LONDON • More than £500 million (S$889.5 million) have been lavished on Manchester City, the most expensive squad assembled in Premier League history.
But it requires so much more than money to build a team of this extraordinary calibre, starting with a rare vision built on mastery of ball possession and the obsessiveness to bring it to life week after week.
Manchester United have shown that you can pour millions down the drain, or into Alexis Sanchez's bank account, and get nowhere without a strategy.
Only "special, special managers" can retain the league title - so many great coaches have failed to achieve it, including former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
But, after City became the first side to retain the league crown since Alex Ferguson did so with United a decade ago, Pep Guardiola challenged his players to keep quenching his thirst for silverware.
His team matched their record total of 32 wins from last season and accrued a total of 98 points, the second highest in league history behind the 100-point tally they achieved last year.
Guardiola is more concerned with trophies than records, however, urging his players to retain their focus for Saturday's FA Cup final against Watford. The Spaniard is fully aware that City, who won the League Cup in February, are on the verge of an unprecedented domestic treble.
WINNING MENTALITY
The big competitors are never satisfied. The feeling is never enough. In tennis, basketball and golf, they want more and more.
PEP GUARDIOLA, on his ambitions for Manchester City.
He said: "We're so tired but, at the same time, winning is so addictive and, in a few days, we have the FA Cup final. It will be, for most of us, the first time in our lives we have been in an FA Cup final.
"No team in England has done (the domestic treble) before and we have the chance to it. We have to be focused in this game. The FA Cup is not an easy title to achieve."
While the City boss, who has now lifted four major trophies since joining in 2016, is expecting to face a challenge from more than one rival next term, he has plans to recruit new players in a bid to win the league title three straight times - a feat only achieved by Ferguson.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri is reportedly at the top of his wish list, while Leicester defender Ben Chilwell is also of interest.
The 48-year-old said: "The big competitors are never satisfied. The feeling is never enough. In tennis, basketball and golf, they want more and more, and that is why winning back-to-back showed me this kind of thing that it was not enough, what they have done.
"We have to make the right decisions for next season to come back stronger, because Liverpool will maintain it and the other ones will be better.
"United must come back, Chelsea one more year with (Maurizio) Sarri will be better, Tottenham, we have seen in the Champions League and, when Arsenal do what they have to do, they will be there, too. We accept the challenge and I promise you we will be stronger."
However, whether Vincent Kompany - whose contract is up in the summer - stays is still up in the air.
The City captain, though, revealed Guardiola "starts everything off" and his "desire" from day one had transmitted to the rest of the players, giving them the confidence they "could win back-to-back titles straight away".
THE TIMES, LONDON
LONDON (AP) — Norwich is returning to the English Premier League after a three-year absence, and Sheffield United is likely to be promoted, too. Norwich, from eastern England, clinched one of the two automatic promotion places from the second-tier League Championship by beating Blackburn 2-1 on
Norwich and Sheffield United promoted : PremierLeague
Pakistan did not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, being eliminated by Bangladesh in the first round of the AFC qualifying section, losing the first game 3-0, but drawing 0-0 in the return game, being 3-0 as the aggregate score. In 2014, Pakistan played a 2 match friendly series with India.
Philippines women's national football team - Howling Pixel
The Reds stay on top of the Premier League on 69 points, just ahead of Manchester City on 68 points. Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford to stay top. By. Former football superstars to play
Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford to stay top - The Bruneian
Barcelona's superstar Argentina forward Lionel Messi called on United Kingdom authorities to resume the search for his fellow countryman Emiliano Sala who went missing over the English Channel.
Lionel Messi calls for resuming search for missing Sala
Mo' Salah was the last man standing from final shortlist of three players - Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mohamed Salah. The Egypt and Liverpool forward was presented the prize last night in Dakar Senegal by former World and African footballer of the year George Weah. Salah has now won the award for the second time in a row.
BREAKING: Mohamed Salah retains CAF player of the Year award
Best scene in the WHOLE movie. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.
Aaron Mooy in the sights of Wolves and Leeds - goal.com
WOLVERHAMPTON: Wolverhampton Wanderers repeated their FA Cup defeat of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United thanks to a Chris Smalling own goal that gave them a 2-1 comeback win in a pulsating Premier League game on Tuesday.
Hungry Wolves beat 10-man Manchester United 2-1 - msn.com
A model at that all states have adopted in whole or in part. pro-commerce codification of common law contract principles that courts use for guidance when buyers and sellers of goods have failed to otherwise address potential breach of contract issues and relevant contract remedies on their own
PDF Data Security Breach Notification Laws
Football: Home United claim Community Shield in 5-4 shoot-out win over Albirex Niigata Home United's Captain Izzdin Shafiq lifting the Singapore Premier League Community Shield at the Jalan
Football: Home United claim Community Shield in 5-4 shoot-out
Klopp unfazed by early FA Cup exit, Football News & Top
May 07, 2019 · Liverpool is technically still alive in the Champions League semifinals. Barcelona's 3-0 whomping in the first leg came at home in Spain, so Liverpool's task Tuesday to advance: score four
Liverpool stun Barcelona to reach Champions League final with
The Premier League voiced "significant concerns" over potential reforms to the Champions League on Friday, saying the changes would damage the thriving domestic game. Reported reforms being put
Football: Premier League voices fears over proposed Champions
R416, laziness and too much money in the game. Once you have good results people expect a lot out of you and it becomes too much for the women to handle. Tennis players are the most marketable athletes on the planet next to football/soccer players cause they play around the world, once you attain good results the demand is there.
MONT-SAINT-MICHEL AND CHARTRES, by Henry Adams - The Unz Review
0 comments:
Post a Comment