In a wide-ranging post-season review with Manchester City's website, club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has outlined his mixed feelings about the season just completed and the excitement that lies ahead with Pep Guardiola taking over.
Emirati Al Mubarak also highlights, by name, some of the players he felt acquitted themselves well in an otherwise middling Premier League campaign – describing Kevin de Bruyne as 'a revelation' – and articulates the nagging feeling left by the team's Uefa Champions League semi-final exit.
Speaking to CityTV, Al Mubarak says of a league campaign that saw City limp to the finish and just barely hold on to fourth place on the final day: “I think at the end of the day I cannot hide the disappointment of myself, obviously Sheikh Mansour [bin Zayed], I know the fans of the club and I’m sure the entire team.”
An ageing City side, led by Manuel Pellegrini, looked on their last leg by the end of the campaign. But it was nonetheless not a campaign without some important markers for the club as Guardiola prepares to lead the team in 2016/17.
*** WATCH: Khaldoon Al Mubarak's full interview with CityTV ***
Asked about players who stood out, Al Mubarak said: “No doubt Kevin de Bruyne has been a revelation. We have invested a lot in bringing Kevin to the club and he has proven that he is worth every penny. He is an incredible talent, he has shown it this year and when he has been on the pitch we have been a different team.”
Al Mubarak also reserves his praise for Joe Hart, Sergio Aguero, Bacary Sagna and Fernandinho.
“You have the consistency of Joe Hart and Aguero, both competing respectively, Golden Glove and Golden Boot, and both really going all the way to the last game of the season very close on both respective levels, so both I think were standouts.
“There’s been other players, Sagna, I would say Sagna this year – a lot of people were doubting him last season. He came in this season I think played some very consistent football. He was a consistent defensive block for us.
“Fernandinho has had a wonderful season. I would say he is another standout performer for the team, just some of the players that really I think distinguished themselves this year.”
Al Mubarak also made clear that, in the club’s march to the Champions League last four, there was never a prioritising of competitions.
“Our priorities are crystal clear and I think everybody knows it. From the guidance we have, clearly from Sheikh Mansour, myself, the board, the management team, Manuel, we all knew and we were all clear and we continue to be clear: our objective is to win the Premier League every year, that is our target, and to go as far as we can in the Champions League and try to win the Champions League.
“These two are equally important and neither compromises the other or is at the cost of the other.”
City ultimately exited Europe’s premier club competition to Real Madrid, who went on to lift their 11th European Cup. Al Mubarak said that although there was no disgrace in the result, a 1-0 aggregate defeat over two legs, but the actual manner of their elimination left a lot to be desired. He lamented what he felt was not a “100 per cent” showing from the team.
“I think reaching the semi-final is progress, no question,” he said. “Is it an achievement? You know, losing to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu 1-0, losing both legs with a one-goal difference in the semi-finals, I think is OK.
“But I think what makes it difficult, and I’ll speak from my personal feeling here on this, is I don’t think we actually showed up for that game. I really feel bad in that I think in both games, both legs, we left too much that we know we could have done that we didn’t do. And that’s what disappointed me.
“I don’t mind losing the Champions League semi-final, I don’t mind losing to Real Madrid. I think we’re all pragmatic and we understand football – you can win and you can lose. But you want to at least feel that you gave it 100 per cent and I don’t think we gave it 100 per cent.
“I think we lost, but we could have done a lot more, and I think we missed an important chance. It was an important opportunity to go to the final of the Champions League and that I regret.”
The club chairman also touched on Leicester City’s remarkable Premier League title run, congratulating the club and expressing his admiration for their passion and commitment.
Turning his attentions ahead, Al Mubarak spoke at length about Guardiola and how he expects City to benefit from the leadership of a man whom he called “the epitome of passion”.
“I am absolutely excited about Pep joining our team. I consider Pep to be one of the best, if not the best, manager today in football,” Al Mubarak said. “I think in Pep we are going to get the epitome of passion.
“He’s a winner, he’s a proven winner, he has won professionally in every team he’s coached. His record in Bayern Munich, his record in Barcelona I think speaks for itself.
“We are getting a proven winner, a passionate man, we are getting someone that I think will be an incredible asset to Manchester City and I have no doubt he will transform our team to a whole new level.”
Again touching on passion and commitment, the kind he felt were critical to Leicester’s title charge, Al Mubarak said the machinations inside the club were currently about instilling those qualities.
”We will make changes, I hope as always for the better. We’re working very closely, I can assure you, we are always as committed as ever to make sure we have a team next year that Pep can take on, can develop, can nurture and then can play in a way that shows passion, shows commitment, shows quality, continues on some of the great things we’ve done the last couple of years.
“I must say I’ve never dealt with anyone like Pep. Pep is unique, his love for the game, his passion for the game.”
Al Mubarak also revealed some of the courtship process behind bringing Guardiola to City.
“You have to bear in mind this journey to get Pep didn’t start – I mean since 2012, was the first time we tried to get Pep to join us. And obviously the relationships within the club are known. The history with Txiki [Begiristain] with Ferran [Soriano], he is someone that knows our club well. He’s been following us ever since and I think you’ll be surprised at the level of knowledge he has about Manchester, about City.
“He’ll surprise many people with what he knows about our team’s history. And he wants to learn, he’s hungry to learn.”
Outlining what’s expected in the season ahead, Al Mubarak added:
“I have to say I have a lot of expectations, maybe I shouldn’t be saying that right now, but I think I owe it to the fans.
“Sheikh Mansour is approaching this year, as with every year but particularly this year, with a lot of expectations. And I am working very hard to make sure that together with Pep, with our management team – Ferran, Txiki, Brian [Marwood], the rest of our organisation – we’re going to do everything possible to ensure this team is well set for a hugely successful season next year.”
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