what the papers say

Patience the key, says Dunnie

Daily Telegraph

"Richard Dunne warns Robinho to be patient for success at Manchester City"

Brazilian
forward Robinho, who is due to return from an ankle injury to face
Fulham at Craven Cottage, criticised the mindset of the City squad
earlier this week by claiming that his team-mates lacked the winning
edge possessed by the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and his
former club, Real Madrid.

With the powerful financial backing
of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nayhan, Hughes is likely to accelerate
the team's development by adding a number of experienced players to his
squad in January.

But with City still coming to terms with
their new-found status as the world's wealthiest football club, Irish
defender Dunne insists that time will be as important a commodity as
money as the club attempt to build a winning dynasty at Eastlands.

Dunne
said: "Robinho is right in what he says and we need to have that
stronger mentality, but it just doesn't happen like that.

"That
winning mentality will come and we will get used hopefully to winning
games, but it's a very young squad here and we've got some young
players who are still learning their trade.

"It's takes time to
build. Young players have to learn the game first and then over the
next few years, they will become strong. We can only do it by winning
and keep on winning, telling people the right things, making them do
the right things.

"Players like Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland
and Michael Johnson are determined to go all the way to the top and
that's what they need.

"You also need experience to go with the
young players to give them someone to learn off, players who have won
trophies. Their experience will rub off on the other players and help
us to progress."

Although City have been linked with big-money
moves for the likes Lionel Messi, Kaka and Gianluigi Buffon in recent
weeks, Hughes' January shopping list is more likely to include Wayne
Bridge, Roque Santa Cruz and Lassana Diarra. The City manager has made
it clear, however, that the club will not allow third parties to
interfere with their recruitment plans.

He said: "There is a
lot of speculation about all kinds of players and a lot of people out
there are trying to jump into the middle of deals.

"They are making assumptions on the kind of players we are supposedly interested in and are trying to cover all bases.

"If
we are going into the market for any players, we will deal direct with
the clubs. We don't need anyone trying to make a profit on deals that
we are capable of doing ourselves."

The Independent

"Hughes warns off agents interfering in transfer dealings"

The
club's manager Mark Hughes has delivered a further warning from the
club that he will not tolerate the unsolicited involvement of agents as
his club prepare to spend in the transfer window next month. "You will
find there are a lot of people jumping into the middle of deals that
involve Manchester City and announcing themselves as representing
someone," Hughes said.

"We do not need to deal with any
intermediaries or anyone jumping in trying to make a profit out of any
business. We can do any business we like on our own, thank you very
much. We do not need any help from anybody. That's our message."