Michael Walker talks Manchester City's Steve Howey about the ups and downs of life at Maine Road and the transformation in fortune wrought by Kevin Keegan
Unless Kevin Keegan is staring at Prague through his transfer window, and you never know, the Czech capital is an unusual location with which to begin a conversation about Manchester City as they prepare to meet Liverpool in the FA Cup tomorrow.
But that's where things started yesterday morning with Keegan's frequent captain at City, Steve Howey. Given that 300 million people in China watched City's draw at Everton on New Year's Day, expanded horizons are very much part of City's agenda. But Howey was taken aback nonetheless when a friend, visiting Prague, sent him a Russian doll bought there. It was the Manchester City version and Howey was last out. He appeared from inside Nicky Weaver. Weaver had been inside Paul Dickov, who was born from Paulo Wanchope.
"If I look like a robber with a pie on my head, then yeah," Howey replied when asked if it was a good likeness.
City's profile, like their confidence, is rising. Wanchope may have been out injured for some time now, Weaver cannot see past Peter Schmeichel and Dickov is a Leicester City player, but Howey (31), has been a constant for Keegan since the former Liverpool forward succeeded Joe Royle as manager 19 months ago. The injuries which interrupted Howey's time at Newcastle United - he joined as an apprentice and was 14 years at St James' Park - have been absent, largely, though the rollercoaster at Maine Road has had more than an element of Newcastle under Keegan about it. Royle bought Howey for £2 million in August 2000 and City have been relegated and promoted again since.
At the same time, Liverpool's confidence is tumbling. When they last went to Maine Road, at the end of September, they won 3-0 with a Michael Owen hat-trick, but when they arrive tomorrow Gerard Houllier's side will be only three points ahead of Keegan's in the Premiership.
Keegan had talked about City "not being too big to go down" after that game, but they have picked up considerably and this week has been all about talk of team strengthening and new faces. Howey considered the season's turnaround symbolic of Keegan's longer-term impact.
"I certainly mean no disrespect to Joe Royle, who did a fantastic job at Manchester City, but once Kevin Keegan came in the whole profile of the club lifted straight away," Howey said. "Kevin Keegan's name simply attracts attention, and there has also been cleverness shown by the commercial people. The 300 million watching the Everton game was phenomenal and, although that was only because of Sun Jihai and Li Tie, the fact that you can buy Man City dolls in eastern Europe shows that the club has changed. The club, like others, has bought foreign players in the past, but buying Nicolas Anelka takes it to a different level.
"Every transfer, whether it's £2 or £2 million, is a gamble, and I know the old staff, those in the backroom, the chairman and directors, were very, very aware that it was a big gamble to buy the players we did last summer. I think we were the second highest spenders and that was only because Man United spent a fortune on Rio Ferdinand. But you have to speculate to accumulate and the aim was to stay in the Premiership so that we start the first season in the new stadium there."
NINE points away from "the magical 40", as David Moyes called it on Wednesday, City seem certain now to begin life in the Commonwealth Games stadium in the top flight. As Howey said: "If we keep progressing as we are then we should be okay. But I think most clubs are very scared. No one wants to be the next Derby County. I think the infrastructure at Manchester City is safer than at somewhere like Derby, but maybe the manager has changed a tiny bit, maybe he is a bit more cautious. But if the club wants to progress then the manager has to buy the best when they're available. It's just the best aren't cheap."
That City are even in the market for the best, such as Robbie Fowler, says much. When discussing the game with Liverpool in September, Howey pointed out that their opponents were a Champions League club whereas they had recently been playing at such places as Gillingham and Stockport.
"That is some transition, but that's how forward-thinking everyone is at Manchester City. Michael Owen had four shots that day and scored with three of them. That's quality. We were pretty much hit and miss early on, up and down. But I think we have had our sticky patch; our form is very good and the boys feel confident in themselves."
Owen's anticipated return tomorrow will give Howey plenty to think about, not least that the two could have been team-mates. When Howey was running out of contract at Newcastle in the days of Ruud Gullit, Liverpool were one of the clubs who spoke to him. Houllier was the manager, but Gullit persuaded Howey to stay on Tyneside.
"Even now I think it was extremely flattering," Howey said of Anfield's interest, "but it's not something I regret. Looking back, the decision I made to come here was one of the best I've ever made. The club have been fantastic to my wife and family and the fans have been magnificent, even when we were relegated.
"For me it was time for a change. I had 14 years at Newcastle, some good, some not; I had good friends and played with great players; the list of managers I played under is frightening. But I just felt stagnant."
He is a man refreshed at a club revived. Asked what would represent a good season for City from here, he responded: "Before, I would have said just staying up, but now I'd say the top half of the table. We might even pinch a place in Europe."
The FA Cup offers another route but, given that City have not held the trophy since 1969, the doll-makers of Prague may wait yet to add the famous silverware to the robber with a pie on his head.
Guardian Service
