Everyone got their knickers in a twist when it was announced that the Abu Dhabi United Group had bought Manchester City, although this season is proving that the consortium have a long road ahead if they are to make the club into a Champions League outfit. The team lost again on Sunday and look more like relegation fodder than European contenders right now.
Nevertheless, Khaldoon Al Mubarak seems to be chilled out about the situation. The City official website reports that the chairman is right behind his Welsh manager (with a dagger?), and remains confident that the former Blackburn gaffer is the right person to take the team forward.
“We are calm and under control and we on the board have the highest regard for Mark. I am personally committed to him as I am committed to the partnership between Executive Chairman Garry Cook, Mark and myself.
“This is a winning team that is going through a learning curve right now. While January is going to be an interesting opportunity for Mark to improve the team, this is an exciting ten-year dynasty that we are building and we are only in the first two months.”
“Thankfully I do not read the newspapers that are saying he is under pressure but I find it incredible. Just today I am told that there are reports that we are associated with two different coaches and that we are about to sign them!
“It is rubbish. I am committed to Mark and his team and I think people will see in January that we have good foundations in place in the team, we have a good coach and that we will be upgrading in terms of players. Hopefully the results will come.”
Even so, January is still some way off, and Manchester City are proving to be no better than any other team in the Premier League at the moment. True enough, they played most of Sunday’s defeat to Spurs with ten men, although Sunday’s trip to Hull is going to be far from easy and the manager is not having an easy time of it at the moment.
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