Thaksin rubbishes reports

Mike Whalley

May 16, 2008

Thaksin Shinawatra at the opening of a City store in Thailand

MANCHESTER City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has strenuously denied newspaper reports suggesting the entire first team squad is up for sale.

The former Thai Prime Minister also said reports that John Wardle had apologised to the players for selling the club were untrue.

Thaksin told www.mcfc.co.uk: “There is absolutely no truth to this story or any of the allegations. I appreciate the progress and performance of the whole squad, managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, this season.”

Despite the comments Sven-Goran Eriksson has admitted that there have been no player contract talks at Eastlands for the best part of two months.

He said: “I don ‘t think there have been any discussions about contracts for six, seven, eight weeks.”

Alerted

That has alerted the Blues’ rivals to their best players, with Tottenham eyeing keeper Joe Hart and winger Martin Petrov, Newcastle and West Ham keen on skipper Richard Dunne and Michael Johnson continuing to interest Liverpool.

Defender Micah Richards has also been forced to fend off reports that he is set for a move across town to neighbours United.

Richards said: “I’m happy at Manchester City, particularly after what I feel has been a successful season for us.

“Manchester United are a great club with a great manager in Sir Alex Ferguson, but I’m only concentrating on regaining full fitness.

“I hope that the Mr Eriksson’s position is sorted soon one way or the other so that we can focus on football instead.”

Several fringe players were already set to be shown the door at the end of the season, including Georgios Samaras, Bernardo Corradi, Rolando Bianchi, Paul Dickov and Matthew Mills, who have all been out on loan.

Keepers Andreas Isaksson and Kasper Schemichel were also both set to quit t he club in search of regular first-team football.

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The King - Ding Dong (16/05/2008 at 10:45)

Damn - and I just got a signed Elano shirt - it'll be worth nothing after the summer at this rate.

Thaksin needs to decide what he is doing. Its obvious all this uncertainty has affected performances and no one knows what is happening.

Gaz Blue, South Stand 216 (16/05/2008 at 10:48)

What Year is it ?

(With acknowledgements to the copyright of "Calum Down")

Raindazed (16/05/2008 at 10:48)

I think as fans we deserve better treatment. A statement must be issued about all of this nonsense asap as we don't need this kind of stress!!!!

Eric (Dutch) 32 years and still there (16/05/2008 at 10:48)

Pfff ... yes, it can all be true, or half-true, or totaly untrue. I think I will go and watch my plant grow. Its as much rubbish to do so as reading these reports, other than that my plant actually DOES grow!

Bugsy Blue (16/05/2008 at 10:48)

All I can say is if Thaskin is planning a clear out then fair enough as long as he injects the cash necessary to build a better squad!

He's looking at least having to spend £100 million!

To be fiar if we had that to spend the only players I would keep from our first team are Hart, Richards, Corluka, Elano, Johnson!

What's worrying is that the three English players in that list have all been rumoured to be wanted or leaving!

We need some good news we really do! City in Europe?!

Phil Longhorn (16/05/2008 at 10:49)

Concerned now, this is threatening to get out of hand. Who on earth is advising Frank? Or does he not listen?

BlueSte (16/05/2008 at 10:49)

Let's have it right, the end of the season review will obviously include a review of the playing staff, and no-one would be too upset to lose those mentioned as being likely to be shown the door. It also makes sense to sort out the contract terms of those we want to keep in this review as well.

The story that originally surfaced in The Express has no factual quotes to intimate that ALL the SQUAD will be sold, and this to me is a nothing story.

Let's have it right, no player is unsellable. For that, you only need to pop over to rag pages and see them getting their tights in a twist over the comments of their diving darling.

GORB, MANCHESTER (16/05/2008 at 10:50)

i will take my boots to every match next season.at this rate i am bound to get a game sooner or later

neil (16/05/2008 at 10:50)

If a clear-out means Dickov, the two Mills, Corradi, Samaras, one of the goalies, Mpenza, Bianchi, Geovani and Jihai and a few others on the fringes then that is fine. If it means Dunne, Richards, Hart, Ireland and Johnson then that's a tragedy. There is just no clarity at all.

41andnotseenowtreally, Heaton Misery (16/05/2008 at 10:50)

Big Guy with Bigger plans for us. Don't knock it until we've seen the outcome.

This guy means serious stuff. Yes, it's pureley business to him but I've a feeling he'll go to the extreme to pull it off bigger time than we can ever imagine.

OrigamiNinja, Inverness (16/05/2008 at 10:52)

Utter garbage from the gutter press who have nothing better to write!!!

Even if this was true would it be that bad? Frank wouldnt want rid of our best players he would want rid of players we all want rid of namely the likes of Vassell, Ball etc etc. Theres plenty of deadwood at City bleeding the club dry and would anyone be bothered if Frank got rid of them? I certainly wouldnt, theres players who are definitely playing for their futures at the club and there is nothing wrong with that, City for far too long have been an easy touch for players who are looking for an easy payday, it appears with Frank in charge this will no longer be the case....amen to that!

41andnotseenowtreally, Heaton Misery (16/05/2008 at 10:52)

Also, to be fair, alot my patriots wishes seem to have been acknowledged by the DR. by flogging the whole squad. This was called for in abundance after the 1-8 debacle.

ablueneville, Somewhere in yorkshire (16/05/2008 at 10:53)

I have supported City now for well over 50 years and in that time I don't think I have ever witnessed such a mess. We are even getting sympathy from the more balanced Rags supporters! I have never been a City season ticket holder but have always been to at least half the home games during that period. Due to my other interests I personally can live without City. So it's you die-hards whether you be happy-clappers or moaners and groaners that I really feel sorry for. As I have posted before there is a Chinese curse that says "May you live in interesting times".

Svens mums friend (16/05/2008 at 10:54)

Well at least it should now be clear to everyone who this man is and where his objective lays.
Disgusted!

Kevcod, Worthing (16/05/2008 at 10:54)

Scream as much as you like, but why should they be allowed to get away with what happened at Boro. The players basically cheated. They cheated the hard working fans who travelled up there, paying out to witness a gutless, pathetic display from players who have only ever been treated like heroes.Whatever their feelings about what is going on at City they are paid to play for the club.Supposing you are a bus driver, and your boss was giving you a hard time, would you just park it in Piccadilly and walk off? OF COURSE NOT. If you were a surgeon and you had trouble at work. would you cut someone open then just clear off? OF COURSE NOT. Looks like stormy times ahead for City, but if this is what it takes for City to finally be run like a professional club, where players are held accountable for their failings, perhaps this is what it needs.

Born Blue, Die Blue, Middleton (16/05/2008 at 10:54)

Fed up with all of it, I had started to sway towards Thaskin, now I just dont know.

Need to give my head a shake.

1.618034, Huddersfield (16/05/2008 at 10:55)

Hello.
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

Come on, Frank.
You're gonna take us down.
Can anyone ease our pain,
Get us on our feet again.

Relax.
I need some information first.
Just the basic facts:
Will we fill eleven shirts?

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant Phil smokes on the horizon.
Jose's only coming through in waves.
His lips move but I can't hear what he's sayin.
When I was at Sheffield I had a fever.
Ball fell over two balloons.
Now I got that feeling once again.
I can't explain, you would not understand.
This is being a City fan.
I have become uncomfortably numb.

Ok.
Just a game at Boro.
There'll be no more --aaaaaahhhhh!
Now we feel a little sick.

Can you get Laudrup?
I do believe its working. good.
That'll keep us going for now.
Come on its time to show.

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant Phil smokes on the horizon.
Jose's coming through in waves.
His lips move but I cant hear what he's sayin.
In 2007 I caught a fleeting glimpse,
Of a team riding high.
I turned to look but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The team have blown, and Sven is gone.
I have become uncomfortably numb.

Apologies to Dave Gilmour and regards to Blue Moon Risin' and all long-suffering Blues...

Remember how bad it was last summer...?

It just got worse!?

CTID.... I'm CTID..... I know I am..... I'm sure I am.......

ctid

Bluereed (16/05/2008 at 10:55)

We have three possible senarios that could happen.

1,He could sell most of the squad with a review of spending very big and totally overhauling the entire squad bringing in the player's we all know in europe.

2,It's just something he's been mis-quoted on saying in thailand and it's all spin.

3,It's true and he will bring in an influx of Thailand's best player's (who ever they are) and i think it's going to be this option.

I,m telling you all this guy is ruthless and he will ruin us were already the biggest laughing stock.

forget the uefa cup entry because you need a good team and we wont have one.

Impeccable (16/05/2008 at 10:58)

Yawn!

Franco Bellocini (16/05/2008 at 10:58)

What about the Fans we are the people being treated with disrespect by Thacksin not only the management team and players. We are the ones who turn out come rain or shine. Maybe this is about to change. Anyone in their right mind would not renew their season ticket and those who purchase tickets may decide to go elsewhere. Mr Thacksin and the club will have problems then!

uzirugby (16/05/2008 at 10:58)

This has been taken the wrong way!! MEN obviously we are having a clear out but not our top players!

Only the fringe players like you wrote! Now only the media would hype this up to be somethign it is not!

BlueSkies, Warrington (16/05/2008 at 10:59)

This is totally utterly completely ludicrous. The sooner this man packs his bags and sells City and returns permanently to Thailand the better it will be. It was a bad day when he agreed to buy City. You can't run a football club like this ! All the players - good and bad - will go. If Sven did well to mould a team in two weeks it's absolutely nothing to the task facing the new man. Rumour has it that will be the current Thai national coach with a British assistant. These are very very dark days.

Chance at the far post.... Hinchcliffe, Manchester (16/05/2008 at 11:00)

sell off the silver and we will be back to Div2. Get shut of Jihai, Ball, Garrido, Vassell and the like by all means.

Tord's Grip, Sunny Switzerland (16/05/2008 at 11:00)

yep, a clear-out would be no bad thing

The Count, Transylvania (16/05/2008 at 11:01)

this is what happens when the club keep their cards close to their chest, the daily express makes up ridiculous stories...

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