text:
Barry gets England talking
Gareth Barry had plenty of time to ponder his decision to quit Aston Villa for Manchester City as he flew almost 3,500 miles to Europe's Eastern extremity.
Barry was part of England's squad that travelled on Wednesday to Kazakhstan's second city, Almaty, where they will play a World Cup qualifier on Saturday night. As European trips go, this is football's longest and Barry's preparations were interrupted by a deal that will have caused plenty of mid-air turbulence among his team-mates.
Steven Gerrard had hoped the midfield partnership that is expected to propel England further along the route to South Africa in this oil-rich part of Eurasia would be transported from Almaty to Anfield next season.
Instead, almost as the words left Gerrard's lips, Barry was concluding a deal that takes him to Eastlands and a club not even in Europe next season - flying directly in the face of his long-stated desire for Champions League football.
It is a move that has already left Barry facing inevitable charges that he has put money before ambition - and the word here is that Everton will soon be tested by Manchester City's financial muscle in an attempt to allow Joleon Lescott to hear the siren call of the Eastlands chequebook.
Liverpool had long been regarded as Barry's likely next destination, despite rancourous dealings between Rafael Benitez and his Villa counterpart Martin O'Neill last summer. There is even speculation Benitez made a renewed bid at the death of this deal, but the final reckoning left Liverpool nowhere as City delivered an ostentatious display of their wealth.
If City were flexing their muscles with last season's deadline day coup to sign £32m Robinho, this summer is shaping up as they time they will attempt to inflict their full force and shake up the established order at the top of the Premier League.
Barry is set for life on a five-year deal worth reportedly £25m - but only time will tell whether his insistence that he was afraid of going stale at Villa Park and was tempted by City's ambitious future plans stand up to close inspection.
The cynics, and there will be many, will take a twist on Mrs Merton's infamous question and ask: "So Gareth, what attracted you to the multi-billionaire club that could not even offer you the Europa League, let alone the Champions League?"
He will say, and there has to be some merit in this, that City's plans to at least try and beat the big four to every major talent available means he could be fulfilling his Champions League ambitions at Eastlands in 12 months.
Barry, however, will also know that the financial factor cannot be removed from the equation in this deal and it would do him credit if he actually admitted it.
Human nature being what it is, who could blame Barry for signing such a lucrative deal at this stage of his career, even if he does have to set what was apparently his major career goal on one side?
It is a sobering day for many. For Liverpool, who ultimately did not get near a player Benitez seemed intent on getting irrespective of any damage it may cause last summer, and for Arsenal.
Liverpool boss Benitez must now work out a way of keeping Xabi Alonso at Anfield, with the influential midfielder understood to be disaffected and keen to leave. Barry has long been regarded as the replacement if Alonso left, but Benitez no longer has this safety net to work with.
Arsenal are on the margins of the Premier League elite now. They are a comfortable fourth in the so-called "Big Four" and cannot come near City's cash reserves.
If City really can attract the names they want and, more crucially, if manager Mark Hughes can make it all work, then they could invade that top group. It is not guaranteed, but it is a possibility.
And what of those just outside the top four? Namely Everton and Aston Villa. Villa have already had a compelling and emphatic demonstration of what City's money can do and Everton, if all the conjecture is to be believed, are also on the radar in the shape of their outstanding defender Lescott.
Food for thought for Randy Lerner, but especially Bill Kenwright, who already admits he cannot compete with football's billionaire owners.
It is not a given, however, that City's billions guarantee success. This is Manchester City remember, and their history shows that if you offered them a mile they would happily take an inch. With every million spent this summer, the pressure ratchets up another notch on Hughes to get the return his Abu Dhabi-based paymasters will expect on their investment.
There is also pressure on the new faces. They must demonstrate that they are committed to City's cause not their chequebook. They will be under intense scrutiny.
Barry's next mission is with England, and while victory against Kazakhstan should be a formality, external influences will put Fabio Capello's squad to the test at the end of a gruelling campaign.
After an ardous eight-hour flight, England's players must adjust to a time difference that places Almaty five hours ahead of the UK. This far-flung Eastern outpost is only 200 miles from the Chinese border and also edges Kyrgyzstan. It lies even further from London than New York City, so there are adjustments to be made once they start the serious business of the build up here in Kazakhstan on Thursday
The temperatures that greet them will be comfortable, although hotter weather is expected. Almaty rests at the foot of the Tien Shan Mountains and there was plenty of cloud cover to accompany them on Wednesday.
England fans have already started arriving in a city that has a bustling centre and is an intriguing mix of old Eastern Europe and Asia.
If Barry's move to City served one purpose for Capello, who prefers not to have his preparations interrupted by such trifles as multi-million pound transfers, it at least kept the minds of England's players off the journey.
Comments Post your comment
Comment number 1.At 14:19 3rd Jun 2009, Malt Loaf wrote:
Gareth Barry is being given an undeservedly hard time over the move. It is perfectly clear that Manchester City have the potential to be absolutely anything, including - perish the thought - maybe even European Champions a few years down the line given the amount of money being pumped into the club. And I say that as a United man! City are simply preparing to do what all other successful clubs have done in the history of not only English but world football - get the chequebook out. Liverpool did it, Man Utd did it, Arsenal have done it, and most recently Chelsea have done it.
And anyway, if Barry has moved only for the money then fair play to him. £25 million in wages? Christ, I'd move jobs for a five grand a year payrise!!! https://www.loserscomesecond.com/
Comment number 2.At 14:19 3rd Jun 2009, SaintOne wrote:
Not quite sure I understand his reasoning behind the move. At best it's because he hopes City will get some big names in and will do well over the next 2 seasons (somehow better than Aston Villa). Worst case, he burnt too many bridges last summer and decided the money was too good.
Comment number 3.At 14:21 3rd Jun 2009, DorchForest wrote:
To be honest, even if he has gone for the money then fair play. After all if he was just a normal run of the mill worker, nobody would do anything but criticise if he moved to a different company for better pay and conditions!
He has more than given a fair time to Villa, and perhaps he sees the future of City as brighter for hima nd club, and maybe a way to cement an England place (at least while Hargreaves continues to be in A&E!).
Good luck to him, and another good blog Phil!!
Comment number 4.At 14:25 3rd Jun 2009, U11846789 wrote:
Of course his move has been done for money.
And there are going to be many more like him. All on their way to Eastlands.
Fair enough. And I wish Man City the best.
I'm glad I'm not a Man City fan - or a Chelsea fan or a fan of any other club which has had it's soul bought out.
It's a million miles from my idea of what football is all about.
Comment number 5.At 14:31 3rd Jun 2009, DorchForest wrote:
3. At 2:21pm on 03 Jun 2009, Lets sign everyone, then all the speculation will have been true!! wrote:
To be honest, even if he has gone for the money then fair play. After all if he was just a normal run of the mill worker, nobody would do anything but criticise if he moved to a different company for better pay and conditions!
He has more than given a fair time to Villa, and perhaps he sees the future of City as brighter for hima nd club, and maybe a way to cement an England place (at least while Hargreaves continues to be in A&E!).
Good luck to him, and another good blog Phil!!
Of course I actually meant "nobody would do anything to criticise if he moved to a different company for better pay and conditions!"
it's hot and sunny and I am sleepy!!
Comment number 6.At 14:38 3rd Jun 2009, SaintCesc04 wrote:
Goond on u Barry Poppins! REAL MADRID SPEND MILLIONS AFTER MILLIONS each year! They have been unconvincing in europe and egdey in their league... Just because they achived success in the past... They started spendin money: Its a business, spending money !
Comment number 7.At 14:40 3rd Jun 2009, kevthered83 wrote:
Its definatley about the money. Fair play, but as Phil touched on he should just admit it.
Last season he kept going on about he needed champions league football, so a move to Liverpool would have made sense, but as soon as a few million quid is flashed in front of him its suddenly a case of "whats champions league football"? Dont get me wrong, id take the money, but I feel a little more integrity is needed here.
Another thing I dont get, correct me if im wrong, but didnt Liverpool loose out on Barry with an offer of 18 million last year? If that was the case then City have got a bargain at just 12 million
Comment number 8.At 14:42 3rd Jun 2009, godisaboy wrote:
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Comment number 9.At 14:43 3rd Jun 2009, pietrodelroberto wrote:
Everton are getting towards the position where we do not need to sell star players such as Lescott. Even if the lure is too much for Lescott, it would take a very hefty pricetag for Moyes and Kenwright to even consider selling a player who forms such an integral part of our defence. While I agree we have nowhere near the cash available for players like City, I would argue that we can offer European football immediately rather than trying to sign effectively a World XI with a promise that if signed, of potential Champions League football. City have a large number of obstacles to overcome first, not least getting a better manager (sorry City fans, but Hughes hasn't done anything for you this season - Eriksson would have done a much better job)
As for Barry, he may very well have been smart and realised that he is likelier to get first-team football at City rather than Liverpool. And even then, as seen last year, Liverpool getting him depended largely on them selling Alonso, which never happened. What's to say that the valuation of Alonso wasn't met this summer either?
Comment number 10.At 14:45 3rd Jun 2009, bilsim wrote:
I don't mind Barry leaving, I don't begrudge Man City fans for being excited about their future. I do, however, feel that Manchester City's first pieces of silverware will be the death of football. Even Chelsea have spent moderatley compared to Man City, I hate to sound like a little kid, but it's just not fair. Sure, it's great for Man City, but in five years time when they win every single trophy, the game will be a laughing stock. No neutral or level headed fan can say that the Arabs at Man City will do anything but damamge to the game.
Comment number 11.At 14:45 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
Nice blog Phil.
The only point I would take issue with though is where you say that you think Barry would do better to admit it is money that attracted him.
I don't see this and I don't see that what someone is being paid by a moneybags employer is our business at all.
It is very easy to make a case to say that the next couple of years at Man City are likely to be more rewarding, in a football sense, than at Villa. You mention that Benitez came in at the last minute? Any evidence of this or is this unsubstantiated point made just to support the argument you had decided to make.
Good luck to Barry I say.
May I ask, did you get a pay rise when you joined the BBC from your previous employer? You may say you joined the BBC to get closer to football (I am assuming that you came from local news, apologies if I am wrong) similar to Barry getting closer to earning medals with Man City. A pay rise just sweetens the deal surely?
Comment number 12.At 14:46 3rd Jun 2009, Wazz_Berbz_CR7_Tevez wrote:
Its normal for a player to be attracted to the riches of Man City, but if City make good transfers there's a great chance that they could reach the Europa League or even the Champions League next season and his move from Villa won't be seen as such a bad idea, good luck to him for the future.
Comment number 13.At 14:46 3rd Jun 2009, Andy wrote:
To my eyes, Barry now appears only as a foolish mercenary. I"m not saying he shouldn't have made the move but under the circumstances of last summer (his claim of wanting to play Champions league football) and then returning to Villa with his tail between his legs only to leave now for a club not even in Europe, I think looks pretty bad.
I genuinely believe that City will struggle to qualify for the Champions league before the end of his 5 year contract even with all their money. Will he even be in the starting line up in a few years if they continue to bid silly money for the players of a higher calibre? Doubtful.
Comment number 14.At 14:49 3rd Jun 2009, notey-flea wrote:
We are here in this world for two things money and birds.Barry went for money........n the rest falls into place!
Comment number 15.At 14:52 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#7 kevthered83
There does not seem to be any evidence that Barry was offered a team next season playing Champions League football. If that is correct, then Barry is going to a team that has as much chance as anyone, probably more in fact, of making Champions League football the season after next.
Also, the reason Barry has gone for £12m as opposed to the £18m on the able last summer is that Villa turned down £18m at that time whereas at this time, Barry only has one year left on his contract, therefore, could walk away for nothing in another year. (At which point he might have commanded more money from City, ironically.)
Comment number 16.At 14:55 3rd Jun 2009, citymikeok wrote:
why is it that football commentators cannot see past money and wish manchester city well
comments like " This is Manchester City remember, and their history shows that if you offered them a mile they would happily take an inch. "
do not help
we are a great club , with great fans and now we have great players
get used to it , city will challenge for top honours within a couple of years
Comment number 17.At 14:57 3rd Jun 2009, Paul bain wrote:
so what if its about the money. doesnt mean hes lost his ambition.
i am a liverpool man and i dont see anything wrong with this for barry. hes served villa for 10 years so they should give him a break.
what did they expect him to do.? as i see it he had 3 options!
1- stay with villa for another hard/long season fighting for 5th with spurs, city and everton. plus a europe league run.
2- wait for liverpool or arsenal to actually spend some money and come in for him.... wouldnt hold my breath!
3- go to city, set ur self up for life financially and maybe ( i mean who nows who else city could get) be part of something huge!
Comment number 18.At 15:00 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#10 bilsim
I understand your negativity, but, if the Chelsea example proves one thing is that money can help, but it does not guarantee success. You can only play 11 players at once. Also, Chelsea's best players over the last six seasons have been Terry and Lampard. Both were there before Abramovich.
Also, there will always be players who wish to play in Spain or Italy. Also, also, Real Madrid have found a way, through rampant commercialism, to buy big players and make them pay. Therefore, Man City will not ever have it all their own way.
Comment number 19.At 15:04 3rd Jun 2009, philmcnultybbcsport wrote:
To MrBlueBurns...hello to all from Almaty. I actually say in the blog that human nature being what it is, who can blame Barry for taking the offer from Manchester City?
It is simply at odds with all Barry has said in the last 12 months. It was either Villa or a Champions League club - at least until City came in.
Word from the midlands today was that Liverpool did check out a deal, but it was too far down the line for anything to change.
Comment number 20.At 15:06 3rd Jun 2009, DrVilla wrote:
"After all if he was just a normal run of the mill worker, nobody would do anything but criticise if he moved to a different company for better pay and conditions!"
Hmmm, that is the most ridiculous thing to say with regards to footballers...
In a run of the mill job, employees don't have thousands of people chating your name every week and who are essentially (at least partly) paying your wages. No one would bat an eyelid if some one move from say BT to Vodafone for an extra 5 grand a year because that happens in "normal life"
Barry is a footballer, he's already a millionaire, he's already set for life, he earned more in one of his 10 years at villa as most "run of the mill" people do in their life time. He lied to Villa fans, left a club in a better position than Man City (Immediately) a team in itself builidng nicely for the future and did so even when there was a possibility of a move someone who could have offered champions league football-hes sold himself out essentially and in the nature of his employment where devotion is expected to be repaid with a modicum of loyalty, what he did was a bitte pill to swallow-after all I don't recall seeing him as a regular starter for England before Martin O'Neil......
Comment number 21.At 15:09 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
I hope Almaty is nicer than the UK this afternoon.
Anyway, 'word' from the midlands is hardly concrete is it. If Liverpool missed out, that is their hard cheese. Barry may have stated last summer 'champions league or Villa' but things change in sport, perhaps more than in most other businesses given the fickle nature of sporting competition and short windows of opportunity for athletes.
I note that you 'forget' to comment on my last paragraph. ;-)
Comment number 22.At 15:09 3rd Jun 2009, Mr Red wrote:
would you believe it.
a blog about Barry and phil still has pops at Liverpool
firstly, who said Alonso isn´t happy? you? Benitez doesn´t have to work out a way to keep him at Anfield. Alonso´s contract will do that for him. and if he is tempted by Real, does that mean he isn´t happy. i mean god forbid Sky try to get you on their books phil, does that mean you´re not happy at Auntie? i didn´t think so.
regarding last summer, MON was the one causing the problems and he tried to hold Liverpool to ransom over a few pennies. constantly blabbing to the media. again though the sensationalist blogers had to produce a story.
and Liverpool didn´t get near Barry this time? why is that? probably the same as why United or Chelsea didn´t get near him. we didn´t want him.
anyway, good luck Barry. i like him but glad he isn´t coming to Anfield. will be interesting to see if he gets into the CL with City or if he will just be retiring when they have a chance.
Comment number 23.At 15:10 3rd Jun 2009, Zell182 wrote:
Well I'm glad that means Barry isn't coming to Liverpool...but if Alonso does go we'll be in trouble. Javi Martinez could be a potential replacement but he'd need time to settle and we don't have that.
Comment number 24.At 15:13 3rd Jun 2009, DaveWalnut wrote:
Why must it be that there is always a presumption that money is the main lure for all players wanting to change clubs? This blog goes even one step further to demand that Barry admit the alegation! It's ridiculous!
Who has the better chance of playing Champions League football in the 2010/2011 season, Aston Villa or Manchester City? Manchester City, clearly.
And please can we stop using the excuse "But Manchester City aren't even in the Europa League!" By spirit, neither are Aston Villa, lets not forget that Martin O'Neill rested virtually every first team player in the Uefa Cup last season to concentrate on achieving 4th in the Premier League, did he not stop to think what might happen if they didn't finish 4th? Clearly Aston Villa can not expect any one of their players to give their all for the Europa League as their manager sees it as unimportant. The lure of Uefa Europa League football can hardly be used as a serious reason for Barry to stay.
Clearly, the option for Barry was Manchester City or stay; given that ultimatum and the fact that he will be 29 by next summer, I believe he has chosen very wisely.
Regarding Xabi Alonso, it has been widely reported that he is very keen on seeing out his contract with Liverpool, not that he is "disaffected". The only speculation that has arisen is the interest of Real Madrid and that of Carlo Ancelotti.
Comment number 25.At 15:16 3rd Jun 2009, RetiredNo6 wrote:
I'm a Gooner - and I read your comments with interest about us being "comfortably 4th" out of the 4.
If you'll take it I'll offer you a £10 bet right now that Arsenal finish HIGHER than 4th place in the Premier League next season.
You might laugh...... but I'm deadly serious. We'll finish 3rd at worst, probably 2nd at best.... I still think United will keep Ronaldo and Tevez and be too strong for the rest again.
Comment number 26.At 15:19 3rd Jun 2009, Antony Hyde wrote:
i agree with comment 4... i hate chelsea and now man city they have no identity as clubs anymore!!
Comment number 27.At 15:24 3rd Jun 2009, rotter82 wrote:
Villa were never offered 18mill by LIverpool otherwise they would have sold Barry last yr. They were offered 15mill.
BLUEBURNS-it is reasonable and fairminded to assume that Barry went for the money having said he would only join a CL club last year. Stop defending the indefencible.
Comment number 28.At 15:25 3rd Jun 2009, keanospurs wrote:
Everything about this transfer is hipercrticial! It is a player selling out, there is no other way of looking at it. I used to rate Barry highly as a player and as a stand up person off the pitch, I now see him with not a hint of integrity left! Absolute shocker on his part...
Comment number 29.At 15:30 3rd Jun 2009, DrVilla wrote:
Reading Barry's letter you could almost feel sorry for him...but then its kinda full of contradicitions in itself
Man City-Fresh new challenge
Villa-Exciting young team, best chariman and manager..going from strength to strength
Man City-Good long and short term plans
Villa-5 year plan to get into Europe-Already ahead of schedule, chances of CL football can't be that far away from Man City's...a team that has gelled (unlike city for the coming season), mix of youth and experience, some really class up and comers..likely to strneghten where we need strenghtening...close for most this season..
Man City-World cup coming up, can play regularly in my favoured position
Villa...Erm club captain, played almost every game this year, likely to do that every season until retirement
Doesn't make sense (unless of course you look at wages side of things)
Comment number 30.At 15:30 3rd Jun 2009, bignevthecat wrote:
Move was clearly about the money. Hopefully Lescott has more sense, Everton will finish well above City next season (with Yakubu and Arteta back). I any case Jags is the better player if anyone was looking to sign a defender but they know they are better off where they are....City have no soul and they are managed by someone waiting to try and be manager of their arch rivals.
Comment number 31.At 15:30 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#20 DrVilla
An employee of BT or Vodafone is still being paid by their customers, probably more so than an employee at a football club given the reducing percentage of a football clubs income from gate receipts and simple merchandising. (More and more income coming from corporate sponsorship and the sale of media rights.)
If you believe there is a difference because of passion and the will the excel, then you cannot criticise Barry for having similar attributes.
You can't have it all ways.
Comment number 32.At 15:31 3rd Jun 2009, bobbieflowers wrote:
just written this on the thread this blog has replaced but...
l don't give barry any credit for staying at villa as long as he has - the main reason for that is no one was particularly interested in him up until a couple of yrs ago.
Barry is a good player not a great player and if the man city project stalls for another couple of yrs he will slip back into obscurity. The irony of his transfer is that to achieve the heights that he and city aspire to city will probably have to buy better players than barry.
Comment number 33.At 15:32 3rd Jun 2009, LincsKopite wrote:
Barry will move in January to Liverpool when Man City aren't doing anything. That is unless he wants starting XI football and a bursting wallet of cash. Can't see him lasting long though; hopefully he'll see sense and move to us!!!!! (hopefully)
Comment number 34.At 15:33 3rd Jun 2009, wartek wrote:
City can pay big wages all day long but it doesnt gaurantee success. Just look to Newcastle, for a few seasons now they always pipped Everton to signing players because they offered more wages, but I am a much happier Blue than all the Toon Army put together. Buying a new first team doesnt work, it didnt work for Real Madrid, how many medals did Beckham, Owen, Zidane & co get?.
Comment number 35.At 15:33 3rd Jun 2009, LincsKopite wrote:
And Alonso MUST STAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment number 36.At 15:35 3rd Jun 2009, Neil wrote:
Barry probably wasn't interested in playing on Liverpool's left wing and sometimes at LB, beacuse that is what Rafa had in mind and offered him. Benitez had no real intention of selling Alonso last summer, he just wanted to motivate him to get him back to his levels of 2004-06 and it worked - he was Liverpool's best player last season.
There is little chance Barry could have asserted himself in the centre at Liverpool ahead of two infinitely superior players, Alonso and Mascherano, and that would have harmed his chances of starting in midfield for England come the World Cup.
Comment number 37.At 15:36 3rd Jun 2009, Aah tea wrote:
As a Villa fan extremely sorry to see Barry leave, after he said "For the rest of my life, Aston Villa will be the first result I look for." I can forgive him going. I am also pleased to see that he had the sense not to go to Liverpool, it would have been a nightmare working for the waiter. And he has gone to a club that still has much to prove and in the short term at least is still probably not a contender for a top four place yet (and therefore arguably less of a threat to Villa, see below).
Arguably because without Barry, unless MO'N has something up his sleeve to replace him, which I doubt, then Villa are clearly weakened. And at least this deal has gone through early, fast, without rancour and with enough time for Villa to do something.
But if all they do is recruit players of the same calibre as Heskey (at this stage of his career as he is, not as he was) then I do fear Villa's forward progress is over.
Comment number 38.At 15:36 3rd Jun 2009, wartek wrote:
To citymikeok I am only 49 yrs old so I cannot remember when City were great.
Comment number 39.At 15:36 3rd Jun 2009, Rita Cocking wrote:
May I remind all the critics that are slating Gareth Barry for moving to Man City of a few things.As well as aiming for a club that is likely to be playing Champions League football Gareth also needs to safeguard his place in the England squad because,in case you have forgotten there is a World Cup next year.If he were to go to Liverpool there is every chance he would be just another squad player and in order to stay in the England squad he needs to be playing regular first team football.When you consider how long it took for Gareth to get into the England squad in the first place I don't think he will want to do anything that would put his place in the England squad at risk,especially with the World Cup coming up next year!
Comment number 40.At 15:36 3rd Jun 2009, TommyO wrote:
I wonder if Barry got paid his 'loyalty' bonus this time around.........
good luck to him and City but the money in the game has got stupid and football is heading inexorably to a European Super League and it's death as we have known and loved it.
Comment number 41.At 15:39 3rd Jun 2009, danyengland10 wrote:
I don't think Barry is a good player at all..he is very overrated and he doesn't deserve that amount of money at all
Comment number 42.At 15:41 3rd Jun 2009, freddyhillsbigtoe wrote:
come on , city have in practice stopped another great player going to a top 4 team therefore stopping them for strenghtening , if city can get stronger along with , villa and everton and truly threaten the big 4 then surely thats good for the premiership as if threatens then big fours gaurenteed income from champs league that they need to ensure that continued monopoly of the english game,chelsea , united and liverpool have all spent big to stay where they are , city are only doing the same to rry to close the gap yet many find that offensive and a threat to the premiership, when has a poor club ever won the premiership , the title has always been bought by other clubs
Comment number 43.At 15:43 3rd Jun 2009, flyingfish2001 wrote:
As a villa fan, i have very mixed feelings...
On the one hand, i'm thinking 'Fair play to Barry for moving...would you be able to say no to £25-26,000,000??', and the fact that he has given 12 years service to the club. He has been a model professional for most of that time - so wish him well...
On the other hand, im really bitter, and i'm be happy to admit it. Yes, Barry has been a colossal servant to Villa. But it hasn't been all one way. MON has made turned him from an international fringe player to a seasoned regular England player. It's Villa that has given him the platform to perform, and gain the reputation as one of the best Midfielders in the league. It is MON and Villa that have him a free role to play and proove what an excellent player he is.
He has said in his 'thank you' statement that he didn't want to leave last summer because it would have been under a cloud...if im honest, I think Villa fans would have been pleased for GB to leave to Liverpool - after all, he made it quite clear it was his dream to play in the CL! (He said 'Villa or Champions League'!!! Where does MC fit into this?)
As a Holte End season ticket holder, I hope he does get a good reaction when he visits Villa Park, but the way he has gone about things, Im not sure that he will. Yes, he has been an excellent servant to Villa, but Villa and the fans have made him the player he is today.
I think he has taken a huge gamble joining City - they have the money, but they have a second rate manager who is yet to proove himself. He has already spent £96million so far - so he is under huge pressure to perform. I don't mean to dis-respect City, but it certainely isnt a forward step for him.
Villa are a club with a 'proud history, bright future'. We will move on from GB, and £12mil is a good price for a 28 year old midfielder.
Good luck to you Gareth, but I think you have made a genuine mistake.
Comment number 44.At 15:45 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#27 rotter82
Let's consider the evidence shall we.
1) Has Villa received an offer from a club that is competing in the Champions League next season? Answer - no evidence of this.
2) Has Villa received an offer from a club that gives Barry a better chance of competing in the Champions League sooner than his current club? Answer - in my opinion, yes.
Does Barry stay or does he go? Answer - he goes.
Why oh why there are so many people sitting at computers (and therefore nowhere near being a footballer comparable to those in the top echelons of the game and no where near the running of clubs) who think they know better, I just cannot understand.
Just consider the facts rather than what you think as an outsider looking in to a world that perhaps you don't know the workings of. I am not defending the indefensible, I am applying logic, not just ranting as we hear so many lumoxes do down the pub after a few bevvies.
Comment number 45.At 15:46 3rd Jun 2009, MorpethExile wrote:
All this nonsense about City 'ruining' the game is only a repeat of what was said when Abromovich bought Chelsea and splashed the cash.
Get real people, it's been about little other than money since Jack Walker bought Blackburn's title.
I've been a City fan since Don Revie was centre forward, these are the most exciting times since our purple patch in the late 60s early 70s.
So it's our turn again, leave off the childish resentment.
Comment number 46.At 15:47 3rd Jun 2009, Aah tea wrote:
Interesting comments by blobbing02 seemingly assuming that the current top four will always be the top four.
I'm sorry to see that they have remained pretty static for the last few seasons but it won't always be that way, despite the excessive financial bias of the CL and Sky to the status quo.
I was sorry to see Liverpool end up doing so well (and surprised at their sudden ability to score goals, hidden for so long!) when they started badly, were flattered with more points than deserved after many seasons of mediocre football. I did expect them to finish 5th or 6th, I was sadly wrong. Also Arsenal have only achieved 4th this season by default. Chelsea will only continue there with the Abramovich effect and Man U are heavily in debt (as others) so sooner or later (after Sralex?) that will catch up with them.
Comment number 47.At 15:50 3rd Jun 2009, drbsparks wrote:
I dont know what all the fuss is about. If Barry wants to go for the money, who can blame him. My biggest concern at Villa is who we get to shore up what clearly is a very poor defense especially now Larson has retired.
For the record, I do not think Barry is the key player at Villa anyway. Ashley Young is, and with Barry closing in on the big 3-0, its not a bad time to cash in.
Lets not forget the John Gregory era. Buy over priced 30 something players that we never got a return on when selling them off to Albion or Sheffield 3 years later. This is definitely good business for Villa although I am sad to see Barry go.
One final point, Man City will not get into the Champions League this season. Mark Hughes is not the man for the job and you cant build a team of that size in one season.
Comment number 48.At 15:52 3rd Jun 2009, Malt Loaf wrote:
DrVilla, surely you aren't being serious about anything? If some new employer offered you stupid money to do the same thing each week that you already do, and you already fancied a new personal challenge anyway, would you take it? I bet you would.
Comment number 49.At 15:53 3rd Jun 2009, keeleyreturns wrote:
pietrodelroberto - I hope you're right about Lescott. Money can unsettle players & if Barry says "look at the size of my wad" (probably double Lescott's wage) Lescott might be tempted. Clearly Moyes will do everything he can to keep Lescott, especially as Jagielka won't be back for a good slice of next season. At Everton, Lescott is guaranteed a place in a team that'll be challenging for Champion's league place & if he maintains any sort of form he'll be in with a good shout of spending next summer in South Africa.
As far as City is concerned buying Barry is a sound move, he's a good player & just the type to push the club forwards. I reckon Villa might struggle to get a replacement for Barry, this problem + the lack of decent centre halves could make things difficult for them next season.
Comment number 50.At 15:54 3rd Jun 2009, philmcnultybbcsport wrote:
There were stories, unconfirmed I should add, suggesting that Barry himself was unhappy with the way his proposed move to Liverpool dragged on last summer and this slightly altered his position on a move to Anfield.
Good point about regular football in his best position in a World Cup year, something he may not have got at Liverpool with Rafael Benitez's rotation policy, but surely he would have got that at Villa?
Comment number 51.At 15:58 3rd Jun 2009, Yourbustingmyballs wrote:
Asides from money which seems to be the main objective here it would seem barry's thought maybe he can forge some sort of successful dynasty at City. Alot like Maradonna did all those years ago when he went to lowly Napoli in the Italian league or Alan Shearer at Blackburn. The difference is Man City have billions to spend.
It is sad though that football has come to this. Earlier in the season we were talking about astronomical sums of money that Man City were willing to fork out... £100 million for Kaka with £600k wages a week... Yes hes a brilliant footballer but surely nobody can justifiably be paid that amount of money.
The amount of money at elite clubs disposal is probably enough to wipe out third world poverty!
Comment number 52.At 15:59 3rd Jun 2009, itsgonnabeablueday wrote:
Excellent Blog once again Phil to which I do not want to directly respond.
What really makes me frustrated is, the snide remarks mainly against Man City and Chelsea with the money association.
Capitalism runs business in this country and anybody who thinks otherwise is just plain stupid.
Football is big business. We (i.e. the Supporters) have made it that way. It's us that buy season tickets, replica shirts, SKY telly and £5 hamburgers at half-time. If you are going to blame somebody, then take a look at yourself, not Russian or Arab Billionaires.
They just buy a good bargain when they spot one. Just like Harrods and Mohamed Al Fayed.
This is not a recent thing. It's been going on for decades. I'm sure there weren't too many Gooners complaining in the 1950's, when they were the richest club in England and winning everything!
If you are truly unhappy with top English football, then start going down the local rec and watch Barchester Tornadoes and stop whingeing.
Comment number 53.At 16:02 3rd Jun 2009, Xavierneville wrote:
I'd love to City become competitive to thev Top four, but hey are going about the wrong way.
By all means by three or four players but no more, any team struggles to gel with that level of change, players are pushed out and perform accordingly and there is normally one signing in that lot which will fall flat.
Everton will resist any move for a player unless they offer the riduclous sum which will allow them to buy two.
So if City offer between 25-30m for Lescott, then they will probably take it. Jags and Yobo are going nowhere, so I can see the logic, Rodwell can play there too.
I thnk Barry was wanting away and to be fair City were decisive, Liverpool dithered badly last year and failed to land their man.
Lets hope City build patiently and don't miss out developing a team
Comment number 54.At 16:06 3rd Jun 2009, Xavierneville wrote:
I have plenty on friends in the Brum area and most if their are opinions are to be representative then Villa as team won't miss Barry.
They often complained his the majority of his passes are backwards or sideways and his lack of mobility with Petrov left Villa as one trick ponys with Milner and Young
Maybe Villa have their eye on a replacement unlike last year, David Bentley anyone? (I didn't say a good replacement)
Comment number 55.At 16:07 3rd Jun 2009, Rich_Owl wrote:
Of course the cash is a factor and why wouldn't it be. However Barry was well paid (set for life?) at Villa and it's unlikely he moved solely for the money. As a neutral, good luck to him and I'd do the same given a chance. However two things do spring to mind:
- With the money City have, it's not unexpected that they will overtake at least Villa into Europe next season, with perhaps a shot at the chmpions league the year after. If Barry DOES want Champions League football, he probably has got more chance of getting it at City than Villa. Why not move to one of the big four, then? I don't think he'd get into the ManU or Chelsea midfields, or Liverpools if Xabi Alonso stays. He may get into Arsenals but they are most at risk of dropping out of the Champions League if City get in and its World cup year so he wants to be playing regularly......
- Several Villa fans have criticised Barry because Villa CAN offer him european football next season. However, Villa were also in Europe this year and doing rather well until they played a second team in a fixture and got knocked out. Maybe he thinks that if that's the way Villa treat the Europa League then he's better trying to get in it with a different club, one that will be able to assemble a squad that can compete on more than one front?
Comment number 56.At 16:08 3rd Jun 2009, Laurence wrote:
"Barry, however, will also know that the financial factor cannot be removed from the equation in this deal and it would do him credit if he actually admitted it."
You might want to re-think that one.
Do you really believe that the City fans would be pleased to here him say he didn't really want to play for them but the money was too good.
And what of Benjani who said exactly that and was not exactly "given credit"
Comment number 57.At 16:11 3rd Jun 2009, mcfcworldsrichest1 wrote:
Of course players are financially motivated. It is absolutely ridiculous for people to pass judgement on players for trying to get the best in life for themselves and their family.
Gareth Barry has been offered a wage that would guarantee the financial stability of his family for the rest of their lives. Why would he not want that?
How many of the critics would turn down a job in their own chosen career that doubled their salary? Get real.
He has given Villa the majority of his career and what did he get back? Nobody can blame him for moving to us.
Comment number 58.At 16:13 3rd Jun 2009, bluelondoner2009 wrote:
I don't get it. Don't get it at all. Fair play Manchester City have the cash to become a force in football. But this isn't going to happen overnight. They've had the cash for a year now and purchased the likes of Robinho and Given but not only have they failed in making any notbale strides towards their ambitions, they have done WORSE than they did the year previous in terms of league finish. Barry will be lucky if his new club are challenging for the title before he hangs up his size 9's. It's a work in progress. It's not like a Chelsea situation as they had already secured Champs League football before Roman A come along. This is going to take years. And all in the world cup year. Wouldn't be suprised if Barry becomes a squad player and dropped from the England squad. Ridiculous.
Comment number 59.At 16:15 3rd Jun 2009, stevo-villa wrote:
at the end of the day... if he choses money over playing for a clud that loved him thats his choice... give it two seasons and City will sign so many players Barry will just rot away in their reserves bathing in his £100,000 a week.
Comment number 60.At 16:16 3rd Jun 2009, rotter82 wrote:
Let's consider the evidence shall we.
1) Has Villa received an offer from a club that is competing in the Champions League next season? Answer - no evidence of this.
2) Has Villa received an offer from a club that gives Barry a better chance of competing in the Champions League sooner than his current club? Answer - in my opinion, yes.
Does Barry stay or does he go? Answer - he goes.
Why oh why there are so many people sitting at computers (and therefore nowhere near being a footballer comparable to those in the top echelons of the game and no where near the running of clubs) who think they know better, I just cannot understand.
Just consider the facts rather than what you think as an outsider looking in to a world that perhaps you don't know the workings of. I am not defending the indefensible, I am applying logic, not just ranting as we hear so many lumoxes do down the pub after a few bevvies.
Exactly why are you judging everyone else? It is perfectly reasonable to expect someone to stick to their word idf the say something. Otherwise why say it? Of course its fair to assume he went for money. 100,000 per week is more than 3 times the average uk annual salary meaning 12 weeks work for Barry is equaivalent to that of the entire career salary of a UK worker.
Which is exactly the point? The people on computers do not see it the way of a prem footballer and why should they?!
As far as Liverpool is concerned we know they bid 15mill last season and we dont know if they would have come back in because City flexed their muscles on day 2 of the window. It would also be very fair to assume that if Barry saw out the last seaon of his contract at Villa which he could have then LIverpool and probably Arsenal would have snapped him up on a free and CL football would have been guaranteed in season 2010/2011. And there is absoloutely no guarantee of that at City in 2010/2011. I'd say Barry had more choices than those you have outlined. Why dont you follow the logic?
Comment number 61.At 16:19 3rd Jun 2009, Jimmy wrote:
leaving aside the monetary debate here, which has been covered by everyone else, i have another question.........
where do people see him fitting into the Man City team? Especially considering they went out and bought Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong over the last season, who surely also play in the same position as Barry would (albeit Kompany can also play centre of defence). Are they going to be left like most people's Championship Manager teams, with too much quality all over the park not playing and players not happy about this? Not all players are happy to pick up their pay cheque each week for doing nothing like Bogarde.
Comment number 62.At 16:22 3rd Jun 2009, MrBlueBurns wrote:
#51 yourbustingmyballs
Yes hes a brilliant footballer but surely nobody can justifiably be paid that amount of money.
The amount of money at elite clubs disposal is probably enough to wipe out third world poverty!
As #52 itsgonnabeablueday points out, this is capitalism and does not break any law. Who says what is justified? If someone wants to pay a footballer x no of pounds then that is there business.
Football at elite clubs and world poverty? Remind me the profits that, for example, Tesco and BP made last year. You will find that when all is said and done, football is quite small compared to big business.
Comment number 63.At 16:22 3rd Jun 2009, city_4_live wrote:
Gareth Barry was at Villa 12 years and has never played in a major international tornament, or a champions league game, why should he think thats going to change in the next 12 months? If he went to Liverpool or Arsenal he wouldnt be guarenteed to play every game, and that will put his place on the plane to SA at risk. He's gone to City cause he knows he'll play every week, and that the top class players are looking ro bring in can make him look at better player than Villa's could, where he was the talisman making them all look good. I for one am delighted City didnt make the Europa league, i didnt like being in it last year, and think its needless extra games that hurt you in the long run, if its not Champions league its not worth the extra hassle, maybe Barry agree's. I'm not saying he's not happy with his new pay packet, but alot of players move to clubs who pay them more than there old one did, thats not always the ONLY reason they leave.
Comment number 64.At 16:22 3rd Jun 2009, LollipopsAreForever wrote:
I know it isn't strictly football, but...
"This far-flung Eastern outpost is only 200 miles from the Chinese border and also edges Kyrgyzstan"
Why on earth does it matter if Kazakhstan borders Kyrgyzstan? Is it some great secret of which only you are aware? :P
Wish Gareth Barry all the best, but wouldn't it be amazingly ironic if Villa got into the top 4 next season without him - I for one hope they do :)
Comment number 65.At 16:23 3rd Jun 2009, holte_ender21-The Holy Trinity Xavi Iniesta Bannan wrote:
Lets put things in perspective here. Barry stated he needed to be playing Champions League football by the start of this season. He has just signed for a team who finished 10th.
As a Villa fan I can't deny that City have a huge amount of potential, ambition and money, so ideally to make steady progress they need to be aiming for 6th this season, 5th the season after that (because that in itself is a big step now) and then top 4 the year after that.
If that's the case, then how on earth does this benefit Barry who by that time would be 32 (nearly 33) and probably one of the first to be replaced by a really world class player?
Comment number 66.At 16:25 3rd Jun 2009, alexandra_the_great wrote:
Point one - Gareth Barry was rich before his move to City. There's rich and there's greed. Not many footballers can escape the greed tag while we're all scrimping for next season's season tickets.
Point two Personally if I was in Gareth Barry's shoes I would have been much happier to have been regarded as an all time Villa legend rather than destroy a link with fans who have adored him for season after season because now he looks like a fibber. What happened to the one club man? (there are a few exceptions I know). I would want to be someone like Tom Finney who is still adored by the whole town of Preston to this day! Football at the top isn't generally played by fans anymore it's played by mercenaries who are not out for the team, they are only out for number 1.
Comment number 67.At 16:26 3rd Jun 2009, politedebate wrote:
"history shows that if you offered them a mile they would happily take an inch."
Get a new line please. For what you're payed you might be expected to come up with new sayings now and then, not just repeating something you mentioned about Newcastle...twice previously to this blog.
Comment number 68.At 16:27 3rd Jun 2009, Wengers Optician wrote:
Arsenal on the margins of the top 4? Already forgotten last season? Where we were leading for 3/4 then finished 4 pts off the top because Eduardo broke his leg. The main reason we did so poor this season is because Fabregas was out for 4 months and we had a whole host of other injuries. Is that also why were lost only 1 game in the pl in 09 and did a lot better than Utd and chelsea in the big 4 ''mini league''. All we need now is a tough tackling midfielder to partner Fabregas and a new CB to partner Gallas/Toure.
Comment number 69.At 16:27 3rd Jun 2009, Andy wrote:
Gareth Barry is applying a touch of realism at 28 years of age. Good player as he is the Liverpool saga last Summer probably brought home to him the fact that he is not in the very top drawer. So does he stick with Villa who find themselves in the UEFA Cup again or does he chase the money whilst he has the offer? Given the inevitable discovery by a small squad that the UEFA Cup is a distraction in the Spring it does beg the question as to why clubs bust a gut to get into that position only to throw it all away for the prospect of the next 3 points. Realistically Barry will be playing in the UEFA Cup again in 2011 when he is 30, the attainment of a top 4 place by City is not feasible. His game will not greatly suffer as time goes by, if you have no pace, you can't lose it. He does right to take the cash and I wish him well.
Comment number 70.At 16:29 3rd Jun 2009, jw2034 wrote:
very liverpool-biased piece. who says money before ambition?
who are more likely to be in the champions league in 2 years - multimillionares city or liverpool who cant even scrape the money togeather to even start thinking about a new ground, let alone new signings?
he'll fulfill his ambitions and have the money.
Comment number 71.At 16:29 3rd Jun 2009, Magnitka wrote:
Gareth Barry has given us fantastic commitment and service for over 10 years. I am sorry that he is going... but I am glad he is leaving early in the transfer window. We needed to expand our tactical repertoire on the field; without Barry in the frame there is an opportunity for fresh thinking, AND time to replace him.
I hope that our fans will give him the respect he deserves when he returns to Villa Park next season. I also hope we'll completely humiliate Manchester City on the field as a response to the assumption that 'money buys you success'.
Comment number 72.At 16:31 3rd Jun 2009, Malt Loaf wrote:
We might all in general have romantic notions of a football club building up from nothing with the support of a local community, and that the same club will win trophies with players born within a stone's throw of the ground, but it just doesn't happen. City have got a load of money. So what! Real Madrid are preparing to pay a record fee for Kaka, but nobody is criticising them, and for why? Because they are a club with 'history'? It's all nonsense. From a footballing rivalry and mickey-taking point of view I hope City spend big and win nothing, but if they do win trophies with Gareth Barry and anybody else they might care to purchase then good luck to them and their fans.
If anything it will keep English football interesting.
Comment number 73.At 16:33 3rd Jun 2009, SyKop wrote:
Hmmmmmmm should be the title of this blog Phil - and there are some disappointing notes in here from you which I find unusual.
1) Barry's move to MCFC is money; anyone not seeing that is blind (fair play I'd do the same if I loved money more than my job)! 2) As a Liverpool fan, I'm happy as a pig in poo we didn't get him as AVFC blatantly wanted to rip us off - and I think Riera is a much better player. 3) If you think we're goning to struggle to keep Alonso you're sorely mistaken. 3 years left on his contract, one of the best LFC players this year shown by the fact he made it into several pundits teams of the season. He and Rafa have said no-go, so what's difficult to understand about that please tell me?
Make no mistake about it, Man City will not break into the top-four for a few seasons yet despite their financial muscle. Yes they have been there before as ECWC winners, but it takes time and Chelsea, for example, have still not won the Europen Cup - hense the appointment of Ancelotti.
Comment number 74.At 16:33 3rd Jun 2009, stroma88 wrote:
I am very happy in my job and earn a good salary but if someone offered me double or treble what I am earning now for doing the same job then I would not hesitate. Why should Barry
Comment number 75.At 16:34 3rd Jun 2009, Bergysdeftflicks wrote:
Phew! Thanks City. For one minute i was starting to think that Arsenal were genuinely interested in him. Hes an 'average Joe'. Great deal for Villa though. Barry won't make it to the CL with City. It'll maybe be 3 yrs or so before they get there, by which time he'll be peripheral or have been moved on. Still, he gets his last big cash deal i suppose, so good luck to him.
Comment number 76.At 16:37 3rd Jun 2009, lilywhite_matt wrote:
Basically Villa are going nowhere, and City have more ambition. Simple as that, City will finish above Villa and his decision will be vindicated
Comment number 77.At 16:39 3rd Jun 2009, Scottishscouser wrote:
Nicely side-stepped phil concerning Barry's protracted transfer saga last summer. It was protracted because of MON's ridiculous evaluation. Why then should Barry be peeved at Liverpool? You worked at the Echo, you must know Tony Barrett, speak to him about the leak, he'll put you right. Or is it easier to join in with the Red Top consensus?
I love the way you can turn a blog about Barry contradicting himsel and turn it into a back-handed swipe at Liverpool.
Comment number 78.At 16:42 3rd Jun 2009, The Elegant Cary Grant wrote:
So Barry's gone for the Pension Package rather than the football. Retirement will be so much easier and will come so much sooner for him.
And City are going to buy the PL and CL? Well that remains to be seen. They seem to be prepared to buy anyone at any price. There's even talk of 34 year old Ze Roberto, rememebr him?
It leaves the question of who's actually doing the buying and selling at City, is it Hughes, surely he's smarter than this scattergun approach. If he's a real manager who will deliver long term success to City he'll need to be. Is it the owners? In which case when this hodge podge of an overpriced squad inevitably fails to gel will Hughes be the first out the door?
Look at the way Chelsea screwed it up. Abramovich spent loads of money, got Jose in, then the first time they weren't sitting in the no 1 spot in the PL, Abramovich got rid of Jose. BIG MISTAKE. Since then Chelsea have been generally 'unsettled' and have won....well the FA Cup.
I can see City going the same way. If they don't win the PL or at least qualify for the CL next season then maybe Sparkie will be next on the Chelsea manager merry go round, cos he won't be at City.
Look at the genuinely succesful clubs in recent times. Man Utd and Arsenal and now Liverpool. Commitment to a manager, handing him control and responsibilty is the only way to run a football club. Not some oligarch playing fantasy football in unlimited funds cheat mode.
As Shankly said - A football club is made up of three groups of people, the fans, the players and the manager. The owners are only there to write out the cheques.
Comment number 79.At 16:42 3rd Jun 2009, calcioscrivener wrote:
Congratulations to Gareth Barry. Randy Still-Learning is never going to pump up the cash that Man City can. Barry is entering the last 4-5 years of his career and will now get to play with mega-stars like Robinho rather than Marlon Harewood.
Worrying times for Liverpool who missed out. Xavi Alonso was undeservedly messed around in the last 12 months and will no doubt be picked up by another EPL team in the top 10 or Spanish / Italian team as a result of this dissillusionment... leaving the kop to cheer on Babbel, Pennant and Lucas.
Top three next year: 1. Man United, 2. Chelsea, 3. Manu-Dabi City
Comment number 80.At 16:45 3rd Jun 2009, FormerScouser wrote:
Lets look at this from an England point of view - seeing as it's on an international blog.
At City Barry will play about 10 to 15 games fewer next season compared to at Villa due to no Europa league. Will Barry be the only one of the probable regular England midfield not playing in Europe next season ?
Is this not a good thing - less knackered when the world cup comes around. Personaly I think so. I hope City buy a few more England regulars and rest them on thursday nights next season.
Comment number 81.At 16:52 3rd Jun 2009, AreYouRob'n wrote:
If City chuck enough money at the problem then they will qualify for Champions League at the end of the coming season or next, probably at the expense of Liverpool or Arsenal who are the most vulnerable to a club with City's resources. I don't know how much it will take but total spending of about £200m would probably be enough. It cost Abramovich about £600m to buy the title and the Glazers about the same although they bought a club complete with players rather than a club and adding the players. Just making 4th will be a lot less. Spending the money well and buying a team not just individuals might influence how much it costs but not the central premise that a deep wallet buys success.
Villa and Everton have no chance now and to be honest I doubt Spurs do either. Newcastle of course are in the wrong division. This season jsut past, with Arsenal severely constrained by property speculation, was the best opportunity for a different team to gatecrash the top 4 through old fashioned team building. With City it is now 5 into 4 and the pattern of the best players from Everton and Villa being hoovered up will continue. Not just because the rich clubs covert the players but because weakening potential rivals before they have a chance to seriously challenge is good business. This may also start to happen to Spurs who cannot compete on wages with any of the top 4 and City.
Barry has gone to one of five clubs that might deliver his ambition and he's getting a fortune to do so. Sound decision on his part if you ask me and I doubt sacrificing the UEFA Cup or Europa League or whatever for a season played any part in his decision at all. Frankly the days when it was the more challenging competition to win are long gone. Unfortunately I am old enough to remember those days when it was jammed with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th best teams from all the big leagues
Comment number 82.At 16:54 3rd Jun 2009, bobbieflowers wrote:
# 79 - can i have some of wot ur smoking please
Comment number 83.At 16:58 3rd Jun 2009, wartek wrote:
To 68 " If Only" If only me dad had boobs he'd be me mum. If Everton had an uninjured Yakubu/Arteta/Jags/Anichebe/Vaughan we would of finished 4th not Arsenal and won the FA Cup but we didnt.
Comment number 84.At 16:58 3rd Jun 2009, redforever wrote:
Nothing new about an individual moving jobs for more money, in fact its pretty much the norm. That he should admit it, seems a little unnecessary. Why should he admit it. He was trying to be loyal to Villa fans before he moved, and he's trying to be loyal to City fans now. He has no compunction to be honest with journalists, Phil.
As for City coming into some money, big deal. Money has talked in football for years, with the rare exception. Look at the history of the biggest transfers and you will find it filled with the winners of the majority of all the silverware ever handed out. That City will enter this arena due to the funding of a new owner, seems to be viewed in a negative light because he is not English. Abramhovic is still viewed as an outsider, but strangely the American owners of Man Utd arent? Smacks of something to me.
Regarding Liverpool and Alonso. The fact is Liverpool didnt buy Barry, and Alonso, despite a miriad of claims remains a Liverpool players, distinguishing himself throughout the season. His dissaffection has never been proven, indeed his involvement in diffusing the Carragher, Arbeloa rift at West Brom, showed the opposite. Liverpool dont have money to spend, thats for sure, so Benitez ambition to improve the team will depend on selling, but I think he would be letting Alonso go very reluctantly, and it would have to be a big number.
Comment number 85.At 17:02 3rd Jun 2009, pseudo_indignation wrote:
I find it bizarre that some people on here seem to be criticising fans who actually feel a bit nostalgic and romantic about passing of the beautiful game. Phrases like "the world moves on" and "money talks" and "it's just the way things are now" seem to be the currency of 'fans' who support the moneybags clubs.
It is they who should be lampooned, not the traditionalists who support football for the love of the game and not to see their team 'buy' silverware.
The Chelsea fans at Wembley in the FA Cup were an absolute disgrace to their club as they sat quietly and patiently in the afternoon sun waiting for their £200 million+ team beat 'lowly' Everton whose fans sang themselves hoarse for the entire afternoon. If that's what money does to club and its supporters I know which team I'd rather support.
So City and Chelsea and Man U and Liverpool fans, I know you will feel great picking up trophy after trophy in the years to come bought with mega-bucks...but real fans feel sorry for you, I promise you that is true.
Because it seems you fans, much like the clubs you 'follow' know the price of everything but the value of absolutely nothing.
Comment number 86.At 17:04 3rd Jun 2009, MaliceMajorE15 wrote:
i dont blame barry for moving, but it was unexpected i supose that he went to city. where will he play? they already have de jong kompany and zabeletta. i dont think he is better than the first two but he is left footed. i wonder who is going to be left as a squaddie on the bench with zabeletta
Comment number 87.At 17:10 3rd Jun 2009, Villain_Lodgey wrote:
Great Blog
Let's be perfectly honest here, Gareth Barry is a player who has been holding out on a deal like this for the past season. He didn't go to Liverpool but then came out and said he would go at the end of the season if Villa did not get Champions League football which we didn't
But why go to a team, where he may not get in the team ahead of Ireland and De-Jong and Kompany and not play at all in Europe.
Well Done to O'Neill for getting a good price on an over-rated player who has shown he is only in it for the money. Hopefully the cash from Barry and some extra money Lerner will put in will give us a chance to spend big on players such as Van Der Vaart, Bentley, Huddelstone and Owen
Comment number 88.At 17:11 3rd Jun 2009, Subsea75 wrote:
Mr McNulty, one of the main things i like about the BBC, is honest impartial reporting on facts. Last night, i read, watched and listen to tens of reports about Kaka signing for Madrid while the BBC commits it self to honest reporting. And while the BBC commits it self to honest reporting, you decide to tell us about a little rumour you heard "There is even speculation Benitez made a renewed bid at the death of this deal".
Anyhow, the main issue: Barry is guilty for not "admitting" the financial factor as you put it, is total nonsense. Blunt honesty is an equivalent to stupidity. in today's world, one must be diplomatic. And i am quite sure that if Barry did "admit" to the financial factor, you article would have had a worst heading.
as far as i am concerned, he did not test positive for drugs, nor does he dive and cheat, he has not been accused of rape, he didn't stamp a cigar in a youngster's eye etc.... He is a player who gives it 100 % every-time, spend 11 years at one club, and now fancy a change. Liverpool (your beloved club) wanted him on the cheap and Arsenal, United, and Chelsea made no offers for him.
Why don't you just come out from the closet and tell us who you support so we can all be assured that your reporting IS HONEST AND IMPARTIAL.
I am quite sick of people taking cheap digs at City, and every player they sign, it is like a propaganda war against us.
Comment number 89.At 17:11 3rd Jun 2009, pseudo_indignation wrote:
PS There seem to be Liverpool fans complaining of lack of funds here...don't forget the millions upon millions Benitez has had up to this point guys. He buys and sells players like Arthur Daly does with cars! He spent over £40million last season alone! Hence why included the club in my above rant.
Comment number 90.At 17:16 3rd Jun 2009, InterMylocal wrote:
He was already being paid a'decent' wage im sure... he could have gone to a champions league club and got a pay raise, which I would not blame him for, but he is not.
He had three options
Stay at Villa and be hero with a bucket load of cash
Join a CL team and have 2 bucket loads of cash and play CL
Join ManCity and have numerous buckets of cash with no guarantees of European football
I think he picked the wrong one... no offense to Man City, but he is 29 and needs to play CL now! Its not like he's going to be skint playing for Liverpool or Arsenal!
Comment number 91.At 17:17 3rd Jun 2009, kotakinabalu wrote:
"No neutral or level headed fan can say that the Arabs at Man City will do anything but damamge to the game" So... money is ruining the game, only one or two sides can actually win anything etc . You mean you only just noticed!!!
Comment number 92.At 17:19 3rd Jun 2009, Beagal wrote:
Journalists hypocrites City try and sign Kaka Its the ruin of football when he goes to Real Madrid what a wonderful signing. City have ambition and money.. For years the top four have had the monopoly on champions league money woe betide any club that should try and break that monopoly and lets face it as Villa and Everton have proved you need money to make a permanent break into that top 4. I for one would like to be a legend at a club that hasn't won anything for donkeys years than jumping on that go to the top clubs thats the only time you will win anything band wagon. Tell me any fan that doesn't want the money City have got at least we are doing it properly we still have academy players in the first 11.
Comment number 93.At 17:19 3rd Jun 2009, arundini wrote:
Man City fan here, glad GB is joining but think we will qualify for CL only in 2011/12 season so GB will have to wait two seasons - IF Hughes gets the right players and make them gel. That is not guaranteed - look at Real Madrid and the galactico project.
No-one is complaining about our new foreign money TorontoRed, like you say that is the norm these days. We are debating GB's motives. He should be financially secure for life now anyway so could have joined one of the Big 4 on lower wages and immediate CL football had he so wished.........
Comment number 94.At 17:28 3rd Jun 2009, 35mileswest wrote:
'Liverpool........did not get near a player.......'. Utter nonsense from McNulty again. Liverpool did not persue Barry because Benitez has other players he has prioritised in mind. Barry was not even approached by Liverpool and it was this lack of interest from his former suitors that left Barry with no choice other than to seek the best possible financial deal he could get. This is no criticism of the player, what else could he do given the options confronting him, but McNulty reflects the pig ignorance of some 'journalists', with anti-Rafa agendas, who will give the most bizarre slant to this denouement to the Barry saga.
Dumb Blueboy Phil then goes on to muse about Liverpool losing Alonso. After the quotes and assurances about Alonso's satisfaction and contentment with Liverpool and the manager's unwillingness to sell the player, this blog proves that McNulty is not just a shoddy journalist but a total balloon. Like so many others of his persuasion, the inherent racism of his tribe springs to life whenever he is confronted with anything that Benitez says or does: no foreigner can be taken at his word in Phil's little world.
Comment number 95.At 17:46 3rd Jun 2009, cliveeta wrote:
Man City spent millions in the last year - to no avail. Money alone will probably not guarantee a CL spot.
They would have to spend hundreds of millions, which they might do, but still I dont believe that will be enough.
As for Gareth Barry, he's just another pawn in this power play, good players reduced to bargaining chips. There's no integrity here.
Comment number 96.At 17:47 3rd Jun 2009, Bergysdeftflicks wrote:
Spend 'big' on Bentley, Huddlestone and Owen!
Blimey, if thats Villa's ambition from the top i can understand GB wanting out. All 3 are rubbish and past it. You might spend big and get Villa relegated!
Comment number 97.At 17:50 3rd Jun 2009, cliveeta wrote:
76 wrote'Basically Villa are going nowhere, and City have more ambition. Simple as that, City will finish above Villa and his decision will be vindicated'
I disagree. I'll bet City cant break into the top 5 next season, no matter who they buy....
Comment number 98.At 18:02 3rd Jun 2009, Gilo wrote:
Outstanding blog as always from McNulty.
Part of me does feel though BArry did serve his time at Villa and at the business end of his career needs to play for the most likely team thatll get him a medal. We live in a league now where its so uneven Ryan Giggs has 10 premiership medals where 98% of players cant reach a League Cup semi final.
Chelsea won the cup final Saturday a further nail in the coffin of a game which was once beautiful, equal, and contestable. Truth is it can be fixed and only the fans have the power. Champions league watered down to one team per country, salary and signing on fee caps in the Premiership, foreign player limits. All of these would save our game but money talks and for another decade we will see £££ win our souls. Wenger and Moyes must be heart broken as theyre far superior to Mark Hughes.
Proud blue, wouldnt trade Man City's money for Lescott, Moyes, the fans in the Gladys End or what it felt like to really enjoy being in a final. Chelsea fans have become so out of touch they didnt even appreciate being there. Follow, follow, follow
Comment number 99.At 18:06 3rd Jun 2009, Gilo wrote:
Rafa tried to do the dirty on Alonso last summer. Maybe Barry looked at the Robbie Keane 'My Dream Move' outcome and saw how imcompotent and disloyal your gaffa is. With no interest from Man Utd and Chelsea, the relasitic title contenders next year, Man City makes total sense as Everton and Villa can not match there summer power and ambition.
Barry - smart move.
McNulty - Superb
Comment number 100.At 18:09 3rd Jun 2009, philmcnultybbcsport wrote:
To MorpethExile...Manchester City fans have every right to celebrate the way they are going to go about their business this summer. Why shouldn't they? They have had hard times, but now they are one of the richest clubs in world football.
Any other club in the Premier League would be elated to find themselves in City's situation and don't let them tell you any different. Why should they be concerned by jibes from other clubs that they are throwing money at it?
But there is another side to this approach.
It will be an intriguing start to next season because, make no mistake, there will be huge focus and pressure on City and their manager Mark Hughes.
As well as buying Robinho, big money has been spent on Shaun Wright-Phillips, Vincent Company, Craig Bellamy, Nigel de Jong and others. Results will not just be expected, they will be demanded.


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The Middle East has long been considered a crossroads, historically as a meeting point for trade between east and west and today as an international airline hub.
The procurement profession also finds itself at a crossroads in its evolution. How can it cement the gains of the previous decade, and prepare itself for future challenges? CIPS President Babs Omotowa told this year's CIPS Middle East Conference that procurement was now seen as a core function in many organisations – indicating the profession's strategic status.
"We have seen several procurement professionals become CEOs, this shows the profession has come of age and the sky is the limit, as CIPS enables you to aspire to the very top," he said.
But as one of those professionals Omotowa, managing director and CEO at Nigeria LNG, does not believe the profession has reached its peak. "Far from it," he said. "I think of us as a young footballer who has worked hard to get into the first team. He has all the skills to shine, but he is not the finished article. He needs to push on, develop his importance to the team, perhaps by scoring more goals, or stopping the other team from scoring."
He also likened the role of a purchaser to that of a goalkeeper. "You can't win a match just by saving goals. He needs to be part of a team and sometimes step out of his comfort zone and actually become a goal scorer."
Kieran Dowd, director, global procurement at Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), warned against the belief that procurement in every organisation is on the same evolutionary path. He felt there is no single route to best practice, as proposed by some consultants and academics, as this does not consider the demands and constraints in each organisation.
And he urged those who had not yet achieved 'world-class' status not to be too concerned, coming up with what he called the 'Good Will Hunting realisation'. "You just need to know, it's not your fault," he said.Talent not tools
Developing the next generation of talent within the profession is just as much a concern in the Middle East as in the rest of the procurement world.
This was neatly summed up by Saeed Al Ameri, vice president of contracts at Abu Dhabi Airports. "You can have the best tools around, but not having the right skills in place makes it difficult to deliver on the objectives of the organisation," he said.
Samar Al Mansoori, executive director – procurement and commercial at TDIC, said there is a missing link between businesses and universities. "I have myself approached many universities to talk about the profession – they don't allow you in," she says. A fan of CIPS' Be a Buyer initiative, she is in the early stages of developing a means of connecting professionals in the region with universities and schools.
Being a mentor
Another way to nurture young talent is through mentoring.
Recruiter Graham Whitworth of Morgan McKinley said there was quite a demand from senior professionals in the region who wanted to play this type of role. "One of the things I sense from the community is there are a lot of people who like the idea of being a mentor, but they don't know how to channel this appropriately," he said.
Mentoring can also be a source of new blood for the profession, he believes. "We are in a situation in procurement where we are moving very quickly, and many of the skills that we need are not available in the market, so we are looking for transferable skills. A lot of the time you already have the right people in your business, they are just in the wrong department or team. And a mentoring focus in the organisation can help identify those individuals."
Kurt Warren, associate director, logistics and supply chain management at New York University Abu Dhabi – who described mentoring as the most rewarding aspect of his 30 year career – said that to be successful you have to be willing to develop staff who could one day take over your position.
Omotowa was in agreement. "One thing we should always aim for is to identify talents that are better than you, and if you do that you might just find the next [Apple CEO] Tim Cook."Progress for women
The role of women in the procurement profession was debated the last time the conference was held in Abu Dhabi in 2011. But has there being any progress since then? Yes, a lot says Durdana Farid, senior procurement specialist at broadcaster MBC.
"In the past five years we have massively grown in this region. CIPS has played a huge role in creating awareness of how procurement is an integral part of an organisation. The struggles six years ago were much more complex than they are now. There are so many women in the region that I have come across that are doing great in the profession," she told a panel discussion.
According to Megan James, procurement service delivery section manager at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority: "Contrary to a lot of the misconceptions abroad, I think that women in the UAE are extremely well-supported by men. I know in the organisations I have worked in, the contributions of women are very highly valued. We are in a very fortunate country in the Middle East that genuinely supports women right from the very top."
The panelists advised women to be courageous, and take control of their own careers.
Key speaker, Emirati film maker Nayla Al Khaja (pictured above) echoed this, urging women to be fearless in pursuing their ambitions. "It's like an electrical socket. If you push it all the way in it will work. If you only push it half the way in, it might not. It's the same about believing in yourself," she said. "Women should be fearless and follow their dreams and not let scary things deter them."
And, she adds, this isn't just a lesson for women. "It's not a gender thing. The real question is are you a professional in your field? Are you pushing yourself? It's that drive that is important. You have to be totally committed and totally professional."
Raising your game
CIPS President Babs Omotowa had four tips for buyers at the conference to prepare themselves for the next stage of procurement's evolution:
1. Step outside cost reduction. "Learn the language of the business and understand where you can add value," he said. "To understand the business you need to be able to spend time with it, to read up, to train yourself to ask questions and get involved."
2. Drive value across the entire chain. "Ensure you enable your suppliers to get involved very early for them to be able to innovate and add creativity. The early involvement of suppliers will benefit both you and them."
3. Be the solution for societal issues. "This is good for business and society. Environmental, free trade, child labour and corruption issues – these are areas where we can make a difference."
4. Secure the present and the future by investing in the best people. "Develop the best people you can find and give them the opportunities to excel," he concluded.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Trevor Wood is a retired clinical nurse supervisor living in England. His woodworking expertise is among the very best. He keeps few of the beautiful puzzles that he makes; most of his work, produced in very limited quantities, quickly finds its way into private collections. Trevor's website is worth a visit; you will find a gallery of his puzzles as well as some personal information about him.


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This week's challenge is Hallowe'en - how is Hallowe'en celebrated in your part of the world?
Well, I've never been in France for Hallowe'en before, but it's been abundantly clear over the last couple of weeks that they don't celebrate it at all - or not as we know it, anyway.
No witches or ghouls, no fireworks or bonfires, no peanuts or pumpkin carving (that's actually an Irish tradition, y'know, we used to carve turnips in bygone days). No kids in fancy dress, no goody bags, no scary skeleton decorations, no Hallowe'en party games like dunking for coins or apples.
None of that stuff. Instead of that, La Toussaint (All Saints Day) is a holy day and Public Holiday.
The quintessential symbol of this Holiday is the humble Chrysanthemum - so much so, that the big supermarket in Apt, LeClerc, has this announcement on the doors as you go in :
|Arrival of the Chrysanthemums Your shop will be closed on Thurs Nov 1st
Next Thursday, all of these bright displays will be placed on the graves of loved ones and people will pause a while to remember those they've lost.
Yes, it's different here.
Massive Faux Pas to avoid : If you're visiting a French person and want to bring flowers, don't ever, ever bring Chrystanthemums.


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Philip Morris International
Philip Morris International Inc. is an American global cigarette and tobacco company, with products sold in over 200 countries and 15.6% of the international cigarette market outside the United States. The most recognised and best selling product of the company is Marlboro.
Optimal Online developed the Ultimate Trade Application to measure the availability, visibility, sales and educational levels of a product in-store. The app has become a pivotal tool for sales managers to understand how their products are doing in trade. Optimal Online has subsequently developed the app for the South African, Kuwait and Iraq market.
Get hold of us should you wish to measure your products in Trade.


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Pierre Rabbat, the "enfant terrible" of television!
He is one of the most iconic figures of MTV. Success after success, Pierre Rabbat has participated in the emancipation of the Lebanese media landscape. The young man came from an engineering and technology background before discovering and shining on the television. Special met the Lebanese television's favorite host, as we are big fans of his growing fame.
How does it make you feel to launch the careers of young talents in your program?
It makes me super happy because there are people who have given me the opportunity to be on TV and they believed in me. It's my turn to support people who have potential and I think they will have a very bright future. I want to clarify that I did not know them at all before the show!
First of all, I followed Elie Sleiman on Facebook and I found him really funny. He also sent me a message telling me how much he loved TV and my show. While preparing Menel Ekher, I contacted him. He was supposed to prepare the topic Radar which was supposed to be presented by a comedian. Elie prepared the sequence from A to Z by presenting it himself and passed me the tape. I almost died of laughter! I knew he was going to make the difference on the screen and he did it hands down!
Same thing for Mario Chiha; I was following him on Instagram and I appreciated his many short videos. I offered him to come and do the same thing on the small screen.
As for André Sayegh, he's a longtime friend who has always wanted to do television. I told him to watch the show 'Touche Pas à Mon Poste' and suggested him to choose a sequence in that show's optic. He returned with his famous title "w khayyak shou ra2yo"!
MTV was often accused of lacking innovation since the majority of its programs are adaptations of foreign shows...
What the audience doesn't know is that the adaptation of a program to a Lebanese or Arabic audience is already a challenge in itself. We cannot just take the French program as it is, let's take Cyril Hanouna's show for example; we cannot just copy and then paste it to the Lebanese TV. We need to create a sequence that goes with our audience while remaining faithful to the spirit of the show and that's where the difficulty lies. Moreover, beside my job as a TV host, I am also Director of Development at Studio Vision, my job is mainly creating programs and purchasing formats and adapt them to the Arab countries.
Last year, I created a quiz program, Who Will You Trust, and I attended the Cannes Film Festival as part of the competition "Miptv". We won the second prize, which means that we have the capacity to innovate, but this doesn't prevent the purchase of successful foreign programs! In short, if you want to create, you can create.
Your favorite local and international TV presenter?
Locally, I respect enormously Marcel Ghanem who's someone who really understood the concept of TV and how to make a good reputation of himself. In addition, despite the numerous situations in which the country has went through, he would always stay positive.
Internationally I like Arthur, Thierry Ardisson, and recently Cyril Hanouna who I've personally met. In the United States I would say Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.
The show you would like to present?
Everything that I've presented till now... I would like to make a one to one late night show some day like David Letterman, Colbert ... I don't like to rush into things, for now I'm comfortable positioning myself in the style which the public has become accustomed to, this way I'll gain maturity before moving forward to something else.
Check out the full interview in our issue of May 2016.


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To cope the demanding outdoor working conditions, Standard Hi Viz trousers from PHS have a stain release finish and repel water.
This not only to extends the life of your Hi Viz workwear but to keeps the wearer dry and comfortable.
Having provided 50 years of service with the help of expert knowledge from fully trained, professional teams located nationwide, PHS is the UK's leading provider of high quality workplace products and services.
As we've supplied anything from washroom products, specialist workplace supplies, document shredding and storage solutions to companies on a local and national scale, it's safe to say that we know a thing or two about maintaining an inviting, safe and, most importantly, compliant workplace.
To share our knowledge, PHS has compiled a collection of helpful guides, blogs and news articles so you can ensure your business runs as smoothly as possible.


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The meaning of the color Mauve and color combinations to inspire your next design.
Mauve is a pale, bluish purple that sits between violet and pink in the color wheel. Its name comes from the French word "malva," which means mallow flower. Mauve is the color of the first mass-produced dye that English chemist William Perkin accidentally discovered in 1856. The unusual shade of purple revolutionized fashion and proved to be exceptionally popular in the 1890s, which is sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade." The hex code for mauve is #E0B0FF.
Mauve invokes feelings of romance, nostalgia, and sentimentality. It balances its complementary color yellow, goes well with other shades of purple, and makes lime green pop.
Looking for a different hue? The following colors are related to mauve.
With 60,000+ templates, Canva is the easiest way to create beautiful designs.


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Ditch The Doggy Breath Naturally
If your family can be counted among the 37% to 47% of American households that have a dog, you probably understand the unique challenges associated with pet ownership. Sharing your intimate living space with a dog isn't always easy, especially when your four-legged friend has bad breath.
Here are three natural remedies you can try at home to help rid your dog of his or her bad breath in the future.
1. Make sure your dog's water bowl stays clean.
One of the easiest ways to prevent your dog's bad breath is by eliminating the bacteria responsible for causing the odor. A buildup of bacteria in your dog's mouth could lead to the development of periodontal disease, and bad breath (referred to in the veterinary community as halitosis) is a symptom of this disease.
Since bacteria can accumulate in a water dish that isn't kept clean, taking the time to thoroughly wash your pet's water bowl can reduce the number of bacteria finding their way into his or her mouth.
2. Give your pooch a carrot to gnaw on.
Providing your dog with a natural chew toy, like a large carrot, allows you to easily combat bad breath in the future. Tartar and plaque that are allowed to build up on the surface of your dog's teeth can contribute to that foul odor known as doggy breath.
By giving your dog a carrot to chew on, you provide him or her with an all-natural way to scrub tartar and plaque free. Gnawing on a carrot can also stimulate saliva production, which helps to wash away food particles that can contribute to bad breath as well.
3. Add some apple cider vinegar to your dog's water.
Ingesting apple cider vinegar has many health benefits for your beloved pet, but the acidic nature of this common kitchen item can help kill off the bacteria responsible for causing bad breath. All you have to do is add one tablespoon (or one teaspoon if your dog weighs less than 15 pounds) to your pet's water dish daily.
Be sure that you are investing in an apple cider vinegar that contains between 5% and 6% acetic acid to maximize the bad-breath fighting benefits the vinegar can provide.
Finding natural ways to help curb your dog's bad breath at home can be beneficial. Not only will your dog experience greater oral health, but you will enjoy receiving kisses from your favorite pet once again. If your dog needs a little extra help with their bad breath, you should check out websites like http://www.kenmorevet.com to see what services dog dentists offer.


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The financially ailing Long Island College Hospital (LICH), which all but closed last month, is now slated to return as an emergency department with some additional health services as the site gets developed into condominiums.
The State University of New York (SUNY) reached an agreement with Fortis Property Group for over $240 million, it announced Sunday.
"The deal begins the process of easing the tremendous financial burden being shouldered by students and campuses across the state," stated SUNY communications director David Doyle. "Longstanding litigation and losses at LICH appear to be nearly over, allowing vital public higher education resources to move from the courtroom to the classroom where they belong."
Last Friday, Supreme Court Justice Johnny Lee Baynes threw out the community groups' motion calling for a redo of the RFP process. Jim Walden, the attorney representing the community groups, argued the process had been manipulated, as many panelists were found to not have given higher ratings to hospitals and bids with more health services, as the new RFP agreed upon early this year intended.
Last week Walden had said they would make a motion for SUNY to return to negotiations with Peebles Corp., the second ranking bidder, if the motion for the manipulated scores to be tossed out was denied.
SUNY's negotiations with Peebles had fallen apart within a week after reporting positive progress. Peebles had agreed to do a needs assessment of the community, focusing on whether a hospital was needed at the LICH location. Community groups had asked Fortis to do the same but the developer did not agree.
Instead, Fortis is creating a Community Foundation for $5 million so their health partner NYU Langone Medical Center can assess the health needs of the community on an ongoing basis. Fortis is also adding 10,000 square feet of space on-site for NYU to use flexibly for the additional health services.
Community members had criticized the ongoing assessment last week because adjustments would only be made off the patients seen in the emergency department and would not solve the issue of overcrowding in the surrounding hospitals, such as New York Methodist Hospital and The Brooklyn Hospital Center.
The agreement is subject to approval by the Board of Trustees and State Comptroller.
Fortis/NYU will provide the following services:
- Free standing ED
- Observation Beds
- Urgent Care
- Primary Care and Preventative
- Dental
- Pediatrics
- Geriatric
- OB/Gyn
- Internal Medicine
- Specialty Care
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Orthopedics
- Physiatry
- Pulmonary
- Urology
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation /Physical Therapy
- Full service satellite of NYU Langone Cancer Center/ a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Office Based Surgery
- GI Endoscopy
- Bronchoscopy
- Dermatology
- Cardiac Health Diagnostic Center
- Ambulatory Surgery
- Orthopedics
- Ear, Nose and Throat
- Ophthalmology
- Urology
- Plastics
- General Surgery
- Behavioral Health
- HIV Clinic


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http://smashingpicture.com/tim-flach-photography/Related: Animal Photography
9 Old-Timey Animal Photos You Won't Believe Are Real In the old days, concepts like safety, animal rights and sanity weren't as well-defined as they are now. And while there's no question that we treat animals better today than we did a few decades ago, sometimes what's good for the animals is bad for the field of insanely badass photography. So, we'll just have to fill that void with old-timey photos like these. Portraits of Dogs as They Shake Off Water - StumbleUpon For her series "Shake", pet photographer Carli Davidson photographed curious portraits of dogs shaking off water. Use a fast shutter speed and you can capture all kinds of strange expressions on your dog's face. You can find the rest of the photographs in the series here. CGPortfolio - I-CHEN LIN Hello everybody This diagram is the cover of the ghost story book This is a kind of method that calls soul with the Pencil The ghost will enclose and write out information inside the Pencil I want to display the terrific feeling in the picture So the usage is blue and the green color And let two girl students have different expression movement and feeling The girl of the right side doesn't want to play to want to leave But the girl of the left side want to continue to play… Sorry My English is poor… Hoping everyone will like Part Reference and Create process My
20 Very Useful Photography Tips And Tricks The summer is here so now is the perfect time to make a lot of photos. If you want to look like a professional photographer, then you must enhance your pictures. Take a look at this article because here you will find 20 very cool tutorials which will help you transform an average photo into a work of art. How To Make Digital Photos Look Like Lomo Photography The Top 75 'Pictures of the Day' for 2012 *Update: The Top 100 'Pictures of the Day' for 2012 have just been published. Click here to check out the most up-to-date post! After the positive reception from last year's "Top 50 'Pictures of the Day' for 2011", the Sifter promised to highlight the top 25 'Pictures of the Day' at the end of every quarter, eventually culminating in an epic Top 100 for 2012. It's hard to believe we're already into the final quarter of 2012.
25 Stunning Images of Animals From herons rudely showing off their behinds while hunting for fish, to hungry cheetahs preparing to pounce on their next dinner – these striking images capture the magic of the animal kingdom. Massive Art Nouveau-Inspired Mural in Montreal For 16 days straight, from dawn to dusk, five highly determined Montreal-based artists (who make up the artist run collective A'shop) worked on a graffiti mural of a Mother Nature-esque Madonna or a modern-day version of "Our Lady of Grace." Inspired by Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha, the crew created this breathtakingly beautiful five story mural using 500 cans of spray paint in over 50 different colors. "We been doing graffiti for a long time but this is our first large project involving the whole team," Fluke of A'shop told The Montreal Gazette. "We're always busy with other projects so we've never really had time to let [the reactions to] them sink in.
Awesome Illustrations by Ryan Mauskopf The Cyclops and the 3-D Movie Icarus and the Jumbo Jet Cronus and the Delicious Baby Medusa and the Optometrist Triton and the Fishing Net


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PhDr. Roman Chytilek, Ph.D.
Roman Chytilek is research secretary of the Institute for Comparative Political Research and odborný asistent (approx. Lecturer in the UK; Assistant Professor in the US) at the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, where he is coordinator of the pathway Electoral Studies and Political Marketing in the Master's programme.In his teaching, Roman focuses on political science methodology, the study of electoral and party systems, as well as game theory. Within the Institute for Comparative Political Research, his interests include comparative study of multi-level party and electoral systems in Europe and election modelling. He was involved in the conception of the Electmach software and CODER database (http://ispo.fss.muni.cz/volebni-software). Author or co-author of four monographs and a number of other publications, in 2005 he was awarded a grant Mechanické a psychologické efekty volebních systémů (Mechanical and Psychological Effects of Electoral Systems, FRVŠ) and currently cooperates on the grant projects European Values Study and Politické strany v Africe, Asii, Latinské Americe a Oceánii (Political Parties in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Oceania). He also serves on the editorial boards of the journals Evropská volební studia (European Electoral Studies) and Sociální studia (Social Studies).
+420 549 494 235
list of publications on is.muni.cz