After 42 years of not winning a title, the Manchester City manager believes that can all change this season 'This is going to be a good season for us. If the players follow me and trust me, if we all work really hard, we can change the history of this club,' said Manchester City's manager Roberto Mancini
The Nines Hotel in Portland, Oregon, is a converted department store where Clark Gable once sold ties before heading for Hollywood. It's an unusual place to meet an Italian football manager, but perhaps oddly fitting since Roberto Mancini - here for pre-season training with his Manchester City side - may be about to become a film star of sorts as well.
Blue Moon Rising is set to be released at cinemas in the north of England. It's the story of City's 2009-10 campaign, a dramatic season that began with a nine-figure spending spree by new owner Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi - including the signing of Gareth Barry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez - and ended with the club being placed fifth in the Premier League.
In December, halfway through filming, Mark Hughes was peremptorily replaced as manager by Mancini. Hughes hadn't been keen on the film project but the Italian grasped the opportunity with both hands. He even allowed cameras in the dressing room. It was a groundbreaking experiment, so much so that the movie could prove a hit with football fans everywhere.
A scene towards the end of the film shows the team downcast in the aftermath of a home defeat to Spurs that cost them a tilt at the Champions League this season. Mancini comes in, puts his arm around one player and pats another on the back. It seems like a scene from a more gentlemanly era - it's hard to imagine Fabio Capello showing so much compassion after England were battered 4-1 by Germany in the World Cup.
'It's different,' says Mancini, in faltering English. 'When you're the manager of a national team you only have the players occasionally. But when you have players every day, you have more empathy with them. I think Capello was unlucky because the officials disallowed a good goal against Germany. I think that goal could have changed the match and the World Cup. The England team is a good team now.'
Mancini is under no less pressure than his fellow Italian. He works for owners who got rid of his predecessor for failing to provide an adequate return on their £300 million-plus investment, and City's fans booed the draw against Spurs in this season's first match. How long does he give himself to win something?
'This season,' he replies without hesitation. 'For ten years there were only four clubs challenging for the title. This year there are five.'
It is 42 years since Manchester City won a title. Surely a Champions League place is the first objective?
'Yes, but it's not my mentality to play for fourth position.'
It might stop you from getting the sack.
'No,' he says, 'I don't think like this. I am very optimistic. This is going to be a good season for us. If the players follow me and trust me, if we all work really hard, we can change the history of this club.
'We are not worried about replacing Manchester United as the richest club in the world. We are building something for the future. This is normal, and other clubs have done it in the past, like United, like Chelsea. We want to be important and to win trophies. United are one of our rivals, but not the only one.'
How is he going to do it? Last season, Mancini's tactic was similar to Capello's notorious approach with the England squad: more training, less WAG-time. As we now know, this doesn't always work.
'If a team doesn't win anything for years then it must change something. We can train twice a day if needed.'
'Even if you buy a lot of players you can't win if you don't work. Every year we must improve. The aim this year is to win the Premier League'Mancini spent £125 million on new players over the summer, and the stars were told where to pass, when to move and where to run. And if they step out of line? Well, they might want to think twice about that.
In his playing days, Mancini threw one of the biggest tantrums in the history of European football. He was playing for Sampdoria against Inter Milan when he wasn't awarded a penalty he felt he deserved. He exploded in fury. Inter's goalie Gianluca Pagliuca said Mancini 'looked like he wanted to eat the referee'. He then walked off the pitch and refused to play, shouting, 'I've had it with referees and I've had it with football.'
His manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, ordered him back onto the pitch - not unreasonably, since he was the captain - but Mancini managed to get sent off as quickly as possible, first clattering into England's Paul Ince, then resorting to abusing the referee until he received a red card. Mancini was banned from football for six weeks.
'I was young,' the 45-year-old says, shifting uncomfortably.
Under the circumstances, it was probably just as well he moved into management at 35. His first job was at Fiorentina, where he battled to stem their decline into bankruptcy while coaching them to a surprise victory in the Coppa Italia. He repeated the feat at struggling Lazio with a Coppa Italia win, a Uefa Cup semi-final and a lucrative place in the following season's Champions League. Inter Milan snapped him up in 2004. He went on to win three consecutive Serie A titles, and reached the Coppa Italia final a record four times in a row.
'I didn't have a lot of money to spend at Inter,' he says, 'but we became champions because we worked hard. I hope it will be the same [youtube]at City. This is a big challenge for me, because it's a club that has not been used to winning. Even if you buy a lot of players you can't win if you don't work. Every year we must improve. The aim this year is to win the Premier League.'
Mancini gives his instructions in Italian as he feels his English isn't up to scratch.
'I'm sorry my English isn't very good,' he says. 'To try to improve I will be watching Coronation Street and EastEnders.'
His latest signings only accentuate a trend in English football. With Uefa set to restrict the number of foreigners allowed in the starting line-ups of domestic clubs, isn't Mancini shooting himself in the foot, and undermining our national team in the process?
'No, no,' he argues. 'We put English players in the team too, but it isn't easy because all the clubs that have English players don't want to sell. I like Jack Rodwell, but will Everton sell? Impossible! We have a good academy and if I can give young players a chance I will, because I was just 16 when I first played in Serie A.'
It sounds convincing, but Mancini admits that City's fans must come before England's. 'When you have suffered for a long time you have more passion. That is what the City fans have. And when a trophy arrives that will be a fantastic day, an important day.'
And if people criticise City for 'buying the title', as they did when Jose Mourinho won it for Chelsea thanks to the backing of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich? Roberto Mancini will settle for that.
'Times have changed. In the old days fans would have the same heroes for years. Now they have to be ready for the possibility that their heroes will change.'
Perhaps their new one has grey hair, green eyes and wears a Manchester City scarf with an Italian suit.
Javier Pastore £40mil
MANCHESTER CITY are set to smash their transfer record by signing Argentine sensation Javier Pastore from Palermo for £40million.
The Sicilian club rejected moves from Real Madrid and Barcelona during the summer for the 21-year-old playmaker but City's move will prove tougher to resist.
Pastore's price is inflated because they owe an agent £10milllion pounds following his move from Argentine club Huracan for half that sum to Palermo last year.
But that will prove no obstacle to moneybags City who are prepared to do an immediate deal now and loan him back to the Italian club until the start of next season.
They have identified Pastore as the game's next mega-star after his emergence onto the world stage over the last 12 months.
He is good friends with City striker Carlos Tevez who is believed to be playing a part in persuading him to move to Eastlands.
Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Pastore from Huracan for £6million two years ago but his value and reputation has soared since moving to Palermo.
WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.wsn.com/blog/2010/05/07/wag- ... na-bernal/
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Real Madrid are plotting to end Wayne Rooney's Manchester United turmoil by setting aside £65m for a summer swoop. The People
Gerard Houllier wants to make Michael Owen his first signing at Aston Villa. The former Liverpool boss was impressed with Owen's form and fitness during Jamie Carragher's testimonial and wants to sign the Manchester United striker either on loan or for a nominal fee during the January transfer window. News of the World
Portsmouth hope to wrap up a loan deal for Tottenham right-back Kyle Naughton, 21, this week, while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp could also loan out fellow defender Kyle Walker, 20, to Hull City. The People
Arsene Wenger is still eager to pursue his interest in Crewe midfielder Nick Powell and is willing to spend up to £2m on the 16-year-old attacking midfielder. News of the World
Holland goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has emerged as Manchester United's number one choice to succeed Edwin van der Sar. News of the World
OTHER BOLLOX
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho and Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti buried their differences over dinner in Geneva last week. News of the World
Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier had his heart tested before accepting the Aston Villa job. Daily Mail
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is backing midfielder Alexander Hleb to prove Birmingham's most influential signing since France World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry. Daily Mail
Co-owner David Sullivan claims he is at breaking point after revealing West Ham's debts have gone through the £100m barrier. News of the World
Manager Roy Hodgson claims it will need a change of owners before Liverpool can hope to be champions again. News of the World
Wayne Rooney was desperate to confront the expected abuse from Everton, fans only for Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to leave him out of the squad. People
Gary McAllister, who is Gordon Strachan’s coach at Middlesbrough, is ready to answer Gerard Houllier's call to be the Frenchman's right-hand man at Aston Villa. People
Uefa have given the green light for Great Britain and Northern Ireland to field an Under-23 football team for the first time in the Olympics. Sunday Express
Eidur Gudjohnsen may be deemed too overweight to make his Stoke debut against Aston Villa on Monday. The former Chelsea striker has been on an intensive fitness programme after piling on the pounds in the summer. Daily Mirror
