Thaksin's Limbo Chancers

How's your end of season review going then, Blues?

I know we've 'The Hispanic Causing Panic` fighting this weekend at Eastlands, but he's got nothing on City owner Thaksin Shinawatra whose questionable leadership has caused nothing but unrest at Manchester City for what feels like weeks on end.

Two weeks on since that absolute disgrace at Middlesborough which many Blues believe was fuelled by a tsunami of rumours and an abject failure by the chairman to make a clear statement over Sven-Goran Eriksson's future, we are no further forward.

If anything, we've taken a few more steps backwards. The gruelling end of season Far East travelling circus farce has come and gone. Hacks as bored as we are with Svengate are feverishly going after how many of City's brilliant Academy graduates and senior stars will be offski whilst the hopeless lack of direction persists.

The only plus has been the club's UEFA Cup qualification. But any excitement over this fact has been tempered by the fact that City need the squad back, assembled and training earlier than usual. A vicious circle that takes us right back to what the hell is going on in the club's hierarchy.

Amid all this frustration, City continue to be linked with big signings which is all the more strange considering the state of inertia that has a stranglehold on all things MCFC.

By many accounts, it is Thaksin's football clueless advisers and men on the board who are running the show. Don't ask me where Messrs Wardle and Mackintosh are. Ronaldhino, alledgedly on a playboy lifestyle fuelled nosedive at Barca, continues to be courted. A Nike chief executive character is mooted and the relentless speculation over who the manager will be shows no signs of stopping until the chairman get's a grip.

Thaksin and his pals have placed Manchester City in limbo. Nothing is doing and our rivals are resting up ready to watch Euro 2008 before focusing on the new season.

A game of high risk and chance continues to be played out.

Like Svennis or not, like Thaksin or not, a lot of damage has been done to Manchester City's image since those vague comments in Dubai. The continued instability that followed was already getting to the fans and players before the season ended and everything rests upon a knife edge.

Give us some direction and quickly, Mr. Chairman.