In the space of just a few fateful days, Manchester City have exited the Europa League and seen their Premiership pipe dream doubted. Relative to the huge investment made by Sheik Mansour, there’s inevitable conjecture about Roberto Mancini’s Eastlands future, but what does Serie A Weekly make of the Italian’s time in England – unmitigated failure or not?
As a player Roberto Mancini enjoyed a stellar career spent mostly in Sampdoria’s iconic shirt. Together with Gianluca Vialli, the duo helped ‘il doria’ amass a clutch of Coppa Italia crowns together with Doria’s only scudetto in 1991. A stint with Lazio concluded Mancini’s playing career (aside from a short lived spell at Leicester City) and with immediacy, Roberto embarked upon a managerial career starting at Fiorentina.
Mancini endured a tumultuous time with a ‘la viola’ beset by financial difficulties. That said, despite just one year in Florence, Mancini captured silverware in the form of a Coppa Italia title before leaving Tuscany for the blue half of Rome.
Along with successful UEFA sorties, Roberto’s love affair with the Coppa Italia continued as he secured yet another tricolore. During this period, Lazio were too like Fiorentina, hamstrung by financial problems and Mancini’s ability to deliver success while overcoming a lack of funds caught Inter’s attention.
In 2004 Mancini was recruited by Massimo Moratti to revive Inter Milan’s fortunes. In four, fabled years the tactician rewarded his president’s considerable investment with a magnificent seven trophies – comprising of scudetti, yet more Coppa titles, and Supercoppa Italiana – critically however; no Champions League or UEFA Cup glories.
A tumultuous fourth term with the Nerazzurri saw relationships between Mancini and Moratti deteriorate; the latter lost patience at the formers inability to garner European success and inevitably, the two parted ways by ‘mutual’ consent. Then, after twelve months of kicking his heels; Manchester City surprisingly hired Mancini to supervise their cash fueled ascendancy into ‘super club’ status.
From the outside looking in, laymen observers understandably equate cash to success – but have they got it wrong? For a team with no financial boundaries, surely silverware is preordained?
Despite the disproportionate war chest, fashioning a team from a host of newly acquainted nationalities, footballing sensibilities and indeed egos, could be considered a poisoned chalice. Satisfying an abundance of talent, thrust together in what has been a relatively short space of time would test any manager, although in this regard Roberto hasn’t helped himself.
No doubt compelled by a need to spend, Roberto has not been shy in this regard. From a pool comprising of Toure, Kolorov and Silva, it may ultimately be Mario Balotelli who proves Mancini’s most costly acquisition, in more ways than one.
Mancini showed faith when signing the erratic Italian, but sadly the Azzurri star has been more of a curse than blessing while at Eastlands – a feat perfectly encapsulated by last week’s misdemeanour in City’s most important game of the season. Needing a handsome win against an accomplished Dynamo Kiev, Mario Balotelli needlessly earned himself a red card to handicap Mancini’s men and once again cast himself, and indeed his manager, as arch villains as City crashed out of the Europa Cup.
Now, with the defeat to Chelsea making a fourth place in the Premiership a tough ask, and with a difficult FA Cup semi-final against Manchetser United ahead, Sheik Mansour faces a prospect whereby he earns little interest from another season of considerable investment – which leaves Roberto Mancini in a wholly unenviable position.
So, does all of this make Mancini a poor manager? The honest and simple answer is no.
Bar a manager of Mourinho’s might, few coaches would have struggled to coalesce City’s disparate collection of talent. Teams should evolve over a period of time and new players added with strategic purpose. In City’s instance, the profound cash reserves have enabled a Gatling gun approach where a host of ‘names’ are sourced almost indiscriminately from equally disparate territories.
Where Mancini is vulnerable (along with old adversary Carlo Ancelotti), is in working for a new breed of club owner – an owner who is schooled outside of the game but very specific about their club’s objectives and impatient about achieving them. One senses that tangible desire to become the next AC Milan or Real Madrid but without the awareness about the time taken for such legacies to manifest.
Britain’s media are wise to the persistent turmoil within City and are always looking for the latest Eastlands drama. Whether it’s Tevez, Balotelli or more recently Kolo Toure, Mancini has endured an eventful tenure off the pitch, and where it matters most, the media have been no more understanding. If City play well, it’s to be expected from the world’s wealthiest club, if they fail, it’s because Mancini is guilty of negative, stereotypically Italian tactics; or his side are handicapped by under performing an undisciplined megastars.
In all probability the marriage of Mancini and Manchester City is destined for divorce – with Mancini’s temperamental stepchild Balotelli, an undoubted catalyst to the separation. And while Mancini reportedly possesses a ‘dressing room temper’, he has handled media duties with decorum and would leave England with respect intact, if not the warmth reserved for the more enigmatic Ancelotti.
Notwithstanding the inescapable association with Lazio, Mancini would compliment a team of Roma’s ilk – the established infrastructure of talent and the financial means by which to carefully enhance the squad. Roberto’s palmares is punctuated with Coppa and scudetto triumphs, the silverware Roma crave with much greater regularity.
Will Mancini to Roma materialise? Highly unlikely – but away from the fantastical world of Manchester City, Roberto has the experience and credentials to improve the fortunes of a peninsula side – and in all probability, he’ll be available to take that opportunity sometime soon.
Ronaldo could be my saviour, claims Balotelli...
Manchester City and Italy international striker Mario Balotelli believes that Brazilian legend Ronaldo can help him in turning over a new leaf.
The 20-year-old was dropped from the Azzurri squad for their upcoming matches against Slovenia and Ukraine with coach Cesare Prandelli claiming that he needs help to avoid destroying his career.
The former Inter striker was also shown a red card against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League while playing for Manchester City, leading to the exit of the Citizens from the competition.
Balotelli has been a controversial figure in football since his time at Inter and his behaviour both on the pitch and off it has seen him draw plenty of criticism.
The player himself has acknowledged that he needs to solve his problems and now claims that a meeting with Ronaldo could make him a better person.
“Introduce me to Ronaldo and I swear I’ll behave to the end of my playing career,” he told Le Iene television programme.
“I never met him, so you know when you see the idol of a lifetime it can change your way of thinking? There are many great players, but Ronaldo was the greatest and so one word from him is worth a thousand from the others.”
However, he was quick to add: “In any case, I already behave myself fairly well, but I’ll try to stop doing those stupid little things. It happens. You’ll soon see the real Mario on the field!”
Balotelli has been linked with a move back to Serie A in the summer with Milan and Napoli said to be interested, but he denies that he wants to leave Eastlands.
“I’d buy a house in Naples to go there on holiday, but not to play right now," he said. "I’m not heading to Milan either. I have a five-year contract in Manchester. Where do you think I’m going?”
Yesterday's B*ll*x revisited by today's papers ...
Manchester City's hopes of signing Barcelona full-back Dani Alves appear to have been dashed after the Brazilian, 27, agreed a new three-year contract at the Nou Camp. Daily Mirror
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wants AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 29, to replace Mario Balotelli after losing patience with the Italian because of his behaviour. Daily Star
Real Madrid have enquired about the availability of Napoli's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, 24, who is rated at £40m and is also wanted by Manchester United and Manchester City. talkSPORT
STAT BOLLOX
Luiz shows Man City the way forward
When Chelsea captured Fernando Torres and David Luiz in the January transfer window it seemed obvious who was signed to score goals and who was signed to bolster their defence.
Fortunately during Sunday's 2-0 crucial victory over Manchester City, it was Luiz who did both.
As Torres's goal drought stretched to seven appearances, defender Luiz popped up to score a decisive header and take his tally to two goals in five games.
But what really made him stand out at Stamford Bridge was his ability to stop City's attacks and get Chelsea moving forward. The key to this is his capacity for intercepting the ball.
Although the 23-year-old can tackle, he is proving a fine reader of the game, anticipating his opponent's attacks and moving across to pinch the ball before it reaches its intended target.
He did this on several occasions on Sunday and since the beginning of February when he made his full debut for the Blues he has become the Premier League's leading interceptor.
Once he has recovered the ball, he is also able to display his range of passing thereby allowing Chelsea's forwards to counter-attack quickly.
The Brazilian was certainly put to the test once John Terry was injured early in the second half, but City again showed why they have failed to break through to the highest level in the Premier League.
With only Edin Dzeko up front City started brightly, but lacking the injured Carlos Tevez they only really made any progress down the flanks.
And once they attempted to get the ball in and around the box Luiz was waiting to nullify their efforts.
"In order to intercept well you have a good football brain and work out whether you are in the right position to steal in, in front of a player," said former Arsenal defender and Match of the Day 2 pundit Lee Dixon. "You need to be thinking all the time.
"The second thing is you need to be quick off the mark and he has shown both those attributes since joining Chelsea. He looks a good all-round centre-half.
"He's good in the air, he's quick and fleet of foot and he reads the game well. He can also step into midfield, as he is good on the ball and can carry it out of defence."
Out of Europe and clinging on to a Champions League place, City are bottom of the mini league between the top five sides in the Premier League this season.
From their seven meetings with Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, they have mustered only six points, and revealingly, they have scored only twice.
Of the big five teams, Roberto Mancini's side are also the most shot shy and they are bottom of the Premier League when it comes to the percentage of passes played into the final third of the pitch.
It must be a frustrating experience for City fans who pay to watch the likes of Tevez, Dzeko, Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Adam Johnson, but who rarely see more than three of those players in the starting line-up.
Early on against Chelsea, Silva looked to provide support to lone striker Dzeko from the left but after that Yaya Toure struggled to get close to the Bosnian from more central areas.
While Balotelli was unlikely to start after his midweek sending off riled Mancini, playing a solitary forward figure against the bigger clubs seems to be almost fruitless.
Manchester City first-team coach David Platt denied this after the game.
"James Milner is a universal player, we've got Edin Dzeko on the pitch, David Silva and we played Yaya Toure further forward," he said.
"We didn't come here to sit off them, I think the first 10 or 15 minutes we took the game to them that little bit more. But they started to get on top of the game and get possession and when they have possession you have to defend against it.
"We've played that formation several times this season with those players."
In this case, Dixon believes that the system fell down because of the personnel involved.
"When you play a system like you did today you need a bit of mobility up front and you couldn't get two more different players than Tevez and Dzeko," he said.
"Dzeko has got a huge amount to prove and he's not shown anything that suggests he is worth the money they paid for him. He needs to hold the ball up, especially away from home, and you need pace to chase into the corners. From Sunday's evidence he has neither."
Chelsea may be a long way from being able to retain their Premier League title but at least their positive approach over the last two months, spurned on by Luiz, has enabled them to turn around their fortunes after a slump around the festive period.
Long gone are the questions on whether they can qualify for next season's Champions League.
The same cannot be said for City, however, and the wider issue is whether they have the right method to achieve the same target.
OTHER BOLLOX
I've got unfinished business! Premier League giants on alert as Jose issues come-and-get-me plea
Jose Mourinho has re-iterated his desire to return to the Barclays Premier League to tackle 'unfinished business'.
The Portuguese coach left Chelsea in 2007 after a hugely successful spell at Stamford Bridge before winning the Serie A title and Champions League with Inter Milan last season.
He is currently at Real Madrid in Spain - where he is contracted for another three years - but maintains he is planning to return to England sooner rather than later.
Manchester City would be interested in the former Chelsea man, if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. While neighbours United could also line up a sensational move for Mourinho if Sir Ales Ferguson decides to retire.
'I miss England and my next job will be in England,' he told The Sun. 'There is unfinished business.
'And I think England wants me back, no? It was the most enjoyable time of my career.
Focusing on Madrid's fortunes, Mourinho believes his team has the edge on Tottenham and is confident he can end the London club's Champions League odyssey in the quarter-finals.
Spurs' debut Champions League campaign has already delivered famous wins against Inter Milan and AC Milan, and the reward for Harry Redknapp's side is a glamourous last-eight encounter against the Spanish giants.
Mourinho concedes he has some misgivings about coming up against the tournament dark horses, but admits he is at least approaching the tie with more relish than he did last year's last-16 encounter with former club Chelsea.
'I didn't want Chelsea-Inter, because last season it was difficult to play against Chelsea,' he told BBC Radio 5.
'I did it, and I did everything I could to help my team, but I was not comfortable. I don't like to play against my friends.
'Any team is difficult and any team is a motivation for us. Tottenham are a good team: they beat Inter, they beat Milan, they have ambitions, they have a very good team and a good manager.
'You can feel that it is a happy team, and happy teams are dangerous teams.'
Asked whether Spurs could produce an upset and go all the way, Mourinho added: 'It's possible. They have a not very easy draw, but they have not had an easy draw from the beginning.'
Mourinho's former captain at Chelsea, John Terry, hit the headlines this week after being restored as England skipper a year after losing the armband following revelations about his private life.
The Portuguese refused to comment on the rights and wrongs of the matter, but admitted that England remain in good hands no matter which player dons the armband.
'I don't want to go in that direction, I don't know completely the process. I just think, because I know him, he's a great captain,' he said. 'I have never worked with Rio Ferdinand before, but I have no doubts that Rio is also a great captain.
'For some national teams it is difficult to choose (a captain), in England they have so many people with the character to be captains - Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard.
'The English national team is full of big personalities and big players.'
Representatives of Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi, 27, have sounded out Manchester United officials about the possibility of an £18m transfer in the summer. Daily Telegraph
Manchester United are set to swoop for 16-year-old Chilean striker Angelo Henriquez in a £3m deal. Daily Mirror
Richard Dunne's recent off-field spat with Aston Villa's coaching staff has made the Republic of Ireland centre-back, 31, a target for both Liverpool and Manchester United. Metro
West Ham manager Avram Grant is considering bringing Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand, 26, back to Upton Park. Daily Mirror
On-loan Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani is likely to sign a permanent deal for Juventus at the end of the season, the Italian's agent has revealed. Daily Mirror
Tottenham will attempt to sign Everton left-back Leighton Baines, 26, in the summer - although Liverpool are also keen on the £12.5m-rated star. Caught Offside
A call-up to the senior England squad has sparked interest in 24-year-old Wolves winger Matt Jarvis from Newcastle and Liverpool. Metro
Midfielder Lassana Diarra, 26, has put Manchester United and Tottenham on red alert by telling Real Madrid that they should play him or let him go. Daily Mirror
The father of Ajax's highly rated 19-year-old midfielder Christian Eriksen has insisted the Dane will not be joining an English club, despite reported interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Metro
River Plate midfielder Erik Lamela, considered to be one of South America's hottest young prospects, is set to become the subject of a summer bidding war after Tottenham and Liverpool joined Barcelona in a race for the 19-year-old Argentine's signature. Metro
Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, 29, is wanted by Turkish giants Galatasaray. The Pole is reportedly keen on a move away from Old Trafford. Daily Mail
Fulham are favourites ahead of Bolton and Everton to sign Plymouth's 17-year-old defender Jack Stevens. Daily Mail
Wolfsburg's £15m-rated Brazilian playmaker Diego, 26, says he is honoured that Liverpool have shown an interest in acquiring his services. Caught Offside
Wigan have joined the chase for Carlisle's Ivory Coast striker Francois Zoko, who has a £100,000 buy-out clause and is being watched by a number of Championship and Spanish clubs.Daily Mail
Aston Villa are leading the chase for Inter Milan's out-of-favour Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga, 23. talkSPORT
Arsenal have agreed a £220,000 deal for Hertha Berlin defender Leander Siemann, 15, after he impressed on trial at the club in February. Daily Mail
Bayern Munich have joined the race for Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique, 25, with Manchester United, Liverpool and AC Milan also thought to be in the running. talkSPORT
Bolton are in talks with Championship promotion-chasers Cardiff about letting full-back Jlloyd Samuel, 29, join on loan, with a view to a permanent move.Daily Mirror
Former Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has put the Blues on alert for a possible return to Stamford Bridge by admitting he is set to quit as Turkey manager. the Sun
Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier has tightened the club's disciplinary code following the controversy over the outbursts aimed at the club's coaching staff by defensive duo James Collins and Richard Dunne a fortnight ago. Daily Mail
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie says the Premier League title is theirs to lose, even though the Gunners are five points behind Manchester United with a game in hand. Daily Star
Jim Magilton has accused Ipswich of engaging in a "long and unnecessary dispute" after the Northern Irishman settled a legal case to be paid compensation over his managerial dismissal by the Suffolk club in April 2009. Daily Mirror
Rafael van der Vaart has spoken of his growing frustration at being regularly substituted by Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp but expects the storm to blow over during his 10 days away from White Hart Lane on international duty with the Netherlands.Daily Mail
Mick McCarthy expects to remain as Wolves manager next season - even if the club are relegated from the Premier League. Daily Star
Liverpool's Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt, 30, is set to agree a new contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2014. The Sun
Wales boss Gary Speed has drafted in musical beauty Courtenay Hamilton - Miss Wales 2010 - to help his team learn the national anthem ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifier against England on Saturday. the Sun
We'll listen to case for terraces, says sports minister Hugh Robertson
Fans' group launches petition to reintroduce standing • Robertson says government will examine evidence
The FSF is calling for defined areas of grounds to be made available for safe standing areas, similar to those in Germany.
The sports minister, Hugh Robertson, has said the government will consider the possibility of reintroducing standing areas at top-level football matches, 21 years after Lord Justice Taylor recommended terracing be outlawed.
At the first ever meeting to discuss the issue with the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), football authorities, police and the Football Licensing Authority, which took place on Monday, Robertson said he would examine the evidence for safe standing. In particular, he said he wanted to see whether modern terracing would be safe, technically able to be built into stadiums and capable of being policed, and whether there is demand from substantial numbers to stand.
But anxious not to raise immediate expectations, Robertson told the meeting frankly that because the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool supporters died, led to Taylor's recommendation that standing be outlawed, the stakes are extremely high to recommend a change. If he were to do so, and there was then a major accident or incident of disorder on a terrace, Robertson said: "The minister's head would be on a spike on Tower Bridge before he could draft a resignation letter."
The meeting was called by the Liberal Democrat sports spokesman, Don Foster, who has tabled a private member's bill calling for clubs to be permitted safe standing areas. "I am very pleased we brought all parties together for the first time to discuss the issue," he said. "Real fans are paying high ticket prices and losing out, and I am confident safe standing can be introduced which meets all the minister's concerns. We will be gathering the required evidence, and fans must now make their voices heard."
The FSF will launch an online petition calling for the introduction of safe standing areas at stadiums in England's top two divisions, where all-seating has been compulsory since 1994, as recommended by Taylor four years earlier.
All the authorities represented at the meeting stated their opposition to any reintroduction of standing areas, although they no longer state that this is predominantly an issue of fan safety, rather of crowd control. The Premier League, Football League and Football Association argued that all-seat stadiums had been crucial in improving the game's fortunes and image since Hillsborough, and there is no major demand for standing.
The FSF is calling for defined areas of grounds to be made available for safe standing areas, similar to those in Germany where closely spaced barriers make a crush close to impossible. The FSF points to a survey it conducted in which 90% of respondents said fans should have the choice of sitting or standing. The organisation hopes thousands will sign the online petition.
Robertson stressed he is wary of considering change, but would look at all evidence presented, and would want a consensus, including the police in particular, that standing would be safe.
Andy Holt, assistant chief constable of South Yorkshire police, representing the Association of Chief Police Officers at the meeting, said it is up to the FSF to demonstrate that standing areas could be policed effectively and would not risk increasing disorder at matches.
Malcolm Clarke, the FSF chairman, argued that such standing areas would enable fans to enjoy matches in a more traditional atmosphere. Clarke also pointed out that many supporters regularly stand at top-flight football in the all-seat stands, a practice the Football Licensing Authority considers a safety risk.
"Fans do believe they have lost something in the move to all-seating," Clarke said. "We will be doing further research to respond to the concerns of those who are not yet convinced."
FUNNY BOLLOX
Is football fan a German prince or a brazen imposter?
The strange case of the FA Cup tie and the Kaiser
Maidenhead in Berkshire is no stranger to excitement, and on Tuesday it was gearing up for another night of high-society celebrations. The local football club, celebrating its 140th anniversary, was marking the occasion with a visit from its royal patron, His Royal Highness Prince Frederick von Saxe-Lauenberg.
Enter the Prince, who arrived at the stadium on foot after a long and tiring cross-country train journey from Manchester. Despite his inauspicious arrival, His Royal Highness duly flipped the coin at the kick-off of the commemorative game – a repeat of the 1873 FA Cup quarter-final match against Oxford University – before the club sealed a 3-1 victory.
After the game the Prince stood up and announced he was hoping to secure a major sponsorship deal for the club. Instead of spontaneous applause, the Prince's announcement was greeted by embarrassed silence and the shuffling of chairs and napkins. Diplomatically, the club's chairman, Peter Griffin proffered a quiet word of thanks and farewell.
Club officials then investigated their royal patron, discovering a more down-to-earth truth: that His Highness was born Sid Halpern in Manchester. The prince was installed as the club's royal patron in 2008 in a move to match the Duke of Edinburgh's patronage of the club's rival, Windsor and Eton FC.
Steve Jinman, the club's director, said: "Our commercial manager found this guy called Frederick and he said he could do lots of good stuff for us and it didn't cost anything. But when we met him, everyone was a bit surprised because, for a royal, he, well, he seemed a bit more like the average guy in the street."
The Prince, 59, said that he inherited the title from his mother's family. "It was bought back from the Kaiser in the early 1900s. It is a purchased title, bought back after it was stolen in 1689. It's all on Wikipedia. I am remotely related to the Queen, yes. And all the sovereign houses of Europe, and the ones who are not reigning," he said.
Debrett's, the bible of royal and aristocratic lineages, was stumped by the Prince's claims. "The one reference to the duchy in the very early 18th century would suggest it is not a very significant one. The daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Lauenberg married into a collateral branch of the royal house of France. There's nothing after that other than a rather tenuous connection," a spokesman said.
Frederick – or Sid – lives in a Ruritanian idyll sometimes mistaken for a semi-detached house in Manchester's Withington area and is the patron of a number of charities.
He is also registered to a company called Children of the World 2000, a firm that has sparked a number of complaints over its charitable status. After the Charity Commission requested more information, an application for charitable status was withdrawn.
Mr Halpern remains adamant he has behaved impeccably, befitting his station as a royal. "It's not my title that defines me. It's what's inside – what your actions are. I have conducted myself above board and I have not crossed anybody at the ground. They were all delighted to see me and there is some hope to get the ground sponsored," he said.
"Under British law I'm officially not allowed to use my foreign royal title, but privately other royals know who you are. But on your passport it is Mr. It's like Princess Catherine of Yugoslavia."
