The opening leg of Manchester City’s pre-season tour in North Carolina has wrapped up, showcasing the Blues’ presence even in a small town of 60,000.
Locals noted it hadn’t rained in Chapel Hill for two months until Manchester City arrived.
The town was unmistakably in City mode, with posters and life-size cutouts of Moonchester, surprisingly in a 2018/19 away kit with a speech bubble saying ‘Go, Cityzens!’ adorning every corner. Shops, restaurants, and hotels all sported similar displays.
A pop-up shop, resembling the Etihad changing room, sold City merchandise. Fans flocked to see Ederson earlier in the week, bringing rare hustle to the quiet area.
Known as a college town dedicated to the University of North Carolina sports stars, the 30,000 students were absent for the summer. This week, world-class footballers replaced the students, drawing 31,000 City and Celtic fans. The town buzzed with City shirts as the game approached.
As City departs the calm of Carolina for the hustle of New York, reporter Joe Bray provides an inside look at the Blues’ US tour kickoff:
New Kit Gets Unofficial ‘Release’
Chapel Hill’s sky blue, mirroring UNC’s colors, made City flags and posters blend in seamlessly. Even the fire trucks matched the theme.
A fan event for local supporters’ clubs featured a range of past and present City kits, evident at open training and game day. Unreleased away kits, reminiscent of the 1999 design, were spotted, indicating either early US availability or fans acquiring fakes in their eagerness.
This small North Carolina town, the size of Sale, hosting such City enthusiasm, highlights the club’s expanding influence.
Pep Guardiola likely enjoyed the low-key tour start in quiet North Carolina, where his inspiration, Michael Jordan, attended UNC. Guardiola mentioned this in his press conference. The supporters’ event was held in ‘He’s Not Here,’ a bar Jordan frequented, its name echoing the City chant ‘we’re not really here,’ making it a fitting meetup spot.
City’s New Star Attraction
Guardiola noted the stark contrast from his first US tour with City seven years ago, with few fans or replica shirts then, compared to the current widespread support.
An open training session in Cary, near Raleigh, drew thousands of fans. Pre-game events at Kenan Memorial Stadium were well-attended, with the majority of fans supporting City, except for a pocket of Celtic fans.
While stars like Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish were major draws at WakeMed Soccer Park, Guardiola’s arrival received one of the biggest cheers. Oscar Bobb paused his press conference as cheers erupted outside upon Guardiola’s coach arrival.
Guardiola, sometimes overshadowed by his superstar players, is a commercial asset for City. His field entrance for training received a cheer as loud as any player. He could be a significant commercial draw in the upcoming fortnight.
City donned wrestling-themed shirt numbers after a WWE deal. Young fans stormed the pitch post-game, one steward humorously overreacting in stopping them, adding to the entertainment.
Evacuation Confusion
The day before City’s friendly, a sudden storm turned Franklin Street into a river, prompting a shelter-in-place at a Mexican restaurant. Flash flood alerts were issued, but the storm passed quickly.
Kenan Memorial Stadium’s abrupt evacuation due to a severe weather warning 90 minutes before kick-off revived memories of a storm-delayed friendly in Wisconsin two years ago. Last year’s Seoul fixture also faced weather threats.
However, the weather improved as spectators left, leading to a 35-minute delay with no rain. Apparently, any lightning within eight miles triggers warnings, understandable given the stadium’s metal benches.
The storm did eventually hit later, but fans didn’t mind, adding a student-like vibrancy to the town as rain poured down. After two months of dryness, Manchester and Glasgow’s visit seemingly brought the storms.
De Bruyne Steals Headlines
Guardiola’s opening press conference ended with a Spanish question. Insisting on answering in Spanish, Guardiola joked English speakers would learn. Asked about Saudi offers for players like Kevin De Bruyne, Guardiola firmly stated, ‘Kevin no va’ – ‘Kevin isn’t leaving’. This confirmation dismissed recent transfer rumors.
City plans to discuss De Bruyne’s future next month after his break. His current contract runs until summer 2025, so while staying this summer is confirmed, his long-term plans are next to address.
Guardiola, refreshed from a summer break, provided updates on De Bruyne, Ederson, James McAtee, and Kalvin Phillips’ futures, seeming calm and happy about the upcoming season.
Haaland and Phillips’ Classy Visit
Guardiola emphasized avoiding injuries and promoting City’s ‘brand’ in the US, highlighted by commercial activities like the pop-up shop and a larger New York store.
City announced a new partnership with Sony Entertainment for documentaries and other content with City Studios. The club’s third kit will debut in New York alongside other events.
These tours also give back to local communities. Micah Hamilton and Luke Mbete joined a football session with young fans with learning disabilities at ‘Special Olympics’ in Raleigh.
Erling Haaland, along with Phillips, Nico O’Reilly, and Mahamadou Susoho, visited the local Children’s Hospital. Haaland and Phillips engaged with the youngsters, distributed gifts, and posed with the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup trophies.
These gestures significantly impact and highlight the charitable efforts City undertakes on these tours.
