Maturing Mancienne takes stock
January 8, 2009
Mancienne in action for QPR
If you were to ask Chelsea’s young central defender Michael Mancienne – who turned 21 today – what would be his ideal birthday present, he’d probably start pining for a first team debut.
The England U-21 international has been at the club since he was 8-years-old and has risen through the ranks quickly – he made his reserve team debut before he finished school.
Mancienne has sough to gain experience by going out on loan with a number of different clubs. First, he spent some time with Chelsea’s London rivals QPR, making 71 appearances over two seasons and was voted the club’s Young Player of the Year during his spell there.
The no-nonsense defender with a rap star hair cut then spent time back at Chelsea, hovering around the fringes of the first team and making regular appearances for the Reserves.
It has stood him in good stead, he admits.
“I’m stronger, definitely. There are physical forwards in the Premier League but in the lower leagues, every striker is physical like a Drogba or a Heskey. They are all brutes and the ball is being hoofed about and you find yourself in battles every single game.
“I know there is a bit of that in the Premier League, but you can’t get away from it in the lower leagues.”
Such was the impression he made while on loan at Wolves, his manager Mick McCarthy compared him to the great Franz Beckenbauer.
The past couple of months have also seen Mancienne break into the England U-21 side and even receive a call-up to the senior squad for the friendly against Germany.
Mancienne is where he wants to be. He said: “I am now where I wanted to be at 21 – around the Chelsea first team but also playing first team football as well by going on loan and getting experience.
“I have that experience now of playing pressure football, football with lots of fans and the expectation to win games, so that has matured my game. That is different from playing reserve team football.”
Given these omens it isn’t hard to see Mancienne having his birthday wish fulfilled at some point in the near future.
“I am buzzing for it,” the birthday boy said excitedly.
City set for Bridge capture
January 2, 2009
Bridge scoring THAT goal at Highbury
Manchester City are on the verge of signing Chelsea left back Wayne Bridge after the two clubs agreed a transfer fee, believed to be in the region of £12 million.
The player still needs to agree personal terms, but that should prove a mere formality.
“We need to speak to the boy and try to agree personal terms. If we can do that hopefully Wayne will be a Manchester City player, that’s the aim,” said Manchester City boss Mark Hughes.
“Wayne will probably travel to Manchester this evening and hopefully negotiations will go well and he can have a medical tomorrow.”
Bridge had found himself an increasingly peripheral figure at Chelsea since the arrival of his England team mate Ashley Cole in 2006.
During his 5 year spell at the club he made 142 appearances, famously scoring the winner for Chelsea in the Champions League Quarter Final against London rivals Arsenal in 2004.