Manchester City close on Pellegrini (merged)

[OB1]

and that Malaga's chances of a ChLg place were not real once they sold Monreal: symbolic of failure to compete economically

They were largely doomed before that:

Cazorla sold to Arsenal for £16million, replaced by no one until Lucas Piazon on loan from Chelsea in January.

Rondon (top scorer) sold to Rubin Kazan for £8million, replaced by Roque Santa Cruz on loan (enough said).

Monreal sold to Arsenal for £9million, replaced by Vitorino Antunes on loan from Pacos de Ferreira.

van Nistelrooy retired, replaced by Saviola (free transfer).

Amount spent on transfers going into their first ever Champions League campaign where they nearly made the last 4: £0 (+£36.6m net profit)

Pellegrini has done a remarkable job with a squad that is probably weaker than Newcastle's in all honesty. People demean him (like pointing out bad results without even watching the game or understanding Malaga's crazy situation with an asset stripped squad and players not being paid) because they feel Mancini's spot is threatened by him.

I knew you could be relied upon to set the scene correctly. Not that you did it to expand on a brief comment I made but thank you.

I have my reservations about MP but, should Mancini leave, he quite clearly is a suitable candidate for the job and probably one of the best that is genuinely an (experienced) option. He's not anything like my first choice but I don't get to choose; although I did ask for that option as part of the Cityzen package.

Pellegrini does not look like an upgrade on Mancini but his reputation for man-management skills could be make him an upgrade in that aspect and I think a lot of people under estimate how much Mancini's relationship with the squad is costing us; that really is an opinion formed from looking on from the outside: long gone are the days when I had a contact in the dressing room.

 

[Syth]

Just been watching Bobbys interview on the OS after last nights game...

He looks a bit down in the dumps....


I really hope he gets another season, he deserves it..

TO be fair the last few interviews I've watched with him, he just seems like..he couldn't be arsed, you know? His facial expression just tells it all in my opinion. But again, this is just how I see it!

 

[penalty spot]

Just been watching Bobbys interview on the OS after last nights game...

He looks a bit down in the dumps....


I really hope he gets another season, he deserves it..

TO be fair the last few interviews I've watched with him, he just seems like..he couldn't be arsed, you know? His facial expression just tells it all in my opinion. But again, this is just how I see it!

It was very noticable . Especially as Europe was secured and a cup final on Saturday. Hope we are wrong however.

 

[moomba]

People have been saying the same thing about this time of the year for the past three years though.

About the same time as the annual "he's going to quit" rumours start.

 

[hgblue]

People have been saying the same thing about this time of the year for the past three years though.

Sooner or later they'll be right ;).

 

[The Man With The Stick]

I bet Marsh has got Yaya and Kolo mixed up. Bet someone's called him sayin Toure is off to Spain or Italy, which is possible.

 

[Any1aBlue]

When can you start?

 

[hallstreetblue]

I bet Marsh has got Yaya and Kolo mixed up. Bet someone's called him sayin Toure is off to Spain or Italy, which is possible.

Rodney Marsh, an out and out cockney cock. Gospel according to the legend that is Mike Doyle.

 

[Unknown_Genius]

Rijkaard's flopped since Barca

So? He was the right fit for that side at that time.

A lot of people underestimate the role Henk Ten Cate played as Rijkaard's assistant. It's no coincidence that Barca had problems when he left, and Rijkaard hasn't been able to relive further glories at other clubs without Ten Cate alongside him. Its kind of similar to Martin O'Neill and John Robertson.

 

[Santiago Street]

I'm still utterly baffled by this thread

This man's done nothing. Villareal won nothing. Malaga have won nothing.

At Madrid he did nothing despite spending £28 billion on kaka, benzema etc

And he was the fucking manager when Madrid went crashing out of the cup, taking a big wedge of my money with em, beaten 4-0 by some mug lower league team.

I like stability and continuity so I want Bob to stay but I can understand the arguments in favour of Mourinho or Ancelotti or Klopp or Capello or other SUCCESSFUL managers

Whether you like him or not, the fact is that Bobby wins things - everywhere he's been.

So why swap a proven man with a track record of success for an ageing also ran who doesn't speak fluent English.

I'm very worried about the influence of our Spaniards. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the success of Barca is 80% Messi and 20% the emergence of the Xavi, Iniesta group a decade ago. Txiki and Soriano got lucky, I'm sure they're very capable men but if they have chosen this guy as Bob's successor it smacks of a jobs for the boys situation.