Chapter 403: Have you Forgotten why you Bought this Club?
Chelsea 0 – 2 Manchester City
By the end of March, Manchester City had completed thirty rounds of the Premier League with an astonishing record: 28 wins, 1 losses, and 1 draw .
The numbers were staggering, surpassing the dominance of almost every title-winning side in English football history and drawing comparisons with Newcastle United’s infamous 1995–96 campaign—when the Magpies held a ten-point lead over Manchester United before collapsing in the spring.
Yet unlike Newcastle, City showed no sign of faltering. Each matchday seemed to add another glittering page to the club’s modern story. While they had not yet eclipsed Ajax’s legendary run of consecutive league victories, nor the English records for away and home winning streaks, the feeling among both supporters and pundits was that it was only a matter of time.
Of course, there was still Arsenal—the only true challenger left standing. With a seven-point gap to close, and with the last match ending in a frustrating draw against Leicester City, the situation looked far from promising for the Gunners.
The Times wrote with a tone of resignation.
"The Premier League title race, once the crown jewel of English football drama, has become a procession. Manchester City have already secured the first-half championship; the second feels like a mere formality."
With City virtually guaranteed the title, attention shifted elsewhere. The real intrigue of the league now lay in two battles: survival at the bottom and the desperate scramble for Champions League qualification.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Leeds United all hovered around the coveted spots, knowing that second place was the best they could realistically hope for.
After the decisive win at Stamford Bridge, Richard and Miss Heysen immediately rushed back to Manchester. Time was pressing, and both carried urgent missions that would shape the club’s future.
For Miss Heysen, the task was clear: she needed to devise a strategy to elevate Hidetoshi Nakata into a true star—one who could capture the imagination of Asian fans. As for Richard himself, his first priority was to find Marina, whom he had dispatched earlier to gather intelligence.
Rumors of a breakaway "super league" had been circulating for months, but no final decision had yet been made. Now, with the season nearing its conclusion, Richard knew that today was the day the outcome would finally be announced. There was no harm in trying to learn the result a little earlier—knowledge, after all, was power.
The modern UEFA Champions League format was still evolving.
1991–92 → The final season of the European Cup in its old straight knockout format.
1992–93 → The UEFA Champions League was launched, introducing a group stage, but only domestic league champions and the defending champion were eligible.
1994–95 → The group stage was expanded to 16 clubs, though it was still limited mainly to domestic champions.
This left many parties dissatisfied with the format. With only domestic champions (plus the defending champion) allowed to enter, giants like AC Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus could miss out entirely if they finished second in their league. Clubs argued this was unfair, as the competition sometimes excluded Europe’s strongest teams.
Most chairmen, CEOs, and club executives knew that television rights and sponsorship money were exploding. The Champions League had become a gold mine, but participation was limited. Missing out meant losing millions, which created deep frustration among the wealthiest clubs.
In leagues such as Serie A, La Liga, and the Premier League, competition was fierce. Even finishing second could represent a world-class season—yet it still brought no Champions League ticket. Clubs believed UEFA’s old "champions only" rule was outdated in a commercial age.
That is why, in 1996–97, several leading clubs—especially from Italy and Spain—began discussing the idea of forming their own European Super League, where they could guarantee participation and revenue every year.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
Richard rapped twice on Marina’s door. After a moment she answered, and only once she had gestured for him to enter did he step inside.
"Under pressure from European giants eager to protect their financial interests in continental tournaments, rumors began to circulate that major clubs were plotting to establish a new top-tier European league to maximize profits."
Richard crossed his arms, studying the information carefully.
"That’s why UEFA moved so quickly to change the Champions League format. They were afraid of losing the clubs, the money... the whole competition."
Marina nodded. "Exactly. If the richest sides in Spain, Italy, and even England had walked away, UEFA’s entire structure would have collapsed. The reforms weren’t generosity—they were survival."
In response, UEFA made concessions and introduced further reforms to the Champions League. Beginning next season, not only would domestic league champions qualify, but runners-up from stronger leagues would also be allowed entry, following pressure from major clubs and broadcasters. The number of spots was determined by UEFA coefficients
Stimulated by the financial stakes in European competitions and the maturation of broadcasting mechanisms, the arms race among Europe’s elite clubs intensified last summer and has continued unabated.
In the summer, for example, Manchester United and Barcelona were locked in a bidding war for Ronaldo, both offering more than £20 million. Ultimately, Ronaldo chose to stay at Manchester City after Richard persuaded him strongly.
Even in the winter, rumors circulated that Barcelona made another offer to Manchester City for the same amount—again £20 million. Meanwhile, Serie A clubs such as Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan, and Lazio also began their pursuit of Manchester City’s star player.
The transfer market is full of dramatic twists. Had Barcelona been bolder six months ago and outbid City in personal terms, they might have secured Ronaldo—an outcome that is hard to predict. Thankfully for City, Richard’s influence ensured Ronaldo remained in Manchester.
The same issues arose during their pursuits of Larsson and Neil Lennon. One cannot deny that in this era, while clubs invested heavily in the market, they also tended to be frugal, often weighing factors such as wage structures and player status.
Richard speculated that Ferguson’s repeated setbacks during this season led Manchester United to splurge in the following years, almost gambling on player acquisitions. Although some exorbitantly priced signings ended up as flops, many others proved invaluable to Manchester United.
This high-risk strategy was also emulated by several clubs driven by greed, with varying degrees of success; some thrived, while others plunged into crippling debt.
Manchester City’s winter was anything but quiet, with European giants inquiring about the transfer prices of their core players.
"By the way, Richard," the voice broke the silence. "I need to talk to you about something important."
Richard sensed the weight behind those words. Without saying anything, he reached for the pitcher on the table, poured himself a glass of water, and took a slow sip—buying himself a moment to prepare for whatever was coming next.
"Alright," he said at last. "I’m listening. What’s on your mind?"
"Wait, I need to call Karren first," Marina said before reaching for her landline. Richard stayed quiet, frowning slightly, but he didn’t stop her.
"..."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
A moment later, Karren Brady stepped into the room. After the three of them exchanged a brief look, Marina finally began.
"Alright, first of all—before I start. As you two know, I’m here as Director of Football. Technically, this isn’t part of my job description, but I felt it was important to share what’s on my mind. That’s why I asked Karren to join us—since she’ll soon be taking up a position in the marketing department."
Richard and Karren exchanged a glance, silently acknowledging the gravity of the meeting.
Marina continued, her tone steady but deliberate.
"For now, Manchester City’s performance has been far better than anyone expected. Champions League, Premier League—top of the table—League Cup... even if, unfortunately, the FA Cup slipped away..."
She paused, letting the words settle in the air, before fixing her eyes on the two seated before her. The silence stretched for a beat too long, heavy with anticipation.
Then Marina leaned forward, her voice lower, sharper—ready to drop the bomb.
"But here’s the problem: we’re winning matches, yet our reputation off the pitch is scattered. Fans admire different players for different reasons—just like Kinkladze for his flair, Uwe Rösler for his goals, others still look at the veterans. But there’s no one face of Manchester City. In the eyes of the media, we’re a collective—but collectives rarely make headlines."
Richard’s brow furrowed. He muttered, "Isn’t Ronaldo the one everyone’s talking about right now? No, I mean—the whole squad deserves the credit. That’s the spirit of the team."
Marina nodded. "True. But the reality is that modern football is changing. The tabloids, the broadcasters, the sponsors—they don’t sell stories about ’the whole team.’ They sell stories about heroes, idols, icons. Look at Beckham at United. He’s not necessarily their best player, but he’s becoming the face of that club. And that matters."
Karren, remembering something relevant, raised her head.
"You mean like Olympique Marseille’s Jean-Pierre Papin?"
This wasn’t new to her. Just yesterday, she had been wrestling with the same issue while trying to develop the best marketing plan for City.
With so many options, she had felt overwhelmed and had shared her thoughts with Marina. Surprisingly, Marina had given her the right idea.
Karren Brady, who had briefly served as CEO at Marseille, knew exactly why she brought up Papin. It was undeniable: after the Platini era, France had been searching for a new poster boy—and Papin became that figure.
He had a clean image, was very media-friendly, and had already become a national hero.
As Marseille rose in Europe—reaching the 1991 European Cup final, where they lost to Red Star Belgrade—Papin’s goals made him the face of French club football internationally. He became the symbol of Marseille’s dominance in France and their growing ambition in Europe.
Papin was known for his spectacular volleys and ruthless finishing—so much so that the French coined the term "papinade" to describe his trademark strikes.
In other words, his goals were replayed endlessly in highlight reels, effectively turning him into a brand.
"We raise one player above the rest—not to diminish the team, but to give this club an identity. Without that, we’ll remain in the shadows: respected for results, forgotten in influence," Marina said before turning to Richard. Her gaze sharpened. "And tell me—have you forgotten why you bought Manchester City in the first place? When you brought me here, you said you wanted this club to become the biggest money-maker in football, didn’t you?"
Richard’s face changed at once.
She was right. From the very beginning, his plan had been clear: build City into a talent factory, much like La Masia. Develop players to their peak, then sell when the time was right—maximizing both prestige and profit. With the knowledge he carried of the future, wasn’t that always his true objective?
"And don’t forget—we’ve already reached the semi-finals. Imagine if we make it to the final, and then go on to win the Champions League. Think about it—under the tactics we’re using now, is there any Manchester City player who could command a transfer fee of thirty million pounds besides Ronaldo?
For a club that has come this close to sweeping every title available, to have only one player valued at thirty million... that’s not just unfair—it’s an insult!"