Torres, a Villa. Somebody who will come in and not only be a marquis signing (as Robinho was), but will actually make a big difference to the club at the very highest level, in the very top games, on a consistent basis (which Robinho certainly hasn’t). City can afford them, they can pay them whatever wage, but it all boils down to this simple equation.
If you are one of the best ten players in the world, would you pick Manchester City over Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan or Manchester United?
To attract the best players to the club you need a track record of success, for success you need the best players. That is the conundrum Mancini must solve and all the money in the world may not be enough to break that cycle. To my mind he can close the gap on the top by spending so much that clubs cannot afford to say no, or he can use his undoubted coaching abilities to turn the team into a successful outfit without spending ridiculous sums.
Neither is a certainty for success but until City achieve that level of success, they are always going to be less attractive than the bigger clubs and perceived as still being on the “second tier” of European football.
Image courtesy of ***Fabricadevzonuri*** at Flickr.com
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