22 Jan 2009(Thu)

January 20, 2009: As much as I would like to see Manchester City challenging the elite of the English Premier League, I am not disappointed to see their mind-boggling bid for Kaka fall flat.

After sifting through the mass of reports, it was clear that Milan were willing to accept City's offer of 100 million pounds (or $147 million) and sell their Brazilian playmaker for a fortune in these uncertain financial times.

Where the deal broke down, though, was with the player himself. He had already said he wanted to "grow old" at Milan, and he proved to be as good as his word by turning down the chance to move. So good on him; a decision that earns him even more respect around the world.

Overall, then, it's a victory for football, and proof that money cannot buy anything.

It would have been strange to see Kaka in the sky blue of City; or, as one columnist put it, like Michael Schumacher driving a Minardi -- very unlikely success would have followed, despite the quality of the man at the controls.

As for City, I enjoyed watching them for a brief spell in their old stadium at Maine Road, when Malcolm Allison was manager in 1979-80. It was always amusing standing on the terraces in the famous Kippax, as the City fans were witty and brutally honest in their assessment of their own team and players.

Accompanying a season ticket-holder who was a friend at the time, we would park the car near the ground and immediately be confronted by a group of kids from the local housing estate.

"Can we look after your car, mister?" they would ask.

But it wasn't really a question, because you had no choice but to give them a handful of change.

This was their "fee" for "looking after" your car; basically protection money -- because if you did not give them anything they would smash up your car while you were inside Maine Road watching the match!

The City team under Allison was full of expensive signings, notably the midfielder Steve Daley from Wolves.

There was also one of my favourite European players of all time at City in those days, the brilliant Kazimierz Deyna; a Polish version of Johan Cruyff.

Tragically, Deyna died in a car crash in San Diego at the age of 41 in September 1989.

What I didn't know until just now, when looking up Deyna on Wikipedia, was that his nickname in his homeland was...Kaka.

ends