OUSMANE Dabo does not have to go far if he wants a reminder of home.
City's French midfielder can rely on family support from his younger brother Moussa, who is on the books of Oldham Athletic.
Or he can pop across town and catch up with his old mate Mikael Silvestre at United.
Moussa and Mikael have both played a vital part in helping Ousmane settle in Manchester following his move to City from Lazio last summer.
The 29-year-old is the first to admit that he found English football a culture shock after eight years in Italy.
Culture
"It's good to have family around with you," Ousmane said. "Maybe people don't know much about football life, but it's not easy sometimes, because you don't have your family with you and you don't have your friends.
"But it can be a good thing as well, because you can improve your language. I have had a chance to improve my English - and you can learn about another culture too."
"Mikael told me to come to City," Dabo said. "He told me they were a good team. He's my best friend, so I'm very happy that I'm able to see him more often now.
"We went to Inter Milan together when we were 21, and I ended up staying in Italy for eight years."
Dabo was so used to the slow pace of Serie A, that he found the high-speed environment of the Premiership difficult to adapt to, but his determination to adjust has impressed manager Stuart Pearce.
"Anyone coming in from outside England who has not played in the Premiership before needs at least six months to settle in," Pearce said.
"I speak to him regularly, and spend time with him. I still feel there's better to come from him. But he's spent that six months settling in. I think his settling in period has finished now.
"I've been delighted with some of the flashes I've seen from him."
What do you make of Dabo's performance so far? Have your say.
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Ok 6 months is up....start the Bizz Dabo!
What he hasn't yet realised is that it his two "supporters" stand to benefit if dear old Ossie's club fails. Silvestre is obviously a bitter Rag, who seeks eternal revenge for giving away a couple of Derby Day goals. And his brother plays for Oldham. If City fail, and Richards is sold to raise the rescue fund, Oldham get 20% of the proceeds. I know it doesn't explain why the lad is playing like he has lead boots, but he might not get much sympathy when he goes looking for it.
"I've been delighted with some of the flashes I've seen from him." I think SP is the only one.... Time for these 'socalled stars', started earning their wages... come on city
Not many friendly faces in the crowd for him. Mind you there aren't that many faces full stop.......
Garbage. A McKay mercenary picking up a wage - can't run, can't pass and can't tackle, has no energy and is weak in the air and a liability both with and without the ball. Still better than Hamann though.
"Moussa and Mikael have both played a vital part in helping Ousmane settle in Manchester" Oh how wonderful for him!! When is he going to settle into playing football for us then? Another very mediocre signing from SP, absolute rubbish.
the guy will never be a footballer.
he is slow and useless.
are you sure his name is not Diabo short for 'diabolical'???
No surprise to see the usual negative comments.
Since he came back in to the side I think he has done a very underrated job in a difficult, but important position. He gives Barton and Ireland a bit of freedom to get forward.
Ok he could improve his passing a little and v Blackburn he was below average but we have a better record this season with him than without.
I think some of you are being a bit hasty about him. I know he hasn't exactly shone but I can see theres quality there. I think he will come good.
Give over. He's hopeless. As a season ticket holder I'm still to see the man venture out of the centre circle. I'd love to see the Opta Stats because he must do less running than anyone else in the Prem and that's including the likes of Campo and Sheringham.
Hopeless and lazy so far.
not good enough. i would rather reyna have stayed and played ahead of dabo.
His passing on the whole has seemed good - the ones he misplaces have never seemed to put us under undue pressure, and importantly and he always makes himself available to receive the ball.
Still getting there. Sometime his passing is hopeless, someimes very good. Heading is poor and tends to get caught in possession because he is not used to being tackled in such deep positions having played in Italy. But he was a regular for Lazio and is not a bad player at all and should prove to be a good signing. Still don't think his settling in period is over though. One thing about Saturday that was worth noting....when he took corners and free kicks, he could do a lot more with the ball than JB has managed all season!
He was hopeless in the friendly agains't porto and when not injured or banned has been hopeless since, Saturday he was absolutely dreadful. Get Rid ASAP.he can go to his brother at Oldham, then he will feel even more happy and so will we.
Its amazing really, because reading these boards and how 'useless' so many of our players are, we must be the luckiest team on the planet to be where we are in the league.
He had an awful game last sat and has given away the ball in dangerous positions at times, but I'd rather have him in the team than Reyna. It is time for him to start delivering now...to a Blue shirt.
hows about staying begind after training and practice passing and shooting cos hes useless at them!!!!!
JOHNNY BLUE & TOSH PLS STOP TALKING HORSEFEATHERS THIS GUY IS A HAPLESS JOURNEYMAN YET ANOTHER HOPELESS CAUSE SP HAS WASTED MONEY ON DABO OUT AND IM SORRY TO SAY IT BUT... SP OUT TOO.
What a joke - the friendly faces haven't helped him on the pitch - he hasn't impressed me at all.
Im thinking of suing Dabo under the trade discriptions act for impersonating a footballer.Ive got a sense of humour but watching this clown stroll around like he s on a beach is really rubbing salt in the wounds of any hard working supporter,he s so bad I actually feel sorry for him.!!
in light of the goal drought and the real problems facing the club, what is the point of this story? who cares?
Well we are lucky that there are teams even worse than us. If it wasn't for the defence then we'd be deep in the doodoo.
I guess we should all be excited by the fanstic performances that have put us into the ecstatic heights of the Prem that we now occupy? Europe here we come eh and the players are all magnificent. Apart from Corroded of course.
PREFER HIM TO REYNA, SOME OF HIS PASSING IS GOOD . WHEN HE MAKES A RICKETS ITS A BELTER,HE ISNT THAT BAD A PLAYER, WELL I THOUGHT THAT TILL LAST SATURDAY WHEN HE HAD A MARE.
Junk.
I think some of the comments on here don't reflect what I have seen. Agreed he, like many others, was poor against Rovers but for my money he had excellent games against Sheff U and WHU away when botttle and "stand up and be counted" were essential components. In those games he was strong got stuck in and passed the ball simply and effectively. Not sure where can't head a ball comes from either, he's as good as most in that area.
Give him 6 months playing and then judge him.