How Soon Is Now?

It has been another dreadful season for Manchester City supporters yet the evidently deluded team manager and club spin would have us believe everything is in place for some sort of take off, nevermind takeover. When will that be, then?

Anyone visiting the club's official website would get the impression that all is rosy in the MCFC garden. First there's the new kits and the City fans cashflow input taken for granted scenario. We used to laugh at how many kits the rags went through but look at us now!

Then there's talk of a 'brave second half effort' at the Spurs 'season finale' and the by now thoroughly demoralising post match soundbite comments from Stuart Pearce, England Under 21 and Manchester City manager, chief scout and club spokesman when you consider the Marie Celeste impersonation the City board have repeated through the end of season 2 points taken from a possible 18 run in nosedive.

The stark reality, whatever Stuart Pearce says about lack of investment is that he has squandered approximately 10 million quid on dross and the current squad is very much in his own making save for the Academy players he has had to rely upon. All sanctioned by the board's high wages over transfer fees policy that has once again seen us flirt dangerously with relegation.

The most patronising of recent comments to come from Pearce was his statement which gave the impression that his two full seasons in charge were all part of some big masterplan to 'stabilise' the club before suddenly taking off. Who feeds him these lines? Is he running the club? I don't call 85 points from 228 and finishing 4 points clear of relegation stabilising at all.

We all by now are well aware that we are in a right mess Blues and have somehow got away with avoiding relegation. We can thank Emile Mpenza alone for that. If his talks with Wigan had not broken down outside the transfer window we would be down along with Charlton and Watford.

Like it or not, everything hinges upon whether or not Manchester City is bought and sold this close season. Should the board fail to react this week to City's appalling record under Stuart Pearce then we will know for sure that they are waiting for the whole apathetic shambles to become somebody else's problem. From a divided, devoid of flare squad to a demoralised, increasingly disinterested fan base whoever comes to town, you have got a job on.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.