Friday 2 April 2010

'I will return sooner or later'

Roberto Mancini has discussed the possibility of his joining Juventus as manager for next season:

"I'm ready to go back, if and when there will be a possibility," he is quoted as saying in Italian newspaper La Nazione.

"As for Juventus - Juve is always Juve. They are going through a difficult period right now but we are talking about a club with history and prestige, made up of many victories."How near I am to a return to Italy I don't know, football is strange. It was probably right for me to broaden my horizons, but I will return sooner or later."

I think it's easy to make too much of this sort of thing. We know that Juventus will be looking for a new manager for next season, and that Mancini will naturally be high up their wishlist. And if they have contacted Mancini, he is perfectly within his rights to express an interest. The fact is that his being MCFC manager for 2010/11 is by no means assured, and the chances of it are probably around 50/50. We might well come fourth, but sixth is almost as likely. Mancini knows this as well as anyone.

I don't want Mancini to go, even if we do come fifth or sixth. I'm sceptical that we can get a manager sufficiently than Mancini to make worthwhile the damage of further instability and teething issues. But we can't expect to enjoy a relaxing summer of a World Cup and exorbitant spending on transfers - there might well be managerial turbulence ahead.

8 comments:

thomas said...

i agree, jpb, I want Mancini to stay at the club, I think he is a good manager, and with some good squad building we could actually look like a top 4 side.

He is possibly sounding out offers, as an assurance. I doubt city would get rid of him, unless they could seal Mourinho, which isn't really going to happen. Yet!

JJ said...

I would like to get Mourinho - who wouldn't? However, if we don't get him then lets give Mancini a chance. With all the money and 7 new players we might even stand a chance of winning somerhing next year. - and I am not joking! I think we do need 7 new players to play at the top level. The only current players that I would keep in a starting eleven would be; Given (just), Barry, Bellamy and Tevez. Anybody agree?

JonRoseHill said...

JJ - please give me more than three matches where Barry has demonstrated he is the player we thought would be (i.e. not including away games at B'burn, Portsmouth & Chelsea). He has been completely anonymous throughout. He is one paced and uninspirational. As for Mancini, he's getting paid enough to concentrate on the job at hand and to allude to other jobs is completely disrespectful. We all know the nature of the business but the fact is he is getting paid enough to carry on 'as is'. Other jobs will be available as and when he collects his obscene compensation - I'm sure he'll cope so save me the violins.

jackblue said...

Am I missing something? The football we are playing under Mancini is dire. Absolute rubbish and getting worse. If Juve want him I will save up my old age pension to pay his air fare.

thomas said...

yes jack i think you are missing something. We are winning games, conceding less. We were unfortunate not to reinforce in the winter window, to meet the needs of the manager.
if 3-0 is indicative of it getting worse, then let it get worse. We have been pretty dire this season before he arrived, the defence has been pretty dire for 2 seasons!

thomas said...

alot of j's

jackblue said...

Hi Thomas and if you are satisfied with being outplayed by teams like Wigan and winning only because we have one world class match winner then that is fine.

wizzballs said...

Jackblue, are you there?

happy enough with today's display?

I think maybe the problem is that recently our poorer perfomances have been at home. because at chelsea, fulham, and even in the second half at sunderland, we were superb.