Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook insists chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak was 'transparent' with former manager Mark Hughes throughout his 18 months in charge.Hughes was dismissed on Saturday evening, immediately after the 4-3 victory over Sunderland, with Roberto Mancini installed in his place. It has emerged Mancini was asked on Thursday to take the job and the deal was sealed within 24 hours.
Given the decision to get rid of Hughes was common knowledge long before the final whistle was blown on his last game in charge, it begged the question why the Welshman had not been informed earlier.'The chairman has been nothing but transparent with Mark throughout his tenure,' said Cook.'He was adamant he wanted to do it in person but he did not arrive until 10am on Saturday. There seems to be an overwhelming theory that there was a conspiracy. There was no conspiracy.'Like any other business we have plans and targets; and we have contingencies for when those plans and targets are not being met.'
As Cook refused to answer any questions, or clarify the salient points from a lengthy, pre-prepared statement, he did not address the issue of why Hughes was not simply sacked on Wednesday or Thursday as City moved for Mancini. It will hardly help the Eastlands outfit's public profile, which has suffered a series of self-inflicted blows, culminating in Saturday's debacle. Cook seemed at a loss to understand why anyone should question his version of events, despite the fact he has been among those at City to continually stress the club's super-rich owner Sheikh Mansour had a long-term vision and would not make knee-jerk reactions. Yet that is exactly what has happened given City will be exactly on target for the 70-point target set by Sheikh Mansour, Khaldoon and Cook before the start of the season if they win their next two matches against Stoke and Wolves.
'The trajectory of recent results was below this requirement and the board felt that there was no evidence that the situation would fundamentally change,' continued Cook.In fact, Mancini's first meeting with the City hierarchy took place in London a fortnight ago, after the tame draw with Hull which it is said was the trigger for Hughes' departure.Yet, Mancini insists the discussions between an out-of-work manager and the owner and chairman of the world's richest club were just general.'They wanted to speak with me about Inter Milan and other teams,' said Mancini.'In Italy it would be a normal situation.'The telephone call to ask Mancini to take over was followed swiftly by his agreement to assume the role.
Mancini said: 'I was Inter Milan manager for four years. I won three league titles. At the end of the last season, I was sacked. Sometimes these things happen. I feel sorry for Mark Hughes. But this is our job, the job of a manager.'
Given the speed with which Hughes was controversially ousted, 45-year-old Mancini will spend the preparation for a Boxing Day visit by Stoke analysing the talent at his disposal before outlining the areas that need strengthening.However, rather than declare that City's transfer policy is going to be his domain, Mancini has already revealed it will be a team effort.'In Italy, it is not just the manager who decides on players, it is also director of football,' he said.'I will speak with Garry (Cook, chief executive) and Brian (Kidd, assistant manager). Together we will decide who we need. It is no problem. The most important thing is for City to win, now and in the future.'
JOSE MOURINHO is tipping Roberto Mancini to be a success at Manchester City.
Why? Because according to the Special One, Mancini is the Chosen One. Mourinho succeeded the Italian as manager of Inter Milan 18 months ago after Mancini was sacked having won three Serie A titles in a row. Failure to win the Champions League saw him replaced by the former Chelsea boss in the summer of 2008 - but Mourinho reckons Mancini will be a hit.
Mourinho said: "Mancini has great experience of Italian football and has won titles here. "Sure, the Premier League is a very different competition but he has all the qualities which make a great coach. "A lot of people talk about the money which City have spent but that is not the most important thing. "The only thing which matters is that Mancini is the man who the president of Man City has chosen. "And that is the most important thing for any coach" I want to wish Roberto the best of luck."It will be a great and special experience for him to test himself in a very different reality to Italian football."
Mourinho's statement was a reference to the fact that Mark Hughes was employed by Thaksin Shinawatra and not Sheikh Mansour, who took over as City's owner. Mancini signed a 3½-year deal but it is understood the contract contains a break clause on both sides for next summer.The former Inter manager can expect to be sacked after just six months if City do not finish in the top four. He will be given up to £100million to strengthen the team in the January transfer window - but City expect a return for their substantial investment.
But one man who will not be following Mancini to Eastlands, according to his current employers, is Inter striker Mario Balotelli.
Balotelli has already been earmarked as a potential target for Mancini in January.But Inter president Massimo Moratti insists the 19-year-old is going nowhere.Moratti said: "I think Manchester City have made a great signing in Mancini."But they should not inquire about Balotelli for January because we are not selling him."It is more likely that Mancini will make a bid from Bayern Munich's Italy striker Luca Toni as well as Germany full back Philipp Lahm.
Robboie to stay?
Roberto Mancini wants Robinho to remain at Eastlands and help to 'write the history' of Manchester City. The Brazilian has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona over recent months and has admitted that he will seek talks with Mancini in an effort to establish his plans are for the future. City officially unveiled their new boss on Monday, with Mark Hughes relieved of his duties following Saturday's 4-3 victory over Sunderland. Mancini has wasted no time in setting out his ambitions, with UEFA Champions League qualification at the top of the Italian's agenda. He is also keen to build bridges with some of City's biggest names, with a number of first-team players expressing their disappointment at Hughes' departure. While Robinho was not among them, his future remains the subject of much conjecture and Mancini has revealed that he will do all he can to persuade the Samba star to stay put.
"Robinho is a fantastic player," he said."But for a big player like him, it is important to make the history of a club. "I played at Sampdoria for 15 years. I wrote the history. It is important. Robinho can do that here."Mancini's first game in charge of City will be against Stoke on Boxing Day, giving him ample opportunity to have a good look at his squad before selecting his starting XI.The former Lazio and Inter Milan boss admits he will be looking to add to his squad during the January transfer window, regardless of the talent already available, but insists he will not be making recruitment decisions by himself."In Italy, it is not just the manager who decides on players, it is also director of football," he said."I will speak with Garry (Cook, chief executive) and Brian (Kidd, assistant manager). "Together we will decide who we need. It is no problem. The most important thing is for City to win, now and in the future."
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy and goalkeeper Shay Given are considering quitting the club in protest over the sacking of former manager Mark Hughes. The Sun
Mancini hit City's players with a double training-sesssion on Tuesday, just 24 hours after meeting them for the first time. Daily Express
Chelsea are worried Manchester City will gazump them with a bid for Aguero and want to push through a deal for the Argentina international in the next few days. The Times
There is deep-seated anger in the Manchester City squad over Mark Hughes's sacking, especially among the the club's British and Irish players, despite chief executive Garry Cook's claims that there is no player rebellion at Eastlands. Daily Telegraph
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will hope to beat Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool to the signing of Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer and his other targets include Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, Rubin Kazan left-back Cristian Ansaldi, Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, Sporting Lisbon centre-back Daniel Carrico, Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano, AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic. Daily Mail
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will spend up to £55m in the January transfer window to boost his side's title challenge, with £40m-rated Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero and Monaco midfielder Jerko Leko top of his wish list and Ajax forward Luis Suarez, Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell seen as back-up options.The Sun
Tottenham are ready to sell Robbie Keane to Celtic in January but want goalkeeper Artur Boruc as part of the deal.
Or, Keane will stay at White Hart Lane and remain club captain - despite angering Harry Redknapp by organising the club's Christmas party in Dublin behind the manager's back. The Sun
Blackburn hope to re-sign James Beattie and will offer Jason Roberts to Stoke City in a swap deal for the striker, who began his career at Ewood Park. Daily Mirror
Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is planning a swoop for Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford. Daily Mirror
Roma have joined Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham and German side Hoffenheim in the race to sign £5m-rated Crystal Palace forward Victor Moses. Daily Mail
Blackburn and Everton will battle it out to sign Tottenham's Scotland full-back Alan Hutton for £4m in January. (Daily Express)
West Ham hope to hijack Celtic's £2.5m swoop for Tours FC striker Olivier Giroud, who has also been targeted by Monaco, Toulouse, Valenciennes and Montpellier. Daily Record
Former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman has been offered to West Ham by French club Paris St Germain, who are looking to offload the Serbian frontman. Daily Mirror
Matthew Upson could leave West Ham in January after admitting he is unsure whether he will still be at Upton Park at the end of the season. Daily Express
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has set up a loan deal for Benfica defender Miguel Vitor, who will move to Fratton Park in January if the club's transfer embargo is lifted. Daily Mirror
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is lining up a £1m move for Birmingham midfielder Lee Carsley, 35, who has been told he can leave the Blues and is also wanted by Ipswich. (Daily Express)
Celtic hope to beat Hull, Bolton, Burnley and Newcastle to the £1m signing of Sheffield United Matthew Kilgallon.Daily Record
Barnsley are close to signing Ivory Coast defender Steve Gohouri on loan from German side Borussia Monchengladbach until the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Hearts will hold talks with Charlton striker Izale McLeod this week about taking the former England Under-21 star on loan in January. Daily Record
Bournemouth and Notts County both want to sign Bangor City striker Chris Sharp, the son of Everton legend Graham Sharp. (Daily Star)
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has drawn a line under the row over his squad's secret Christmas party after the 16 players involved each agreed to make a £20,000 donation to the club's Tottenham Hotspur Foundation charity. Daily Mirror
Or, the 16 Spurs player were told to pay £5,000 each - pulling in a total of £80,000 for good causes. The Sun
A furious Redknapp read the riot act to his players over the party incident and they have agreed to make a donation to charities which could amount to £1m. Daily Star
The meeting between Redknapp and his players was frank but amicable, with them apologising for their conduct but pointing out they could not be fined as they had not breached the terms of their contracts and the Spurs boss agreeing for them to make donations totalling £300,000 to a charity. The Guardian
Or, Redknapp opted not to fine his players and instead ordered them to pay £2,000 each - about the same amount they paid for their secret night out in Dublin - to a charity. The Independent
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who is still to start a Premier League game for the Reds following his £20m summer move from Roma, has flown to Belgrade to receive treatment on his calf injury from controversial 'placenta doctor' Marijana Kovacevic. Daily Mail
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been told he will have to sell players before he can add to his squad in the January transfer window and plans to offload Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Andrea Dossena and/or Philipp Degan to raise funds. If buyers cannot be found, Benitez will be restricted to making loan signings. The Guardian
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has won his battle with new Blues owner Carson Yeung over the club's transfer policy in January and has been told the Blues will only sign players the manager approves. Daily Mirror
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any signings in January to ease Manchester United's defensive injury crisis.The Guardian
Dundee United boss Craig Levein will officially be named Scotland's new manager on Tuesday. The Daily Record
WAG OF THE DAY - NO1
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... cesca-lodo
more bollox soon
