Manchester City: The Robinho/Kaká Dilemma

When the billionaires at Abu Dhabi United completed their lightning-fast £200million takeover of Manchester City in September the rest of the EPL gaped in shock.

EPL rivals were still absorbing the news when City swooped in to spectacularly hi-jack the Robinho deal from Chelsea. In the closing minutes of the transfer window they swiped him for a British record £32.5million fee.

Suddenly Manchester City were the nouveau riche.

The "New Chelsea."

Able to buy whoever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

Dr Al-Fahim, a key player in the Abu Dhabi bid, publicly spoke of a Dream Team of All Stars. Villa, Kaká, Messi, Torres, Gerrard, Ronaldo.

Al-Fahim was quickly sidelined after his loose-tongued comments. But nevertheless, the Robinho deal and the sheer wealth available to City implied this was the way City was going to go.

But in January the major flaw appeared. AC Milan accepted an eye-popping, world-transfer-record-obliterating £100 million bid for their superstar, Kaká.

An unfortunate consequence being an inordinate amount of sanctimonious drivel was spouted across the press, and by rival fans.

"They're ruining the game! Nobody else can pay that money!"

 - What is the difference between outbidding everybody with a 100mill bid or outbidding all but a half-dozen European clubs with a 30mill bid? A la Manchester United, Chelsea or Real Madrid?

Or "Paying someone £500,000 a week to kick a football around is insanity!"

- Ah, paying them a measly £150,000 a week to kick a football around—that’s just good sense.

The Kaká saga ended with a "victory for football" when the talented Brazilian turned down the super-mega-money of City to stay with the mega-money of AC Milan.

City bought Bellamy, Bridge, and De Jong for over £30million that transfer window but still, the Kaká affair demonstrated the uphill battle Manchester City will face to snare true 'big' name players.

They have the money, but do they have the allure?

Manchester City have the resources to buy any player in the world, even AC Milan had a price for their key player.

But Kaká turned them down.

Why? Love of AC Milan? Love of the city of Milan? Probably a factor.

More decisive will have been the fact that AC Milan play Champions League football. And on a regular basis.

Top players want to play in the top competitions, Manchester City cannot guarantee that.

To break into the CL though—especially in the EPL, where ousting one of the ‘Big 4’ seems a Herculean task—you need top players to play for you.

A catch-22. Can’t get the players without CL football, can’t get CL football without the top players.

While Mark Hughes isn't a name that will make players across Europe sit up and think, "I want to play for him," in the same way as Ferguson, Benitez, Wenger, Mourinho, Ancelotti, et al. would.

So what can Manchester City do?

They can keep attempting to splash their cash around, but are the "elite" players they seduce with that going to be the type of player city fans want and need?

Its seems harsh to call Robinho a mercenary, he has scored 11 goals in 24 league games… but where is the hard graft away against the likes of Stoke on a wet, wintry December eve?

Is he performing for the club or for a paycheck?

A team of Robinho’s will annihilate any other team on their day, but they won’t play that way every game of the season.

Manchester City have two options.

Back their manager. His reputation won’t be enough to snare top players, but he is a talented manager. With backing, money and time he could definitely challenge the Top 4.

Or they could go for one of Europe’s top managers, an expensive gamble. A new manager will invariably want to create his own team, and he would need time too.

There is no guarantee of success, time is needed, why not give it to Hughes?

What they need is a team, not a dream team. Crack the Top Four, then the superstars will come.

Whatever happens, Manchester City’s billions can only be a good thing for the EPL, despite what some may say.

A challenge to the simpering monotony of the Big Four cartel can only be a good thing.