Cisse: I nearly signed for City

Posted Sunday, May 13, 2012 by The Sun

Cisse: I nearly signed for City
MAN ON A MISSION ... Djibril Cisse

DJIBRIL CISSE could have been helping Manchester City make their title dreams come true today instead of trying to wreck them.

The Frenchman is QPR’s best bet for a goal at the Etihad Stadium as the Hoops battle to avoid the drop.

A City victory would crown their first league title in 44 years and leave Mark Hughes’ side relying on a Bolton failure at Stoke to stay up.

But an away win or a draw would confirm Rangers’ safety — and open the door for Manchester United to snatch the title from their neighbours.

Cisse turned down City when Hughes was in charge there, opting to join Marseille instead.

But he insisted he was not kicking himself despite now finding himself 90 minutes away from dropping into the Championship.

He said: “I had a talk with them. It was Mark Hughes who was the manager then. My agent had a discussion at the time but I also had a proposition from Marseille. Marseille are a big club and the club that I support, so I have no regrets.”

Striker Cisse, 30, was hoping he would not have to hurt close pal Samir Nasri by ruining the City midfielder’s big day.

But if that comes to pass, he reckons the setback would be only temporary for the ex-Arsenal man.

Cisse said: “We talk nearly every day. I will be sad if he is not a champion but he will have another chance to win a title.”

It was Cisse’s last-gasp winner against Stoke last week that means the R’s have their fate in their own hands.

And he revealed that keeping Rangers in the Premier League would feel almost as good as winning the Champions League with Liverpool on that amazing night in Istanbul in 2005. He said: “It would be in the top three of my achievements.

“There was the Champions League final, there was the French Cup final and now there is this game.”

Cisse has bagged five goals in just seven games since joining from Lazio in January.

But two red cards also meant he was banned for seven games and the Hoops struggled without him.

He said: “I don’t want the people at QPR to have these bad memories of me. This is a personal mission. It’s up to me to change that.”

It is not only Cisse who has had a hard time of it this term, His boss Hughes admits managing QPR this season has been his most difficult job yet but believes they can end the season with survival after coming back from the brink. The West Londoners travel to City with just two points separating them and Bolton in the final relegation berth.

Hughes, 48, believes it is going to be “one hell of a day” and rejected the notion that he would take any satisfaction from stifling the club he was unceremoniously dismissed from 2½ years ago.

The former City chief insisted: “If we get a result I will be more pleased for everybody connected with Queens Park Rangers.

“I wouldn’t take any satisfaction from . It would only be delight for my team and my players because it would be a huge achievement to be able to do that.

“I came in halfway through a very difficult season and it has not been easy.

“Arguably, it has been the most difficult job I’ve had to date but we’ve turned things around. We’ve got to where we need to be and the players are understanding what is required.

“From our point of view, we just want to make sure we’re in the Premier League.

“It’s the hardest league in world football but it’s the best and that is what we want to be part of.”

The fact QPR head into the match in control of their own destiny is remarkable given the position they almost found themselves in last weekend.

The Hoops took until the 89th minute to find a winner against Stoke, which was followed almost immediately by West Brom cancelling a two-goal deficit to snatch a draw at Bolton.

The change in fortunes was met by euphoric scenes in W12 and Hughes believes it could prove a catalyst to success at the Etihad Stadium.

Hughes added: “I just think the momentum and belief we got from the latter stages of that game will help us.

“There was a real outpouring of emotion from everybody — myself included. It was a great moment and great to be part of.

“Now there is no apprehension in terms of what we face — we are just looking forward to the challenge — and making sure that we give a good account of ourselves.”