Milner faces life on the bench says Dunne

July 24, 2010

Former City captain Richard Dunne has told his Aston Villa team-mate James Milner he will love life at Eastlands – as long as he doesn’t expect to play every week.

Dunne, the only man ever to have won the Blues’ player of the year award four times, left the club last September to move to Villa Park.

Milner has indicated he wants to move in the opposite direction – and his manager Martin O’Neill appears to have accepted the decision.

Dunne’s nine-year stint at City ended when the arrivals of Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott forced him down the central defensive pecking order.

He has told Milner that he faces spending time on the bench if he makes the move to City – but also understands the midfielder’s ambition.

Dunne said: “The club will miss James, who has been brilliant, but we have to move on and the manager will build again I suppose.

“James will know, because he is moving to a big club which wants to win the league, that he will be part of a squad.

“At Aston Villa he will play every week, at Manchester City he may not.

“But it’s the opportunity where he thinks he can go and win the league.

“Man City is a great club and he will enjoy himself there. Team-wise, it’s going to be difficult for everyone to get in the team.”

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micheal ok, The Emerald Isle,surrounded by BLUE water. (24/07/2010 at 15:33)

More anti City rubbish from the Muen,Dunne wasnt knocking City,Milner knows that he will have to fight for a place if he joins us,just like Silva,Yaya Toure etc etc.

CTID

Colin Bell's Boots, Wilmslow (24/07/2010 at 15:35)

I'm sure Milner has enough confidence in his own ability and to be able to assess the situation for himself.

I would imagine that the opportunity to join City at a very exciting stage ( unless you are a Rags " fan / Sky tv watcher/ goon " ) with the chance to increase his standing and a healthy bank balance may influence his decision to sign for the club.

I very much doubt that wise words from Richard Dunne will sway his decision.

st helens blue(exiled) (24/07/2010 at 15:35)

Do one Dunne! Your getting very boring!

TedMaulDisturbs, Macclesfield (24/07/2010 at 15:42)

Or he can stay at Villa, play every game, and finish sixth in the league every season.

Far East Blue, Thailand (24/07/2010 at 15:56)

Forget about who's in the 1st 11. Having 2 players in each position means Citeh will have a 1st 22!

James may not play every game but Richard probably won't even make it to the 1st 22, if he stayed. You have had your days Richard (and by the way, you left), give the lad a chance!

stan bowles, warrington (24/07/2010 at 18:56)

If you are ambitious you want to join a team like City. If you are not you stay at a club like Villa. Just depends on your make up i guess. Dunne is obviously happy with his lot where there is no pressure on him. Milner perhaps wants the opportunity to play with great players and challenge for honours. Is that such a bad thing ?

ted knott, droylsden (24/07/2010 at 19:23)

Richard please devote your time taking the kids a ride on Blackpool beach?

Plain Speaking (24/07/2010 at 19:25)

Typical "Mirror Group" Anti_City headline. No justification for this headline at all. MUEN should be ashamed. You expect such bias from the red topped gutter tabloids but not on our local City website pages. Very disappointed!

mark jones (24/07/2010 at 21:11)

well done dunnie did you work that one out yourself ? next year there will be, maybe seventy games,theres not a man born that would play in every game,come on richard keep it real.

the real mark jones

Neil Allen (24/07/2010 at 21:20)

So what?, so does Kompany, de Jong, Yaya, Silva, Boateng, Kolarov, Given, Hart, Tevez and Adebayor..........should none of them want to be here either, because they will not play every single game of our season?.

Completely ridiculous by the MUEN to have a pop at City as if, coming to join the club will be a bad move for any player, because they are obviously joining a better team, (must be if he would be a auto starter at Villa, and benchwarmer here).

If anything I would say Dunnie is being very complimentary of City and stating a fact, that he will not play every game at this club, nobody would........hell even Messi doesn't play every game for Barcelona, don't ever hear him grumble either do you?,

big blumer, sydney (25/07/2010 at 04:46)

a top team isnt just about the first 11 - its about the squad.

milner is a quality player and if he comes to city he will be part of a quality squad. even if he isnt involved in all the games doent mean he wont play a very important role. how important is down to him and that is the challenge he should want.........

or is dunney monster saying he should settle for mediocracy??????????

im sorry i like dunne but it is exactly that kind of perspective and attitude that mancini was rightly saying needed to be changed at city. all the players need a winning mentality, they need to believe they can play their part.............

peter cooper (25/07/2010 at 05:28)

nice one dunne you were a real gent and stalwart for us, i miss you at least we could reply on 100% commitment every week and never complained.

Blue Meanie Reincarnated (25/07/2010 at 13:14)

Milner should listen to Dunne, and do us a favour by not signing for us. He's part of a useless England team, and is probably already at his peak

True Blue,Galway.Ireland, Galway (25/07/2010 at 14:16)

If the tabloids are true,though who'd believe that,lots of people have time to discuss City.Harry Redknapp has City tipped for the premiership title.Why is he not tipping Spurs who have spent big money assembling their squad.Mancini is kept busy with City and has not made any comments about any other teams.Pity other managers cannot do the same.Mancini or City will not fall for those mind games that are being set up by so many City media begrudgers.

MR GLUM, CRUMPSALL, Dumplands (21/08/2010 at 21:18)

I switch on Talksport most days and it's getting ridiculous that the first named team I hear on this station is City. Always in condemnation of course. The presenters usually say "We aren't anti-Manchester City...BUT". They always stick this BUT in. Collymore did it as usual yesterday when he said City hadn't signed any great players which is fair enough as we haven't signed Messi or Kaka yet, but he went on to describe YaYa Toure as "A big lump". That's what we are up against, BUT I won't care when our teams ram these comments back down our critics throats.

I am the one and only, Tameside (25/07/2010 at 14:31)

No Mr Dunne it would be you who would be spending time on the bench and should have done so in your last 2 seasons with City. Calamity Dunne is my name.

Here's Johnny, Manchester (26/07/2010 at 16:47)

Won player of the year four times, remembered fondly by all on the blue review - NOT!

Batmanho, Robinhos big brother, Bat Cave, Brazil (26/07/2010 at 21:04)

Leave it out boys, Dunnie was a good and loyal servant to a team full of average and below average pldayers, he didn't ask to leave and to the best of my knowledge has never slagged the club off in the press, unlike people like Robinho who is still under contract to us and taking the mick.

Bill Farley (21/08/2010 at 14:30)

City will be playing two matches a week at the very least. United and some of the other clubs should serve as examples of what too many matchess with a thin squad can do to you at the end of the season. Having two "starters" at each position is hardly a curse with a long season and a lot of matches.

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