Last season, Manchester City proved they were the greatest Premier League side ever.Pep Guardiola's side amassed a ridiculous 100 points and were confirmed as champions sooner than any other team before them.And they’re odds-on favourites to win the league for a second consecutive year.But it hasn’t always been like this for Man City.Before the takeover of the Abu Dhabi United Group in September 2008, City hadn’t won the top-flight for 40 years.And they were too busy thinking about the prospect of being relegated from the Premier League to think about the prospect of winning it.But there’s one player that was there for the takeover and he still remains a key member of the City squad - Vincent Kompany.In fact, it’s 10 years to the day since Kompany signed for City.
He made his debut a few days later in a 3-0 win against West Ham - with the Belgian playing in midfield.Back then, Abu Dhabi United Group were just in the process of their takeover and City lacked any big names.And that can be seen in the XI that started when Kompany made his Man City bow 10 years ago.Just check out this side:
Goalkeeper | Joe Hart
Right-back | Micah Richards
Centre-back | Vedran Corluka
Centre-back | Tal Ben Haim
Left-back | Michael Ball
Midfield | Michael Johnson
Midfield | Vincent Kompany
Midfield | Stephen Ireland
Winger | Elano
Winger | Martin Petrov
Striker | Daniel Sturridge
Wow.
That XI isn’t winning any Premier League titles.
City eventually finished 10th that season with the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Pablo Zabaleta, Robinho, Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong all arriving during the campaign thanks to the money invested by the Abu Dhabi United Group.
And City haven’t looked back since.