Martin O'Neill is a bit dense

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has taken offence to Roberto Mancini's claims that the Black Cats are an easy side to beat.

The Manchester City boss had stated that Manchester United remain the favourites to win the Premier League as after the derby on Monday, they have to face Swansea City at home and Sunderland away, while the Citizens will take on Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers.

O'Neill is not pleased with Mancini's "insinuation" that his players are easy pushovers and points out that both Sunderland and Swansea have defeated City this season.

"It took me by surprise, because I had to check that the teams United have to play beat Manchester City, like Swansea and ourselves," he said in The Times.

"We've taken four points off them, but he had obviously forgotten to check the fixture list properly.

"I don't know what his insinuation was, to tell the truth. But if he had any idea about the league at all he would know that the integrity of the league is pretty good. At the time, I immediately looked down to see the other fixture and it was Swansea.

"I don't have an email address for (Mancini) but I really thought about sending him one to tell him to keep an eye on what he says, but I didn't."

Reverse Clarkie?

 

[MCFCinUSA]

okay - I understand your comment now (which I thought was out of keeping with your usual very adroit, often humourous and well-reasoned arguments) being about the emailing stuff, and I think is a little of O'Neill's 'Woody Allen' side coming out, ehhe

Haha, that's a spot on comparison. I'd just think a manager of his experience would be able to see through Mancini's motives and realise his comments are for the players at City (take the pressure off) and the players at Utd (pile the pressure on). They're the one's who's mentality can be questioned and influenced, after all.


I appreciate the kind words (i didn't need to look up the word "adroit" either, ok!)

I still remember your posting on the Robo hoodie thread, ah aah

 

[Dubai Blue]

I'll go against the grain here.

I love Mancini, but (imo) this is bad form, mind games or not.

How would Bobby and City fans feel if another manager said "We have City coming up next, that's an easy three points"..........?

No problem with him saying United are favourites, that is obviously mind games, but the difference is he is being complementary, (even if deep down he hates them).

I think he was let down by his English again. He didn't mean they were 'easy', he meant they were easier than the two games we've got to play. And I don't see how anyone could reasonably disagree with that. He wasn't being disrespectful (he never is), he was just stating the obvious.

O'Neill seems pretty peeved about it all though, so I'm not sure how sensible a ploy it really was.

If his English allowed, he probably should have said something along the lines of:

"United are clearly still favourites as they play two teams who are no longer fighting for anything, while our opponents are vying for the Champions League and scrambling against relegation. But Sunderland and Swansea are both very good teams; we know that to our own cost. Brendan Rodgers and Martin O'Neill are top managers and won't be sending their teams out to roll over and die; they both have far too much integrity and respect for the league to do anything like that and I expect both teams will fight for their lives to claim yet another big scalp."

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I'll go against the grain here.

I love Mancini, but (imo) this is bad form, mind games or not.

How would Bobby and City fans feel if another manager said "We have City coming up next, that's an easy three points"..........?

No problem with him saying United are favourites, that is obviously mind games, but the difference is he is being complementary, (even if deep down he hates them).

Totally agree with this. I think it is disrespectful, if I was a football manager (and obviously I never will be) and some cock of a manager said something like this about my team and my team had nothing to play for (ie Sunderland) I'd be tempted to throw the fucking game out of spite. It's one thing to say O'Neill is dense for thinking Mancini meant it but it is equally dense of Mancini to think it will make Sunderland try harder. If Sunderland try hard and do well, I'm pretty sure it will have nothing to do with Mancini and his cack handed attempts at sreverse psychology. If, on the other hand it was all lost in translation because of his poor English then maybe he should learn to speak better English, he's been here a few years now and it hasn't improved at all.

 

[pominoz]

I'll go against the grain here.

I love Mancini, but (imo) this is bad form, mind games or not.

How would Bobby and City fans feel if another manager said "We have City coming up next, that's an easy three points"..........?

No problem with him saying United are favourites, that is obviously mind games, but the difference is he is being complementary, (even if deep down he hates them).

Totally agree with this. I think it is disrespectful, if I was a football manager (and obviously I never will be) and some cock of a manager said something like this about my team and my team had nothing to play for (ie Sunderland) I'd be tempted to throw the fucking game out of spite. It's one thing to say O'Neill is dense for thinking Mancini meant it but it is equally dense of Mancini to think it will make Sunderland try harder. If Sunderland try hard and do well, I'm pretty sure it will have nothing to do with Mancini and his cack handed attempts at sreverse psychology. If, on the other hand it was all lost in translation because of his poor English then maybe he should learn to speak better English, he's been here a few years now and it hasn't improved at all.

A few years ?

How fluent would your Italian be after 2 years ?

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I'll go against the grain here.

I love Mancini, but (imo) this is bad form, mind games or not.

How would Bobby and City fans feel if another manager said "We have City coming up next, that's an easy three points"..........?

No problem with him saying United are favourites, that is obviously mind games, but the difference is he is being complementary, (even if deep down he hates them).

Totally agree with this. I think it is disrespectful, if I was a football manager (and obviously I never will be) and some cock of a manager said something like this about my team and my team had nothing to play for (ie Sunderland) I'd be tempted to throw the fucking game out of spite. It's one thing to say O'Neill is dense for thinking Mancini meant it but it is equally dense of Mancini to think it will make Sunderland try harder. If Sunderland try hard and do well, I'm pretty sure it will have nothing to do with Mancini and his cack handed attempts at sreverse psychology. If, on the other hand it was all lost in translation because of his poor English then maybe he should learn to speak better English, he's been here a few years now and it hasn't improved at all.

A few years ?

How fluent would your Italian be after 2 years ?

He lived here for a year before he took the job as far as I am aware and he could speak a bit of English before he took the job. But to answer your question, I don't know, I'd like to think that if my x million quid a year job demanded that I learnt to speak a language then I'd learn it. The point I was making was that his English has barely improved in those two years. So really it is irrelevant that he has "only" been here two years because at this rate he will be here ten years and it will be no better.

 

[pominoz]

Totally agree with this. I think it is disrespectful, if I was a football manager (and obviously I never will be) and some cock of a manager said something like this about my team and my team had nothing to play for (ie Sunderland) I'd be tempted to throw the fucking game out of spite. It's one thing to say O'Neill is dense for thinking Mancini meant it but it is equally dense of Mancini to think it will make Sunderland try harder. If Sunderland try hard and do well, I'm pretty sure it will have nothing to do with Mancini and his cack handed attempts at sreverse psychology. If, on the other hand it was all lost in translation because of his poor English then maybe he should learn to speak better English, he's been here a few years now and it hasn't improved at all.

A few years ?

How fluent would your Italian be after 2 years ?

He lived here for a year before he took the job as far as I am aware and he could speak a bit of English before he took the job. But to answer your question, I don't know, I'd like to think that if my x million quid a year job demanded that I learnt to speak a language then I'd learn it. The point I was making was that his English has barely improved in those two years. So really it is irrelevant that he has "only" been here two years because at this rate he will be here ten years and it will be no better.

I think his English is much better than when he first arrived...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGSlSBh1kiY[/youtube]



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vzTkyHI4-Q&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

 

[Lancet Fluke]

A few years ?

How fluent would your Italian be after 2 years ?

He lived here for a year before he took the job as far as I am aware and he could speak a bit of English before he took the job. But to answer your question, I don't know, I'd like to think that if my x million quid a year job demanded that I learnt to speak a language then I'd learn it. The point I was making was that his English has barely improved in those two years. So really it is irrelevant that he has "only" been here two years because at this rate he will be here ten years and it will be no better.

I think his English is much better than when he first arrived...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGSlSBh1kiY[/youtube]



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vzTkyHI4-Q&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Ok, you think his English is good enough. I think it should be better. I think his comments about other teams being easy games for united are bordering on embarrassing, presumably you think they are absolutely fine.

 

[pominoz]

He lived here for a year before he took the job as far as I am aware and he could speak a bit of English before he took the job. But to answer your question, I don't know, I'd like to think that if my x million quid a year job demanded that I learnt to speak a language then I'd learn it. The point I was making was that his English has barely improved in those two years. So really it is irrelevant that he has "only" been here two years because at this rate he will be here ten years and it will be no better.

I think his English is much better than when he first arrived...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGSlSBh1kiY[/youtube]



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vzTkyHI4-Q&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Ok, you think his English is good enough. I think it should be better. I think his comments about other teams being easy games for united are bordering on embarrassing, presumably you think they are absolutely fine.

Not much difference between "easy" and "easier" really.

I guess some people just like to look for faults.

 

[dazdon]

I don't give a fuck what Mr Sacked~Work for BBC~ Sacked~Work for BBC~ Sacked~Work for BBC says.

Villa and the Europa cup anyone?