Manchester City 0-1 Bon Jovi

By: Ian Rose | May 18th, 2008

That’s right, after being slaughtered 8-1 on the final day of the season, Manchester City fans have to absorb yet another embarrassing defeat, this time to an aging New Jersey rock star. When things started to go bad for City this season, or at least started to go worse, there was little hope for European football. So, there was little thought over the relatively short time between a Bon Jovi concert at City of Manchester Stadium on June 22 and the opening of the UEFA Cup’s first qualifying round on July 17. It seems that laying and preparing a pitch for an early start to the season takes a bit longer than that, at least for a pitch that a professional footballer would want to play on. As it turns out, thanks to UEFA’s Fair Play spots, it’s an issue, and apparently, Bon Jovi takes precedence.

I actually have a lot of sympathy for City fans on this issue, since my own club, Inverness Caley Thistle, was forced to give up a chance at Europe not long ago for Elton John, whose concert conflicted with an Intertoto Cup fixture date. In any case, Man City will be calling in favors and going club-to-club asking for groundshare during the early UEFA Cup rounds. Old Trafford will not be approached, but that aside, they’ll take the largest ground available.

Not everyone is concerned. Sven-Goran Eriksson, who remains the boss at Man City despite overwhelming rumors of his up and coming dismissal, is thrilled to be headed to Europe. He told the Guardian:

“It’s like the dream came true. Our dream to play in Europe has been strong all season. At one point we thought we were almost sure to get there, at other points we’ve been almost out of it, but now this news is absolutely fantastic for the club, for the fans and for everyone.”

I can’t help it. Every time I read Sven’s quotes now, I literally read the word “Well …” before every sentence, even though it isn’t there. Damn you, awesome puppet show. Anyway, I’m sure City fans are agreed with Sven - Europe is Europe, and I doubt many of them expected to be seeing European football next season. Still, it has to hurt to lose to Bon Jovi. I would make a crack about losing the home advantage being a shot through the heart, but it would be too easy.