The Depth Of Fear - How New Man City Manager Alex McLean Views The Season Ahead.

City Boss McLean With Club Legend Shaun Goater

First can I extend my appreciation for the achievements of previous City boss Paddy  and commend him for bringing a Top 100 Cup runners-up medal and a Top 6 finish last season. A fantastic piece of work, Thank you Paddy for all your efforts.

Secondly, I'd like to wish new Inter manager Josh the very best of success at my old club. I sincerely hope you succeed in areas where I have failed. Very best wishes to you Josh.

It has been some time coming, although not altogether unexpected, when it was announced that I would be leaving Italian giants Internazionale for the club I support, Manchester City. Indeed the optimism and joy I felt at knowing I was taking over informed a last gasp finish for Inter into the play-offs for the 3rd season in a row.

I had appraised myself (somewhat) of the squad at City before taking over. When I fully took over and gave a full appraisal my early optimism turned to dread then fear. The fear of relegation and losing hold of the club of my dreams. The main striker was 36. The main winger was 34. The main 'hotshot star' was playing for Arsenal. My second string included 34 yr old Ribery and a bunch of nobodies.

I looked at my youth. Komar stood out. Vitinho? Jury's out. Di Mariano? Possibly. Other than that another bunch of nobodies that I would have to wait until February to get rid. This task, this job, although not beyond me, was a long term effort that needed care, love and attention - requirements needed to build this club into  a strong force for the future and one that could play to its heritage of attacking football.

I love this club. It is the job of my dreams. I am fully confident in my own abilities to turn this club around. But it will not happen overnight in a frenzied burst of transfer activity. It will take a real effort, a balancing act. The players I want to sell the most I have had to keep to remain competitive. The players I've least wanted to sell I have had to sell to bring in depth and hope for the future.

A shred of hope was brought buy the sale of lacazette to Monaco. Negotiations which started in September 3rd 1926 were finally concluded almost a century later. In came some REAL talent. Spanish winger Oyarzabel, much in demand across Europe signed. As did Lyon phenom Mariano Diaz and new PSV wonderkid Romero. Brilliant.

Next to go was free scoring converted striker Mertens in exchange for PSV star Pereiro and another wonderkid in Juve's Bentancur. Absolutely thrilled.

And that's where it ends.

Our hopes of bringing in much needed defensive cover in exchange for Gundogan have been cruelly dashed. Likewise with Robben who was shown firm interest before being completely brushed off with a terse rejection.

I have had to reject what were decent bids for both in terms of quality, but not in terms of what I needed, and will now hold onto the squad as is, as recruitment efforts have come to a grinding halt. More galling is having to rebuff managers efforts for minor players as I have sought and waited to conclude deals I thought close to fruition, only to see them dashed and with them the deals for said minor players.

I look to the season ahead, not with optimism, not with a jolly and carefree attitude, because I cannot.

My goal now is simply to avoid relegation before season's end, such that I may transfer out the oldies in search of brighter, younger talent and continue the regeneration of this great club. Fear abounds.