CITY MUST DUMP ROBINHO
Mark Hughes cannot afford to keep workshy striker
THE best transfer business Mark Hughes will do this summer won't be landing Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez or even Samuel Eto'o - but selling Robinho.
Sparky's bottomless oil-well of Arab cash means he's the envy of every manager in the world, including new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.
But the Manchester City manager knows there'll be a price to pay if his multi-million galaxy of stars aren't up there challenging when the new Premier League season kicks off.
If, come November, City still look like a work in progress rather than the finished article, Hughes will get the bullet.
The pressure of ensuring City's owners get what they'll pay a fortune for - a side capable of landing some silverware and qualifying for the Champions League - explains why Hughes wants to complete most of his summer spending long before City report back for training.
Snatching Barry from Liverpool's grasp last week was a good start. And Hughes seems to have won a power battle with City's chief executive Gary Cook.
Instead of chasing galacticos, Hughes wants to build a team who'll have both the guts to cope with Wigan away on a wet November night and the class to take on Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.
That is why, unlike marketing man Cook, Hughes sees Barry as a better bet than Kaka at this stage.
Last January, when City's world record bid to sign Kaka fell apart, Hughes didn't seem too perturbed. The arrival of Barry, like the signings of Wayne Bridge and Shay Given last season, has done nothing for Cook's hopes of a roaring trade in replica shirts in the Far East. But they are the sort of players Hughes needs.
In stark contrast, Robinho - gifted as he undoubtedly is - is the sort of player who could well get Hughes the sack.
The speed with which City's new owners hijacked Robinho's move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day suggested they didn't waste much time consulting the manager about whether he wanted an erratic Brazilian with a questionable work ethic.
And the fact Chelsea skipper John Terry was top of Hughes' wish list shows the sort of qualities he was looking for.
Robinho has constantly undermined Hughes' authority, right down to flying back to Rio at the first hint of a beach party. Hughes can no longer afford to let Robinho ride roughshod over his regime.
Those of us who believe clubs with big money don't have to turn to foreign managers to succeed hope Hughes delivers.
City won't become a force just by signing artisans. They also need flair. But at this stage of the club's evolution the flair players must also be prepared to roll their sleeves up.
Tevez and Eto'o fit the bill perfectly. Robinho, as we all saw last season, doesn't. Hughes must lay down a marker and ship him out.
Chelsea are still rumoured to be interested in the moody Brazilian. Hughes would really hit the jackpot if he managed to pass the problem of dealing with Robinho to Ancelotti.
Now get the News of World print edition for more from Rob Shepherd
This article has 11 comments
total ,total utter rubbish.....Robinho is the best player at the club.....to go where we are going you need violinists and road sweepers....nice try southern jealous person...you will not de-rail the sky blue juggernaut no matter how you try to disguise it...!!!
By nick shaw . Posted August 9 2009 at 7:55 AM.
dont get rid of robinho he was our top goal scorer this season, goals dosent mean ur a good player but if we didnt have them 14 goals then where would we be now.TOP PLAYER!!!!
By billy nixon. Posted June 14 2009 at 3:22 PM.
For the first time in a good number of seasons I have managed to to watch the entire 90 minutes of some City matches coz of Robinho. When you buy exceptional talent, you buy the whole package including tantrums, pomposity, sulking thats why exceptional talent needs exceptional management. Elso needs a good balance, the team cannot compete highly having a single focal point.
By Bingzman. Posted June 8 2009 at 4:32 AM.
robinho is still the best man city player,you do not expect him to be a miracle just in his first season,with 14 goals in the first season,i just wonder what else these people really wanted from him,to score 100?
By king. Posted June 7 2009 at 9:40 PM.
Shep: The talk of football????? Don't make me laugh. Why should City sell Robinho to Chelsea? He scored more goals in his 1st season than Ronaldo did. You speak like a true Chelsea fan, get over it, he came to us.
By Mick Lynch. Posted June 7 2009 at 11:22 AM.
Robinho may be our best player,I for 1 would not be disappointed to see him or Richards go Richards has stood still for 12 months and does not look capable of improving past the level that he burst onto the seen at a couple of years ago.Hughes is looking towards a workmanlike squad that has the flair to compete with the so called big 4 and give us a chance of silverware, the next few weeks could well be the most exciting I have ever seen in 57 years of support for the blue shirted heros,we have no idea who may turn up at Carrington to join the revolution,I for 1 am very excited about the future with or without Robinho.
By Peter. Posted June 7 2009 at 9:12 AM.
Typical southern Chelsea supporter, can not get over City signing Robinho over their head, live with it, City supporters worship him for his immense talent on the ball, we will benefit from this next season, top four beware there are new kids in town.
By Baggin - Manchester. Posted June 7 2009 at 8:50 AM.
You are probably right about Robinho in the present squad...but if a decent team was built around him maybe you would see the best from him. He needs players around him able to work at his speed of thought and movement then he would not be targeted by opposing defenders as the main/only threat. I'm sure if you were in his boots you would feel you were not getting the support or service that your skills require to do the job.
By Alan Oliver. Posted June 7 2009 at 6:16 AM.
Incredibly talented, a joy to watch at times, but like Jo and Elano, totally destructive. They are way too much trouble for way too little product. Clear the deck of all three and send out the clearest of messages to all who wish the privelage of wearing the City shirt.
By Ian H, Toronto, Canada. Posted June 7 2009 at 12:16 AM.
yeah robinho could get mark hughes sacked, he needs someone like john terry. oh wait, I seem to remember that terry was a key figure in the sackings of mourinho and scolari.
point taken though, robinho wasnt hughes' choice, and that undermines his authority at the club. he's a very gifted footballer but maybe not someone city should try and build a team around.
By matt. Posted June 7 2009 at 12:14 AM.
robinho is man citys best player there not gonna break in the top 4 with mediocre players like shaun wright phillips who is mentally weak thats why he ended up bench warming for 3 years at chelsea the owners of man city are ambitious they have not come in to football to achieve mediocrity the only way city will compete with the best and win silverware is if they get rid of the dead wood and wright phillips is not premiership standard never mid international class
By john,canvey island essex. Posted June 6 2009 at 11:20 PM.