Mancherster City outcasts down with kids

Posted Sunday, July 24, 2011 by Dailystar.co.uk

Above: Emmanuel Adebayor has had his famous dreadlocks shorn to a skinhead

MAN City stars are soaking up the USA sunshine while their outcast team-mates are forced into hard labour back home.

City, who play David Beckham’s LA Galaxy today, are happy to pamper their in-favour first teamers with millionaire trappings and orders to regularly relax around the pool.

But there are no such luxuries for Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Emmanuel Adebayor, Nedum Onuoha and Michael Johnson, who don’t figure in the plans of boss Roberto Mancini.

They have been drafted into City’s grandly-named Elite Development Squad, training every day with the kids with days off strictly limited. Bellamy, Onuoha, 24, and Johnson, 23, were despatched to the footballing outpost of Altrincham for a friendly seven days ago.

And Bellamy, 32, Bridge, 30, Onuoha and Johnson were back in action in the game at Stalybridge on Wednesday.

Reject striker Roque Santa Cruz, 29, is playing for Paraguay while his future is sorted out.

The second stringers all performed like true professionals in encouraging City’s kids during the knockabouts.

Bellamy scored against Stalybridge and even had a trademark go at the ref. The following morning it was back to

City’s Carrington training HQ for more rigorous workouts – a routine the great unwanted have experienced for the past two weeks.

Togo hitman Adebayor, 27, who cost £25million from Arsenal in 2009, has yet to feature in any friendlies but has decided if he can’t beat fellow City striker Mario Balotelli, he may as well join him.

The Tottenham target has had his famous dreadlocks shorn to a skinhead, just like Balotelli.

A City source said: “You had to take a second look when he arrived for training with his new look. I thought it was Mario until he got out of his car and he was a foot taller.” Spurs boss Harry Redknapp would love to take Adebayor on loan – but Bellamy wants a permanent move away from City with West Ham his likely destination.

He said: “To be honest I don’t want to go on loan again because where would I go after that?

“A permanent move would be the best option for me.

“If not, I expect to stay the whole year at City.

“I’ll obviously do very little. I won’t be involved with the manager and the first team.”