IS Bobby Mancini THE MAN?

[MaineRoadMemories]

These 4 league fixtures will determine how a lot of posters rate Mancini. Away from home he has been poor, at home he has been comfortable, luckily our two biggest games are at home.

• Stoke - Hard to play against at their place and will put our zonal defending to the test, expect them to win a lot of second balls and get a few shots of in the box from the knock downs.
• Liverpool - Should be a cracking game and will give the winners a huge confidence boost whilst kicking the losers in the teeth
• Chelski - They are starting to wobble a bit at the mo, but mainly away from home. Can't see City winning here with any team TBH Drogba against Toure is frightening to think about.
• Spurs - Another huge game in the race for that 4th spot. If we do Liverpool then we will be confident for this one. Defoe will score 100%

[Original Dub]

Bob Kowalski - So you only came on here to vent about hughes, but when you feel Mancini has fucked up, you keep it to yourself? Right so... book of excuses??

"I'm a manager not a magician" After loss to Everton
"If we play like we did in the second half, we'll make top four" After losing to HULL!

I'm all for every city manager being a success and I'm all for getting behind him, but it pisses me off slightly when I see people carry on like hughes hadn't a clue when all Mancini done was prove we can beat the lesser teams and lose to any half decent one.

You see organisation, I see fear, negativity and boring boring football.

So while Mancini might be more to your liking, he has done fuck all SO FAR to warrant him being the bollox and hughes not having a clue.

We have not progressed YET. Some folk are jumoing up and down like we have, when we've only played two decent teams and lost three times.

[Original Dub]

Well Bob you admit that you hid after the hull game instead of coming on here to spit some venom?

And you ask me why I don't just admit Mancini is a cunt??

I don't think he's a cunt, but I sure as shit won't start doing cock push ups with uncontained excitement, pretending all is rosey and that there's been vast improvements at my club when I can't see vast improvements.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I didn't think hughes was clueless and I don't think Mancini is clueless. I think anyone that thinks neither of them are capable of managing a football team is fucking clueless.

If, as time goes on, we keep playing negatively, scraping past the shit teams, losing to the odd shit team and losing to every decent team we meet, then it will have been a mistake getting rid of hughes... that's without mentioning entertainment and attacking football.

But only time will tell and I hope to God it wasn't a mistake and Mancini turns it around. Because I'm a city fan.

So don't try to imply that I think the manager of my football club is a cunt, because that's for fuckwits with seperate agendas and we've been down that road before.... in fact some of us are still travelling down it, aren't we Bob?

[Renato_CTID]

Would you think our beloved City actually play badly, that is in a defensive way, because of the massive quantity of important games waiting for us in the next three months? Well I think so and I agree with Mancio and Carminati if they take all our players in the best conditions at the end of this unbelievable season!

[BobKowalski]

Well Bob you admit that you hid after the hull game instead of coming on here to spit some venom?

And you ask me why I don't just admit Mancini is a cunt??

I don't think he's a cunt, but I sure as shit won't start doing cock push ups with uncontained excitement, pretending all is rosey and that there's been vast improvements at my club when I can't see vast improvements.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I didn't think hughes was clueless and I don't think Mancini is clueless. I think anyone that thinks neither of them are capable of managing a football team is fucking clueless.

If, as time goes on, we keep playing negatively, scraping past the shit teams, losing to the odd shit team and losing to every decent team we meet, then it will have been a mistake getting rid of hughes... that's without mentioning entertainment and attacking football.

But only time will tell and I hope to God it wasn't a mistake and Mancini turns it around. Because I'm a city fan.

So don't try to imply that I think the manager of my football club is a cunt, because that's for fuckwits with seperate agendas and we've been down that road before.... in fact some of us are still travelling down it, aren't we Bob?

Ah the old thread switcharooney. V crafty.

Hughes was and is a very poor football manager and leader of men who surrounded himself with low quality staff. You disagree and think Hughes is a good football manager, leader of men etc etc

I think Mancini has improved things organisationally and in terms of getting us to defend as a team. You disagree and think we are no better off/worse off then under Hughes.

You think Mancini will play 10 defensive players every game as long as he is here. I think Mancini had to sort out the 'lets ship 3 goals a match gameplan' and has had to to this very quickly with a squad not of his making and also get a top 4 spot. Hence expediency is king.

I like the fact that Mancini does not whine about how hard his job is/that he needs his own players/6 transfer windows to challange for a top 4 spot. I also like the fact that he has the balls to use fringe players and youth players in matches I would not expect. I don't like the fact that we rolled over like pussies in two away games. I do expect him to correct this or its arrivederci

In short we disagree on the state of City under Mancini and our perceptions of the current and past manager.

So what exactly is the problem again?

[Original Dub]

Well Bob you admit that you hid after the hull game instead of coming on here to spit some venom?

And you ask me why I don't just admit Mancini is a cunt??

I don't think he's a cunt, but I sure as shit won't start doing cock push ups with uncontained excitement, pretending all is rosey and that there's been vast improvements at my club when I can't see vast improvements.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I didn't think hughes was clueless and I don't think Mancini is clueless. I think anyone that thinks neither of them are capable of managing a football team is fucking clueless.

If, as time goes on, we keep playing negatively, scraping past the shit teams, losing to the odd shit team and losing to every decent team we meet, then it will have been a mistake getting rid of hughes... that's without mentioning entertainment and attacking football.

But only time will tell and I hope to God it wasn't a mistake and Mancini turns it around. Because I'm a city fan.

So don't try to imply that I think the manager of my football club is a cunt, because that's for fuckwits with seperate agendas and we've been down that road before.... in fact some of us are still travelling down it, aren't we Bob?

Ah the old thread switcharooney. V crafty.

Hughes was and is a very poor football manager and leader of men who surrounded himself with low quality staff. You disagree and think Hughes is a good football manager, leader of men etc etc

I think Mancini has improved things organisationally and in terms of getting us to defend as a team. You disagree and think we are no better off/worse off then under Hughes.

You think Mancini will play 10 defensive players every game as long as he is here. I think Mancini had to sort out the 'lets ship 3 goals a match gameplan' and has had to to this very quickly with a squad not of his making and also get a top 4 spot. Hence expediency is king.

I like the fact that Mancini does not whine about how hard his job is/that he needs his own players/6 transfer windows to challange for a top 4 spot. I also like the fact that he has the balls to use fringe players and youth players in matches I would not expect. I don't like the fact that we rolled over like pussies in two away games. I do expect him to correct this or its arrivederci

In short we disagree on the state of City under Mancini and our perceptions of the current and past manager.

So what exactly is the problem again?

You really do like to give off the impression that you're wide to everyone's hidden agenda.... it kind of paints you as a tad paranoid old bean....

No craft involved in my post at all.

Ok, I'll try to adress each of you points:

"hughes is and was a very poor football manager". That's just stupid, he had blackburn and wales punching above their wieght and anyone who is respected in the game would disagree with a silly statement like that.

You think Mancini has helped us to defend as a team? Well that's what a team of defenders will do. We've also leaked two goals against Everton, Hull and Scunthorp, and four agaisnt united whilst playing dour football overall. There's a difference in trying to play football in the right way and trying not to lose. I think the latter is the easier. I certainly would prefer to attack if I'd to choose between the two.

Mancini doesn't "whine" about needing three or four windows, because he has inherited pretty much the full package AND he has the advantage of the players knowing each other's game for months rather than them learning as they went along ala the start of this season.

So we agree that City have rolled over in two away matches. Personally I feel like we rolled over over the course of the two legs of the semi as well.

Well, "rolling over" wasn't on the cards early in the season, even though we were leaking goals we had serious spirit. I feel we could roll over at any given moment these days.

Like I say, we've played two decent teams and lost three times. But we could go on forever here - the next three games will paint a much clearer picture. 3 tough games - three more losses and its bye bye bobby I reckon!

Hope not though.

[Wonderwall]

hat off to you Ronan mate, you have some fucking stamina.

[BobKowalski]

Well Bob you admit that you hid after the hull game instead of coming on here to spit some venom?

And you ask me why I don't just admit Mancini is a cunt??

I don't think he's a cunt, but I sure as shit won't start doing cock push ups with uncontained excitement, pretending all is rosey and that there's been vast improvements at my club when I can't see vast improvements.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I didn't think hughes was clueless and I don't think Mancini is clueless. I think anyone that thinks neither of them are capable of managing a football team is fucking clueless.

If, as time goes on, we keep playing negatively, scraping past the shit teams, losing to the odd shit team and losing to every decent team we meet, then it will have been a mistake getting rid of hughes... that's without mentioning entertainment and attacking football.

But only time will tell and I hope to God it wasn't a mistake and Mancini turns it around. Because I'm a city fan.

So don't try to imply that I think the manager of my football club is a cunt, because that's for fuckwits with seperate agendas and we've been down that road before.... in fact some of us are still travelling down it, aren't we Bob?

Ah the old thread switcharooney. V crafty.

Hughes was and is a very poor football manager and leader of men who surrounded himself with low quality staff. You disagree and think Hughes is a good football manager, leader of men etc etc

I think Mancini has improved things organisationally and in terms of getting us to defend as a team. You disagree and think we are no better off/worse off then under Hughes.

You think Mancini will play 10 defensive players every game as long as he is here. I think Mancini had to sort out the 'lets ship 3 goals a match gameplan' and has had to to this very quickly with a squad not of his making and also get a top 4 spot. Hence expediency is king.

I like the fact that Mancini does not whine about how hard his job is/that he needs his own players/6 transfer windows to challange for a top 4 spot. I also like the fact that he has the balls to use fringe players and youth players in matches I would not expect. I don't like the fact that we rolled over like pussies in two away games. I do expect him to correct this or its arrivederci

In short we disagree on the state of City under Mancini and our perceptions of the current and past manager.

So what exactly is the problem again?

You really do like to give off the impression that you're wide to everyone's hidden agenda.... it kind of paints you as a tad paranoid old bean....

No craft involved in my post at all.

Its a joke. You need to lighten up :)

Ok, I'll try to adress each of you points:

Oh god. If you must...

"hughes is and was a very poor football manager". That's just stupid, he had blackburn and wales punching above their wieght and anyone who is respected in the game would disagree with a silly statement like that.

So what? Souness won a trophy with Blackburn. He's a total cunt of a manager. And what did Hughes do with Wales except not qualify for anything? Fat Sam had Bolton punching above their weight but can't see him managing Chelsea anytime soon. Getting a small club punching above their weight does not put you in the top tier of European managers.

You think Mancini has helped us to defend as a team? Well that's what a team of defenders will do. We've also leaked two goals against Everton, Hull and Scunthorp, and four agaisnt U***d whilst playing dour football overall. There's a difference in trying to play football in the right way and trying not to lose. I think the latter is the easier. I certainly would prefer to attack if I'd to choose between the two.

I can't help you here. Just as my dislike of Hughes blinded me to some of his better qualties then you see what you want to see. Besides its not the personnel used. Hughes could pick the same team bar Vieria and it would ship goals. Mancini has been all about concentration, keeping the shape, working as units, zonal marking etc. We defend much better as a team. We still concede especially when we change the defensive line ups or go with two youngsters at the back (Scunthorpe) or simply switch off. I can see it is work in progress and don't expect Mancini to get it right in what 7 weeks? Would you expect Hughes to walk into an unknown squad and cure all in that time?

I still expect Mancini to win games and get a top 4 spot though. Its a tough ask but hes a big boy and knows the rules.

Mancini doesn't "whine" about needing three or four windows, because he has inherited pretty much the full package AND he has the advantage of the players knowing each other's game for months rather than them learning as they went along ala the start of this season.

That I doubt. That he inherited the full package. Especially as Hughes was looking to buy big in January to cover the squads failings (you know 'right attitude', 'better defenders'). Plus the squad is not tuned to the way he wants them to play nor is the make up of the squad tuned to this either. But he has to get on with it and deliver. It does make a refreshing change that he does this without the endless excuse making. Thats my personal view and I like it.

So we agree that City have rolled over in two away matches. Personally I feel like we rolled over over the course of the two legs of the semi as well.

Well, "rolling over" wasn't on the cards early in the season, even though we were leaking goals we had serious spirit. I feel we could roll over at any given moment these days.

We did not play well in two away matches and lost them. Not playing well and winning I can handle. We got beaten in the semi's over two games by a better more experienced team (and I ain't typing that again). We didn't roll over in my view.

And bollocks to the 'rolling over wasn't on the cards early in the season'. We scrapped some nice wins early on like Wolves at home, not convincing but a win is a win then there was our repeated failure to hold onto a lead and at Spurs away I thought the team had officially given up on Hughes. Something wasn't right that was fairly obvious. In fact so f**king obvious they sacked the manager

Like I say, we've played two decent teams and lost three times. But we could go on forever here - the next three games will paint a much clearer picture. 3 tough games - three more losses and its bye bye bobby I reckon!

Funny thing is I was constantly told that Hughes had to be given time, a season/two seasons/his own players/look at taggart/stability yada yada whatever yet when it comes down to a manager we don't rate then its what 15 games and you are toast? Hell even I gave Hughes more time then that.

[Original Dub]

Hughes was building the squad from the bottom, he needed more time obviously, but I'm sure deep down you know that.

Hughes was sacked because as Cook said we weren't on target to reach 70 points or top four - we were right on target, but we'll leave that out for now - Mancini was brought in to achieve that and if he doesn't he will be gone. Not because I want him gone, all the bitching in the world won't mean the owners will listen to me even if I did want him gone. But he was brought in because they felt hughes wouldn't finish fourth. He absolutely HAS to finish fourth and this month is one of the most crucial parts of that process, as he has admitted himself.

If he gets it wrong again, we will have a very large hill to climb and if/when we don't make the top four he will be sacked and we start all over again, possibly with Mourinho.

I don't feel confident these days. I don't feel confident going into any match. Obviously you felt we were going to lose or underperform when hughes was in charge. I certainly felt unsure when he was in charge, but most the time, win lose or draw it was damn exciting.

I don't feel excited anymore. I hope to god it changes.

[BobKowalski]

Hughes was building the squad from the bottom, he needed more time obviously, but I'm sure deep down you know that.

Thats weak. All Hughes did was ship in a load of premiership experienced players at inflated prices. I don't have a problem with this although I do have a problem with shipping out one experienced PL defender and replacing him with another PL defender at roughly 5 times the price. The irony of the one who left being part of the meanest defence in the PL against ours that shipped goals for fun is not lost on me but thats a whole new argument and best left alongside the tale of the striker who never plays.

And you know that Mancini needs more time then 15 games. Come on.

Hughes was sacked because as Cook said we weren't on target to reach 70 points or top four - we were right on target, but we'll leave that out for now - Mancini was brought in to achieve that and if he doesn't he will be gone. Not because I want him gone, all the bitching in the world won't mean the owners will listen to me even if I did want him gone. But he was brought in because they felt hughes wouldn't finish fourth. He absolutely HAS to finish fourth and this month is one of the most crucial parts of that process, as he has admitted himself.

Cook may have said that but didn't it strike you as odd the sacking? Despite all my misgivings about Hughes I never thought they would sack him midseason. I can spin the old they wanted 4th and didn't think Hughes would get it but it surprised me. Still does. I personally think there was more to the sacking then the 70 points bollocks but who knows.

If he gets it wrong again, we will have a very large hill to climb and if/when we don't make the top four he will be sacked and we start all over again, possibly with Mourinho.

If we don't get top 4 this season this is a very good chance Mancini will leave. He was employed to get top 4 and like all employees who don't deliver he will be in line for the chop. I have no issue with this. I have issues with managers promising top 6 then finishing 10th and insisting it wasn't their fault and "did I mention its a transitional season?"

I don't feel confident these days. I don't feel confident going into any match. Obviously you felt we were going to lose or underperform when hughes was in charge. I certainly felt unsure when he was in charge, but most the time, win lose or draw it was damn exciting.

I don't feel excited anymore. I hope to god it changes.

Well it was exciting like Russian Roulette I guess although the odds of us shooting ourselves in the foot were way shorter than 1 in 6. I just couldn't take Hughes seriously. I couldn't take his backroom staff seriously and I honestly felt no one who mattered took him seriously. I often wondered if everyone was up in arms about Hughes sacking was because there was a danger we may employ a manager who could upset the cozy cartel of the top 4. Not that he wasn't wrong about what was needed at the club. Better attitude, facilities, fitness etc and if he had been the fitness coach or dietician then no problem. Hughes was an NCO promoted above his capabilities and never looked at ease or as Garry Cook put it 'Mark likes his comfort zone' and City with the infux of ADUG money became an alien beast.

And yes now I am excited. Mancini's appointment was an intriguing one and I still do not really know whether he is the man they really want or if he is just minding the store for Jose with Mancini back to Inter. But I do have more confidence with Mancini in charge then I do with Hughes even though I think top 4 is a big ask for Mancini coming in with half the season gone. But yeah I am loving it and if I am honest I feel a great sense of relief now that Hughes is gone.

I think for you it is the other way round which is a shame but I understand it.

[Original Dub]

Good post - I was actually ok with the Mancini appointment once I knew it was confirmed. I was told he was attack minded but could organise defences which sounded mint to me.

I just think a lot of managers could send out that many defensive players and scrape past Pompey and Bolton. I think that's pretty easy, but IMO the way to become fearless is by knocking the shit out of team like that by attacking them and then building a platform on which to take on the big boys and beat them.

I'm now confident of beating the smaller sides at a slow push, but not so confident going up against the big guns.... which has top six and no cups written all over it.

That said, lets just wait and see how Febuary goes, we'll know then if he's capable of getting past the big boys. We've lost 4-3 to United, Two nil to Everton and 2-1 to hull so its only natural I'm apprehensive. that doesn't mean I'm not hopeful of change in mentality, style and performance.

Bring on the Stoke!

[aaron bond]

I'm not sure if Mancini is the man in the long run but I'd definitely prefer to have him in charge than Hughes.

I know the football hasn't been pretty in parts so far under Mancini, but from reading what some people have written in this thread, if I'd had never seen City play in the last 18 months, I'd have thought we played the most amazing football under Hughes. That just wasn't the case.

Hughes' brand of football brought us so many embarrassing performances this season and last season I lost count. We may have been able to fight back and get a draw in some matches, but in Hughes' time with us, we only came back from behind to win twice - against Hamburg and against Chelsea just before Xmas. Mancini has done that once already in his short time here.

8 wins in 11 matches is a good start for Mancini in my opinion. But he does need to wise-up to the Premiership. We're too vulnerable defensively to sit back for the majority of games. When we attack we look formidable (under Hughes and now) and that's how we should approach games, especially at home. He also needs to ensure the line up has some balance. We need to play 2 wingers, not 1. The last few performances haven't been great, but we've still been picking up points and the wins against Stoke, Blackburn and Wolves show what we're capable of.

I still think the owners were right to sack Hughes. Our season was stagnating and they thought it would be better to have a manager in charge with a history of success to take us into the top 4. Whether that was right remains to be seen, but I still believe Mancini can do it.

[9secondlegend]

Hughes was building the squad from the bottom, he needed more time obviously, but I'm sure deep down you know that.

Thats weak. All Hughes did was ship in a load of premiership experienced players at inflated prices. I don't have a problem with this although I do have a problem with shipping out one experienced PL defender and replacing him with another PL defender at roughly 5 times the price. The irony of the one who left being part of the meanest defence in the PL against ours that shipped goals for fun is not lost on me but thats a whole new argument and best left alongside the tale of the striker who never plays.

And you know that Mancini needs more time then 15 games. Come on.

Hughes was sacked because as Cook said we weren't on target to reach 70 points or top four - we were right on target, but we'll leave that out for now - Mancini was brought in to achieve that and if he doesn't he will be gone. Not because I want him gone, all the bitching in the world won't mean the owners will listen to me even if I did want him gone. But he was brought in because they felt hughes wouldn't finish fourth. He absolutely HAS to finish fourth and this month is one of the most crucial parts of that process, as he has admitted himself.

Cook may have said that but didn't it strike you as odd the sacking? Despite all my misgivings about Hughes I never thought they would sack him midseason. I can spin the old they wanted 4th and didn't think Hughes would get it but it surprised me. Still does. I personally think there was more to the sacking then the 70 points bollocks but who knows.

If he gets it wrong again, we will have a very large hill to climb and if/when we don't make the top four he will be sacked and we start all over again, possibly with Mourinho.

If we don't get top 4 this season this is a very good chance Mancini will leave. He was employed to get top 4 and like all employees who don't deliver he will be in line for the chop. I have no issue with this. I have issues with managers promising top 6 then finishing 10th and insisting it wasn't their fault and "did I mention its a transitional season?"

I don't feel confident these days. I don't feel confident going into any match. Obviously you felt we were going to lose or underperform when hughes was in charge. I certainly felt unsure when he was in charge, but most the time, win lose or draw it was damn exciting.

I don't feel excited anymore. I hope to god it changes.

Well it was exciting like Russian Roulette I guess although the odds of us shooting ourselves in the foot were way shorter than 1 in 6. I just couldn't take Hughes seriously. I couldn't take his backroom staff seriously and I honestly felt no one who mattered took him seriously. I often wondered if everyone was up in arms about Hughes sacking was because there was a danger we may employ a manager who could upset the cozy cartel of the top 4. Not that he wasn't wrong about what was needed at the club. Better attitude, facilities, fitness etc and if he had been the fitness coach or dietician then no problem. Hughes was an NCO promoted above his capabilities and never looked at ease or as Garry Cook put it 'Mark likes his comfort zone' and City with the infux of ADUG money became an alien beast.

And yes now I am excited. Mancini's appointment was an intriguing one and I still do not really know whether he is the man they really want or if he is just minding the store for Jose with Mancini back to Inter. But I do have more confidence with Mancini in charge then I do with Hughes even though I think top 4 is a big ask for Mancini coming in with half the season gone. But yeah I am loving it and if I am honest I feel a great sense of relief now that Hughes is gone.

I think for you it is the other way round which is a shame but I understand it.

excellent post mate and i know what you mean about the relief that hughes has gone . that is exactly how i felt and felt like a huge weight was lifted off me when he went.

[Im_Spartacus]

Hughes was building the squad from the bottom, he needed more time obviously, but I'm sure deep down you know that.

Thats weak. All Hughes did was ship in a load of premiership experienced players at inflated prices. I don't have a problem with this although I do have a problem with shipping out one experienced PL defender and replacing him with another PL defender at roughly 5 times the price. The irony of the one who left being part of the meanest defence in the PL against ours that shipped goals for fun is not lost on me but thats a whole new argument and best left alongside the tale of the striker who never plays.

And you know that Mancini needs more time then 15 games. Come on.

Hughes was sacked because as Cook said we weren't on target to reach 70 points or top four - we were right on target, but we'll leave that out for now - Mancini was brought in to achieve that and if he doesn't he will be gone. Not because I want him gone, all the bitching in the world won't mean the owners will listen to me even if I did want him gone. But he was brought in because they felt hughes wouldn't finish fourth. He absolutely HAS to finish fourth and this month is one of the most crucial parts of that process, as he has admitted himself.

Cook may have said that but didn't it strike you as odd the sacking? Despite all my misgivings about Hughes I never thought they would sack him midseason. I can spin the old they wanted 4th and didn't think Hughes would get it but it surprised me. Still does. I personally think there was more to the sacking then the 70 points bollocks but who knows.

If he gets it wrong again, we will have a very large hill to climb and if/when we don't make the top four he will be sacked and we start all over again, possibly with Mourinho.

If we don't get top 4 this season this is a very good chance Mancini will leave. He was employed to get top 4 and like all employees who don't deliver he will be in line for the chop. I have no issue with this. I have issues with managers promising top 6 then finishing 10th and insisting it wasn't their fault and "did I mention its a transitional season?"

I don't feel confident these days. I don't feel confident going into any match. Obviously you felt we were going to lose or underperform when hughes was in charge. I certainly felt unsure when he was in charge, but most the time, win lose or draw it was damn exciting.

I don't feel excited anymore. I hope to god it changes.

Well it was exciting like Russian Roulette I guess although the odds of us shooting ourselves in the foot were way shorter than 1 in 6. I just couldn't take Hughes seriously. I couldn't take his backroom staff seriously and I honestly felt no one who mattered took him seriously. I often wondered if everyone was up in arms about Hughes sacking was because there was a danger we may employ a manager who could upset the cozy cartel of the top 4. Not that he wasn't wrong about what was needed at the club. Better attitude, facilities, fitness etc and if he had been the fitness coach or dietician then no problem. Hughes was an NCO promoted above his capabilities and never looked at ease or as Garry Cook put it 'Mark likes his comfort zone' and City with the infux of ADUG money became an alien beast.

And yes now I am excited. Mancini's appointment was an intriguing one and I still do not really know whether he is the man they really want or if he is just minding the store for Jose with Mancini back to Inter. But I do have more confidence with Mancini in charge then I do with Hughes even though I think top 4 is a big ask for Mancini coming in with half the season gone. But yeah I am loving it and if I am honest I feel a great sense of relief now that Hughes is gone.

I think for you it is the other way round which is a shame but I understand it.

excellent post mate and i know what you mean about the relief that hughes has gone . that is exactly how i felt and felt like a huge weight was lifted off me when he went.

Me too, but..........I am not too sure now, I feel very underwhelmed to be honest.

[Original Dub]

Hughes was building the squad from the bottom, he needed more time obviously, but I'm sure deep down you know that.

Thats weak. All Hughes did was ship in a load of premiership experienced players at inflated prices. I don't have a problem with this although I do have a problem with shipping out one experienced PL defender and replacing him with another PL defender at roughly 5 times the price. The irony of the one who left being part of the meanest defence in the PL against ours that shipped goals for fun is not lost on me but thats a whole new argument and best left alongside the tale of the striker who never plays.

And you know that Mancini needs more time then 15 games. Come on.

Hughes was sacked because as Cook said we weren't on target to reach 70 points or top four - we were right on target, but we'll leave that out for now - Mancini was brought in to achieve that and if he doesn't he will be gone. Not because I want him gone, all the bitching in the world won't mean the owners will listen to me even if I did want him gone. But he was brought in because they felt hughes wouldn't finish fourth. He absolutely HAS to finish fourth and this month is one of the most crucial parts of that process, as he has admitted himself.

Cook may have said that but didn't it strike you as odd the sacking? Despite all my misgivings about Hughes I never thought they would sack him midseason. I can spin the old they wanted 4th and didn't think Hughes would get it but it surprised me. Still does. I personally think there was more to the sacking then the 70 points bollocks but who knows.

If he gets it wrong again, we will have a very large hill to climb and if/when we don't make the top four he will be sacked and we start all over again, possibly with Mourinho.

If we don't get top 4 this season this is a very good chance Mancini will leave. He was employed to get top 4 and like all employees who don't deliver he will be in line for the chop. I have no issue with this. I have issues with managers promising top 6 then finishing 10th and insisting it wasn't their fault and "did I mention its a transitional season?"

I don't feel confident these days. I don't feel confident going into any match. Obviously you felt we were going to lose or underperform when hughes was in charge. I certainly felt unsure when he was in charge, but most the time, win lose or draw it was damn exciting.

I don't feel excited anymore. I hope to god it changes.

Well it was exciting like Russian Roulette I guess although the odds of us shooting ourselves in the foot were way shorter than 1 in 6. I just couldn't take Hughes seriously. I couldn't take his backroom staff seriously and I honestly felt no one who mattered took him seriously. I often wondered if everyone was up in arms about Hughes sacking was because there was a danger we may employ a manager who could upset the cozy cartel of the top 4. Not that he wasn't wrong about what was needed at the club. Better attitude, facilities, fitness etc and if he had been the fitness coach or dietician then no problem. Hughes was an NCO promoted above his capabilities and never looked at ease or as Garry Cook put it 'Mark likes his comfort zone' and City with the infux of ADUG money became an alien beast.

And yes now I am excited. Mancini's appointment was an intriguing one and I still do not really know whether he is the man they really want or if he is just minding the store for Jose with Mancini back to Inter. But I do have more confidence with Mancini in charge then I do with Hughes even though I think top 4 is a big ask for Mancini coming in with half the season gone. But yeah I am loving it and if I am honest I feel a great sense of relief now that Hughes is gone.

I think for you it is the other way round which is a shame but I understand it.

excellent post mate and i know what you mean about the relief that hughes has gone . that is exactly how i felt and felt like a huge weight was lifted off me when he went.

Me too, but..........I am not too sure now, I feel very underwhelmed to be honest.

I feel the same, but it could all change in the next two weeks, please God!

[carl_feedthegoat]

I THINK IVE SEEN ENOUGH.

WE HAVE GONE FROM THE MOST FRIGHTNING ATTACK IN THE WORLD TO JUST PLAIN AND UTTER SHIT UP FRONT.ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SORT OUT THE DEFENCE.


MANCINI - YOU ARE A BORING CUNT AND YOUR TACTICS ARE FUCKING BORING AS WELL.

WELL DONE....IM PISSED OFF WITH WATCHING DROSS AND THATS WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.

A FUCKING REPLAY THAT WE REALLY DIDNT NEED.

[Erwin Rommel]

I THINK IVE SEEN ENOUGH.

WE HAVE GONE FROM THE MOST FRIGHTNING ATTACK IN THE WORLD TO JUST PLAIN AND UTTER SHIT UP FRONT.ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SORT OUT THE DEFENCE.


MANCINI - YOU ARE A BORING CUNT AND YOUR TACTICS ARE FUCKING BORING AS WELL.

WELL DONE....IM PISSED OFF WITH WATCHING DROSS AND THATS WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.

A FUCKING REPLAY THAT WE REALLY DIDNT NEED.

Any City fan who wanted this guy as manager needs their head seeing too. Mancini football = insomnia.

[Fidel Castro]

I usd to be excited about the next game and really anticipate it, now I just KNOW I'll be bored for 90 minutes.
Had enough of this, I'd rather finish 6th/7th and be entertained than finish 5th and be bored to death.

[Fidel Castro]

I THINK IVE SEEN ENOUGH.

WE HAVE GONE FROM THE MOST FRIGHTNING ATTACK IN THE WORLD TO JUST PLAIN AND UTTER SHIT UP FRONT.ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SORT OUT THE DEFENCE.


MANCINI - YOU ARE A BORING CUNT AND YOUR TACTICS ARE FUCKING BORING AS WELL.

WELL DONE....IM PISSED OFF WITH WATCHING DROSS AND THATS WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.

A FUCKING REPLAY THAT WE REALLY DIDNT NEED.

Any City fan who wanted this guy as manager needs their head seeing too. Mancini football = insomnia.

We were assured by Socrates that Mancini played attacking football though!
Fact is, he didn't really know much about him and he formed his opinions after a quick google.
Will be interested to hear his excuses this week

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I THINK IVE SEEN ENOUGH.

WE HAVE GONE FROM THE MOST FRIGHTNING ATTACK IN THE WORLD TO JUST PLAIN AND UTTER SHIT UP FRONT.ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SORT OUT THE DEFENCE.


MANCINI - YOU ARE A BORING CUNT AND YOUR TACTICS ARE FUCKING BORING AS WELL.

WELL DONE....IM PISSED OFF WITH WATCHING DROSS AND THATS WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US.

A FUCKING REPLAY THAT WE REALLY DIDNT NEED.

Any City fan who wanted this guy as manager needs their head seeing too. Mancini football = insomnia.

Qaulity