Benjani sheds light on infamous Man City move

Benjani sheds light on infamous Man City move & reveals classy touch from Roberto Mancini.

• "I think about it a lot; how they just couldn't break through at City because of what was going on in the club at the time."
  "I didn't really have much time to think about the Manchester City move. You know, Portsmouth is my club, and in truth I only really had a few minutes before the end of the deadline to make a decision."
• "As a player, you can only dream of being in a position like mine, when the new owners came to Man City. Being a part of that group of players was so exciting. Even when they were bringing players in who played in my position... I actually loved it."
• "People forget this, but Daniel Sturridge was a youngster at the club at the time, you know, Kieran Trippier was there, Ben Mee too... but no one really noticed them."
• "I think about it a lot; how they just couldn't break through at City because of what was going on in the club at the time."
• [On Roberto Mancini] "When he came in, there were a lot of players - big players - who were angry about the decision, to be honest. I think a few people were still in shock at the decision to sack Mark Hughes."
• "One day, Mancini called me over just to tell me he loved my attitude. It meant a lot to me, because at the time, I only had three months left on my contract, and I knew the club weren't going to extend it for me. But because of my attitude, Mancini said "I'm telling you now, I'll give you one more season with us."
• "He wasn't stupid; you know, he knew that some of the players didn't want to play for him. That's why he tried to pick players who were working so hard, and that's why he gave me an extra year."
  

I didn't really have much time to think about the Manchester City move. You know, Portsmouth is my club, and in truth I only really had a few minutes before the end of the deadline to make a decision. Usually, you have a few weeks to think about these kind of moves.  

You know, we played against Manchester United on January 30th, and if there was a plan to move me on, when you consider the next day was Deadline Day, then you'd have to say it was unlikely I'd have played in that game, but I did. Harry [Redknapp] would've spoken to me beforehand and said "look, something might be happening with Man City." But that never happened, and I played in that game, away against Man United, flew back to Portsmouth, and then I found out I was being sold to Man City. It was a quick chat with the gaffer, and then off I went.

As a player, you can only dream of being in a position like mine, when the new owners came to Man City. Being a part of that group of players was so exciting. The atmosphere around the place, when they were bringing all of these big names in, was brilliant. Even when they were bringing players in who played in my position... I actually loved it. I loved the impact those players had on us; it was amazing. 

It's too difficult to pick a standout player from my time at City... Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robinho, Elano... and Vincent Kompany. Being around those guys makes you a better player... it just does. Even though I didn't spend much time with them, the fact they were bringing in these kinds of players meant I wanted to challenge for my place even more.

Look, with a situation like that, you end up seeing a few players drop off and move away. You know, players like Stephen Ireland and Michael Johnson were so good, but they were being replaced and had to move on as a result. But the bigger surprise for me was seeing the amount of youth team players the club ended up missing out on, almost, because of the number of big players ahead of them. People forget this, but Daniel Sturridge was a youngster at the club at the time, you know, Kieran Trippier was there, Ben Mee too... but no one really noticed them.  

When I was injured, I used to go and train with these guys, and you could see they were unbelievable players, but they just weren't getting a look in. None of them were going to make it at the club because the owners were just focused on buying, buying, buying... 

But when I was playing with them, I could see their potential, I could see that they were going to go far. Sturridge and Trippier, in particular, went on to play for the national team, and that doesn't surprise me at all. But I think about it a lot; how they just couldn't break through at City because of what was going on in the club at the time.

Things really did change when Roberto Mancini arrived at the club. He didn't talk to the players much, but he changed a lot, in terms of training. As soon as he came in, we started training twice a day, in the morning and then again in the afternoon, when we'd work on tactics, and doing extra work in the gym. 

I liked the way he came and changed things, to be honest. Sometimes, as a manager, you can come in and make changes just for the sake of it, as the new guy, but everything he did made sense to me. My relationship with him was good, actually. 

When he came in, there were a lot of players - big players - who were angry about the decision, to be honest. I think a few people were still in shock at the decision to sack Mark Hughes.

One day, Mancini called me over just to tell me he loved my attitude. It meant a lot to me, because at the time, I only had three months left on my contract, and I knew the club weren't going to extend it for me. But because of my attitude, Mancini said "I'm telling you now, I'll give you one more season with us."

He is so obsessed with the attitude of his players, how they're training, regardless of whether or not they're playing for the first-team. My game was all about working hard, and regardless of whether I was playing, on the bench, not in the squad, or injured, I always had a positive attitude. It was second nature to me, though, and it's something that went down really well with Mancini. 

One afternoon, we met in the corridor, and he just said "I want to speak with you. Come into my office."

I followed him into his office and we started to talk.

"I love your attitude. Some of these guys, you can tell they don't want to be here. Keep on doing what you're doing, because I'd prefer to play you, with your attitude, than some of those guys."

"I'm sorry, gaffer, but my contract is finishing. I've only got another three months left here."

"No. I'm giving you another year."

The moment he came in, remember, he wasn't exactly a favourite with the players. Mark Hughes had moulded those guys into a certain way, and we were all starting to gel together. Then, all of a sudden, Mark Hughes left, and the players really felt that. Then, Mancini came in and the players didn't really embrace him. But he wasn't stupid; you know, he knew that some of the players didn't want to play for him. That's why he tried to pick players who were working so hard, and that's why he gave me an extra year. 

Man City are the favourites in the 2024/25 Premier League odds, seen as more likely than Arsenal and Liverpool to win the title for the fifth year running.