After the draw yesterday between City and Napoli it was inevitable that the boo boys would come out of the woodwork to put their preverbal boot in. However it was a surprise that the biggest critic turned out to be the Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis who branded the City team as ‘money wasters’ and questioned Platini’s resolve when implementing the FIFA Fair Play rules.
However Napoli were not clear moral winners last night by any stretch of the imagination. Despite hitting the crossbar and having Vincent Kompany clear another off the line there really was no other threat from a very good Napoli side. In defense they were back in numbers defending against onslaught upon onslaught from a very active City side. In fact it was City’s nervousness on the night that I think was their biggest enemy and as the competition progress and City relax I think you will see a different, more clinical City.
Now both teams made their Champions League debuts last night and certainly a draw is on paper a better result for Napoli, but to declare a gulf in class is nonsense. In fact City and Napoli share similar histories. Like I just said both made their Champions League debuts last night at the Etihad Stadium, but there is more. Both teams have won European titles in the past, Napoli in the UEFA Cup and City in the Cup Winners Cup. Both have won their respective leagues twice, although Napoli’s both came in the late 1980’s and City‘s have been split up, one in the 1930’s and the latest in the late 1960’s. Napoli and City both share a Maradona link with the Argentine actually starting for Napoli between 1984 and 1991 and his son in law, Sergio Aguero currently in the City squad.
However the craziest link comes in their dark days. Napoli finished fourth in the 1991-92 season but then went into decline with losing key players such as Zola and Fonseca. They suffered on the pitch and financially off it and although they would qualify for the 1994 UEFA Cup competition the League form suffered and were relegated at the end of the 1997-98 season after winning just two games. Meanwhile, over in England, City in 1991 had finished their league campaign above rivals United and in fifth place. Two seasons later, at the start of the Premier Leagues second season City fired their manager, Peter Reid and it was this, along with the decline of Chairman Peter Swales that put City into a downward spiral. Reid was replaced by Horton who in turn was replaced by Alan Ball less than two years later. In Ball’s first season City lost Curle, Quinn, Flitcroft, Walsh, Phelan. In 1996 they were relegated and City quickly went through another four managers before settling on Frank Clark that December. He in turn only lasted fourteen months and, despite being removed and Royle installed City were relegated into the third tier of English football. So 1998 signaled the close death of both clubs.
Everyone that reads my blog knows City’s story of resurrection but not so much Napoli’s. Like City, while playing at the lower level they still attracted a great following. By August 2004 they declared bankruptcy and were re-founded by the current president. They were placed in the third tier but continued to have great fan support, sometimes even higher than Serie A clubs. They obviously then secured top flight football and in the 2008-09 season they, along with City played in the UEFA Cup which confirmed both teams rebirth and now in 2011 they are both together competing with Europe’s elite.
However Napoli were not clear moral winners last night by any stretch of the imagination. Despite hitting the crossbar and having Vincent Kompany clear another off the line there really was no other threat from a very good Napoli side. In defense they were back in numbers defending against onslaught upon onslaught from a very active City side. In fact it was City’s nervousness on the night that I think was their biggest enemy and as the competition progress and City relax I think you will see a different, more clinical City.
Now both teams made their Champions League debuts last night and certainly a draw is on paper a better result for Napoli, but to declare a gulf in class is nonsense. In fact City and Napoli share similar histories. Like I just said both made their Champions League debuts last night at the Etihad Stadium, but there is more. Both teams have won European titles in the past, Napoli in the UEFA Cup and City in the Cup Winners Cup. Both have won their respective leagues twice, although Napoli’s both came in the late 1980’s and City‘s have been split up, one in the 1930’s and the latest in the late 1960’s. Napoli and City both share a Maradona link with the Argentine actually starting for Napoli between 1984 and 1991 and his son in law, Sergio Aguero currently in the City squad.
However the craziest link comes in their dark days. Napoli finished fourth in the 1991-92 season but then went into decline with losing key players such as Zola and Fonseca. They suffered on the pitch and financially off it and although they would qualify for the 1994 UEFA Cup competition the League form suffered and were relegated at the end of the 1997-98 season after winning just two games. Meanwhile, over in England, City in 1991 had finished their league campaign above rivals United and in fifth place. Two seasons later, at the start of the Premier Leagues second season City fired their manager, Peter Reid and it was this, along with the decline of Chairman Peter Swales that put City into a downward spiral. Reid was replaced by Horton who in turn was replaced by Alan Ball less than two years later. In Ball’s first season City lost Curle, Quinn, Flitcroft, Walsh, Phelan. In 1996 they were relegated and City quickly went through another four managers before settling on Frank Clark that December. He in turn only lasted fourteen months and, despite being removed and Royle installed City were relegated into the third tier of English football. So 1998 signaled the close death of both clubs.
Everyone that reads my blog knows City’s story of resurrection but not so much Napoli’s. Like City, while playing at the lower level they still attracted a great following. By August 2004 they declared bankruptcy and were re-founded by the current president. They were placed in the third tier but continued to have great fan support, sometimes even higher than Serie A clubs. They obviously then secured top flight football and in the 2008-09 season they, along with City played in the UEFA Cup which confirmed both teams rebirth and now in 2011 they are both together competing with Europe’s elite.
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