Sacking Mancini... was there even a choice?

[BoyBlue_1985]

I wouldn't of even sacked him. I would of just changed the locks

 

[taconinja]

I can't for one second see the British press allowing Pellegrini a season to tinker and not win anything before the comparisons to Mancini's success's are aired. For the first time ever I almost walked out before yesterdays lap of honour but I didn't because I love this club and yet it was pitiful clapping players who looked like they wanted to be on a beach in Dubai somewhere and fuck that stupid banner off in future thanking us for our support. We all know what the lap of honour is about.

Mancini was a gonner this season even if he'd have won a double because he wouldn't conform to the 'holistic' approach which I keep reading will bring untold rewards to the club down the years. Anything else I read is merely just being used as leverage to substantiate the decision. If it's so fucking easy as that why isn't everybody else doing it?

The Rags backed Fergie all the way when he had problems with player's in his early years. They let him sort it out and win the battles and it's constantly brought up how every player that goes there knows he's the boss. I guess Mancini wanted to rule here and who knows in time maybe he would have mellowed somewhat but we'll never know.

So on we go but it does concern me that I had a vision of City's boardroom being an ultra professional group of people but after the developments and smear campaigns this past week I seriously have to worry. It's very easy to say these people know what they're doing, so far I'm yet to be convinced. Yesterday like in the cup final I looked at them all stood in line - The Men and Women Stood In Black Suits looking all business like as if they were attending some fucking funeral all serious like. Too much politics, cloak and dagger stuff for me and it just looks like a personal battle between them all for power.

Josh, c'mon don't you think that's a bit naive and bit selective in how you view what's gone on. The use of the phrase "holistic approach" was simply a polite way of saying "we want a manager who the players actually want to work with, and who wants to work under the organisational structure we're implementing".

Regarding the politics at the club, we needed political power and influence at the highest level of football administration so that we have a bigger voice at UEFA. We also needed a director of football to ensure that the mistakes of previous regimes' with regards to player acquisition are not made again. Of course within the microcosm that is the week just gone it's easy to see them as faceless bureaucrats on a power trip, but the reality is quite far removed from that and the long term benefits of having Ferran and Txiki will dwarf your current concerns about things being too political.

The fact is that the Mancini situation was one that it was always going to be tricky for the owners to extricate themselves from without pissing a lot of supporters off. I'm sure they didn't set out for us to lose the FA cup or have quite the week we've had, but equally I'm sure that they will have been prepared for what's happened and they'll see it as short term pain for long term gain.

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

 

[Challenger1978]

Whichever side of the managerial roundabout your on it does seem inconceivable that we won't make a success of things....but then this is Manchester City we're talking about. Only time will tell.

Stop worrying Josh. We're in good hands and we're going places. But sometimes you have to take what looks like a step backwards to take two forward.

Prestwich_Blue I'm not going to ask for names but can you say roughly how you get your inside info about the club. You see I'm pretty bleeding baffled how you and several other people can have inside info about the club. Considering you knew everything that was going on under Wardle then again under Frank and then again under the Sheik. Hasn't everyone that was originally there under Wardle the people that actually know whats going on at the club moved on ?

 

[Blue2112]

Whichever side of the managerial roundabout your on it does seem inconceivable that we won't make a success of things....but then this is Manchester City we're talking about. Only time will tell.

Stop worrying Josh. We're in good hands and we're going places. But sometimes you have to take what looks like a step backwards to take two forward.

I'm very aware that it appears to be a step backwards to go forwards but again there's no guarantee this is going to be a success, we all think it should be and I myself do, but in all honesty how many of us three years ago really expected we'd be taking another step backwards to move forward again. I would suggest alomost 100% of us thought we were moving forwards and if any poster had put it out there in the following weeks of last May that we were going to have this type of season followed by another managerial change only one year on from the QPR game then I think they'd have been ridiculed to fuck. It would be very interesting to jump in a time machine and go a year forward from now.

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

I can't for one second see the British press allowing Pellegrini a season to tinker and not win anything before the comparisons to Mancini's success's are aired. For the first time ever I almost walked out before yesterdays lap of honour but I didn't because I love this club and yet it was pitiful clapping players who looked like they wanted to be on a beach in Dubai somewhere and fuck that stupid banner off in future thanking us for our support. We all know what the lap of honour is about.

Mancini was a gonner this season even if he'd have won a double because he wouldn't conform to the 'holistic' approach which I keep reading will bring untold rewards to the club down the years. Anything else I read is merely just being used as leverage to substantiate the decision. If it's so fucking easy as that why isn't everybody else doing it?

The Rags backed Fergie all the way when he had problems with player's in his early years. They let him sort it out and win the battles and it's constantly brought up how every player that goes there knows he's the boss. I guess Mancini wanted to rule here and who knows in time maybe he would have mellowed somewhat but we'll never know.

So on we go but it does concern me that I had a vision of City's boardroom being an ultra professional group of people but after the developments and smear campaigns this past week I seriously have to worry. It's very easy to say these people know what they're doing, so far I'm yet to be convinced. Yesterday like in the cup final I looked at them all stood in line - The Men and Women Stood In Black Suits looking all business like as if they were attending some fucking funeral all serious like. Too much politics, cloak and dagger stuff for me and it just looks like a personal battle between them all for power.

Josh, c'mon don't you think that's a bit naive and bit selective in how you view what's gone on. The use of the phrase "holistic approach" was simply a polite way of saying "we want a manager who the players actually want to work with, and who wants to work under the organisational structure we're implementing".

Regarding the politics at the club, we needed political power and influence at the highest level of football administration so that we have a bigger voice at UEFA. We also needed a director of football to ensure that the mistakes of previous regimes' with regards to player acquisition are not made again. Of course within the microcosm that is the week just gone it's easy to see them as faceless bureaucrats on a power trip, but the reality is quite far removed from that and the long term benefits of having Ferran and Txiki will dwarf your current concerns about things being too political.

The fact is that the Mancini situation was one that it was always going to be tricky for the owners to extricate themselves from without pissing a lot of supporters off. I'm sure they didn't set out for us to lose the FA cup or have quite the week we've had, but equally I'm sure that they will have been prepared for what's happened and they'll see it as short term pain for long term gain.

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Pollyanna-style

The fuck is that

 

[Anonymous]

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

 

[taconinja]

Josh, c'mon don't you think that's a bit naive and bit selective in how you view what's gone on. The use of the phrase "holistic approach" was simply a polite way of saying "we want a manager who the players actually want to work with, and who wants to work under the organisational structure we're implementing".

Regarding the politics at the club, we needed political power and influence at the highest level of football administration so that we have a bigger voice at UEFA. We also needed a director of football to ensure that the mistakes of previous regimes' with regards to player acquisition are not made again. Of course within the microcosm that is the week just gone it's easy to see them as faceless bureaucrats on a power trip, but the reality is quite far removed from that and the long term benefits of having Ferran and Txiki will dwarf your current concerns about things being too political.

The fact is that the Mancini situation was one that it was always going to be tricky for the owners to extricate themselves from without pissing a lot of supporters off. I'm sure they didn't set out for us to lose the FA cup or have quite the week we've had, but equally I'm sure that they will have been prepared for what's happened and they'll see it as short term pain for long term gain.

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Pollyanna-style

The fuck is that

<a class="postlink" href="http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+pollyanna%3F" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+pollyanna%3F</a>

 

[Blue2112]

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

Shouldn't that be it's not a problem unless the manager is a c**t to most of them ;-)

 

[taconinja]

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

I think delivering results include challenging for the PL title and maintaining a challenging position in the Champions League as well with a settled dressing room. My only worry is does the squad we have fit with Pellegrini's tactical setup? If not, there's likely to be a painful few months and considering how the end of this season has played out, that might be the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back. I'm betting that we're mostly going to be positive start of next season. That includes club, squad, and fans. I just think we need to get out of the blocks quickly or it may turn into one of Those Seasons.

 

[Blue2112]

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

I think delivering results include challenging for the PL title and maintaining a challenging position in the Champions League as well with a settled dressing room. My only worry is does the squad we have fit with Pellegrini's tactical setup? If not, there's likely to be a painful few months and considering how the end of this season has played out, that might be the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back. I'm betting that we're mostly going to be positive start of next season. That includes club, squad, and fans. I just think we need to get out of the blocks quickly or it may turn into one of Those Seasons.

But I thought the whole point of this is the coach is given the players and moulds them into his tactical setup? Or have I got this all wrong?

 

[taconinja]

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

I think delivering results include challenging for the PL title and maintaining a challenging position in the Champions League as well with a settled dressing room. My only worry is does the squad we have fit with Pellegrini's tactical setup? If not, there's likely to be a painful few months and considering how the end of this season has played out, that might be the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back. I'm betting that we're mostly going to be positive start of next season. That includes club, squad, and fans. I just think we need to get out of the blocks quickly or it may turn into one of Those Seasons.

But I thought the whole point of this is the coach is given the players and moulds them into his tactical setup? Or have I got this all wrong?

Yes, that doesn't always work, though. Our players looked so jaded yesterday and at Wembley. I think reserving the right to be wary is not out of order.

 

[NipHolmes]

If he'd been given another year then Kompany, Yaya & Aguero would all certainly have left and probably a few others as well.

Maybe that would be a good thing. The players think they are more important than the club at the moment. Disgraceful performance. And it comes from the top.

I've supported the club for getting on for 40 years. The last couple of years have been magical. But I truly feel we have let it slip away in the last few months

Your loyalty (to Mancini) does you credit, but if you can't see that he might just have been the problem, despite all that's come out this week, well then I guess you never will.

I've not heard one word in support of him from any of the players since his dismissal, and whilst in some cases that might be down to the ingratitude of the individuals concerned, I refuse to believe that people like Kompany, Zabaleta, Lescott, Barry, Milner and Silva, who are both reasonable and widely respected on and off the pitch, should not have done so were there not significant problems behind the scenes, of which we might not yet even be aware.

I've used the old Don King maxim on here before, that if you're playing poker and you can't work out who the patsy is, it's you, but it seems relevant again in this instance, and it's perhaps something Roberto Mancini might one day contemplate. Managing by attrition, castigating people in public, lashing out when things go wrong, you will only get away with such behaviours for a short while and as long as things are going well. As soon as things take a turn for the worse though, you are left with anger and festering resentment. Mancini had to go. Even Khaldoon, who'd only recently given him a 5 year contract, saw it.

What City need to do now is get Pellegrini installed as quickly as possible, and have him press the flesh and sell his ideas to the players. A rudderless rumbling summer of discontent would be a disaster

Good post. Many are blinded by Mancini and fail to see the wood through the trees. Being happy to lose our best players to keep a manager that was so stubborn that he wouldn't use wingers and was abrasive, both were main reasons we failed this year to build on last season with performances and squad depth/options.

Absolutely sick of this love in. Manciniester City, next year we will be Manchester City again, The lovers can simply watch tapes of the last few seasons and remain content, meanwhile the club will advance.

 

[Blue2112]

I think delivering results include challenging for the PL title and maintaining a challenging position in the Champions League as well with a settled dressing room. My only worry is does the squad we have fit with Pellegrini's tactical setup? If not, there's likely to be a painful few months and considering how the end of this season has played out, that might be the proverbial straw breaking the camel's back. I'm betting that we're mostly going to be positive start of next season. That includes club, squad, and fans. I just think we need to get out of the blocks quickly or it may turn into one of Those Seasons.

But I thought the whole point of this is the coach is given the players and moulds them into his tactical setup? Or have I got this all wrong?

Yes, that doesn't always work, though. Our players looked so jaded yesterday and at Wembley. I think reserving the right to be wary is not out of order.

Oh I agree entirely, part of me thinks this can't fail in the long term but then there's a big fuck off part of me knows only too well that the judgement of many successful businessmen get clouded where football is concerned and this is Manchester City were talking about. If any club can fuck it up it's us.

 

[Anonymous]

I think one thing is for certain. If you make a power play and get everything you want, you best be prepared to deliver results. Otherwise, your neck is next on the block. If the transition doesn't go as well as planned (and no one please give me Pollyanna-style "We'll walk the league!" nonsense) and we're spinning wheels in fourth place around December, this forum, the fanbase in general, and the backrooms at the club are likely to be abbatoirs.

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

Shouldn't that be it's not a problem unless the manager is a c**t to most of them ;-)

You know the score when it comes to modern footballers, they are what they are. It's pointless expecting them to be anything different. I will say that I think we're lucky to have players like Vinny, Joe, Silva, Aguero, Zaba, Clichy etc. in our squad. It's not half as unprofessional as has been suggested this week.

 

[taconinja]

Depends on what you mean by deliver results. I suspect the next manager's targets are going to be qualification out of the group stage of the CL, a sustained title challenge, and a domestic cup. Which broadly speaking were the same targets which were set for Mancini.

I also don't see the change in manager as some sort of huge moment of transition as it was when we went from Hughes to Mancini. The current group of players are title winners and there isn't a wholesale change of the make up of the squad required. Just a bit of finessing in certain areas and more importantly, making sure we keep our best players. Aguero needs a new contract.

Shouldn't that be it's not a problem unless the manager is a c**t to most of them ;-)

You know the score when it comes to modern footballers, they are what they are. It's pointless expecting them to be anything different. I will say that I think we're lucky to have players like Vinny, Joe, Silva, Aguero, Zaba, Clichy etc. in our squad. It's not half as unprofessional as has been suggested this week.

Just want to pop in here to state definitively that I'm not one of those that thinks anything was thrown.

 

[kaz7]

Now the dust has settled a bit i am coming round to the idea it was for the best.If it had been done in the summer and explained properly and along with some exciting transfer news it would have not been such a shock to everyone,its the way its happened that has caused all the angst

 

[Blue2112]

Shouldn't that be it's not a problem unless the manager is a c**t to most of them ;-)

You know the score when it comes to modern footballers, they are what they are. It's pointless expecting them to be anything different. I will say that I think we're lucky to have players like Vinny, Joe, Silva, Aguero, Zaba, Clichy etc. in our squad. It's not half as unprofessional as has been suggested this week.

Just want to pop in here to state definitively that I'm not one of those that thinks anything was thrown.

Same here, initially I did but that was more anger and frustraation.

I've come to think that they weren't in the right place, not sure exactly why as they acheived their goal of getting rid of him but it appears obvious they weren't mentally there on the day due to all the shenanigans taking place and there was obviously more to those 24/48 hours preceeding the cup final than we're all aware of.

 

[mostonbluemark]

I watched the Reading game on a live stream and watched us turn on a pretty good performance. So, yesterday I turned up with the lad and grandson and expected a carefree performance of entertaining football given that the players wishes had come true. When I saw the team selection I thought it strange that certain players weren't playing. Not necessarily Vinnie & Nasty, but players like Silva, Clichy, Aquero, Barry. Although the latter was ably replaced by the excellent performance of Jack Rodwell. What followed was 90 minutes of non descript football. An end of season game with nothing to play for, perhaps. But what I did find mildly disquieting was the amount of finger wagging and pointing that seemed to be going on. It seemed to centre around Hart, Nasri, Milner and Yaya. I got the impression that all is still not well in the camp. I hope it was just me reading to much into this or I think Pellegrini has a lot more work to do than we envisage. Next season should be a big season for us. But I do have this awful nagging feeling I can't shake off and it has absolutely nothing to do with the change of manager.

 

[Marvin]

Maybe that would be a good thing. The players think they are more important than the club at the moment. Disgraceful performance. And it comes from the top.

I've supported the club for getting on for 40 years. The last couple of years have been magical. But I truly feel we have let it slip away in the last few months

Your loyalty (to Mancini) does you credit, but if you can't see that he might just have been the problem, despite all that's come out this week, well then I guess you never will.

I've not heard one word in support of him from any of the players since his dismissal, and whilst in some cases that might be down to the ingratitude of the individuals concerned, I refuse to believe that people like Kompany, Zabaleta, Lescott, Barry, Milner and Silva, who are both reasonable and widely respected on and off the pitch, should not have done so were there not significant problems behind the scenes, of which we might not yet even be aware.

I've used the old Don King maxim on here before, that if you're playing poker and you can't work out who the patsy is, it's you, but it seems relevant again in this instance, and it's perhaps something Roberto Mancini might one day contemplate. Managing by attrition, castigating people in public, lashing out when things go wrong, you will only get away with such behaviours for a short while and as long as things are going well. As soon as things take a turn for the worse though, you are left with anger and festering resentment. Mancini had to go. Even Khaldoon, who'd only recently given him a 5 year contract, saw it.

What City need to do now is get Pellegrini installed as quickly as possible, and have him press the flesh and sell his ideas to the players. A rudderless rumbling summer of discontent would be a disaster

Good post. Many are blinded by Mancini and fail to see the wood through the trees. Being happy to lose our best players to keep a manager that was so stubborn that he wouldn't use wingers and was abrasive, both were main reasons we failed this year to build on last season with performances and squad depth/options.

Absolutely sick of this love in. Manciniester City, next year we will be Manchester City again, The lovers can simply watch tapes of the last few seasons and remain content, meanwhile the club will advance.

If the club advances I will be happy. That is all any fan wants to see.

It seems to me that Mancini had a winning desire but that he didn't know how to handle anyone he thought was under-performing in other words he was a poor man-manager. That was seen in his reaction to defeats in important games eg At bayern Munich, at Real Madrid and in the Derby at home this season when individual players were publically criticised.

In all other respects, yes even tactics he is a really good manager.

Let's get the new manager appointed and look forward instead of picking over the bones

 

[OB1]

Still pissed off with the Cup Final though and its going to be a while before I get the taste of the shitcake that we baked that day out of my mouth. Yesterdays performance didn't help either and I don't buy the 'it didn't matter' shit. It always matters. For teams that win trophies and titles it always matters. Ending the season on a high is important. Winning the FA Cup and really ending on a high is important because when you then replace the manager it looks like part of an overall masterplan and not some fucking shambles scribbled on the back of a fag packet. The difference between looking like a smooth professional outfit and total dicks is a very fine one and and currently we look like dicks.

I'm not sure how much to read into yesterday's result but it was another example of us failing to rotate players successfully. I think that is a product of management failings and deficiencies in the playing staff. I hope it is not a complaint that we can make next season.

I agree that it always matters but even our neighbours had an usual result yesterday. Our club is in a strange place at the moment and I think it affected both the team and the crowd yesterday. I'm far more concerned about the impact on the players' mentality as regards finishing on a high etc than how the club looks but a smoother looking transition would have been a welcome bonus. Obviously, I do think it is a transition that we need to make.