MAN CITY BOSSES REGRET ALLOWING THAKSIN TO TAKE OVER THEIR CLUB

       "We failed to do proper research on him," chief executive tells Guardian
       Senior figures at Manchester City have publicly rounded on the club's former owner, ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, in comments reported by Britain's Guardian newspaper yesterday.
       Garry Cook, the club's executive chairman, said he "deeply regretted my failure to do proper research on Thaksin", while manager Mark Hughes admitted he made "too many assumptions" before joining from Blackburn Rovers last year.
       It is three years since Thaksin, who is living in exile to avoid jail for corruption, was toppled by the military and had $U$2.2 billion dollars (Bt76 billion) in funds frozen soon afterwards.
       Hughes, Cook and others including midfielder Stephen Ireland said a lack of cash under Thaksin meant Manchester City was well short of having the resources needed to make the club big hitters in the Premiership.
       "I made too many assumptions," Hughes told the Guardian. "I assumed that people and facilities would be top quality and it was patently obvious they weren't."
       Cook admitted that the atmosphere at Eastlands was like a "lion's den".
       "Thaksin's money was locked away," he said. "We got into a position where we couldn't pay the players and [ex-chairman] John Wardle was asked to lend the club two million pounds (Bt110 million)."
       Ireland added: "It was mad that somebody like that ... could own our football club".
       Hughes was frustrated by the club's problems during the tumultuous few months he worked under Thaksin.
       "The reality wasn't exactly what was described and sold to me," Hughes was quoted as telling The Guardian website. "In fairness, we were able to go into the transfer market, but there seemed a focus that players had to be sold, and I realised that maybe the resources weren't in place that I thought."
       Hughes found it difficult to concentrate on his job while Thaksin was at the helm.
       "If you get to a point where it is untenable and not manageable, then you make the decision to walk away," he said. "I never got to that point - but I was close."
       Hughes persevered and saw City bought in September 2008 by Abu Dhabi's wealthy Sheikh Mansour, who has lavished more than US$200 million on new players.
       Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club's current chairman, said the situation the new owner, Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, inherited was "simply unacceptable" and forced quick action to make basic improvements to, for example, the club's gym.