Manchester City’s Very Own Ryan Giggs: Has Roberto Mancini Struck the Jackpot?

Have Eastlands found their own answer to the Old Trafford wing wizard?

Find, Compare and Buy Manchester City Tickets at

Join Our Facebook Fan Page for the Latest News/Rumours/Forums/Videos/WAGS/Funny Stuff/Features!

For the past two decades, supporters of the England national team have often pondered what might have been had Ryan Giggs not just represented England schoolboys but the senior side.
Looking back over the past 20 years, England have struggled to find a left-winger of quality. Joe Cole, Trevor Sinclair, Steve McManaman have done the job at World Cups and Euros. All of them are right-footed. Not since Italia ’90, with Chris Waddle and John Barnes, have England had a left-footed winger of genuine international class at a major tournament.

That’s where Adam Johnson comes in. He’s left-footed winger who not only can dribble at pace but hits an accurate cross and specialises in the dead-ball.

Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, claims Johnson moves like a young Giggs and there’s no surprise as to which player Johnson models his game on. “Definitely Giggs, without a doubt,” he said. “Anyone who has watched football for the past 10 years would know he’s probably been the best player in England.
“When I was growing up he was my hero. I had all the videos. He’s been a lot of winger’s heroes over the years, I’d think, and for the manager to say that… it’s an honour to be likened to someone like that.”

Mancini has surprised the doubters with his willingness to throw Johnson into the team. The deadline-day signing was met with baffled curiosity by many: why would Mancini spend £8 million on a 22-year-old Middlesbrough player who he had never seen in the flesh (and who would be available free in the summer anyway)? (Daily Telegraph)

There is no doubting the ability and potential that 22 year old Adam Johnson possesses but making comparisons with Ryan Giggs may well only serve to exert more pressure on the former Middlesbrough man but you can forgive Roberto Mancini for getting excited by this bright young talent.

Eastlands welcomes the England Under 21 international but it remains to be seen just how quickly Johnson will cement his place in Manchester City’s illustrious starting eleven. Having suffered, unfairly, with comparisons to Stewart Downing for a many years and found himself battling to get a spot in the Boro line up, the new Blues signing has in many ways already shown more ability than the Aston Villa man had at the same age and will in my view go far further than his former teammate.

Obviously Ryan Giggs has won all there is to win in the domestic game and for what seems like a lifetime he has been wowing the masses with his breathtaking ability. Even now in his late thirties he can still trick his way past Premier League defences and still has a lot to offer the Old Trafford side and his staying power at the top is a testament to just how magical a player he is and has been. If Johnson can achieve half as much as the Welsh wizard has then he will have done very well indeed.

Don’t forget to check out Online Football Manager!