Man City; going about things the right way

Whilst Real Madrid spending hundreds of millions on superstars Kaka and Ronaldo – with the prospect of more to come, has grabbed the headlines, one team that has really impressed me with their transfer strategy has been Man City – and I like the way Mark Hughes is slowly developing the squad into one that can compete in European competitions.
Yes, last seasons tenth placed finish was slightly disappointing, but given how Villa and Spurs treated the Uefa Cup, or the “Europa League” as it’s now branded, is it really a disaster that they missed out on that?
There was a huge imbalance to the squad last season, and even though Eriksson was adored by the City fans, there was still a lot of work to be done when he left – and people don’t give Hughes enough credit for doing that. Players like De Jong, Kompany, Bridge and Given have strengthened the team, and he is slowly developing a good squad. They now have a far greater spine to their team than they did before he joined, and that is down to him.
However what has impressed me most of all, is their transfer activity so far this summer. Ok, there’s time for things to change, but his policy of buying proven premier league players – like Barry and Santa Cruz, is one that I think will work for them. It would have been very easy for Hughes to splash out on anyone and everyone from abroad, but he’s got the best premiership players that have been available, and is making a very decent team.
Of course, they won’t make the top four next season, of that there can be no question. However, a few more additions to their squad, and Manchester City will most certainly be challenging Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham for the 5th and 6th placed squads, and I would tip them to come 5th by some distance – before challenging more strongly for the top 4, the ultimate goal, in future seasons to come. They would need a completely new squad to do that right now – and you can spend all the money you like, but the quickest way to get there is to build a squad, which does take time.
Many in the media are suggesting Hughes hasn’t got long left as manager, and that it’s only a matter of time before the Abu Dhabi group bring their own man in – but how long does this time period last for? I mean many pundits were saying he “won’t last the rest of the season”, six months ago, and before that they were saying he wouldn’t last until Christmas. These guys are very rich, but they also seem like sensible football people, and I do hope they give Hughes time to continue build the squad, as the bigger picture is looking very bright indeed for them.
It may be the Robinho’s, and Kaka’s of this world that grabs the headlines, but all teams need a solid foundation, a base on which to build. The work that Hughes is doing is certainly not spectacular, but it’s been necessary, and I think they’ll push on next season.
Football is so unpredictable, and who knows Hughes may have been sacked by September with Man City bottom of the league, but if I was a City fans right now, I would be looking forward to next season with great anticipation, and in full support of what Hughes is doing.