It's been a hectic week or so personally so I haven't had a great deal of time to post much on the comments that came out of Nedum Onouha's appearance on Soccer AM last weekend.
Whilst the City blogs have been busy with their coverage, I am surprised it hasn't garnered much more attention on a wider scale given the way the press have leapt on comments made by Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez in the past.
From previous interviews, Onouha is far from your stereotypical footballer, trotting out formulaic answers and avoiding any sort of controversy, yet he does strike as a calm and measured individual. You don't foresee any Tevez or Bellamy style engaging mouth before brain outbursts from him.
Which of course make his comments that much more surprising. Under a succession of managers, Onouha has never really been a regular. Injuries have played a part but often he has been the odd man out, despite his obvious talent (which to my mind makes him the most 'pure' defender we have), yet he has never gone public with his displeasure before.
The answers and comments Onouha gave were thought out and he certainly wasn't caught on the hop (Soccer AM is hardly the most taxing of interview environments you don't imagine) which make them even more striking. Clearly Onouha has a huge bond with the club, yet apparantly feels that he is under valued by Roberto Mancini - although to suggest Mark Hughes was about to give him an extended run in the side was strange given Hughes's investment in both Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott. I am certain that Onouha also featured more under the Italian.
Perhaps though, after such a long time spent battling injuries, to have had virtually a full season being available but so often overlooked (starting just ten games) hit home that he does face an uphill battle to establish himself as a regular.
Whilst Mancini may not be the most popular manager amongst the players, but then I'm sure it isn't Mancini's aim to be. I do think he sees Onouha being an important part of the squad so to see Onouha suggest Mancini doesn't like him may be a by product of Mancini's distance with the squad, yet I'm sure this isn't something that Onouha would have failed to see rather than it being a personal issue between the pair.
If he did ultimately seek a move then I'm sure there would be a number of sides interested, yet I don't see this as a situation that is irreperable and would a parting of the ways really be in the best interests of either Onouha or the club?