For me it's plain simple. Just make sure we finish on a high, and then we can all look back on a great season and a bright future with so many young stars. If by any chance we qualify for Europe it will be icing on the cake, but it will not take away how much we improved as a club.

BANG!

Was that the back door i just heard slam shut?

I'm glad a few of you enjoyed the 'Talk Thai Boss Wok' jingle. I would usually leave these sort of things to my main man 'Iceman Cometh' whose had some great hits.

As for the Fairy Play League, I would much prefer to qualify through the Intertoto Cup. At least we will have earned the chance rather than getting into Europe for being Fair(ies).

I an just hear it now 'Ooooh those City players.......they are REALLY fair!'.......Not quite the title I would be looking for!

Anyway, I suppose I won't be complaining if we do have to use the Back door as long as we come out of the Front door.............Oh my god I am turning into Kevin Keegan..........HELLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!

Fair play, ?

i'd rather we kicked Portsmouth all the way back to the south coast and take the 3 points.

nowt personal 'arry.

BTW.
chelski fans booed their players last night,
they are 2nd in the league and in the CL semi final.

oh for such luxury, i wonder if any of our fans will boo City when we only finish 2nd in the league.....
i can wait another year or two for to find that out ;-)

Well done - this was released on Friday. Once again lazy journalism.....

Hells teeth Chris, we've been discussing this for a week! This was announced on 9th April i think on uefa.com! Its been taken in, discussed and dismissed by us all. What we want to know is when it will be updated on uefa.com.

Half the time the posters on here know whats going on before the MEN!

Oh dear,
Do we care in all honesty? I know I don't (no money to troop around Europe next year after a 10 grand Disney trip!!!)its been a good season, great first hals, some entertaining stuff, great wins over manure......, plenty to look forward to next term, what..., with the new arrivals and undoubted departures, I would rather see us qualify on our own merit next season than through the back door this. Get to watch the youth team on Wednesday and chear them on. Good luck lads. Bring on next season.

Not really a lot we didn't know already then??

I hope City are going to clarify the situation with Michael Johnson today. The Daily Mail is claiming that Liverpool are in advanced talks for the player, either for £12m or part swap with Crouch, and that Johnson is desperate to leave.

I hope we hang on to Sven for another two years whilst he builds up the club in all respects, but particularly based around young and improving playing talent. Then get an inspirational Scolari type figure to bring home the silverware.

I think in one way it would be better not to finish in Europe this season, given it will allow Sven another year in which to build without all the hype and exalted expectations that might come too soon for us if we qualify this year. That said, it would be nice...

And wasn't it worth waiting for the last time we got into Europe?

Well said Eric, by the way

what day is it???

Well said Eric(Dutch)

After the way we have player over the past few months we don't deserve to be in the Uefa cup. So I've not really been thinking about the fair play league as I don't really think it should be a route to Europe.
All of these routes are contributing to the downfall of all European competitions.

Its far to easy for teams to get into Europe now. When just a select 4 or 5 teams would get in in the past, it was much more of an achievement and teams appreciated it much more. Hence, the Uefa cup was a much bigger event.

Its slowly drifting away just as the cup winners cup did.

this is what the footballing money men do to our game. They take the bigger things (like the champions league) and they make them bigger and better. Everything else suffers as a consiquence.

it would still be great to be in it, but maybe next year when we have earnt it.

Would of been good for enticing players but it's not ideal and a bit of a joke I think.

Get Platini to use the 'warm balls' at COMS, you know, the ones that he normally uses to ensure United pull an easy draw at all stages of the Champs League.

If we get through by finishing in top 6 starting with beating Port's this weekend then great. Thought for now the players should look at the next four games as test whether they’d playing in a blue shirt next season.

The Intertoto cup would be a good team building exercise for the players (including the new signing). But I am not a fan of going through the fair play, it doesn’t give us a real sense of achievement and as a result we'd go out in the 1st or 2nd round. 2003 is a great example.

Lets be honest about this, we are not ready for European competition, the squad is too small, and one major injury will impact our performance in the PL. Myabe next year when we have a btter and stronger squad.

I like it how it is going, slowly but surely, although it could have been much better if Sven had a number 2 capable of charging the players mentally.

On the note of new players, this is great news:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2273692,00.html

Eric, I'm still here as well after 40+, I'm in total agreement with you. Best season for many years. Not our usual odd adrenalin rushing high, separated by weeks of desperate lows.

Suddenly, we have a manager, vilified by some because he doesn't like losing, who is slowly bringing stability. Sven's approach is one of caution, a strong defence is essential, playing ground passing football is a priority.

Joe Mercer was the last manager to bring stability foolowed by success to City. Joe as manager/director of football and Mal as trainer/coach was a perfect combination.

Until Mal's ego got the better of him, (signing Rodney Marsh, losing the title etc etc), the partnership was great and success followed.

Sven and Gentleman Joe have a lot in common personality wise, let's hope that success with City soon becomes another shared trait.

CTID

petenico, manchester

could not agree more, the early rounds for the UEFA cup does throw up some really silly teams.

and that last time i looked, Azerbizan was south east of the urals, not north of denmark, but Europe is now a big continent. almost as big as greater manchester.
and it doesn't get "serious" until the quarter finals.


but fair play to the money men, they suceeded in what they set out to achieve.
the total supremacy of the Champions League over every other European competition. and now we await the future destruction of all the other cup competitions.
both domestic and european wide.

and the local leagues will follow.


sad really,
never mind, 3-0 to the blues on Sunday.....

Which named players are going to come without european football on offer?

I just love it now that Calum's back. Just love it!

Blue Arab i have to agree with you. you pointed out the one thing that is missing from our game.

Does anyone know how the InterToto works. Where do we have to finish in the league etc. ?

Doesn't matter. Would only be a bonus to be in UEFA cup next season. To be honest i'd rather we weren't so we can concentrate on getting Champions league spot. Yes top 4 fellow blues.
Such a shame we have fell away since xmas because that 4th spot was well there for the taking in my opinion. But Shoulda Would Coulda what the hell . Lets just sit back on the 11th May ( after panning Boro) and look back at what has been a 100% improvement on last season. Looking forward to the next season more than ever. Got a letter though saying i have to relocate my season ticket to the south stand with all the noisy bunch due to complaints around me in the east stand for swearing too much! Bloody swines they are!!