Gareth Barry has warned City fans to expect more player bust-ups in the season ahead.
The Blues midfielder has been staggered by the adverse publicity being spun around footage of Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany having a shouting match during the 2-1 defeat by Wolves on Saturday.
And the fact that some sections of the media have also highlighted a tunnel row between James Milner and Yaya Toure at half-time of the Eastlands defeat by Arsenal six days earlier also had Barry shaking his head.
“You will see that again in the games coming up,” said Barry. “It’s just where we are at the club at the moment, with every little thing being scrutinised.
“If you were to scrutinise every Premier League game this weekend, or indeed any football match, you will see arguments between players, more so when you are desperate to win, and that is the case at City.
“We have had two sets of players picked up for it now, with the media saying they were arguing, but that’s because we are desperate to succeed.
“It’s only a good sign, as the manager has pointed out.”
City are learning that their elevated status since the takeover, spending spree and improvement on the field comes at a price in terms of the media spotlight, and criticism sparked by either jealousy or disapproval.
There was a suggestion on Monday that players are in revolt and demanding the removal of Roberto Mancini as manager, but the club refused to comment on that, believing that to do so would only give undue dignity to the claim.
Controversy
“When things go against you, little things are picked up on,” added Barry. “But it’s about players wanting to win, and it was no different to any other game.”
The England star was himself caught up in a controversy after being filmed boozing at a student party in St Andrew’s during a golf trip, along with team-mates Shay Given, Joe Hart and Adam Johnson.
Along with the other reported incidents, and Carlos Tevez’s extended stay in Argentina during his rehabilitation from a dead leg, some newspapers have painted a picture of chaos behind the scenes. Barry says the scene being described was not one he recognised: “I was a little bit surprised, and so were the other players when we saw the reaction we have got.
“Everyone has been disappointed to lose at the weekend, on the back of an unfortunate defeat to Arsenal, but we know it’s not a desperate situation.
“The criticism is a bit sad, but it can only help us inside the changing room. It’s important we get even more together as a team, work harder and try to prove people wrong by getting positive results in Poland and then at the weekend.
As a group, the players let ourselves down at Wolves – the manager apologised to the fans, and we know we let a lot of people down. But it’s only one result and we intend to put it right next weekend.”
Barry was in the middle of the flying flak after his drinking exploits in Scotland, even though he and the other three players were not disciplined by the club as they were on a day off.
They were filmed taking part in drinking games at a student party in the early hours of the morning.
Barry has since apologised to Mancini and the fans for the embarrassment that caused, but said he has learned a harsh lesson from the incident.
Apologies
“It was very naive of myself,” he said. “Being one of the experienced members of the group I take a lot of the blame for getting into that situation. It shouldn’t have happened.
“I am more experienced than that, but even myself can still learn from something like that. If we offended anybody or upset anybody, we have made apologies and will say we are sorry again.
“We know we were in the wrong, but even at my age you can learn from this. It’s all in the past and now we are looking forward to Thursday.”
Barry said that the priority now is beating Lech Poznan in the Europa League clash – which would book City’s place in the knockout phase – and then to win at West Brom on Sunday.
“Hopefully, we will be looking back at all this in two or three weeks’ time and seeing it as a blessing in disguise,” he said.
“We want to go into the derby next week full of confidence – they are three big games.
“The lads are right behind the manager and looking forward to taking this club forward.”
Barry: expect more fireworks
November 03, 2010
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the wheels are coming off, another £500 mill should sort it ?
As a group, the players let ourselves down at Wolves – the manager apologised to the fans, and we know we let a lot of people down. But it’s only one result and we intend to put it right next weekend.”
No - it's now 3....
How did you get on in the Champions League last night - I missed your result?
I was told there are four stages in Team Building .. Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.
Sounds like we are going to be in the Storming phase a bit longer then.
Is there a "Team Builder" out there who could do a better analysis for us please?
Isn't this just a remix of stories published over the last 3 days? Slow news day.
no more words please - action !!!!
Got to make sure people don't take things the wrong way especially if people are having an off day as it may well be at times. All they have to make sure is that no one is taking their problems out on someone else. Disguise.
keep the faith; fairl call yes your right you did play play in the champs league but you did need the revenue to pay off rooneys bar tab to come from somewhere GBUM= god bless uncle malcolm yep how would of thought norwich city in the chmps league how come we are the so called bitters yet you have always got your beak in are site
I was gutted and felt cheated last year when Spurs pipped us for 4th place in the league, but watching their performance against Inter last night, they were fully justified in claiming the CL spot. Why can't we take a leaf out of their book and put in performances like that?
LOL!! Did you not have any pictures of Barry in a City shirt M.E.N? Wishful thinking showing him in a Red shirt perhaps ;)
Are city the only club ever to have had players fight on the pitch?, No!, are city the only club ever to have a drinking culture at their club?, of course not. It seems that we are the butt of the medias frenzy because of the money and nothing else, if we didnt have all that we have been given and all the promise to come, and we were still liddle ole lovable, lets all laugh at city, then it would be as expected and we wouldnt here a thing about it, but thats not the case.
I can recall the rags having a huge drinking culture in the 80s and 90s, as did liverpool i've seen numerous players on the lash in bars and clubs all over Manchester and thats the truth, was there a furore over them, not as i recall, why do you think the rags got rid of certain players?..I remember schmeichel and keane having bust ups on the pitch with chuckle and others, there were no adverse headlines, i seem to remember it was classed as passion!...This type of "passion" happens up and down the country wether it be pro's, or at hough end on a sunday morning, aggression dosnt go away because you pull on a football shirt, if anything it hightens it....
At city it gets highlighted because we are an easy target at this time, in my opinion there is a definate agenda to destabalise our club because of petty jealousy, how dare we challenge the top 4 cartel, how dare our players show passsion, how dare they have a drink, and how dare this club and its supporters have hopes and aspirations above our station, and how dare we want equality.
Quite rightly the players and management are now fighting back and letting the fans know what we have always known, that yes there are problems, and yes things wont always be rosy, and yes it will take time for everything to gell just as any new venture obviously does, but then we have got that time, we have the support, and we have the backing and finances of a great owner who wants only the best for this great great club...
As long as we all remain positive and trust the club and not the biased rag infested media then we will come out of all this negativity and adversity wit a much much stronger outlook and attitude, onwards and upwards, and dont let the bsatrds grind you down, city till i die, and beyond...
Keeping the faith
Boring very very very Boring!!!!
Move on MEN
GIVE US SOME NEWS ON CITY - IS KOLAROV GONNA BE FIT FOR THURSDAY - COME ON GIVE US SOMETHING FRESH -PLEASE!!!!
for how many days can you run the same old story......? Have you not got anything interested to report on? like the team news a head of tomorrows game? or maybe get an interview with Michael Johnson about his recovery and his thoughts on getting back into the team? a rough date of when he could return perhaps?
For me and probably most city fans, infact most football fans in general what happened on the pitch against Wolves between Adebayor and Kompany and the week before between Milner and Yaya is normal. If our players weren't arguing with each other on the pitch at the weekend during that awful performance then I would be worried, as it would show the lack of desire to do well. the fact that they were having a go at each other shows their desire for the team to do well and win! I expect reports from The Sun and other papers to be blowing it out of all proportion and trying to make it look like there is no harmony at the club but for the MEN to keep banging on about somehting that is nothing at all is riduculous, just put it to bed and be done with it. No wonder so many fans label it the MUEN!
We as fans all know that the club is moving in the right direction, we all know its going to be tough, we all know that everyone else is willing is to fail, we all know that we will have a lot more up's than downs but there will be some, like wolves at the weekend, lets not forget how far we have come as a club in the last few years, we, CITY are being talked of as Genuine title challenges this year, fair enough after a couple of bad results a lot of the people that were bigging us up are quick to knock us down again but still, CITY and title challengers in the same sentence is what we have been waiting so long to hear. So please move on from these trivial nothing stories and report on something we can enjoying reading.
City Til I die!
Its tin hat time I'm afraid, players need show their bottle and so do the fans.
Frankly im in F them all mode and suggest fellow blues adopt the same attitude.
We are Manchester City.
Nobody else matters.
My boss and his friend pulled me up today and said that Mancini will be gone by end of December because the players hate him.
What a load of contrived media manipulated drivel by a scumbag and a scousebag.
I will not take anything seriously that is printed in the paper whatsoever.
Buy the way, accoriding to Five Live Spurs have now won their "spurs" in the CL because they have beaten Inter. Good luck Spurs coz you won't be there next year.
Harry Rednapp soon to be the next England Manager. God I hate the media, I wish I was a journalist, it must be easy money making up stories.
City don't worry I know you won't fail, but even if you do, I will support you ever more!!
CTID
Does this guy give an interview everyday?
Pointless, he should be concentrating on his fitness and a bit of sprint training.
Barry is now sporting the arse end and thighs of Richard Dunne. Lose some weight man, it might make you quicker. The only person slower than you at the club is Boateng.
The rags are obsessed, worried, deluded, and scared. Nice isn't it?
Apologies accepted. Now go and deliver.
Most came for the money and not the club! Why else would they come? The history of winning trophies? Not exactly a modern day equivalent of The Magnificent Seven, are they?
'Thursday night, channel 5, Thursday night channel 5', altogether now 'Thursday ni......................................'!
What is actually pleasing me in the fall-out of all this is that actually....FINALLY, us fans seem to be developing a siege mentality, and we're all, (99.99999%) of us standing together and coming out against the press. This is becoming apparent in the comments on here and in most blues I speak to. The players too seem to be coming out in force to push back on their media detractors, in a way I have never known City to do so. Maybe we could use this spirit to re-galvanise our performances on the pitch and push back forward....
Gotta give it to the MEN. They've come up trumps for the potential exchange of some quality banter with the article in the news section of the Bonfire Effigy of Rooney. Comrades on there now and let battle commence !
Time to step up to the plate Bobby! NO TOP CLASS MANAGER would allow the media attention heaped on City players at the moment, let alone fuel it by comments about drinking culture etc. If he can not deflect media attention (absolutely necessary in the EPL), as per Fergie, Wenger, The Special One, we need Cook to get back on stage (sticking his well meaning foot in his mouth), while we find someone else with the right skills for the Premiership. OUR PLAYERS ARE BEING CRIPPLED BY MEDIA ATTENTION AND LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THEIR MANAGER! Create a diversionary show for the media and sort everything else out behind closed doors, as you say you want to Mr. Mancini!!!