"Hmmm, don't know, man. The usual," said Liam Gallagher as he considered Manchester City's winter transfer options in the glamorous setting of his new Pretty Green fashion boutique on its opening day in his hometown.

Another try for Kaka, he has been injured? "No, not him, man. The usual, little (Lionel) Messi. He's good," added the former Oasis frontman from beneath the rim of his fedora hat before breaking off to compliment a photographer on her scarf clad in his beloved club's colours.

'He's good' was perhaps somewhat of a play-down assessment of Barcelona and Argentina's mercurial No.10. But it epitomises the throwaway, carefree manner that fans who once worshipped the likes of Uwe Rosler and Shaun Goater can now refer to a World Player of the Year, which has of course been the case ever since Sheikh Mansour's billions rolled into town in 2008.

The bar has been raised. And what of expectations this season? Can 'noisy neighbours' City upset the established order of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, Carlo Ancelotti's defending champions Chelsea or Arsene Wenger's Arsenal in the Premier League this season?

Now Beady Eye star Liam, who releases the group's debut album, 'Different Gear, Still Speeding', at the end of February before going on tour in March, said: "Do I think we can win the title? Yeah, without a doubt. Whether we do or not is another thing. But I think we can, we're getting there."

He added: "I like that Balotelli geezer, that Mario dude. He's top, he's smart."

But there is of course trouble brewing at City. Pictures of 'that Balotelli geezer' involved in a training ground bust-up with Jerome Boateng could be compared to the in-house Britpop clashes of Liam and older brother and former Oasis band-mate, Noel, while only last weekend captain Carlo Tevez was involved in an unwanted touchline row with manager Roberto Mancini.
Curtain-raiser

Did Liam think such seditious events might undermine the greater cause? "Who knows? But Tevez is a star and all. He's doing well," he said.

"Like Mancini says, you don't want people coming off the pitch, they want to stay on."

Skysports.com had been lucky enough to grab a rare, quick football chat with Liam after receiving the honour of an invite to the glittering, Champagne curtain-raiser of his plush Pretty Green pop-up store on Manchester's trendy King Street.

One of the most iconic members of rock 'n' roll's history has founded and designed the clothing label in his own mould of style, swagger and stellar impact, which has already led to the huge success of a flagship branch that took up residence on London's famed Carnaby Street in the summer.

Another pop-up store in Glasgow, the city where Oasis were first spotted by original label, Creation Records, in 1993, has also opened to give further indication that the venture into fashion is proving a shrewd decision.

It is easy to see why. In an understated location among atmospheric buildings that mirror the Pretty Green Mod inspiration of the art and music of the 1960s, the Manchester store is about as slick as it gets.

It is a homecoming for Liam, who was born in the city's Burnage neighbourhood, and he has described the project as an "absolute privilege". He is determined to make it a success and, if looks are anything to go by, it will not be a disappointment.

Unbelievable poise

Stepping through the glass doors of the Kings Street branch of Pretty Green, you are greeted by premises of unbelievable poise. This is the brainchild of a man who is Cool Britannia epitomised, a hero of a generation and beyond, the voice behind the anthemic 'Live Forever', or the iconic 'Columbia' and 'Slide Away'.

The style is sheik minimalist, with high ceilings and retro leather furniture, while giant mirrors and pictures of Liam modelling his designs adorn the walls. As a treat for the opening day, Mani, of Stone Roses and Primal Scream fame, was DJ-ing and spinning out 1960-era classics from the likes of The Who.

Liam has always been a hit with football followers, both musically and culturally, epitomising the one-of-the-lads atmosphere that emerged in the mid-1990s and explaining a gathering of more than 100 shoppers/fans. It is not difficult to understand that his fashion-sense has also struck the right note with the aesthetically-minded on the terraces.

Attire varies from a 'green label', which is a'focused, casual range dedicated to providing quality, everyday signature pieces', to a 'black label' of 'classic British tailoring, using fine fabrics with an innovative attention to detail'. As a result, Pretty Green has already picked up the 2010 Menswear Brand of the Year at the prestigious Drapers Fashion Awards.

'Green label' caters for denim jeans and jackets to fur-trimmed parkas; crew-neck T-shirts to merino cardigans; silk scarves to desert boots. 'Black label' offers velvet peacoats to dogtooth trousers; paisley print collarless shirts to vintage pinstripe blazers; roll-necked knitwear to trenchcoats.

To make matters all the more appealing, prices are of a designer level, but they are not set at the extortionate value of some brands that only cater for those with a bank balance to match the millionaires in City's squad.

Whether Liam's dream of City signing Messi and winning the Premier League become a reality in 2011 remains to be seen, but it is not tough to imagine Pretty Green going from strength to strength.

Following the huge success of the London Carnaby Street store, Liam Gallagher's Pretty Green label has now opened new pop-up stores in Manchester and Glasgow. For more information, visit www.prettygreen.com.

via L4e / skysports.com

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