Comment: City need urgent cash injection

peter spencer

THE sleeping giant that is Manchester City is stumbling once again.

Investment is needed now otherwise the club that is a by-word for inconsistency could go into freefall.

Last night's performance in the 2-0 defeat to Spurs was the worst since the move to the City of Manchester Stadium.

It was pathetic, and the increasingly restless super-loyal fans deserve much better for their hard-earned money.

Thousands left the ground 10 minutes before the end, and those who did endure the torture for the full 90 minutes roundly booed the under-performing so-called stars, who now know, if they didn't before, that this is nowhere near good enough.

Two men have kept this club going through thick and thin {hellip} sports fashion shop entrepreneurs John Wardle and David Makin.

Over the last nine years they have ploughed in £20m to restore and then keep the Blues in the top echelon of soccer.

Now chairman Wardle and his three directors need investment.

AND THEY NEED IT NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

If there is anyone out there who is contemplating putting their millions into a club with one of the best grounds in the world, the most fiercely loyal fans in the country, and with a hard-working, inspirational boss Stuart Pearce, then get your hand in your pocket while the transfer window is open.

City have had the most miserable Christmas and New Year imaginable, with one point from 12 over the holiday period. Tottenham, although on the up are no great shakes, yet it was men against boys last night.

The Chelsea defeat was of course understandable, considering the Champions' massive investment.

So great is the gulf in class, that it was hard to see any City player even making the Chelsea bench that night.

Wardle, frustrated that there have been no meaningful investment talks since he reluctantly took over as chairman almost three years ago believes even £10m would make a difference.

That wouldn't, of course, be enough to buy the club - which has a long term debt of around £40m - but would give Pearce the chance to compete with the likes of Tottenham, Villa, Newcastle and Middlesbrough in the transfer market.

Crash

Wardle said: "We continue to do our utmost but with a little bit more we could crash through the barriers."

Albert Riera, the left-sided midfielder from Espanyol, will be signed up on loan today, and when Pearce meets his equally hard-working chairman tomorrow, Charlton's former England international Danny Murphy - reputedly available at £2million - will be back on the agenda.

But M.E.N. Sport understands that following last night's debacle, when City had only one shot on target, the prospect of recruiting a centre forward is emerging as a priority.

Pearce accepts he will feel "a touch of pressure" but there are no real question marks over his ability.

He has made an excellent start to his managerial career, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

He has scouted Europe to such an extent he must never be at home and has been particularly active introducing City's excellent crop of young players into the first-team picture.

Leaders

As well as goals, City need leaders.

Dozy Distin, rather than take the blame himself after gifting Tottenham the lead, bizarrely accused keeper David James. Later as Pearce ordered him to get forward to try to make amends by supporting the attack at a corner, Distin started arguing with his boss.

These are not the actions of a leader and Pearce, himself one of the best captains of the modern game, must realise that.

My message to you Stuart is grasp that nettle and replace the Frenchman as your skipper with Joey Barton, the only logical choice.

Is more cash the answer? Have your say below.

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