Barnes Junior made his debut for City 50 years ago today in a League Cup tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford and, on this milestone date, he took time out to assess the current crop.
He’s the son of legendary 1956 FA Cup hero Ken Barnes who made 282 appearances during his time with the Blues before serving as chief scout for two decades.
He passed away in July 2010, aged 81 and Barnes Junior wishes he would have the chance to meet the talismanic manager because of the way he sees the game.
“It’s incredible,” said Barnes Junior on City’s spell under Guardiola.
“It’s a dream for the fans. The success they have had over the last 12, 13 years has been amazing.
“The football they play is wonderful. I just wish my dad was alive to see it all. I think he would have got on well with Pep because he was a purist about the game – attacking football and playing to your strengths.
“He would have loved to have met Pep and see what they’re doing right now.
“I just think it’s a dream at the moment. The club has gone from strength to strength – it’s unbelievable really, isn’t it.
“It’s been fantastic to see the football club grow and grow and grow.”
As for the sky blue players out there on the field now, the former England winger waxed lyrical about the importance of widemen in the modern game, especially for City with teams often looking to sit in and stifle our attacking assets.
And he admits he’d have relished playing in this team with Erling Haaland as a focal point for him.
“In my day, every team had good wingers in the 1970s but it’s much harder to find them in the modern game,” he added.
“I think our widemen give us width, they give us strength and it’s an important part of our set-up.
“Teams tend to get behind the ball when they come and play City so you have to have someone able to break them down.
“Having players with pace and skill on the wing who can get at people and get crosses in for big Haaland is so, so important.
“It would have been a dream to assist Haaland with his height, his power, his presence in there.
“I’d have got to the byline, looked up, seen him there for me and chipped it up for him, either near post or back post. It would have been great.
“He scores a lot of goals, of course, but like all strikers, he needs service and I’d have really looked to provide him with that.”
