Turf Moor task won’t be simple

Manchester City’s roving reporter writes every week for Chron Sport

AFTER a free spell for Manchester City due to the lack of FA Cup involvement, it’s back to Premier League action with a trip to Burnley this weekend.


It might be second-bottom versus second in the table, but it’s not going to be easy at Turf Moor.

Despite having a low budget, they proved they’re a good side at the Etihad earlier in the season when they drew 2-2.

Burnley are fighting for their lives and it’s another must-win game for City, so it does promise to be an exciting clash.

I noticed my old team Oldham lost their manager when Lee Johnson moved to Barnsley. I’ve no idea whether that will turn out to be a good move or otherwise for him in the long run, but this management situation throughout the country is becoming a right old merry-go-round.

It’s a totally different era for managers now than when I was pulling on my boots. There was none of this speculation then like there is nowadays. If a manager loses two or three games on the trot he can be under pressure. The clamour for change comes far too quickly.

Managers stayed in their jobs for years back during my playing days — just look at Jimmy Frizzell’s service at Athletic, then Joe Royle.

There is usually a change in fortunes in the short term when a new manager goes into a club, but it

doesn’t often last long.

It’s just a different era now, and I don’t think I’d like to be a manager today. It’s just too full on: you’ve got to be tuned in 24 hours a day and it must be a really stressful job.

Anyway, I’ve been filming this week for a Comic Relief feature down at City. I’ve had my face painted by Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart and that will be a good watch when it’s streamed on the City website on Thursday (or Friday).

We all had some great fun putting it together, and of course it was all in a very worthy cause.