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SWP was given a warm welcome back by manager Mark Hughes |
Manchester City fans were delighted with the return of ‘old boy’ 老朋友 Shaun Wright-Phillips on Saturday, who rejoined his former team after three years with Premiership leaders Chelsea.
Wright-Phillips earned a hero’s welcome 受到了英雄凯旋式的热烈欢迎 back after scoring a brace 两个球 in eight minutes to help Manchester City to a 3-0 win over Sunderland.
The 26-year-old prodigal son 回头的浪子 was given a huge ovation 热烈欢迎和喝彩 by City fans who chanted, "Once a blue, always a blue", meaning that well-loved Manchester City players will always have a place in the fans’ hearts.
Despite being mainly used as a substitute 替补队员 during three seasons with Chelsea, Wright-Phillips’ talent has never been in doubt with City’s manager Mark Hughes.
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No doubt
I didn’t think twice about starting with Shaun, I wanted to get him straight back in.
Mark Hughes, Manchester City manager
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Hughes told reporters he "didn’t think twice about starting with Shaun", meaning he was absolutely certain that Wright-Phillips should be in the starting line-up 首发阵容.
Hughes believes that Wright-Phillips, or SWP as he is known to the fans, has learned a thing or two during his break down south 英格兰南部.
"Shaun’s a better player now than when he left and we’re only going to reap the benefits 坐享其成,获得益处 of it," said Hughes.
The win over Sunderland is seen as a confidence boost 信心大增 for City who have faced uncertainty in recent months as their owner, the former prime minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra, is facing corruption charges 腐败诉讼 in his native country.
Shinawatra has also had his assets frozen 冻结资产 in Thailand, which has made some City fans nervous regarding investment 投资 in the club.
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Stay or go?
Since May I’ve been trying to renew my contract but Real Madrid didn’t want to because they were so sure they would sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
Robinho, Real Madrid
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One team that doesn’t have financial worries 财政上的烦恼 is SWP’s last club Chelsea, who are in last-minute talks to try and sign the Brazilian striker Robinho from Real Madrid before the transfer market window 转会市场之窗 closes at midnight 1 September.
Chelsea have been criticised by the Spanish giants for jumping the gun 抢先, after replica 复制品 Robinho shirts were offered for sale on Chelsea’s website last week.
Real Madrid, however, have been accused of double standards 双重标准 after their own attempts to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United during the summer.
Robinho himself blamed the situation on the Ronaldo affair, saying Real Madrid didn’t want to renew his contract 续签他的合同 "because they were so sure they would sign Cristiano Ronaldo".
"Now because they haven’t signed anyone, they won’t let me go," said Robinho.