Eriksson trains sights on fans

Chris Bailey

July 23, 2007

OPENING UP: Sven will allow fans to watch selected training sessions

CONVIVIAL host Sven-Goran Eriksson is ready to throw open the doors of the Blues' training centre.

The Swede is determined to make sure City stay as connected as possible to the supporters and has told club officials he will welcome fans to a spruced-up Carrington.

When the season starts, plans are in place for open training sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays - when there is no midweek game.

Submit Comments | Comments (49) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Blue-Swede-dude, In Nancy's Knickers! (23/07/2007 at 14:16)

Excellent idea Sven! Where have you been all our lives!

Otis Blue, Mars (23/07/2007 at 14:18)

Another winner from Sven,I'm getting to like him more and more every day.

Brother G, My Blue Heaven (23/07/2007 at 14:22)

Great idea,the added pressure of fans watching might even get that bit extra effort out of the players.Cant wait.

OrigamiNinja, Inverness (23/07/2007 at 14:24)

This will last until supporters start turning up and berating the players that are not worthy to pull on the blue shirt, expect the likes of Dabo, Dickov etc etc to not take kindly to this idea of Svens.

deejayvu, everywhere (23/07/2007 at 14:30)

Brilliant news and another brill idea from sven, this guy is getting better all the time, its took long enough for city to aquire a top class coach, but now we have one, were reaping the rewards and its only been 2 weeks. Im gonna go out and furninh my house with ikea goods, but a volvo and crack open the abba greatest hits cd. 1 question though......can the queen offer a swedish person a knighthood for when he claims his first premierleage/champions league double??? just a thought........

spamalot, moston (23/07/2007 at 14:33)

a good guy.Statistically the best record of any England manager, and the only guy to win a double in three different countries. The gutter press should leave him alone.

HulmeLoon, The Fine City of Manchester (23/07/2007 at 14:35)

This is a good idea as long as both sides enter into the spirit of the invitation that has been made....ie. not using it as an excuse to shout abuse.......
we asked to be engaged as fans now Sven is considering this let's not throw it back in his face ...reminds me of the old days of watching through the fence at Platt Lane and having a chat with Rosler ..GREAT MOVE

GrumpypantsBlue, Manchester (23/07/2007 at 14:35)

Good idea from our perspective, I had many fond memories of going down to Platt Lane and getting all the autographs when I was a nipper...

However, I'm reading the Goat's autobiography at the moment and he said that Platt Lane was terrible for training because certain fans would park up and insult the team when things weren't going too well. This just brought the confidence down further... Do we really want to make it public again? If things went wrong then it would be inviting the minority to come and do what used to happen at Platt Lane...

When we moved to Carrington, Royle closed access off so the players didn't get distracted, Keegan and Pearce both gave limited access to the fans... Sven is going to allow it to be public again. I'm still weighing it up, not sure whether this would be the best idea for the club in general...

Sorry if I've brought any negativity to the subject!

Fitzroy (23/07/2007 at 14:36)

OrigamiNinja, Inverness..... thought supporters were suppossed to get behind the lad no matter what..shows you must be one of the minority of fans that abuses the lads when things aint goin well.... you really think Dickov does not give 100% in trainin...yousure

Lunar, Derby (23/07/2007 at 14:36)

Fabulous idea!

In Sven we trust.

shaun goater is my son, manchester (23/07/2007 at 14:36)

Its about time we were able to go and see City train again how else can i start the brainwashing of my son.

tolpuddleman, heywood (23/07/2007 at 14:37)

...fantastic !!!!!!

Willie Eckerslike, Manchester (23/07/2007 at 14:40)

Great idea, I always said that City was a club for the ordinary fans, not like Streford Red Socks next door.

Steve, Droylsden, Tameside (23/07/2007 at 14:40)

Keegan promised this shortly after his arrival but it never happened (obviously). It's a good idea.

It's a pig to get to if you don't drive though...I tried it once.

dpkmanc, Levenshulme (23/07/2007 at 14:40)

Let's get 'em!

Holme Valley Knowledge. (23/07/2007 at 14:53)

I used to enjoy staring through the mesh fence at Platt Lane although it did tend to leave you feeling a bit concerned about our team. I watched Alan Ball sqeak his way through a set piece move that failed from the first kick several times over. After about twenty minutes he aborted the mission amongst much tittering from the players. Frightening!

Goater is my son...you don't need training sessions to brainwash the young un. When did you ever watch them train? You need football matches and an away trip, (with a win) at Villa to do the job properly. You know it's true.

OxfordBlue, Oxford (23/07/2007 at 15:18)

Good news if the team work hard & the fans don't use it as an opportunity to abuse them. Goat's Autobiography makes it clear the demotivation caused by fans yelling abuse at the players.

Thai Curry Pie (23/07/2007 at 15:22)

Svennis the Maine Man!!

ablueneville, Somewhere in yorkshire (23/07/2007 at 15:26)

Can we backdate so we can watch the Barton-Dabo fight?

The Blue Tool, URMSTON (23/07/2007 at 15:34)

Hold on, i have been watching the lads train every now and then since we moved to carrington, so this is nothing new ?? they have a security guard stationed at the fence gate to let you in and out, but then again the MUEN would know that wouldnt they !!! dont make me larf.

Scarty, Northampton (23/07/2007 at 15:36)

According to Le Parisien, Nantes midfielder Emerse Fae is to sign a four-year deal with Manchester City in the next day or so.

shaun goater is my son, manchester (23/07/2007 at 15:47)

Holme Valley Knowledge i know all that but between the ages of 2 -5 i cant take him and i just want to show him what he has to look forward to for the rest of his life. But when he is old enough to attend the games then yes a race down the motorway and a win at villa park will do it.

OrigamiNinja, Inverness (23/07/2007 at 15:50)

Fitzroy

At no point in my post do I state that I will be turning up at the training ground and berating players, it is just common sense to expect that if things are not going great you will get some fans visiting Carrington to express their views at the players concerned.

The fact you are willing to stick up for Dickov because "he gives 100%" is nothing short of laughable, there is not a single City fan who would not give 100% if given the chance to pull on the blue shirt, does that make them professional footballers? NO. Dickov is being paid thousands of £s every week thanks to the likes of me and 40,000+ other City fans going to games and he should EARN his money by putting in top quality performances on the pitch. I have a round trip of 720 miles to go to a home game so I believe I am well within my rights to have a go at any player who I believe is a) not performing or b) not good enough, the likes of Dickov and Dabo unfortunately fall into both categories!

steve (23/07/2007 at 16:02)

Does anyone no where the next player is coming from? I have been suspecting that SGE as been going for Players which maybe do not want to come because of us not being in Europe!! Bit worried that theres a lot of talk and no action with so little time left. See this article http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23072007/58/premiership-sven-worried-city-s-prospects.html

bringing in

Fitzroy (23/07/2007 at 16:09)

OrigamiNinja, Inverness..... i am sure all city fans feel that they have the right to slate a player becos he is not good enough or pushing out the performances we think we deserve...it his not his fault he gets paid the wage he does and its not Dabo fault that stuart pearce brought him here thinkin he could make it.... however surely we should back all 30+ players at the club at any level.not all of them are god enough but true city fans back that player when he puts on that kit as i said your part of the minority i am sure.....and moving on you were permitted to go to trainin sessions during pearcys saty...its nothin new....

()

Manchester City Premier League champions 2011/2012