Futbol Chronicles: Manchester City Can Be a Powerhouse Sooner Than Later

Manchester City have the makings of being a new football superpower in England, and perhaps in Europe as well. They have the talent and they have a manager in Mark Hughes who could potentially lead the club to greener pastures.

Players such as Elano, Ireland, Phillips, Kompany, Micah Richards, Robinho, Barry, and now possibly Eto and Tevez would propel Manchester City to even challenge for the Premiership title if Mark Hughes utilizes them properly while playing his cards right.

One must not forget the awesome array of young talent that Manchester have at their disposal in the academy as well, so that too would have to be taken into consideration.

Manchester United are still the team to beat in the new Premiership season, but clubs such as Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton, and Chelsea would come with question marks.

Chelsea have had probably the most quiet of all offseasons in recent memory, their only big signings coming the in the shape of Russian playmaker Yuri Zhirkov and English forward Daniel Sturridge.

It also doesn't help that most of Chelsea's star players such as Lampard, Drogba, Terry, and Ballack are already in their or are entering their 30s, a period where a player's form begins to dip off in spades.

Arsenal have done nothing of major sorts asides from signing Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen, but even his signing does little to dampen the rumors of Arsenal's star players Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabregas possibly leaving the club, despite the two recently affirming their desire to stay at the Emirates.

Aston Villa, as compared to Everton, look like the club with the most problems: They still have the same squad, minus Garreth Barry, and they don't have the depth that may be required to compete further down the line for a possible top four finish.

Everton are a classic example of a club that always hovers around in the middle—not a top-four finish but not too far from from it.

At least Everton can argue that they have a place in Europe for this upcoming season, but beyond that remains little to be excited about.

Whether the club can keep up their competitive play in future seasons largely depends on their financial ability to bring in new players, and the Kirkby stadium issue that is dogging the club.

Which leaves Manchester United and Liverpool as the only serious threats to City's ambitions of domestic and future European success.

Liverpool will once again provide the main challenge to Manchester United's grip should Rafa Benitez remain at the helm and bring in fresher legs as well.

However, there are rumors that Liverpool's resolve could possibly weaken with a potential signing of Xabi Alonso and defensive counterpart Alvaro Arbeloa to Real Madrid.  Mascherano is another worry, with Spanish champions Barcelona knocking at his door as well.

Here's a simple prediction of Manchester City for the upcoming season: The club will finish anywhere between third and fifth, therefore qualifying for Europe, Arsenal will fall off the rails this time to make way for City to take their place.

Robinho will be the among the leading scorers of the Premiership, and Tevez and Eto'o would form the best striking partnership in the league.  Manchester City will upset the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea during the season, and also challenge for the glory in the FA Cup as well.

Now, that seems like an awfully ambitious prediction, but one that most City fans would hope springs eternal, but also a prediction that not too many football pundits and followers would dispute either.

You have to remember that Manchester City were thought to be on the rise when Sven Goran Eriksson was in charge two seasons ago.

Look where that went in his only one year at the helm. Now suppose Eriksson was still the manager and the club had the current crop of players along with Barry, Eto'o, Tevez, and Robinho.

Perhaps one might argue that Manchester would probably be in better straits than where they finished last season. Eriksson is known to be the type of manager who flourishes with good talent at his disposal.

In my opinion, Eriksson is a much talented manager than Hughes, simply because Eriksson has developed more experience in coaching talent over three decades compared to Hughes, who only started licking his managerial chops ten year ago.

Eriksson experience in management spreads from Sweden to England: Degerfors and Göteborg of Sweden, Benfica of Portugal, Roma, Lazio, Sampdoria, and Fiorentina of Italy, England national squad, and of course Manchester City.

Despite the argument, Mark Hughes can possibly lead Manchester City to success in a sooner rather than later fashion, despite the fact that the club's owners are willing to give more time to Hughes to build up the club.

Hughes would have to adjust his tactics to a certain degree in order to best compliment that type of players he has, it's a club built with attack-minded players, players who have to capability of scoring goals in bunches as the club demonstrated last season.

Hughes knows this, and will have to utilize his attacking options wisely, and as for City supporters, it couldn't have come at a better time to be rocking at the Eastlands with the current developments of the club.

A new website and global marketing strategy, vigorous new ownership, top young talent, modern stadium, Umbro uniforms, and an opportunity for more success in the coming years spells the beginning of what could be a positive era for Manchester football.