Before delving into the new Manchester City third kit, and all that people find wrong about it, we do need to reiterate something.
Whenever it comes to shirt reveals, it’s the detractors who are always in greater numbers and much louder than those who approve. And with the new city alternate strip, which strongly resembles a t-shirt, much more so than a football jersey, the critics are certainly out in full force.
So they just decided to be lazy and wear t-shirts instead?
This looks like something they would give away to the first 5,000 fans to enter the gates https://t.co/sDIUzf1MAC— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) August 18, 2021
Let’s take a look at them!
Yikes! Puma really took a big swing here and they definitely whiffed. Now let’s take a look at some of the reactions this horrific design has inspired.
It is not just randos and people with default avatars trashing this strip, even the “blue check brigade” (verified accounts) are ripping it to shreds.
This has to be up there with the worst kits of all time…
An absolute abysmal ?
? @ManCity pic.twitter.com/j8S9TkdN0v
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 18, 2021
See above and below:
Media outlets are deriding it, some overtly, some with subtlety. You got to love the euphemisms being employed by ESPN FC and Sky Sports here.
“Interesting”? Technically yes.
“Different” well, it is that, sure. It’s the classy way to say that this shirt is garbage.
Manchester City have revealed their ??????????? third kit for the 2021/22 season ?
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 18, 2021
Man City's new third kit is… different ? pic.twitter.com/tnnwGCqePy
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 18, 2021
Now this dig below is especially funny and creative:
I love this community. I've already been enjoying some hilarious memes; this from @RyanHemmings absolutely sent me. ??
I've also seen some really strong takes on what the shirts do well, and what they don't do well. Keep it coming guys. pic.twitter.com/mxvcwmSUrs
— Phil Delves (@phildelves) August 18, 2021
This guy is definitely not wrong; about either shirt:
Manchester United’s grey kit of 1995 breathes a huge sigh of relief as it is replaced as the worst shirt in the city’s history https://t.co/3M3HhGEAKK
— Wayne Barton (@WayneSBarton) August 18, 2021
Didn’t get enough of people slamming this horrific offering? Well this website has collected and posted more examples of just how much people hate this shirt.
You can follow the link below to see more people who think and feel like you do about it:
? 'Looks like a knock off kit you'd buy at a Turkish market'
? 'No club badge? What a fake club'
? 'They spent all their money on Grealish so couldn't afford to buy a better third kit'What were they thinking?! ?https://t.co/2EDgQ8Mp6h
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) August 18, 2021
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.