Players have to take some part of the blame also. Not all on Pellegrini.Not for me, he was a decent manager, had fantastic start but his methods clearly lost their impetus with the squad as he went on.
To finish 4th on the final day of the season with a squad containing Kompany, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero & Raheem Sterling is a poor showing imo.
Not for me, he was a decent manager, had fantastic start but his methods clearly lost their impetus with the squad as he went on.
To finish 4th on the final day of the season with a squad containing Kompany, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero & Raheem Sterling is a poor showing imo.
Disagree, the game is totally unrecognizable to that of the 1968/69 season, there a select few clubs who essentially share the pots between themselves now, unlike then when it was genuinely much more competitive.I remember very well the 1968/69 season, when we had a similarly fantastic squad. We won the FA Cup and finished 13th in the league.
I don't however recall people so readily dismissing Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison as 'decent'. Perhaps they did. Thank God we didn't have the Internet in those days.
The whole squad knew MP was on his way half way through the season. Many of them put their feet up. As I've said before, a few of them were soon packed off by Pep, and a few phased out a bit more gradually.
The squad had a few players who were no more than spoiled brats, who took advantage of the poorly managed transition of coaches. It also had it's share of backstabbers. Just like any workplace really.
We qualified for the next CL, wonn the League Cup, and reached the CL semi final. If that's a poor showing, your expectations are far too high, and I'd suggest that you prepare yourself for a bit of a shock the season after Pep leaves.
I think it's a matter of my expectations having been a bit lower than yours for the MP period. He was brought in to hold the fort and did. Everyone knew he wasn't going to be around long and, in my opinion, the players have to take a lot more responsibility for the results than you seem to think.Disagree, the game is totally unrecognizable to that of the 1968/69 season, there a select few clubs who essentially share the pots between themselves now, unlike then when it was genuinely much more competitive.
I grant your point on the transition/announcement of Pep hindering Pellegrini, that is fair, but my point remains that from his first season in 13/14 the team steadily declined. Yaya Toure was walking around nearly a stone overweight for most of that last season and was selected weekly regardless, that's poor/weak management in my book. Not to mention us being tactically one dimensional, we lost 10 times in the league that season, the most since Hughes first season under the current owner.
He did do well in the CL in his last season fair enough, but as the club has stated publicly on record many times, our intention every year is to compete to win the biggest prizes across all competitions. Our managers have been backed with the necessary resources and infrastructure by the owners to achieve this since they arrived, so when we end up with a League Cup after your last 2 seasons at the helm, & stumbling into the CL places on the final day we have a right to criticize. I'd be disappointed with the same outcome after Pep left if his successor was equally as supported as him/MP & delivered those final 2 seasons. For example, we finished 2nd in 14/15 behind Chelsea but were miles off the pace, eliminated in the LC by Newcastle @ home & the FA Cup by Championship Middlesbrough, also at home.
Don’t really get this “stop gap” and “wasn’t here for long” narrative that seems to be taken as read about Pellegrini.I think it's a matter of my expectations having been a bit lower than yours for the MP period. He was brought in to hold the fort and did. Everyone knew he wasn't going to be around long and, in my opinion, the players have to take a lot more responsibility for the results than you seem to think.
2013/14 was a hard act for any coach to follow. As I've said before, it remains my favourite season watching City. It's a shame that some players never applied themselves to the same level again, and some were hampered by injuries.
This is an amazing statIn the last 40 years, only Keegan and Mancini had longer spells as City manager before he left.
Joe Royle was in charge for longer but I agree with your general pointDon’t really get this “stop gap” and “wasn’t here for long” narrative that seems to be taken as read about Pellegrini.
He’s been a manager for over 30 years. He’s managed 15 clubs. Only one club (Villareal) he’s managed for a longer period than City.
In the last 40 years, only Keegan and Mancini had longer spells as City manager before he left.
He had 3 full seasons at City - a pretty lengthy stay in modern football, certainly by his, and City’s standards.
He just wasn’t very good.
Took over a magnificent squad of players, was given the budget to bring in some top quality signings that wasn’t afforded to Mancini in his final season.
Rodwell to Fernandinho must be up there with the biggest upgrades of all time!
Pellegrini seemed like a lovely fella, a kindly grandpa type. But he was a very limited manager and underachieved with the squad he had available to him.
It still rankles that we had Pellegrini managing for 3 years of David Silva, Yaya, Kompany and Aguero at their peak.
Pep came and did no better for the first season.....thought Manuel's time at City was good to be fairI think it's a matter of my expectations having been a bit lower than yours for the MP period. He was brought in to hold the fort and did. Everyone knew he wasn't going to be around long and, in my opinion, the players have to take a lot more responsibility for the results than you seem to think.
2013/14 was a hard act for any coach to follow. As I've said before, it remains my favourite season watching City. It's a shame that some players never applied themselves to the same level again, and some were hampered by injuries.
If Pep Guardiola had become available for the 2014/15 season, MP would have been 'moved on' to make way for him.Don’t really get this “stop gap” and “wasn’t here for long” narrative that seems to be taken as read about Pellegrini.
He’s been a manager for over 30 years. He’s managed 15 clubs. Only one club (Villareal) he’s managed for a longer period than City.
In the last 40 years, only Keegan and Mancini had longer spells as City manager before he left.
He had 3 full seasons at City - a pretty lengthy stay in modern football, certainly by his, and City’s standards.
He just wasn’t very good.
Took over a magnificent squad of players, was given the budget to bring in some top quality signings that wasn’t afforded to Mancini in his final season.
Rodwell to Fernandinho must be up there with the biggest upgrades of all time!
Pellegrini seemed like a lovely fella, a kindly grandpa type. But he was a very limited manager and underachieved with the squad he had available to him.
It still rankles that we had Pellegrini managing for 3 years of David Silva, Yaya, Kompany and Aguero at their peak.