what the papers say

Trautmann honoured in Berlin

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Daily Mail

"Former Manchester City goalkeeper Trautmann honoured by German FA"

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann has been honoured with the German FA’s most prestigious award.

The 85-year-old, who played on despite a broken neck to help City beat Birmingham 3-1 in the 1956 FA Cup Final, was presented with a diamond pin at a ceremony at a Berlin hotel hours before the friendly between Germany and England.

Trautmann, guest of honour at the match, is only the 10th man to be given the award in the 108-year history of the German FA.

The former prisoner of war helped improve Anglo-German relations in the wake of the Second World War and was voted England’s Player of the Year in 1956.

The Mirror

"I may quit football, says Ronaldo"

Brazil legend Ronaldo may choose to retire rather than prolong his career at Manchester City.

The 32-year-old free agent, who has just returned from a long injury lay-off, has been linked with a move to Eastlands but he said: "I don't know if I will continue to play or if I will retire. I have not taken a decision yet."

Meanwhile The Guardian comes up with a catch-all speculation piece:

"Santa Cruz keen on City switch"

Roque Santa Cruz is keen to leave Blackburn Rovers and accept Manchester City's offer to sign for them in the January transfer window. Santa Cruz has become restless at Blackburn during a slump that has seen them drop into the relegation places, and the Paraguay international striker has told people involved in the deal that he wants to link up again with Mark Hughes, the man who brought him into English football.

City failed with a £12m bid in August, but Hughes has asked the club's new owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, to make an improved offer that could see Blackburn make up to four times the £4.5m they paid Bayern Munich for Santa Cruz in the summer of 2007.

That is likely to meet opposition from Blackburn's manager, Paul Ince, who is desperate not to lose his most important forward at such a critical stage of the season. However, City have been increasingly encouraged by what they have heard behind the scenes and are confident of finally getting their man, providing they can agree a compromise over the fee.

The matter is complicated because of Hughes's past connections with Santa Cruz's employers and the suspicion at City that Blackburn are reluctant to do business with them because, as City's executive chairman Garry Cook put it earlier this season: "We have already taken their manager and backroom staff off them."

Nonetheless, City are in such a strong financial position since September's takeover they believe it will be no problem putting together a financial package that Blackburn will find impossible to resist. While most Premier League clubs structure transfer payments into various instalments, City are willing to pay Blackburn all the money in one lump sum.

Santa Cruz is one of three established Premier League players who are regarded as priority signings by Hughes, the others being Lassana Diarra of Portsmouth and Chelsea's second-choice left back Wayne Bridge. Hughes is also looking for a goalkeeper to rival Joe Hart and at least one new centre-half, but the list of players leaving the club is expected to be even longer.

Nery Castillo and Felipe Caicedo will quickly be ushered out of the door but the exodus could also involve Dietmar Hamann, Michael Ball, Javier Garrido, Darius Vassell, Nedem Onuoha and even the Brazil international Elano Blumer.

Back at The Mirror, Stephen Ireland's comments this week get a different interpretation:

"Stephen Ireland slams Kevin Keegan, Stuart Pearce and Sven Goran Eriksson"

Stephen Ireland has delivered an extraordinary snub to Manchester City's former managers - by claiming they finally have a "proper" boss in Mark Hughes.

Ireland has been at City during the reigns of Kevin Keegan, Stuart Pearce and Sven Goran Eriksson.

But he claims that out of all of them, only Hughes has what it takes to send the perennial under-achievers to new heights.

Ireland declared: "He's a proper manager, the kind which I have always wanted to play under and who covers every aspect of preparation and training.

"He sets targets for individuals and the work we do in small groups is intense and spot-on.

"I have got more confidence this season and that is because the manager has shown his confidence and trust in me."

Despite Ireland's glowing assessment of Hughes, City have taken just one point from a possible 12 in their last four games. But the midfielder believes that City - who play stuttering Arsenal at Eastlands on Saturday - can turn things around.

"We can put recent form behind us and that we can take on anyone when it comes to football," he said after his latest man-of-the-match performance against Hull.

"I'm so happy with my game and around the club that I've been doing extra work in the gym in terms of weights and running. I can't get enough."

Ireland has been City's most effective performer this term, outshining £32.5million record signing Robinho, with six goals and a clutch of man-of-the-match performances in central midfield.

Convinced he was on his way out of City in the summer, Ireland had to be called back from an afternoon shopping trip in Manchester in preseason - amid farcical scenes - to play in a friendly against Inter Milan.

Ireland had expected to move to Sunderland to play under fellow Cork-born footballer Roy Keane.

But Hughes insisted the Irishman was a key figure in his plans - and made it clear that the 22-year-old was going nowhere.

"The credit needs to go to Stephen," said Hughes, after two goals from Ireland earned City at 2-2 draw at Hull last weekend and ended a run of three straight straight Premier League defeats.

"What he did in the summer to get himself sharper and stronger was a great example to others and did him a power of good. What we've done since is give him extra work that has enabled him to prosper.

"He embraces everything we're trying to implement and is reaping the benefits - so are we.

"Stephen is a great player, a great talent.

"Possibly in the past he hasn't always shown that on a consistent basis but he's doing so now.

"As well as the goals, all the stats that we get show he's right up there when it comes to work-rate.

"He could have scored more times this season because he keeps on making the correct runs into the right areas and making space for himself.

"But I think that he will score lots of goals this season, both the spectacular and the routine.

"What we have to do is make sure all the elements of his game complement what we are trying to do as a team."