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Robinho may face City fine for 'sudden' exit
Source: Agencies |
January 22, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ROBINHO says he warned Manchester City. The club is mystified by it's star's sudden exit.
On Tuesday, after Robinho insisted City knew he left training camp in Tenerife to return to Brazil for family reasons, the club threatened to fine him unless he can explain his sudden departure - apparently without warning.
The striker left teammates in the Canary Islands on Monday, sparking reports that he walked out for good on the same day that AC Milan star Kaka turned down a world-record move to City.
Club executive chairman Garry Cook said he couldn't explain the exit and a "breach of club discipline" was being investigated.
Robinho faced a maximum two-week fine of 280,000 pounds (US$194,000).
"(Manager) Mark (Hughes) has some clear guardrails around the discipline of footballers and the roles they play ?? if he has broken those then we will manage that internally," Cook said. "I don't know why he left, but the collapse of the Kaka deal and the Robinho issues are unconnected.
"It would be disappointing if players are only happy at this club because they are expecting other players to be brought in."
Robinho, who moved to City from Real Madrid last year for a British record transfer fee, said he had no dispute with City and was "committed" to helping the team become a force.
Family matter
"I would like to make it clear to the fans what the situation is, so that they can understand my decision to fly home to Brazil," Robinho said on his Website. "Earlier in the month I made Manchester City aware that I needed to return to Brazil, because of a family matter. The club agreed and I was grateful to them for this. Up until yesterday it was my understanding that the club had no problem with my plans."
He said Kaka's decision not to move to City had no bearing on his home trip.
"I feel it is important to underline that I did not return to Brazil because of the Kaka deal. He is one of my good friends and it would have been great to see him at City. But it had nothing to do with his decision to stay in Milan."
City stunned the football world when it beat out Chelsea to sign Robinho in the final minutes of the transfer window in September, paying Real a British record transfer fee of 32.5 million pounds (then US$51 million).
While he has scored 12 goals for the club, City was still in the bottom half of the English Premier League standings and only four points above the relegation zone. The team was knocked out of the FA Cup by League Championship club Nottingham Forest.
City, however, did sign injury-prone Craig Bellamy from West Ham United on Wednesday for about 14 million pounds - twice the price it took the Hammers to bring the Wales striker from Liverpool in July 2007.
In 18 months at Upton Park, the 29-year-old appeared in just 24 league matches and scored seven goals.
On Tuesday, after Robinho insisted City knew he left training camp in Tenerife to return to Brazil for family reasons, the club threatened to fine him unless he can explain his sudden departure - apparently without warning.
The striker left teammates in the Canary Islands on Monday, sparking reports that he walked out for good on the same day that AC Milan star Kaka turned down a world-record move to City.
Club executive chairman Garry Cook said he couldn't explain the exit and a "breach of club discipline" was being investigated.
Robinho faced a maximum two-week fine of 280,000 pounds (US$194,000).
"(Manager) Mark (Hughes) has some clear guardrails around the discipline of footballers and the roles they play ?? if he has broken those then we will manage that internally," Cook said. "I don't know why he left, but the collapse of the Kaka deal and the Robinho issues are unconnected.
"It would be disappointing if players are only happy at this club because they are expecting other players to be brought in."
Robinho, who moved to City from Real Madrid last year for a British record transfer fee, said he had no dispute with City and was "committed" to helping the team become a force.
Family matter
"I would like to make it clear to the fans what the situation is, so that they can understand my decision to fly home to Brazil," Robinho said on his Website. "Earlier in the month I made Manchester City aware that I needed to return to Brazil, because of a family matter. The club agreed and I was grateful to them for this. Up until yesterday it was my understanding that the club had no problem with my plans."
He said Kaka's decision not to move to City had no bearing on his home trip.
"I feel it is important to underline that I did not return to Brazil because of the Kaka deal. He is one of my good friends and it would have been great to see him at City. But it had nothing to do with his decision to stay in Milan."
City stunned the football world when it beat out Chelsea to sign Robinho in the final minutes of the transfer window in September, paying Real a British record transfer fee of 32.5 million pounds (then US$51 million).
While he has scored 12 goals for the club, City was still in the bottom half of the English Premier League standings and only four points above the relegation zone. The team was knocked out of the FA Cup by League Championship club Nottingham Forest.
City, however, did sign injury-prone Craig Bellamy from West Ham United on Wednesday for about 14 million pounds - twice the price it took the Hammers to bring the Wales striker from Liverpool in July 2007.
In 18 months at Upton Park, the 29-year-old appeared in just 24 league matches and scored seven goals.
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