Ten released as the transfer window kicks in

Manchester City can confirm a final list of 10 players that have not been retained for the coming season.

Of the 10 released, four were members of the 2007/08 season first team squad, with the other players young Academy lads or reserve team regulars.

Paul Dickov, Geovanni, Emile Mpenza and Jihai Sun are the senior players not to have been offered new contracts by the Club.

The other players released are Irish defender Garry Breen, fellow countryman Michael Daly, Filippo Mancini - son of former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini, striker Ashley Grimes, Faroe Isles Under 21 international Christian Mouritsen and finally young Italian goalkeeper Andrea Giombetti.

>>mcfc.co.uk

A busy couple of days around the Jo transfer, with the usual summer clear out of youth players deemed not good enough to make the grade along with those first team squad players Mark Hughes has decided do not fit into his plans.

No real surprise amongst the ten names announced and some quick thoughts on the comings and goings:

None of the youth players were likely to even threaten the first team squad, but good to see that both Grimes and Breen have been picked up.

There were reports that Sun Jihai may move back to China but he gets a move to Sheffield United who look to be amongst the front runners for promotion this coming season. A long standing player, Sun never quite showed enough during his time at the club and can be considered fortunate to have remained this long.

Dickov is likely to move to Blackpool, where he had a succesful loan spell last season and will be a serviceable player for them. The move to bring him back to the club originally was a mistake, and his record during the past seasons bears this out, and is a sad indictment of the state we were in when he was picked up by Stuart Pearce.

The interesting moves are the signing by Hull of Geovanni, and if reports are to be believed, Mpenza to follow him to the KC Stadium. Both are good pick ups for a side looking to (against the odds) survive in their debut season.

Some thought Geovanni unlucky to not receive more of an opportunity last season and he did show cameos of his talent but whether it was form or fitness did not appear to win Sven over. He possesses talent though, and whilst I can't disagree with the decision to release him it is a good signing by Hull, and he should be complemented by Mpenza, who at the very least provided a good return from what was a free pick up during 2006/07 when we were struggling at the wrong end of the table and he scored some goals which were crucial in the final outcome which saw us stay up.

He featured heavily during the first half of last season (mainly through the Bojinov injury and sidelining of Bianchi) but feel out of favour towards the latter stages and again, you'd like to think the club have progressed well enough to be able to allow the likes of Mpenza to move on.

A busy few days then with the squad now de-camped in Germany ahead of a very early start to the season. Whilst Ronaldinho looks likely to be a no-go, further arrivals are expected, particularly if Hughes's comments are any kind of indication:

"The balance of the squad isn't as it should be. There are certainly areas that we can look to improve and make sure we are strong in. That's an ongoing process. I have to get to know the players".

Whilst it may not be in time for the early UEFA games, I'd be amazed if we didn't bring in another defender, a pair of midfielders and maybe even a striker before the Premier League campaign kicks off as Hughes looks to add to a squad to be able to challenge at least a top six position this season.

Trio up for sale

Manchester City have revealed they have made Ousmane Dabo,
Danny Mills and Paul Dickov available for transfer.

-Sky Sports.

Although Eriksson was praising Mills' professionalism, he admitted it was time for him to move on and the club also announced they are open to offers for both Dabo and Dickov - both of whom would also have been peripheral figures at best this season, as evidenced by The Telegraph's analysis of their 2006/07 campaigns.

It is no surprise that any of the three are being pointed towards the exit door as Dabo and Dickov were brought in last summer when times were more frugal and we were limited in who we could bring in to the club, whilst Mills has been overtaken in the pecking order by Onouha and Richards.

It is all very well though listing these players, but whether there will be any serious takers is a different matter. Whilst all three will be solid enough players at a lower level, their wages would likely be prohibitive to many interested sides and it maybe that we have to allow them to leave for no more than a nominal fee in order to facilitate a move.

Not happy

I picked this up from The Verdict section of The Observer yesterday:

It was dreadful - two teams just battling to stay in
The Premiership. Why? Just for the money not for any entertainment value.
Charlton were woeful and we were worse. A lot of us are wondering what the point
of watching football at this level is if staying fourth from bottom is
success.

In general we played well across the back, but one
mistake finished it. Pearce must think of Dickov as either a fan on the pitch or
a reflection of how he'd play himself, but in The Premiership there's no room to
play someone for sentimental reasons. He's been awful.

There's no reason for turning up, except maybe as a
badge of honour. But who needs it?

An over reaction to an unlucky defeat or an accurate reflection of how things stand?