Yesterday, CEO Garry Cook and new manager Roberto Mancini together took to the stage to give journalists and, more importantly, our fans the complete picture of the events of the past few days and week.
The outcome was characterised in way which has suggested that the football club and Garry Cook has lied to its fans. Manchester City Football would like to point out that this is absolutely not the case.
Speaking during the press conference, Garry Cook clearly stated:
“The decision to look at managerial options was taken only three weeks ago after the Hull game, but I think it is important for people to know that Roberto was only offered the job after the Spurs game; we negotiated on Thursday and finalised his agreement on Friday.”
Roberto Mancini, when questioned shortly after as to when he was first contacted by the club, he replied, “Two weeks ago, I met Khaldoon for the first time. But they called me the day after the Tottenham game. Not before.”
In light of the fact that both Garry Cook’s and Roberto Mancini’s responses are consistent, it is with some surprise that we and our fans read some of today’s reporting, as below:
The Times
"Having stressed in his statement that City had approached Mancini only after the 3-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday, Cook was forced into the most embarrassing of climb-downs when the former Inter Milan coach admitted that he had met al-Mubarak and Sheikh Mansour, the club’s billionaire owner, a fortnight ago. Oops."
The Daily Telegraph
“Sitting next to Cook at a press conference that bordered on Bedlam was Hughes's successor, Roberto Mancini. As calm as Cook was rattled, the elegant Italian confirmed that he had discussed the situation with Manchester City as long ago as Dec 2. So that was City's cover blown.”
The Guardian
“Roberto Mancini’s introductory press conference as Manchester City manager degenerated into a major embarrassment for his new employers tonight when the Italian exposed an apparent cover‑up surrounding the events leading to his appointment and forced the chief executive, Garry Cook, to come clean about the covert operation to appoint him behind Mark Hughes’ back. Mancini's admission that he had secretly met the club's owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and the chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, in London in the first week of December undermined a statement from Cook in which he indicated that talks with Hughes's replacement had not begun until City lost 3-0 at Tottenham Hotspur last Wednesday.”
The Sun
“Roberto Mancini revealed in his first press conference he had met both owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak two weeks ago. But chief executive Garry Cook insisted they only opened talks last Thursday! With the country - and most definitely Manchester City - deep in panto season, it was a case of 'Oh yes they did'.”
The Mirror
“Cook might have got away with his polished subterfuge were in not for Mancini exposing the club's covert actions by revealing he had met with City owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in London on December 2”
Daily Mail
“Garry Cook claimed the decision to sack Hughes was taken after last Wednesday’s defeat at Tottenham. But Mancini unwittingly provided an insight into how serious City were about recruiting him when he said that he met the Sheik and City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in London at the start of the month.”
There you go, glad we got that sorted!
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