Thought I'd written my last about Roberto in St Petersburg, but I was travelling to Moscow by train last night and very busy at work today, so I missed a couple of things that I think are worth just pointing out before we draw a line under his time here. First is that the English version of Zenit's official site printed some extensive translated quotes from his press-conference yesterday: https://en.fc-zenit.ru/news/2018-05...i-iz-zenita-ya-prinyal-tri-mesyatsa-nazad.htm
What's noteworthy here, I think, is that we see Mancini seeking to protect his reputation. It's noticeable that he refers more than once to the injuries they suffered to key players to explain Zenit's disappointing form. And he's also very keen to stress that it's his decision to go, rather than him being sacked. I doubt most of the local fans regard the injuries as sufficient mitigation and they believe the club would have fired him if he hadn't been looking for an exit of his own accord, but this is the version of events Mancini clearly wants on the record to be taken into account by the wider football world when assessing his work in this job.
The other point worth making is that, in a recent piece for ESPN, the journalist Michael Yokhin referred to the untimely death last autumn of 49-year-old sporting director Konstantin Sarsania as a crucial influence. "Mancini was initially a bit suspicious towards [Sarsania], but quickly understood his worth," Yokhin quotes Ivan Zhidkov, editor-in-chief at St Petersburg's leading sports newspaper, as saying. "The sporting director was the main link between the president and the coach, and between the coach and the Russian players."
Perhaps some significant mitigation there for Roberto but, anyway, this split has undoubtedly worked out in a manner that suits all parties. Mancini is back in Rome already, with his contract at Zenit officially terminated. Confirmation in his new post is imminent. I'll wish him well in that role (arrivederci e buona fortuna, amico mio!), and hope that Zenit select his successor wisely given that I'll be continuing to take my grandson up there next season.
What's noteworthy here, I think, is that we see Mancini seeking to protect his reputation. It's noticeable that he refers more than once to the injuries they suffered to key players to explain Zenit's disappointing form. And he's also very keen to stress that it's his decision to go, rather than him being sacked. I doubt most of the local fans regard the injuries as sufficient mitigation and they believe the club would have fired him if he hadn't been looking for an exit of his own accord, but this is the version of events Mancini clearly wants on the record to be taken into account by the wider football world when assessing his work in this job.
The other point worth making is that, in a recent piece for ESPN, the journalist Michael Yokhin referred to the untimely death last autumn of 49-year-old sporting director Konstantin Sarsania as a crucial influence. "Mancini was initially a bit suspicious towards [Sarsania], but quickly understood his worth," Yokhin quotes Ivan Zhidkov, editor-in-chief at St Petersburg's leading sports newspaper, as saying. "The sporting director was the main link between the president and the coach, and between the coach and the Russian players."
Perhaps some significant mitigation there for Roberto but, anyway, this split has undoubtedly worked out in a manner that suits all parties. Mancini is back in Rome already, with his contract at Zenit officially terminated. Confirmation in his new post is imminent. I'll wish him well in that role (arrivederci e buona fortuna, amico mio!), and hope that Zenit select his successor wisely given that I'll be continuing to take my grandson up there next season.