SOCCER:SHAY GIVEN has acknowledged the increased levels of expectation at his former club, Manchester City, and the demand that Roberto Mancini's side mount a coherent title challenge in the coming season.
Given, who ended a two-year spell at Eastlands by signing for Aston Villa, has watched Mancini strengthen his squad this summer with, most notably, the eye-catching €43 million arrival of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid.
The continued investment by owner Sheikh Mansour prompted Given to suggest it is “just a matter of time” before City are claiming domestic and European honours.
But, while City’s aim last season was to secure Champions League qualification, Given expects a title challenge will be the minimum requirement this time.
“I think they can win it,” the 35-year-old said. “Last year they had to aim to win the title as well and that’s certainly the case now. They’ll have to try and win it every year. But they’ll do big things – and rightly so.
“They’ve got fantastic owners who are very supportive in bringing in some of the best players in the world, so I think it’s inevitable they’ll do big things. Winning the Premier League and winning the European Cup – if not next year, then in the years to come. It’s just a matter of time.”
Given’s plight at the club last season, when he failed to make a league appearance with Mancini having identified Joe Hart as his number one was shared by a number of high-profile players.
Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Roque Santa Cruz and Shaun Wright-Phillips were pushed to the fringes and have uncertain futures at the club.
“All I can say is the players who weren’t playing were in a similar position to me and would have been frustrated,” Given said. “We just want to play football, really. That’s all.”
He will have that chance with Villa, where he has signed a five-year contract and has already offered glimpses of his excellence. There was a fine save to deny Blackburn Rovers’ Brett Emerton in the Asia Trophy semi-final on Wednesday and his form is likely to be tested against Chelsea in tomorrow’s final. Yet the player is merely eager to make up for a lost 12 months.
“Frustrating was the word but there wasn’t much I could do about it last year,” Given said. “The manager made a decision, you’ve got to respect that decision and take it on the chin and you have to move on. And for me it’s about playing football.
“I moved to Man City to play football and I’ve done the same coming to Aston Villa: to play. You’ve got one career, one life, and I want to play as much as I can. I’m delighted to be here.
“I’m not getting any younger. I just turned 35 in April there and I really do feel that I’m at a stage in my career where I have to be playing regularly. That was my only thinking, you know.
“Man City is a great club and they’re going to be a big club in world football, not just the Premier League, so it was a big decision to leave. But on a personal level, it was the right choice to make.”
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