City's Premier League title hopes have already been given a boost – by Red rival Sir Alex Ferguson.
The United boss said recently that he considered the Blues to be a ‘thorn in the side’ of his team, and tipped the outfit he dubbed ‘noisy neighbours’ to set up a clamour in the coming season’s title race.
That kind of talk is music to the ears of City stars, already brimming with confidence and intent after their FA Cup final victory and the powerful surge into third place in the league.
City midfielder James Milner said Ferguson’s words were an unexpected lift.
“It’s a boost to hear that, you hear positive and negative things said about you, but we’ll get on with our job,” said the England star.
“We know we have to improve as a club and a team but we think we can carry on moving forward.
“You look to improve every year and we did that last year. Now we’ll be looking to do that again. Finishing third was a very good season for us, winning the FA Cup.
“But now we’ll be looking to top that, so a natural progression would be to finish second and really push hard for the title. We think it could be a possibility.”
Frustrating
While the coming season is a big one for City, it is also a vital one for Milner, whose debut season for the club was, at times,frustrating.
After a big start with a fine display in the 3-0 thrashing of Liverpool, Milner failed to nail down a regular place as Nigel de Jong, Gareth Barry and Yaya Toure dominated in his preferred central midfield role.
And even in the wide positions where he has usually played for his country, Milner found the competition at City tough.
But he finished the season strongly, especially when replacing Barry as the roving midfield man, and is looking to make forward strides in the new term.
“It is a big season for me,” he said. “You come to a new club and it takes time to find your bearings.
“But now I want to kick on, get a foothold in the team and prove to people that I’m good enough to be here and in the team regularly. Winning silverware is the only reason why I came here. We did that last season and that showed it was the right move for me.
“You want to be challenging for trophies and playing in the top competitions and obviously that’s the Champions League.
“At the end of your career you look back and you want to see a trophy cabinet full of winner’s medals.
“You want to be able to tell people I’ve won this, this and this. That’s what drives me on. That’s what I feel I can achieve at this club – I want to be the best player I can and win trophies.”
Milner makes no bones about the fact that he hankers after a central midfield position, but he accepts it is part of life at City.
He has good examples around him. It is only recently that Vincent Kompany, double player of the year, conceded that he might not end up in the defensive midfield role he always craved, while Pablo Zabaleta also uncomplainingly sacrifices personal preference for the sake of the team by playing left back and occasionally in midfield.
Improve
“That’s what happens when you’re at a top club like this,” said Milner. “You want to be pushed as a player, you want to improve and that’s what happens when you’ve got competition just to get in the team.
“When you’ve got two or three top class players in each position it’s good for everyone. It’s good for the club, the manager and the players because it really challenges you.
“It will make me a better player watching these guys play and train. You know you have to play well and train well if you’re going to get a shirt on the Saturday.”
With the Carlos Tevez saga rumbling on, Milner adopts a familiar line, saying that no player is bigger than the club, especially these days, as that club can go out and buy a replacement, as City are preparing to do in the form of Sergio Aguero.
“If Carlos goes he’ll leave a big gap,” said Milner. “He’s a top player, we’ve said that before and he’s done brilliantly here.
“It’s between the club and the player what happens with him but if he goes it’s our job to make sure he’s not missed out on that field. What we know is that this club is fantastically run right from the top downwards. The owner is fantastic.
“We know that if Carlos does go they will bring in a player who is top quality as well and I’m sure whoever that may be will be top quality as well.
“You look at the forwards we’ve got here – Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko – and there is top class here already.
“Carlos has shown over the years what a great player he is, but it’s not all about him, there’s quality all over the park at this club now.”
Aguero has already been lined up as a perfect replacement for his countryman Tevez, and that meets with Milner’s approval.
“I do watch Spanish football and I know all about how good he is,” he said. “You hear the sort of names that are being linked with the club and you just feel they will go out and sign the right player to replace Carlos if he does go.
“You’ve got to be a class player to come to this club now. This summer has been quiet but the guys he has brought, Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy, are great players.
We know they will be good signings.”
What do you think? Have your say.
Fergie’s comments will spur Manchester City to further success says an ambitious James Milner
July 21, 2011
Comments
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Fergie is wrong, that's why he needs a good assistant
Finish second and push for the title??? Please have a word with James, Mr.Mancini, he's got it the wrong way round...if we give it all and finish second so be it, but our aim and target should always be 1st!!!!
Good comments from a true professional.
What Fergie is actually saying is you have been making noises about being at least our equal since Sven started the goldrush all those years ago. 3 managers later and £2BN spent you only have 1 trophy to your name.
He's actually saying put up or shut up. The tick tock campaign is redundant.
For a rag team with no money from Stretford 4 out of 5 and 3 out of 4 sure is impresssive. Don't you think ?
And so we lost our Jo
but really he just had to go
his energy and skill was so low
a city standard he fell well below!
Good luck at Internacional though
Doh1
I'll miss his smile as he wondered how he managed to get such a great contract!
Like Milner as a player and his comments here are the words off a level headed team player. I am sure he will play a part in the coming season. He is a good player to have available and provides a few options individually for the team.
It's a squad game and beyond Harte, Kompany, Silva and Dejong don't think any fit player is guaranteed a starting berth and nor should they be.
This has to be good for the team as when the chance comes to start players should play out of their skin to try and earn another start.
We can see that the club is willing and able to deal with players who don't appreciate this on the clubs terms but as Milner does obviously appreciate this he'll be fine.
Utd, chelsea and a resurgent Liverpool are the teams to watch this year city and arsenal will fall short yet again.
Fergie talks out of his sporran anyway. if he said City have no chance then we'd all pack up and go home? the British press are as scared of Fergie like MPs were of Murdoch. Let's give him some more humble pie this season like we did at Wembley.
Who gives a tinker's cuss what old Purple conk thinks?
At least, to his credit, he's had the common sense to realise, (at long last), that we're around, we really do mean business, and are going about it in the right way, and are only going to get stronger and stronger. The arrogant old sod still gives the impression though that he thinks they'll win the league again, along with old big 'ed Rio who's been spouting the same stuff in this morning's red-tops.
We shall see.
Good lad. Good attitude.
One thing though. Surely you cam here for more than 'winning silverware'.
Surely it's our charm that clinched it!
If Milner and Barry get anywhere near a title medal, it will be a travesty of biblical proportions.
Everyone knows that Fergie is aware of our presence these days somewhat more than a few years ago when he only really bothered about us twice a season and concentrated all his comments at Liverpool, Wenger and Chelsea. I wouldn't worry too much about Ferguson. He has hardly said anything controversial in these comments. More like stating the bleeding obvious to be fair! What I am surprised the MUEN have not picked up on is the interview that JT to on the way to the Far East. This was a broadcast interview so you can here it in full. He basically said that Chelsea are United's biggest rivals and then basically grouped Arsenal, Liverpool and City together as the rest of the chasing pack. Good rallying cry for Chelsea but I would stick some of his comments on the wall and ask City how they feel about Chelsea being the only team to be able to match United. Chelsea had their chance last season and blew it because of the meddling Russian. A year older and already Essien out for half the season and half their transfer targets signing elsewhere, they'll do well to finish third.
Come on all you Salford trogldites where are your comments now even your own manager has admitted we are goin to be better than you very very soon.You will all be back supporting Chelski or ar arry and his bover boys soon
BLUE MOON IS RISIN OVER WORLD FOOTBALL !
it is worthwhile mentioning to all media who blast citys so called bad blood in the dressing room players rifts fighting etc take the time to go on mcfc official site because they does not seem an unhappy bunch to me rarely have i seen a team bonding and having fun in the sun like are current crop enjoy lads the hard graft starts here
Well yes he has also said Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool will
Also be a danger next season so what's so special about
Manchester City then M.E.N
As I said at the beginning of last season do the talking at
The end of May don't react to to every weekly result like
Most of you City fans did last season, you can spend as
Much as you like but it has to be won on the field and it's
A long long season, talking never won sod all.
Oh incidently do you City fans fancy a Laugh Tevez is
Valued at 50 million (I know I can't stop laughing as well)
James, James... If you do need an incentive to give your all on the pitch, other than your considerable wage packet of course, there are enough potential sources. Look at the shirt you're wearing for starters. Countless City legends wore it with great pride and drenched it with their sweat, at times when rewards both on and off the pitch were a lot leaner than they are now.
Listen to what your manager has to say. His English may not be perfect but that does nOt stop him from finding the right words at the right time.
Look at your new Captain for guidance and an example of how every City player should conduct himself. Kompany and his team talk at Wembley probably won us half the FA Cup.
In any case, if you'rer looking for something to get you going, there are plenty of alternatives to taking notice of the obssessed ramblings of a bitter old fool.
after putting the reds out of the cup where we were by far the better team and losing unluckily at old trfford i am sure we will get better but we need to learn to win ugly before we will be serious title challengers. the rags won so many games last year when they should have lost but they did have the 12th man on most of those occassions
I dont care what any rag says about us.
CTID!!
We must really be in line for the title shot this season. Chelsea have their new manager still to adapt to the EPL and Terry and Essien are always injury doubts. Cech, Lampard, Anelka and Drogba edge closer to the veteran stage. Wenger has lost his mojo at Arsenal and his existing stars are getting disillusioned and seeking moves. Liverpool under Dalglish still have problems. Manure's summer acquisitions are not really top quality and Fergie's budget remains limited. With our ever improving squad this could well be our year.
Ferguson said:
“We’ve experienced it ourselves over the years and we expect City to be challengers next season. But nothing changes. One of the teams will always be a thorn in our flesh, whether we like it or not - possibly all four of them.”
He was referring to Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea & Citeh - not just Citeh and certainly not James Milner who would be met with open arms on Citeh's teamsheet next season based on last years efforts.
What's going on with Caicedo ?. The lad has had a great season so must be kept on.
Good boy! There you go. Keep picking up those pay cheques.
This England substitute seems so happy to be aknowleged by the greates manager of all times, that you have to feel sorry for him.
It`s not so long ago that Taggart said that City would not win the title in his lifetime,so now we are the thorn in his side, thorn`s can fester and cause blood poisioning ,oh dear what have I said.
Who cares what 'Bacon Face' says or thinks.
HART
ZABALETA KOMPS LESCOTT CLICHEY
TOURE DE-JONG
NASRI SNEIDJER SILVA
AGUERRO
On the bench (well just take yer pick!):
Taylor, Richards, Kolarov, Savic, Barry, Milner, A.Johnson, Dzeko, Balotelli