An ill-advised soccer boast was made recently in a New York barby the chief executive of newly rich club Manchester City. Merrilycounting entire farms of chickens before they hatch, Garry Cookdidn’t even look like he’d been drinking.“This football club is going to be, without doubt, the biggestand the best football club in the world,” Cook declared to agathering of City fans who seemingly had enough to drink that theycheered as if they actually believed every word.“I’ll make no excuses for saying it.”Given how Manchester United put its noisy neighbor back in itsplace this week, in one of the most dramatic matches this seasonwill deliver, Cook must be feeling sorry now.Ultimately, all Cook proved is that the only cheap thing left insoccer these days is talk.Dethroning institutions – because that is what they are – suchas United, Real Madrid, AC Milan or Barcelona is going to be far,far more expensive than what’s been spent to date. Possibly toocostly even for the deep wells of Abu Dhabi oil money being drainedto refloat City, write off its debts and give the club’s longsuffering fans something they’ve dared not harbor for years:hope.The bill so far: nearly $630 million.What Cook clearly hasn’t grasped is that…