Lancet Fluke said:
Well firstly, and this isn't a cop out, just common sense (imo) I'd say it isn't as simple as winning this or that, it is more complex than that in terms of this season. He has just joined a new club and so he needs to be given some time, just as Mancini needed to be given time when he first arrived. As I have said a number of times in this thread, it is easy to forget that after about 16 months, many people were not remotely impressed with Mancini but things suddenly clicked into place with that semi final win over united. I distinctly remember being at Anfield a few days before Wembley and I honestly feared for Mancini's future at the club after the match, top 4 looked very dodgy and the knives seemed to be well and truly out. Once Pellegrini has been given some time to manage the inevitable transition then I expect us to be genuine title challengers every season and I expect us to be able to win titles with some regularity. I also expect us to be competitive in Europe. I think that is the least we should expect with our resources, whoever is the manager. In terms of what I expect from this first season, well I would obviously hope that we can hit the ground running and win things immediately but I'm pragmatic enough to realise that this might not happen and that there could be some issues in transition. As long as by the end of the season there hasn't been anything truly catastrophic (like finishing outside the top 3/4 or not getting through the group stage of the CL) then as long as through the season there have been obvious signs of progression that suggest that next season will be a genuine title challenge then I would keep faith in Pellegrini. At this point though, I think it's way too early to say how we are going to do this season. It has been a mixed bag so far and clearly Pellegrini hasn't come in and instantly made everything brilliant, which is what we all hoped he could do (well most of us did). But I think we are seeing at Chelsea and united too that when you change manager it has to be given some time.
A good and sensible take on it, lancet. Something we can always expect from you. I've posted many times before that mancini's entire city career hinged on that wembley semi final, and in particular half time. It flushed the whole club with belief. But you've hit the nail on the head: People saying "Pellegrini has to do better than second and a cup final" don't know what they are talking about. What he has to do is demonstrate that he is the man to hit city's "phase 3" objectives for the project. And there can be little doubt what they are from the way the club's top brass, and Pellegrini himself, are talking: he is tasked with making city one of europe's top clubs. Now to be one of europe's top clubs we have to do well in the champions league, in fact to win it one day, along with winning plenty of domestic honours including league titles.
He will be evaluated, like most managers in Europe, at the end of the season.
And city's top brass won't base their decision on what he's won or not won, because there are too many variables. They'll base their decision on the future. Has this man shown he has what it takes to take city to where we want them to be? Results will of course be a big indicator. But they won't be the only one.
As it stands this squad is marginally the best in England and the fourth or fifth best in Europe in my opinion. That's what he is working with. But if he misses out on the title by a few points because we get distracted by a champions league and domestic cup run, or he loses in the cl last 16 but wins the league, or whatever, and shapes a culture around the club that we and he can build on, then he's going to have the sheikh eating out of his hand. And the fans, including the last few ostriches still pining for their fallen hero.
I have a feeling he will. But you're damn right that its far too early to say.
