The above video on Al Jazeera's English language network was just the beginning.
Our good friend Dave Falk over at the Seattle Examiner has a great story on the Sounders FC phenomenon as it is being portrayed in the middle east.
Here is an excerpt:

A few weeks back I was contacted by "Alex" from the English language Abu Dhabi newspaper "The National," to write two short articles about the Sounders.

New Manchester City signing Gareth Barry, his luggage and his widow's peak head through Manchester Airport today on the way to Abu Dhabi.

English Premier League club Portsmouth have announced that their owner Alexandre Gaydamak has accepted an offer from Dubai based billionaire Dr.Sulaiman Al-Fahim to buy the club. Al-Fahim, who is on the board of the Abu Dhabi United Group (Owners of Man City), had talks with Pompey chairman Peter Storrie last night in Rome.

Portsmouth have accepted a bid from United Arab Emirates businessman Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim to buy the club.

The move follows negotiations led by Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie on behalf of club owner Alexandre Gaydamak.

Al Fahim was the initial figurehead of the Abu Dhabi United Group when they took control of Manchester City last year, but is now acting for himself.

NEW YORK – The draw for the second CONCACAF Champions League will be conducted June 11 at the confederation's New York headquarters, setting the Preliminary Round pairings and which teams will face off in the Group Stage of the 24-club event.
Sixteen teams will be drawn into eight two-leg series for the Preliminary Round that will be staged July 28-30 and August 4-6.

Some anonymous English publication that I won't mention, The Sun, got busted for potentially publishing a horribly false story the other day.
The paper allegedly said Manchester City players all got some nice watches as a gift from the team ownership. The club was soon to refute the report:

Manchester City can confirm that the story in The Sun newspaper this morning claiming that our players visiting Abu Dhabi had been given expensive watches by Sheikh Mansour is a fabrication.

This is a pretty funny picture, and no, it is not fake, found via Just-Football.com . The Manchester City officials have bought advertisement around the city to make fun brag about the signing of one of the most important players Manchester United had last season.
The 25 year old striker, bought for 29 million euros, might make a big difference at the City of Manchester Stadium, and after the signing of Robinho last season from Real Madrid, Manchester City, probably the richest club in the world after they were bought by Abu Dhabi United Group 12 months ago, will be a threat for United from the ongoing season.

Manchester City have begun talks about expanding their stadium to a 60,000 capacity as part of their multimillion-pound attempt to be recognised as one of the most powerful clubs in Europe.

Although the plans are only at a very early stage, there have been discussions at boardroom level about whether the City of Manchester Stadium, with its 48,000 capacity, is big enough for what the owners are planning.

So were Abu Dhabi United robbed by Martin Atkinson?
This post, for subscribers only, details the Reality behind what went on at Old Trafford yesterday.
But we will inform non-subscribers of one little detail...
OUR TRADERS KNEW THAT MANCHESTER UNITED WERE GOING TO WIN THE DERBY PRE-MATCH.

Ali Al Faraj has made headlines all over the world the last few weeks with his purchase of Premier League club Portsmouth. Ironically, the head of the Saudi Arabia league, Dr. Hafez Al Medlej, claims that until just as recently as the public eye he never knew who Al Faraj even was:

I hope Al Faraj has success, but we never heard of this guy.

With a majority of the first-team squad either in the treatment room or away on international duty this week I thought I'd blog again on ownership. I know many Gooners don't give a stuff who owns the club as long as we're successful. I for one beg to differ. Leadership and thus success comes from the top.

"We will get better, but we are still a team with obvious frailties and we will work to address them when the transfer window opens again. What we need to have is that consistent level of performance and that resoluteness to be able to see games out and take something positive from every game we play.

After eight months and 76 matches, we've come to the end of the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League. Atlante have a 2-0 aggregate lead over Cruz Azul and will seek to wrap up the series and secure their place in Abu Dhabi for the FIFA Club World Cup later this year. I won't be able to liveblog the match, but consider this to be an open thread on the match.

Gonna kick off today in a lazy way, going through some different stories I've found on the net this afternoon. It's quite crazy, just how much United news there is every single day online, but I'm not complaining, it makes for good reading.

First off today, there's a nice piece on the Times Online, as they discuss the twenty defining moments of the season for United including Scolari joining Chelsea, Abu Dhabi buying City and Liverpool's many draws.

Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a three-year deal to be the official shirt sponsor and partner of Premier League side, Manchester City FC. The Etihad Airways brand logo will appear on Manchester City shirts from the summer.

The partnership is initially for three years and was announced today at the City of Manchester Stadium by Etihad Airways' Chief Executive, James Hogan, Manchester City FC Chief Executive Garry Cook and Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council.

A deal has finally been brokered between Israelis and Arabs. Portsmouth FC have been sold from Israeli Alexandre Gaydamak to Arab Sulaiman Al-Fahim.
Al-Fahim, a real estate billionaire, has been nicknamed the "Donald Trump" of Abu Dhabi. The 32-year old will take over a club in dire need of some investment, and the task will be considerably more difficult than producing a season or two of The Apprentice.

Like two peas in a pod Hmm, this lookalike is a bit too good to be true. They are, in fact, one and the same. Sulaiman al-Fahim fronted the Abu Dhabi United (the name still makes me snigger) takeover of Manchester City before mysteriously disappearing out of sight. He has now re-emerged as the all-but-signed-on-the-dotted-line new oener [.

The first significant transfer of the summer - and perhaps the most surprising - has already taken place; and all before a ball has been kicked in anger during pre-season. Gareth Barry has today joined Manchester City in a £12 million deal.

The surprise isn't Barry's departure from Villa Park, but his final destination.

The major success story of the past decade at the club has undoubtedly been the emergence of the Academy, and the procession of players brought through to senior leve, which shows no sign of abating.
The club today announced plans to expand the Academy on a global scale, with an initial Academy in Abu Dhabi, followed by a venture into America.

• Wenger - Why I sold African duo to Man City | News Archive | News | Arsenal.com

  tags: City

• Sheffield United's new striker explains why he left Manchester City | Give Me Football

  tags: City

• Manchester City chairman, F1 promoter: Abu Dhabi's man of sport - SportsPro Media

  tags: City

• Richard Scudamore backs Manchester City's right to spend money on transfers - Telegraph

  tags: City

• Hughes downplays the money factor

  tags: City

• bridge views - the thinking fan's chelsea blog: Sir Alexs hypocrisy points to his fear of the Man City threat

  tags: City

Posted from Diigo.

Manchester City is like a black hole that has opened up in the fabric of the Premier League. Sucking mass, masses of expensive players and media attention, it leaves many fans unsure about how to approach the club's awakening and limitless powers. Some laugh. Some wince. Most shake their heads, confused and afraid, especially those millions of fans of any of the now comparatively-less-rich Big Four, which constitute most of the Premier League fans here in America and elsewhere outside England.

. Manchester City kept their winning start as they beat Wolves 1-0 through an Emmanuel Adebayor strike in the 17th minute. The lone goal of the match was set up by Carlos Tevez who showed the class that he had displayed last season at his former club Manchester United. Playing at Eastlands, City [.

"If somebody stamps on your head in that way, you wouldn't say, 'thank you very much' and turn the other cheek. Only Jesus Christ did that."

Wenger backs Van Persie for speaking out about the unholy incident.

"I don't watch Match of the Day, I watch Coronation Street instead.

Pompey picked up some Saudi Oil money today as Saudi tycoon Ali al-Faraj bought 90% of the financially stricken club from Sulaiman al-Fahim.
Al-Fahim, of Abu Dhabi, bought the club just 44 days ago - but he's out and the 40-year-old al-Faraj is in.
So, what does this mean? Well - for starters, not much on the pitch: Pompey may have a large arsenal of cash to use in the January transfer window - but they'll have to stick with their hodgepodge of new signings and on-loan stars (O'Hara 4.

Mark Hughes looks to balance attack heavy squad by bringing in experienced defenders in potential swap deal.

Fulham Vs Manchester City Tickets Still Available!

The Manchester City hierarchy are holding talks in Abu Dhabi this week in a rare face-to-face management meeting as the club hone their ambitious plans on and off the pitch.

There are plenty of stories being knocked out this week from Abu Dhabi - no doubt in attempt by journos to justify the expense of jetting them out for the best part of the week, and The Guardian carries one that, whilst not a new subject, is always interesting in how it lifts the lid on the disharmony during the 2008/09 season.

Stephen, here's the man who will fund your next ill-advised hair experiment Manchester City's squad got an unexpected meeting with owner Sheikh Mansour when he paid a surprise visit to a training session. City's squad - minus those on international duty - are in Abu Dhabi to play a friendly against the United Arab Emirates national [.

This weeks piece from Neil Ashton in the NOTW suggests a problem at the club between Mark Hughes and Jim Cassell:

The simmering tensions between Mark Hughes and legendary academy director Jim Cassell erupted after his office was cleared without his knowledge.

Cassell, who has recently been promoted to work in Abu Dhabi, discovered files and paperwork from over 10 years' service had been dumped in a corridor at Manchester City's Platt Lane academy.

From the official site:

Previously known as MAN, Ferrostaal become the Club's fourth partner and join with Etihad Airways, Umbro and Etisalat, the latter is a deal which was announced during the Club's recent trip to Abu Dhabi.

Ferrostaal, a global provider of industrial services in plant construction and engineering, is based in Essen, Germany and employs around 4,440 people in more than 60 different countries.

The Barca boys were in Abu Dhabi last week, (winning the FIFA World Club Cup), and our EXI Keeper, Victor Valdes, opted to show just how versatile hotness can be. See: his sassy new DSquared suit.

Not many men can rock a navy sweater-vest and maroon tie combo, you know. See: the hombre behind him.

The Barca boys were in Abu Dhabi last week, (winning the FIFA World Club Cup), and our EXI Keeper, Victor Valdes, opted to show just how versatile hotness can be. See: his sassy new DSquared suit.

Not many men can rock a navy sweater-vest and maroon tie combo, you know. See: the hombre behind him.

Dearest Leader
To the Glorious Victors of the Eastlands Revolution!
Peoples of the Blue Moon! Your struggle from emancipation from the grinding gears of mid-table mediocrity requires nothing less than eternal vigilance! Our triumph over the forces of decadence in the Eee Pee El demands constant spiritual and intellectual rigour!

It's Madchester sans the twisting melons. OK. So I realise that everyone and their Mother has an opinion on Manchester City and their search for new talent to wear the Sky Blue in the near future. Here's my twopennorth! Manchester City fans were delirious when the club was bought out by Sheikh Mansour and his group and [.

When the Abu Dhabi United Group bought Manchester City at the beginning of this season, both myself and football fanatics around the world sensed a new beginning for the blue side of Manchester. Names like Kaka and David Villa were all rumored to be heading to the City of Manchester Stadium, and even when the signing of Robinho was clinched I genuinely believed that the club would at least comfortably wrap up a UEFA Cup spot.

El partido de vuelta de la final de la Concachampions entre Atlante y Cruz Azul fue un auténtico tributo al aburrimiento, tanto Potros como Celestes ofrecieron poco a la afición que acudió al estadio Andrés Quintana Roo, regalándoles un espantoso empate sin goles.

Cancun-based Atlante will represent CONCACAF at this year's FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi. The Potros won the all-Mexican Champions League final series 2-0 in aggregate after playing to a scoreless draw against Cruz Azul on Tuesday night at...

The all new rumour reporting article system is in full effect! The Rumour City boss Mark Hughes tried to land the striker from Barcelona last summer - even before the cash-laden takeover by the Abu Dhabi United group that made the Eastlands outfit the richest club on the planet. Flamengo have also .

The sheikhs have raised the stakes. Defeat to Tottenham on Saturday killed off Manchester City's slim hopes of competing in the new Europa League next season, and with it went a potential carrot to entice new recruits to Eastlands.

The goal now set by the club's owners Abu Dhabi United Group is to break into the top four next season.

Remember earlier this season, when the main activity performed by anyone associated with the takeover of Manchester City by the royal family of Abu Dhabi was to peer into a television camera and just mercilessly shock the world by stating large amounts of money? And how it turned out that maybe some of those amounts were exaggerated, but then, it didn't really matter, because they were going to fill the streets of Asia with Man City-branded motorbikes and change football forever by spending one heptillion dollars on Kaká?

Where the outside world sees a team languishing in the middle of the Barclays Premier League after a disappointing first season under the ownership of the Abu Dhabi United Group and the management of Mark Hughes, Cook, the chief executive, sees progress and boundless potential.

>>timesonline
A brief paraphrase of a lengthy piece that but eatured in todays timesonline from an interview with Garry Cook, where, amongst other things he discussed Mark Hughes, transfers, the owners and future hopes for the club.