When Manchester City first appointed Roberto Mancini as manager,
they were well outside the top four of the English Premier League. In about
half a season, Mancini managed to get the team into the top four, into the all-important
Champion League.
In his first full season in charge, Man City won the English
Premier League. In his second full season in charge, they got second in the English
Premier League. 2 seasons, he got first and second, and now he’s fired as manager
of Man City.
If there’s any doubt that Man City will never reach the
lofty heights of Manchester United, Roberto Mancini’s firing as manager has
laid that to rest. Sir Alex Ferguson was at Man Utd for 26 seasons and even he
did not first or second every year. Mancini got 1 and 2, and he still somehow got
canned!
It just shows that with their current owner, even success does not give you a job at the club. If I'm Malaga manager Manuel Pellegrini, I should think twice before picking up the job.
5 comments:
If you look at the Man City squad, anyone could have walked in as manager and achieved what Mancini did. You and me included. The squad is overflowing with talent! Do you seriously think Di Matteo won the European Cup for Chelsea? Of course not!
Before you win that damn Cup, you will put in your heart, blood and soul game after game after game. But then, its how you manage AFTER winning that trophy which matters. Both Mancini and Di Matteo lack the ability to sustain that desire in their players. That's what separates them from the master, Alex Ferguson.
By all accounts, Mancini himself was a divisive person among his players. You can see the way he handled Tevez and Balloteli. Absolutely no control whatsoever! In football lingo, Mancini lost the dressing room. He had to go.
You should have a read at this :
Manchester City's players greet Roberto Mancini's departure with 'delight' and 'relief'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/10057567/Manchester-Citys-players-greet-Roberto-Mancinis-departure-with-delight-and-relief.html
Of course they are "delighted" and "relief". Mancini is a manager who would get tough with them. He call them out for playing poorly, without desire and got them to response on the field. Carlos Tevez refused to come on as a sub, and Mancini not only called him out in public, he froze him out of the team. How many manager you know would do that? Now Carlos Tevez is a productive player for Man City and after last season, there was no more nonsense from him. Even Sir Alex didn't managed that with him. Mancini did.
As for his record; that cannot be argued by anyone with a straight face. Mark Hughes was manager and they were out of a place in Europe. Not just out of a place in the Champions League, but Europe! There was a run on 10+ games without a win if I remember correctly. Mancini came in, got them into the Champions League and a FA Cup. First full season, they were champions. Second full season, they are second. Yes, that's a very bad record.
In any industry, be it finance, manufacturing or even in sport, the very first lesson any manager need to know before becoming successful is 对症下药, ie, knowing what medicine to use for what ailment. The manager must be wise to what works and what doesn't. In Mancini's case, he had problems managing his players, and worse still, he openly criticized some of them, even when the comments made by his players were spot on. Look at the Joe Hart episode and you'll understand what I mean. You can be stubborn and stick to your principles, but at the same time, be aware of what is happening around you and be ready to adapt. It's obvious that Mancini has his principles, but at the same time, he is myopically stubborn. Once he lost the dressing room and no one wants to go the extra mile for him, Mancini is finished as a manager.
Sorry but I disagree with the whole "player power" concept. Look at Chelsea and see how well that's going. The manager is the boss and even if you don't like him, you still work for him. Especially if he is successful. Mancini is.
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