Manchester City are one of the top rising teams in the world. If we just think about what the Blues achieved over the last few years - let’s just say it’s been a dream come true for everyone. The players, the staff, and most importantly, the fans. They are constantly bringing in better players and experts to manage the club. That’s the main reason the Blues are favored by most bookmakers for winning the Premier League season after season. If you take a look at the best uk football betting sites list, you’ll see that every bookie out there likes how the they perform.
So, who’s responsible for the City’s immense success over the years? Let’s take a trip down memory lane, and cover some of the key moments that shape what the Blues represent in today’s football world.
September 2008: Manchester City Has New Owners
The Blues always had ambition. One thing they lacked though, was a reputable owner who has money to invest in the club. But as the 2006-2007 season kicked, things started to look promising, as the current owners were getting ready to sell the club.
In June 2007, Manchester City was bought by the Thailand’s prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for a sum of 81.6 million pounds. And this was the fresh start that everyone wanted. Thaksin appointed the popular Sven-Goran Eriksson as a manager, and promised to bring in fresh talent with purpose to strengthen up the squad. But because of political and personal controversies, Thaksin decided to do the best thing and step down - after being little more than a year at the club.
At the beginning of the 2008/2009 season, Thaksin sold Manchester City to the Abu Dhabi United group for a reported sum of 200 million pounds. Looking back now, this is the best thing that could’ve happened. Right from the beginning, the new owners had promised to spend big money, and make City a Premier League title contester. Al Fahim said: "Our goal is very simple - to make Manchester City the biggest club in the Premier League and to begin with to finish in the top four this season. We will adopt marketing plans that reflect positively on the club and the company from investments in all sectors of television marketing and purchasing of the stars players, as well as development of infrastructure facilities at the club."
May 2012: City’s Wins the Premier League Title After 44 Years
This was the year for the Blues. They brought a number of key players in the squad like Kun Aguero, Samir Nasri, Clichy and Adebayor. With the experienced Roberto Mancini as a manager, the team showed consistent performance all season long. The only real threat to their first title after so much time was Manchester United.
In one of the most dramatic final match days in the history of the Premier League, Manchester City won 3-2 to QPR’s side which was fighting to avoid relegation. The Blues scored 2 goals in extra time, and became Premier League champions for the first time after 44 years. They had the same amount of points - 89 as the Red Devils, but the better goal difference was decisive for City.
May 2014: The Blues get Their Second Premier League Title in Three Consecutive Seasons
In the 22nd season of the Premier League, Manchester City won their second title in 3 years by scoring 102 and conceding only 37 goals in 38 matches. The Blues made their intentions clear at the beginning of the season, when they welcomed Fernandinho, Jovetic, Negredo, Jesus Navas and Demichelis in the squad. Lead by Manuel Pellegrini, these players were key in the team’s great plays and great additions to the squad.
This was a breaking point for City, as their progress was clear to everyone in the football world. The owners were keeping their end of the deal, and that resulted in a continuous growth of the team who was hungry for titles. Next challenge on the list for the Blues was one of the most prestigious football competitions in the world - the Champions League.
May 2016: City Reaches the Champions League Semi Finals Under Guardiola
Up to 2016, City never really did manage to translate their stunning performances in the domestic competition to the Champions League. They were out of the group stages, or eliminated in the early playoffs. Many experts thought that it was the lack of experience and teamwork responsible for City’s bad runs. They were just too young of a team to be able to compete with top clubs from all over Europe.
For the 2016/17 season, City appointed Pep Guardiola as their head coach, and brought 3 very promising young players. John Stones, the record-breaking 47.5 million pounds deal, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus. Gundogan, Bravo and Nolito were the more experienced arrivals. These players brought freshness to the squad, and allowed Pep to implement his recognizable quick-pace playing style.
Pep’s main focus in his first season as City’s manager was clearly the Champions League and that reflected on the team’s performance in the Premier League. And for a change, the Blues were playing really good from the group stages, all the way to the playoffs. They beat Dynamo Kyiv in the best of 16, and PSG in the quarter-finals. In the semifinals, they lost to Real Madrid after two very intense and close games. But this was clearly a success for a squad that was struggling season after season to make an impression in the Champions League.
July 2017: City’s Dominance and the most Expensive Defence in Football History
City gets better in time, and last season was one of the best ones yet in the team’s history. They dominated the league by winning 100 points, with 106 scored and 27 conceded goals in 38 matches. 19 points ahead from the second-placed Man United, the Blues could’ve not wished for a better year in the Premier League. Champions League was a let down however, because they were disqualified in the quarter final against Liverpool.
After signing Mendy from Monaco for a 49.4m deal last year, Manchester City have the most expensive defence in all football history to this date. This is a good indicator that the current 2018/19 season will be even more successful for Pep and the squad.