The Worst Value For Money

Down the years, us blues have seen many players put on the blue shirt and drop like a led balloon. Some have been signed with more optimism than others and been expected to either lead from example at the back or be the pin point of our attack. More often than not big name signings have flopped, but prior to our new revolution, City were renowned for signing veterans of the game on the Bosman ruling. Players like Andy Cole signed in 2005 proved to be a controversial one to say the least as manager Stuart Pearce was signing a United legend. Others include the likes of Arsenal and England legend  David Seaman. United famous shot stopper Peter Schmeichel, German legend Michael Taarnat and former Dutch international Paul Bosvelt along with former City manager Stuart Pearce.
Some of our worst ever signings have without a doubt been in the last ten years. My 10th worst signing I feel was four years ago this summer.


10. Emmaunel Adebayor:

With Mark Hughes in charge, this was the first summer when our summer spending was aimed at bringing in Galactico's . Out of nowhere City had a bid of twenty five million pounds accepted for the prolific Togolese striker. After scoring thirty goals for Arsenal in the 07/08 season, Adebayor was clearly destined to be an Arsenal great, but after many interviews and demanding more wages Arsenal fans turned against the African striker. The season after he scored fifteen goals for Arsenal but it was clear that he wasn't wanted at Arsenal. Mark Hughes acted swiftly to sign the Arsenal forward and after his explosive start to the 09/10 season with City. He was already becoming a fans favourite. Four goals in Four games had excelled him to the top of the scoring charts in the league. One of which was against his former club Arsenal when he opted to run the length of the pitch to celebrate infront of his former "fans". Only once have I ever seen a player play so well in one match in all my years watching football, and unluckily for Arsenal it was Lionel Messi's brilliance at the Nou Camp six months later against Arsenal. Later in the January, Adebayor went to the African cup of nations and was involved in a horrific crime where his Togo bus was shot at killing some of his team mates. Adebayor returned to City 4 weeks later in a Cup semi final against United, and it was clear he was not the same player. After numerous bust ups with team mates and management over the next twelve months, Adebayor was then loaned to Real Madrid for six months. With all the ability in the world if he was bothered, it is clear he could have become a City legend.

9: Rolando Bianchi:

Another disastrous Sven signing. After a prolific season in Italy when Italian football was its weakest its ever been, Sven found a reason to buy the 24 year old Italian for 7.8m pounds. With poor technique and someway lacking the cutting edge, Rolando was never going to last long in the Premier League. After an exceptional debut against West Ham, many opinions of the Italian had changed. But that was about as good as it got for him. Another 3 goals in 18 appearances it was clear the Italian was on his way out of Manchester and heading home to Italy. In January after the arrival of Mexican striker Nery Castillo on loan from Shakhtar, Rolando was then loaned back to Lazio where he was sent off on his debut. After another unsuccessful stint with Lazio, Torino were promoted from Serie B and took up the option to sign him for 3.5m. More than half of what City had paid for him less than 12 months previous. Since then Rolando has gone on to have a better ratio than one goal every other game. Something none of us blues could every see in the lazy Italian.

8. Robbie Fowler:

Probably the best finisher of his generation, when Robbie Fowler was signed by Kevin Keegan in January 2003 for a whopping seven million, it was fair to say massive performances were expected from the Liverpool legend. Well he didn't..
In just under eighty appearances for City, Fower scored only twenty goals in three years at City, something both his reputation and his price tag didn't live up to. When it came to Manchester Derby's, Fowler didn't have a bad record. With three goals against United in three years. Well its something he can be remembered for. Robbie's City career was summed up in May 05. When a home game against Middlesborough was going on. City had to win to guarantee a place in the then, UEFA cup for the first time in twenty eight years. With the scores level at 1 - 1 . City won a penalty in the 92nd minute. Up step Fowler and to the amazement of the City faithful, Fowler took the penalty with his weaker right foot and it was saved by then 'Boro keeper, Mark Schwarzer. Fowler's City career never really continued after that. After the purchases of Darius Vassell and Andy Cole, the two men formed a good partnership and the veteran Fowler was slowly sliding down the pecking order. With the purchase of Georgios Samaras, Fowler then moved on back to former club Liverpool where he struggled yet again with the speed of the Premier League.

7. Jonathan Macken: 

To many City fans, Jon Macken's finest moment in his career came against us, scoring a forty five yard wonder goal in November 2001 when City travelled to Deepdale. Four months later, Jon Macken, a blue from a boy, was signed for a then club record fee of six and a half million pounds. Along with Macken, Sun Jihai was bought from China in the same week. With big things expected of the local born Macken, I think its fair to say he never lived up to his massive 1st Division price tag. After coming off the bench to score in a 0 - 2 away win at Bradford's Valley Parade. Macken then went onto score 3 more times in the league winning season that year. When City were promoted to the Premier League, Macken was now one of six strikers at City including, Darren Huckerby, Paulo Wanchope, Matthais Vueuso, Shaun Goater and new record signing Nicolas Anelka. With many people expecting the young Macken to partner the formidable Frenchman Anelka upfront, this was then proved wrong when Macken ruled himself out for most of the season with injuries. The following season Macken scored some pivotal goals for City in a fairly disappointing season. Macken famously scored the winner at White Hart Lane when City came from three goals down and a man down at half time, to pull of probably the greatest FA Cup comeback ever. He then later that same month scored in the 4 - 1 at home to United. In hein sight, the purchase of Jon Macken proved to be money blown by then manager Kevin Keegan. He failed to score enough or even play well enough. A player that would always try his hardest but was sadly just not good enough. He has then moved onto Walsall, Barnsley and Ipswich to name a few.

6.Andreas Isaksson:

Words can't describe how fearful I was of this guy when we signed from FC Rennais in 2006. In all honestly I have never seen an international goalkeeper that couldn't keep. When City signed "the promising" Swede for what seemed a bargain two million pounds from Rennes, it was a disaster all round.  At the time the 24 year old had 40 international caps. Well thats all the guy had. His first few months were hampered by injury. Isaksson finally made his debut in October at home to Watford. What followed was none other than horrific. A scoreless draw followed by a defeat at home to Reading, then manager Stuart Pearce was not quick in bringing in then reserve goalkeeper Nicky Weaver back into the team. A seemingly washed up goalkeeper was getting his place ahead of this international goalkeeper. At the end of the season Pearce was sacked, and Joe Hart was rising through the ranks after signing from Shrewsbury the previous summer. When Sven came in, he left Isaksson out of the team and in place put in Kasper Schmeichel, a then keeper with no first team experience. Isaksson played a handful of games that season along with the other two goalkeepers, but after speaking publicly about needing first team football reguarly to keep improving in his career (not the only thing Andreas) he was then sold to PSV in the summer of 08 to replace out going keeper Hurelio Gomes. In all my years watching City I have never felt so uncomfortbale with a player in goal than I did for the 19 league games he played for us.

5. Nery Castillo: 

 Oh how I thought this guy was going to make it. During the 2007 Copa America, its fair to say the young Mexican took the competition by storm with brilliant goals, sintilating speed and deadliness infront of opposition goal. After the competition, the then Olympiakos Striker was attracting interest from Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United and City. To the world's surprise the Mexican "wonderkid" joined Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar in a fifteen million deal. His career in the Ukraine lasted as long as a Mexican wave. After a match where Shakhtar won a penalty, Castillo refused to let anyone else take it even though he wasn't the regular spot kick taker. He then missed the penalty and the owners forced the manager to never pick the young Mexican ever again after the team went on to lose the match 2 - 1. In the January transfer window, many of Europe's top clubs had lost interest in Castillo due to his poor attitude and laziness on the pitch. He was so keen to join City that he paid one million of the one and a half million loan fee. He aimed to perform at City and then move onto greater things. His City career was as long as another Mexican wave. After dislocating his shoulder against West Ham in an FA Cup replay, Castillo short career with City was stopped. He returned in May as a central midfielder and never showed any signs of greatness. When Sven was sacked, Castillo wasn't far behind him. He has since played in America and in Greece with Aris. A wasted career or another blown up "wonderkid". ?

4. Robinho:

The only thing saving him from being higher up this list is the fact he scored fifteen goals for City in six months. Other than that he would be firmly second. (wait til you see first and you'll then understand he weren't that bad). After being the first signing under the new City revolution, Robinho came with a stature and the skills to hopefully help promote City to the brink of world domination. City forked out a then British transfer record for the Samba star with eleven minutes to spare on the clock. He made his debut two weeks later against the club he was expected to sign for earlier on that summer, Chelsea. And my god did he make a first impression. After scoring from a free kick from outside the box, Robinho instantly became a fans favourite. His brilliant skills and quick feet were something us blues had never seen before. His form continued right up until the new year. His most memerable came against Arsenal in a 3 - 0 win at home when he brilliantly chipped Almunia to score the cheekiest goal ever seen at the Etihad.  His form didn't last long, many disputes and problems with then manager Mark Hughes left many to believe that the Brazilian was on his way out in the summer. This was not the case as Hughes went on to purchase Tevez along with other big names. Robinho was now playing in a team full of superstars and was expected to shine. This was again not the case. Without a league goal all season, on the final day of the January transfer window, new manager Roberto Mancini loaned the troubled Brazilian back to Santos and he never played for City again. The most talented player to ever flop at City? Perhaps? That is why he is only 4th on the list.

3. Jerome Boateng: 

After the World Cup in South Africa, the Hamburg player has destined to join City after being scouted since the arrival of Roberto Mancini six months previously. City forked out nearly twelve million pounds for the German whose career at City cut short less than a year later. His career with the club got off to a disaterous start after a Europa League game in Romania, the 6ft 4' German was involved in a freak accident on the journey home where he was injured by a flight attendent's shopping cart. His return to form was as good as it was during his injury. Passionless, half hearted performances produced a lot of mistakes and being taught a harsh lesson in English football when he came up against world class players. Despite being a part of the cup success that followed at the end of the season whereby City picked up their first trophy in thirty five years, he was soon sold to German Giants Bayern Munich where he has since become a regular in their Champions League final run last year where they were narrowly defeated by Chelsea on penalties in Munich last May.

2. Roque Santa Cruz: 

My next two worst players for money are both Mark Hughes signings. This says alot for his reign in charge of City. In Hughes' final year at Blackburn, he bought Roque Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich for three and a half million in 2007. After a brilliant start to his Blackburn career. Santa Cruz scored eighteen goals in the league for Blackburn that season was clearly showing the form that he was capable of. When Hughes' left Blackburn to join City it was only then a matter of time before he followed in his ex managers footsteps, but the deal never materialised and the striker was forced to another season with new manager Paul Ince.
He never reached the form he produced the previous season mainly to do with injuries and the new style of football played by Sam Allardyce and Paul Ince. The following summer he moved to City for a staggering eighteen million. Many of us blues criticised the decision, as he was unable to make his debut until the start of October! He scored in a League Cup game against Scunthorpe and also three others in Cup competitions and one in the league. His lack of speed, lack of cutting edge, and fitness proved to be his downfall at City, and the fact he could never perform makes him second in the worst value for money.

1. Jo:

Many of you blues fans had probably already guessed it. But the worst value for money is yet another Mark Hughes signing, Jo! Arguably the worst player in Premier League history let alone our own history. The then 21 year old was snapped up by City. Lacking pace, persion, technique, a passing ability, strength, a head, sharpess and a brain, why Mark Hughes choose to spend nineteen million pounds on the "striker" still remains a mystery. Joining a City team with forwards that couldn't get any worse. City fans optimism of Jo was pretty high, until he returned from the Beijing Olympics and actually started playing. Jo was undoubtly a gifted "striker". He scored a beauty of a goal against Portsmouth in 6 - 0 thumping of the south coast team. Jo amazing scored by swinging his foot at the ball, to score into a goal with no keeper. How he managed to show that skill is still beyond most of our imaginations.
After Jo's moment of brilliance, it was clear he decided to take a break from striking and just stand around in future games. He eventually lost his place, and was loaned to Everton, where he tripled his scoring account in England by scoring two goals on his debut. His debut with Everton, summed up his City career. This move paved the way for Craig Bellamy to join from West ham. At the end of the season, Jo was loaned out to Turkey. After and unsuccessful career in Turkey, Jo returned to City and found himself in City's 25 man Premier League squad. Still in awe of the goal he scored 2 years previous, Jo decided not to score again for City as he didn't like the publicity of being compared to Maradona and Pele.

Overall, Jo's career at city makes him the worst player to play for us. There have been some bad ones including Lee Bradbury and Michael Brown to name a few. Along with Mexican Matias Vuoso, he never even played for the club. I couldn't help but use humour in summing up Jo's City career cause if I done it any other way, the fury would rise from me and I would try figure out what possesed Mark Hughes to buy this guy.