"Roberto Mancini has had a shocker of a season"

LAPTV

14Feb

“Roberto Mancini has had a shocker of a season”

Back in May when Manchester City claimed the title, it seemed a new footballing dynasty was emerging. Now it appears that moment of glory might have been but a brief interruption in their red-shirted neighbours’ continuing domination of the Premier League. But who’s to blame? The Life’s A Pitch panel point their collective finger.

Footballer-turned-journalist Adrian Clarke doesn’t mess around: “I think it’s quite easy. I would put the blame at Roberto Mancini’s door. I think he’s had a shocker of a season.” His biggest mistake has been failing to rejuvenate the squad during the summer, says Adrian. “He didn’t strengthen it nearly enough and thought he could get more out of this group by changing things [tactically], but the players didn’t seem up for it and they didn’t click.”

Ian Ridley of the Mail On Sunday agrees: “I think it’s terminal. Mancini has been trying to take City to the next level with all the changes but it hasn’t come off.” Ian, though, believes the manager and club will part as friends. “Relationships come to an end,” he says. “City will be forever grateful to Mancini, but I think it’s a relationship that’s reaching an amicable settlement.”

“If you look at how far Manchester City have come in a couple of years, I think it was wrong of everybody to expect them to just keep winning,” says Tom Hopkinson of the People, valiantly sticking up for Mancini. “Last summer he wanted to strengthen the side, but I think he was let down by the directors who didn’t get the deals done for the players he wanted. The players need to take some of the blame, Mancini needs to take some of the blame and the directors need to take some of the blame.”

Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the play button in the image above.

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Neil Crosby

It’s all about expectations. The only people who can and will judge Mancini at the end of the season are the owner and directors. The opinion of unknown football writers will have no bearing whatsover.

If you told a Manchester City supporter on 28 September 2008 that they would win the FA Cup, become Champions of England and finish 5th, 3rd and 2nd in the following five seasons he would have laughed. I can tell you Mancini is a legend in the blue half of Manchester and the owner will bear that in mind when making judgements in May.
No matter what other people might think.
http://www.facebook.com/roger.mullings.1 Roger Mullings

I do believe Manchester city will have a bounce back and win the league this year, as a die hearted fan of man-city, I truly believe, win every match from now on and hope for our rivals to loose some!!!!!
http://twitter.com/suhithtweets_92 suhith hardcorefreak

lovely point, even i feel the same because you or me or even a journalist does’nt know what goes on behind the scenes and i personally love mancini and would be harsh on him for what has happened in the last fortnight.

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