Sven-Goran Eriksson has gone international with his ventures into the transfer market since arriving at the Blues in a blaze of publicity last month.
The Swede may have spent five-and-a-half years as England's head coach, but not one of his eight signings is English. Reports suggest that Palermo's 27-year-old Australian midfielder Mark Bresciano is also on his way.
But with two Bulgarians, two Brazilians, a Croat, an Italian, a Spaniard and a Swiss joining the Blues in Eriksson's four weeks in the job, one of the new coach's biggest dilemmas for the first Premier League game at West Ham will be deciding in which language to give the team-talk.
That much was evident at the press conference to unveil his four latest signings, with Croatian defender Vedran Corluka answering questions in English, the multi-lingual Eriksson translating into Portuguese for Brazilian Elano Blumer and Italian for the former Fiorentina striker Valeri Bojinov, and a Spanish interpreter helping Javier Garrido.
It is, without question, the most cosmopolitan team assembled in City's history, but Eriksson insists he is not ignoring the English transfer market.
Instead, it is a case of trying to get value for money in a market where English players often come with inflated price tags.
"There are a lot of very good English football players, I have no doubt about that," Eriksson said. "Don't forget I found that out in my last job. But if you want to buy the best English players today, the price hits the roof."
Quality
Besides, Eriksson argues, the important thing is to bring top-quality players into the club. And the City boss does not believe that the language barrier is insurmountable.
It helps that Eriksson can speak Portuguese and Italian, while Bulgarian signing Martin Petrov, who speaks English, can also speak Spanish, having played for Atletico Madrid.
"The players have been very good; they help each other," Eriksson said. "For instance, I get help from Martin Petrov to speak to Garrido. The others I can understand. The language of football is easy. And of course, they will learn English, because there is not only football in life. They have a private life as well."
Eriksson is the first to acknowledge that he has had to build a team very quickly, having only been confirmed as City's new boss five weeks before the start of the Premier League season.
His priority has been to build for the long term, using new Thaksin Shinawatra's millions to buy in young players.
He said: "We are showing Dr Thaksin that we want a strong team, a good team, but a team for the future as well. It's an investment.
"It's better to spend a lot of money on young players than old players."
Like Eriksson, new owner Shinawatra has made an instant impression on the blue half of Manchester, attending yesterday's press conference and also making a trip to Eastlands to meet fans queueing for tickets for this afternoon's friendly against Valencia.
Shinawatra is throwing a One City street party in Albert Square after the game, featuring Mai Charoenpura, one of Thailand's most popular singers. There will be free food and drink, with a 6pm kick-off.
Eriksson and several members of the squad are expected at the bash and world boxing champion Ricky Hatton will drop in. Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I say let the football do the talking, the beautiful game is the only language they MUST learn.
Dont expect too much, I have seen people getting so excited I think Boots have run out of incontinence pants. Just make sure we keep supporting Sven and the boys when things dont go as expected, because building a team is a long process, but destroying one is easy.
Whatever we do ,the general English media will try to knock us down.Its perfectly ok for Arsenal,Liverpool etc to buy foreign players but oh no not us.Perhaps we could appease the hacks in paying top dollar ala W.ham for mediocre journey men,or do a Spurs and waste 17 million on Darren Bent.We could have also tried to get on board such talent as Bellamy,Reo-coker,and Jagielka.We all know Sven is getting it right,we must accept we are going to face jealousy fulled scorn at every juncture.!!
This is my first post on here, but I have to say I have been reading it fervently and chuckling to the comments made by my fellow blues. I know I'm not the only one to feel this way but I have to let it out as my girlfriend, who is a blue I hasten to add, doesn't understand why I'm checking my phone every two minutes to see who we are being linked with. Anyway, I have watched the blues all my life in despair and tears but I now feel we WILL win something. I have this excitement bubbling up in my belly that will only be released when we do. It's not a false dawn as all the rags seem to think and mock us about. They are scared. The blue moon is on the rise and they know it. The best form of defence is attack and that is what they are doing! ALL TOGETHER NOW. BLUE MOON YOU SAW ME......
By the way I live on the south coast and will be there bellowing my lungs out at the west ham game and the game against the rags. CAN'T WAIT!!!
totally agree! let them have time
I hope we have a further problem with the language barrier when Diego arrives,however bit concerened re Tinner's latest comment suggesting that the deal,if it ever was on,is off.
If he's available get him,Frank can stretch out a few more quid
Well said wandering blue, patience is a virtue, that said there is no denying we are on the cusp of a bright future. Its a new dawn, its a new day, and im feeling blue :)
shut it taffy
Sven, please could you sign Diego and Alfonso Alves. I would then be the happiest little blue in the whole of the world. We would be absolutely unstoppable. Alves is about as close as you can get to Thierry Henry at his peak. His free kicks are awesome. He is also absolutely rapid. The perfect player to get on the end of Diego's through balls. If we get these two in for say gbp20m it would be a steal. Have we got that much left?????
Come on sven. Pleeeeeeaaaassseeee!!!!!!!!!
To ManK Union
I live in wales, I aint welsh. Hence the name wandering. Grow up
One word we hope to be saying a lot of. Ole! Ole!
All the top continental sides have players of varying nationalities and they seem to do well so what's the problem?
Now is the time to recreate some of the Maine Road atmosphere at COMS.
Were not really here was an ironic song when we suffered the nightmare of the 3rd division and was funny. It can be just as ironic now we are in the dreamland Thaksin and Sven are creating and funny again.
With regard to other songs/chants we should take a leaf out of the Kops book and create some which are exclusively ours. Why not base them on great Manchester music? Oasis, The Smiths, James, Stone Roses, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and for the older generation Hollies, 10cc, Wayne Fontana etc.
One suggestion to get the ball rolling.
Those of you who are touched by madness, sit down next to me.
Those of you who support Man City, stand up next to me
As you can see I am no musicologist but there is more than enough wit and talent on this site for some great songs to be created. Rise to the challenge guys.
It would help if the club played great Manchester music before kick off to get us in the mood and remind us of the tunes!
after reading a few newspapers over the weekend i think it's time to circle the wagons around our manager. reading between the lines i do not think the press have forgiven SGE for englands failings. they need to move on, get off his back, give him half a season, see how we are doing by christmas, then judge him. as for not signing any british players just remind me how well british teams performed in the past few championships. just one last thing will some one please score and end this eastlands curse.
spot on wandering blue
This language thing is a smokescreen and an excuse for the Rag press and MUEN to kick city in the teeth. They do not like Sven because of his last job, they do not like us because of the players we have signed agree with everything said by nick lawless,caterham,surrey,(Blackley born and bred), caterham
Most of the players Sven has signed have come from Serie A where I am sure they will all speak Italian, so Bianchi conversing with Petrov they will resort to the language they know especially at first until English becomes their language. Likewise for Bojinov. The key to the language will be the signing of Bresciano who is Australian but has played 8 seasons in Seria A therfore creating a bridge between the english players and Italian speaking ones. Geovani can help Elano and Petrov can help Garrido. While the imports are learing English it would be nice to think the English players learn Italian, but I know that is unlikely.
In terms of the team gelling together time will put that right the press won't give Sven or the team that privelege so it is absolutely crucial that we the fans do. I now see the glass as half full not half empty. This season we will not win the Premier League although hope is always a good thing. It was interesting to see the team pass a ball something we haven't seen at City for a long time. These are only my opinions other fans on this board may disagree but that is what this board is for.
CTID
I think all we blues should give a massive THANK YOU to Dr.Thaksin Shinawatra. When you think how suicidal we all were just a couple of months ago, with our club seemingly a shambles and going nowhere. Despite the mudslinging of the British press and media he has maintained a dignified silence. Yesterday's magnificent magnanimous gesture of his, with the party in Albert Square was amazing. Thousands of blues fans in song, the team with Sven and Dr.Thaksin onstage, followed by Ricky Hatton. It just doesn't get better than that. It made the hair on the back of our necks stand up as we all sang with pride. City really are back, as the crowd sang. Well done and a great big thank you to Dr.Shinawatra.
"It is better to invest money in young players rather than old ones".
My God at last! I for one have been sick to my back teeth over the previous few years watching countless managers splash the cash on 'has-beens' and journeymen on a last pay cheque. "No way"!
It is great Sven is looking beyond his rose tinted bins rather than the 'quick' fix option. Bring on the new season, football is a universal language spoke by all our global Blue chums. So rejoice and join with me in Hymn Number 1:
"When the ball hits the net, and we on the reds, that's Bianchi"
"And when Petrov glides by at the blink of an eye it's Bianchi"
"And when Bojinov scores to the mighty Blue Roars it's a party'"
"So let's on the rags, has we sing on the lads that's the C.I.T.Y" ha ha!
30 years of pain, Lowestoft
I totally agree. I enjoy hearing the opinions of my fellow blues (and we all agree to disagree some of the time). What I don't like is when we get invaded by rags posing as City fans, that really gets up my nose!!