City enjoy international spotlight
You know you have made it as a big club when you get your very own England clique. Manchester City, reflecting their accelerated growth into a major force, could have as many players in Fabio Capello's South Africa squad as their more established rivals in 2010.
For the first time in over 30 years, three City players started for England on Wednesday night: Gareth Barry, Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
"It shows how far City have come," Barry said. "There were a few players missing but we had three players out performing really well which is a sign of where we're going.
"It can only be good for Manchester City if we've got a good nucleus of players in the England squad. It was good to be able to link up with Wayne and Shaun down the left hand side -- we know each other's games pretty well."
It is no coincidence the last time City players were well represented with the national side was also the last time they were competing for the league title (finishing fourth in 1977-78).
Barry is the most important to Capello's plans. He has been central to the England team since Steve McClaren recalled him (four years after his previous cap) in February 2007 but, surprisingly, was left out of the side against Ukraine last weekend, Capello picking Michael Carrick instead. Barry's response was telling -- he was comfortably England's best player last week.
Barry looked hungrier and sharper than his colleagues -- but was reluctant to put it down to being dropped.
"You always try and do the best job and that was no different," he said. "With it being World Cup year, competitiveness within this group of players is at its highest. So you have to be performing well."
In the interim before the next international, against Brazil next month, those private ambitions must be subsumed by the greater good of Manchester City. The increased number of internationals in the squad means Mark Hughes has more quality to choose from but it also means, like the managers of the big four clubs, he has to suffer the post-international ailments.
City have Kolo Toure (heel), Craig Bellamy (groin), Joleon Lescott (calf), Pablo Zabaleta (hamstring), Martin Petrov (knee) and Nigel De Jong (knock) struggling for fitness for today's game with Wigan.
Wigan v Man City,
Sky Sports 1, 4.0
- Duncan White
Originally published in
