Hussein lands Blues deal

August 16, 2005

MANCHESTER City are set to bring in Qatar midfielder Yasser Hussein after finalising a short term deal with the player.

Hussein, recommended to the club by Blues cult hero Ali Benarbia, will join the club until at least January after agreeing terms.

Now a work permit has been confirmed, with only international clearance from the Qatar FA needed before he can begin his City career.

Blues boss Stuart Pearce admitted he was impressed with Hussein's trial appearances for the club during pre-season trips to Tranmere and Macclesfield.

"I've backed what I saw in a game and a half up with what I've seen on video," he told City's website.

"With the length of contract we are offering it's no gamble for this football club.

"He's been as keen as mustard to come over here and show us what he can do, and he's done enough to suggest that it will be well worth having a look at him."

The wiry 23-year-old bagged a goal against Macclesfield during the pre-season campaign, and the manager is convinced that Hussein will have no problem adapting to the robust style of the English game.

Tackle

"He's not afraid to go in for a tackle or jump for a header," he revealed.

"They're not the traits of a lightweight.

"He's been keeping himself fit. His wife was due to have a baby last week so I told him that once his work permit was sorted out to make sure his wife was happy.

"I like to tell players that if there is a problem with their wives' health to go away and then come back with a clear head."

Meanwhile on-trial Spanish veteran Pep Guardiola could also landa deal after impressing club officials.

The 34-year-old former Barcelona midfielder - who has also been playing in Qatar - has been training with City to secure a contract at Eastlands, with Pearce admitting Guardiola is close to landing a deal.

Will Hussein be a good signing? Have your say.

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TRUE BLUE, MIDDLESBROUGH (16/08/2005 at 14:30)

From what i saw at Macclesfield i would give this a deal.But any more than 1mil for Stellios is a no no.Splash the cash on ASHTON and give us something to cheer about.Get Vassell to lose about a stone and we may see him break down defences.If you start to moan about the fans lack of atmosphere Stuart when you serve them up dross and buy hasbeens then it will be TAXI TIME!!

Steve, London (16/08/2005 at 14:34)

Hope he turns out to be an absolute genius and Pep does enough to win himself a deal. He's humble enough to know that at his age he can't just demand a club to offer him a contract and has been willing to go on trial. If he's good enough, he's young enough.
Good news, now for a couple more. Well done SP

Stu, Glossop (16/08/2005 at 14:51)

Surely if this guy plays left and right side and is good we won't need Stelios.

bluecity, north stand (16/08/2005 at 14:51)

now lets get shane warne and glen mcgrath- seriously though i don,t know much about him his he any good and can he make it in the premiership?

Gary, Dudley (16/08/2005 at 14:54)

Don't like to sound picky, but you are supposed to call this lad "Hussein Yasser", not the other way round. I can only think the original story a few weeks ago was written by an Essex cricket fan, who idolises Nasser Hussein. Anyway, all these cheap signings are all very well, and I think this lad will do a good job, but scraping around in the bargain basement is not going to take the team over the top, into the fabled "Top Six". Aiming a bit higher is important now, as the Library atmosphere proved on Saturday. Why should skint Aston Villa sign Euro 2004 Golden Boot Milan Baros, when we end up with Vassell, the Man who missed a penalty for England? At least one well known star player is needed, at the top of his game, and under 30, to get everyone excited. Come SP, you've got a fortnight.

Chris, Manchester (16/08/2005 at 15:20)

I thought that all United fans were the ones from all over the country. Weve got a true blue from middlesboro and sumone from london commenting and they both sound like city fans, so i guess that city fans should think before bringing this argument up with the reds.

ctid, basildon (16/08/2005 at 15:25)

thats the right midfield solved now lets get an attacking midfielder

Stu, Glossop (16/08/2005 at 15:28)

Just seen the team sheet for the reserves tonight. I'd have thought that Pep Guardiola would have played so Pearce can have a proper look, but he isnt.

Joe, Sandbach (16/08/2005 at 15:33)

Gary, Dudley. 'The man who missed a penalty for England' He is in distinguished company then, including our own esteemed boss....

simonblue, blackley (16/08/2005 at 15:34)

Is this because SP hasn't got the ability to attract quality players? and whats happened to the Stelios saga? Now I hear Flood is being sent to Coventry on loan and probably like Whelan,McCarthy and Elliott we'll never see him again in a city shirt,quite honestly i think this club of ours is going downhill FAST.

VH LOK, Singapore (16/08/2005 at 15:39)

I am beginning to suspect that we do not have such a deep pocket after all, maybe at most 7 million quid OR SP is too SOFT in the transfer dealings...SP go for a qualified EPL striker/creative midfielder both under the ages of 30 please...then when we are going places, I am sure when the next transfer window reopens in January, we should not have any problems retaining these players currently playing for us, but we should have no problem attracting bigger better stars...so SP be more aggressive in your dealing please

paul nolan, moss side (16/08/2005 at 15:43)

City recieve B#21M for SWP SP was given B#8M but has only spent B#2M on an OLD man (Cole) where are these summer signings Pearce and Wardle Oh yes we have been conned again and someone asked the question yesterday what is Tueart contributing to OUR club? I ASK THE SAME QUESTION????????

ali, bath (16/08/2005 at 15:52)

Paul, B#2 mil was on Vassel not old man cole. Anyway there are two weeks till transfer deadline so we will see what happens, personally I'd prefer SP to bide his time and spend the money wisely rather than dooing a keegan and blowing it all like a kid in a sweetie shop. He is trying to buy top players e.g. malbranque but some times it wont work out even the top teams like chelsea can have difficulty signing players (eto, shevshenko etc)

Chris, Manchester (16/08/2005 at 15:56)

Hey Mr Paul Nolan, are you the nolan who always used to ring James stannage? You still support every club going? You are right tho where is this money gone.

Mick, ex Cyprus (16/08/2005 at 16:05)

I was speaking to an AEL Limassol fan t'other week, where Yasser Hussein used to play. He rated him very highly.

ted knott, droylsden (16/08/2005 at 16:06)

Getting away from the Hussein story I would like to know is SP now preferring Danny Mills to Nedum Onouha? Nedum is playing in the reserves tonight but I think thats where he will be staying for the forseeable future,I may be wrong but the indications are there and what will happen then? He will be moved on for a MINIMAL profit,forgive me for my pessimism but its in the City script.Finally reading other comments its fairly evident we have too many hopeful and optimistic fellow city fans who at times seem to have their heads buried in the sand,COME ON there are too many negatives going on at present to think anything else other than THERE IS SOMETHING NOT RIGHT AT THIS FOOTBALL CLUB.

Pete, Dublin (16/08/2005 at 16:07)

Can't believe u people on this site. You CONSTANTLY slag city off and moan. I thought we had the best fans in the country but we absolutely hasn't.
EVERYTHING is wrong. Sell a young player - wrong thing, "we let another one slip away". Keeping a young player and givin him a chance - wrong, "we've got cash sign someone established".
If we do sign someone -"too old", "too young", "wrong position", "no pace", "too quick", "paid too much", "too cheap".

Do you people really not understand that there is a reason you are librarians, electricians, pet shop workers or kebab sellers and not football managers or board members?

Get a grip, keep the faith and support the excellent manager and promising team that we've got.

And once in a while think back to those away days at Southend and Macclesfield.

Chris Newbrook, Birmingham (16/08/2005 at 16:13)

I believe that we should get used to signing the likes of Yasser Hussein because we seem to be no longer linked with any players of a significant nature. Personally, I think that the new signing will make absolutely no impact on the club and will become more of a novelty for his nationality ala Sun Jihai. You simply cannot make silk purses out of sows ears. This pre-season and the present has been the most depressing time of my 28 years following City. Saturday they were very poor creatively yet we are told that it's ok because we have a 34 year old defensive midfielder on trial, have a bid in for a poor man's Steve Stone and have signed the new Ali Daei. It's an absolute insult to the fans who have forked out for season tickets and away games. All the teams around us last season have bought some top players. We were told that as SWP went SP could now start signing players from his A list. We got Cole, Vassell, Hussein and have bid for Stelios. Who on earth was on his B list then? Ian Rush? The club has become a joke. The first 4 games of the season were a chance to put 12 points on the board and get 25% of the way to safety. After that Stuart we have the hard games (note you failed to win either of the 2 crucial games last season against Spurs and Boro). A lot of Blues are deluded if you think we'll be ok. We will get creamed because of our managers inability to attract good players to the club. This is a very sad football club at the moment and not a very nice place to be. The kids are either not ready or good enough. And why worship a man famous for missing a penalty? This doesn't make you a legend. City need winners and not cast offs. I'll never vote with my feet as a lot of Blues wouldn't but Mr Wardle and SP will find the COMS a very hostile place to be if they continue to insult the fans.

Pete, Fallowfield (16/08/2005 at 16:14)

I'm quite excited about Hussein, if Ali thinks the lad cn pass a ball then that's good enough for me to think he's worth a chance. Also if my boss told me to go away and come back when I'd made my wife happy, I doubt I'd ever be seen at work again.

andy, New North Stand (16/08/2005 at 16:18)

Right Pearcey, drop Stellios Gianapopodopolopodopolipidipidopolis from your transfer targets and get in to the market for a REALLY CLASS player. Even if you have to spend B#7-8M to get one. Don't be shy, you've got the money so treat yourself.

Gary, Dudley (16/08/2005 at 16:23)

Joe, I realise Mr Pearce is the expert at missing penalties, but really this is not a support group, and what else does anyone remember Vassell for? An ex-colleague's sister used to hang around with him a while ago, but that's no reason to sign me as the new creative midfielder. Equally, I didn't want us to sign Gareth Southgate, David Batty or Chris Waddle when they missed penalties. What I can't fathom is why SP keeps trying to sign players who don't actually want to leave their clubs, or whose clubs won't sell, instead of picking up some of the hoardes of players who are being touted around by agents and clubs this Summer? What was wrong with Olivier Thomert? And why don't they use the new buying power to bring in a large striker (tall not round)? It's a bit strange, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, until 31/08.

steve, newcastle staffs (16/08/2005 at 16:27)

chris newbrook,you must have a very very poor memory,a home draw with WBA in the premiership and this is the worst its been for you in nearly 30 years of supporting city,come on,dont make me laugh where were you when we were playing wrexham,blackpool etc,the first team then wouldnt have been good enough for our present youth or reserve team.
get real the last 2 years have been the best period city have had since the king colin bell days.yes it could be better but it is 100%times better than a few years back.can you imagine the likes of distin,james,dunne,reyna,musampa,barton etc,playing in the local derby against macclesfield,the glass is alf full years ago we didnt even have a glass.

Chris, Chorley (16/08/2005 at 16:27)

Glad to see SP is looking at players before he signs them and is not frittering away money on on expensive gambles - save the money until Christmas (or next summer). I think Sinclair's days as a member of the 1st team are numbered. As this lad has left the one league in the world that is richer than the Prem, it's safe to say he's not just in it for the money.

steve, newcastle (16/08/2005 at 16:33)

you critics who claim to be city fans were some years ago comfirning the signing of banarbia as a great signing were you,you all knew he was going to be a sensation,i dont think so,give this hussien lad a chance ,if SP wants to see him close up for six months thats good enough for me,and i shall reserve my judgement till later.

Chris Newbrook, Birmingham (16/08/2005 at 16:45)

Steve, Staffs. Maybe it's because I remember the days of Wycombe, Lincoln and Macc that I fear that instead of kicking on from last season and pushing for Europe, we'll be going down. Wake up son. It's not rocket science. You can't sell your best players and replace them with garbage. The team that had Anelka, SWP was an exciting side. They have been replaced with Yasser Hussain and Andy Cole. Is this supposed to fill me with optimism? Am I alone on this one?

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