I just trying to figure out what is agitating the mind of Roberto Mancini, the newly signed on Italian coach of Manchester City as he faces Stoke City in his first match at home on Saturday, December 26th 2009. There has been so much fuss about his rather quick replacement of Mark Hughes that the Italian would need a tough skin to survive in the English football terrain if he fails to make an impressive start.

The English media and a number of top class managers including Sir Alex Ferguson of city rivals Manchester United, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger, Martin O’Neill of Aston Villa and former City manager  David Berstein have all publicly criticized the harsh manner in which Hughes was sacked . Their concern is that it gives the impression Premier league coaches are an endangered species and clubs are not behaving professionally and with dignity. Indeed, some of the newspapers were so strong in their views of the dramatic change at Eastlands that the newspapers were banned at City’s training grounds.

The official explanation was that players could be unsettled by negative headlines. One could argue that the new kid on the block, Roberto Mancini, could also be unsettled by those negative headlines but I am told on authority that he has a robust background, and a tough skin. The former Inter Milan coach was himself sacked at short notice in May 2008 because of comments he made after losing a Champions league match to Liverpool.  He had said he would quit the club at the end of the season but he changed his mind a day after. The club owners were however not enthused and he was booted out and an attempt was made to tarnish his reputation.

Mancini did not take kindly to a statement by Inter Milan that his dismissal was the result of “events that emerged recently in the news.” The story is that there had been a drugs probe involving a person known to Mancini and some players but there was never any suggestion anyone at Inter had done anything wrong. He was therefore baffled that his dismissal should have any connection with the drugs probe. The embattled Mancini gave the matter to his lawyer to protect his image. Indeed, he was extremely angry at the manner of his departure after leading Inter to a third consecutive Serie A title. The world surely goes round.

Mark Hughes, the man Mancini is replacing at Manchester City had lost lesser games in the Premier league than anyone else. That is why I am interested to find out what’s going on his mind as he faces four tough pairings up to the first week of the New Year.

After the Stoke City match on Boxing Day, Manchester City will travel to meet Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday Dec 28. Then on Jan 2, 2010 there is an away FA Cup fixture against Middlesbrough paving the way for a crucial Carling Cup semi-finals first leg against neighbours, Manchester United at the City grounds.

There is no doubt that Roberto Mancini, for better or for worse, will be hitting the media headlines in the coming weeks and your guess as to what is going on his mind at the moment is as good as mine.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports


FROM MY ARCHIVES

Dec 25th 1993: Italy and Juventus star Roberto Baggio has been voted the world’s best player. Brazilian Romario and Dennis Bergkamp of Holland followed in that order. The world ratings are Germany, Italy and Brazil.