Mcfc managerial merry go round

[Green & Blue]

I know this will more than likely be an unpopular post but anyway...

Once again we seem to have arrived at that all too familiar situation where quite a few fans are feeling bewildered and patience seems to be wearing thin somewhat.Mentions of Mourinho are rife and it all comes at such a pivotal point in our season.

Since we last one a pot under Tony Book in 76 we have had 20 different managers and Tony himself taking the reigns as caretaker on a number of occasions.

After so many stop start regimes with little or no success why are we not prepared to get behind our manager when we are having our best season in decades after years of underachievment.Mancini has the third best win ratio of any city manager in the clubs history.

At present 4th place is ours to lose and we are in the fa cup semi final for the first time since 81.A few years back i would never have dreamed such a feat was possible.The majority of us have been waiting all our life to be challenging like we are.

Why are we not allowing ourselves to enjoy this?

[avoidconfusion]

I dunno, possibly because the football is horrible to watch and we are sliding down the table yet again, just like last season.
Yes we are in the FA Cup Semi Final, but on current form I cannot see us beat United.
Yes we are 4th at the moment but we are dropping too many points, so many in fact that Chelsea overtook us now and Spurs are breathing down our neck again too... it's all too familiar.

[Mark Garrett]

Agree with the opening poster and he makes a fair point.

Me i'm happy with Mancini in charge, and I think at times people have got too carried away this season with where we should be.

Yes, granted we are making qualifying for the Top 4 this season harder than it should be but that is becuase on the whole we have had a poor run of form in the last 7 league games or so. I really think those City fans who seriously think Mancini's position should be brought into question at this point are going over the top.

When he took over last December in 2009, we were a shambles at the back and very good going forward but we would probably have finished about 7th if it had been allowed to continue and that is no exaggeration as they were no signs throughout Hughes' reign that he had solved our defensive issues out - look at his last few games in charge - 3 goals conceded to Sunderland, Spurs and Bolton in a week, not to mention 3-3 agst Burnley, 4 let in at Utd, 2 in at Anfield etc.

So Mancini has sorted out the defence and yes that has affected our attacking displays but in general we are winning and gradually building the winning mentality - i mean we have lost only twice this season at Eastlands - Arsenal and Everton - and the first of those was after an incorrect sending off decision 4mins into the game.

Overall, we are making good progress and this guy has won trophies at bigger clubs than us such as Inter. In fact the only reason he got sacked there was that he didn't win the European Cup. Lets stick with Mancini and see where we are in 2 months, hopefully with the FA Cup in the cabinet and a top 4 finish - which would be our highest finish since 1978, when we last came 4th.

[Green & Blue]

I dunno, possibly because the football is horrible to watch and we are sliding down the table yet again, just like last season.
Yes we are in the FA Cup Semi Final, but on current form I cannot see us beat United.
Yes we are 4th at the moment but we are dropping too many points, so many in fact that Chelsea overtook us now and Spurs are breathing down our neck again too... it's all too familiar.

The football may be horrible at times but we have become a very difficult team to beat and i think thats what Mancini wanted to achieve with the team first and foremost.It gives him a solid platform to build upon.

I actually hate to say this but form goes out the window on derby day we all know that.We are now free from eurpean football and they will be coming back off a Chelsea double bill.Surely that has to make you believe it gives us the edge going into the game.

I agree we have hit a wall recently but we have come off a horrid run of away league fixtures.
Along with the fixture congestion bullshit finally leaving the building we should stand in good stead for the remainder of the season.

[Ruthless]

Any team that plays 9 defensive minded players will be hard to beat its not rocket science to work that out, I think the reason everyones patience is wearing so thin is down to the amount of money we have laid out on so called world class players only to see that infact the majority are over priced average players or good players that dont perform consistantly, add to that there is no speed creativity or flare and understandably everyone is starting to wonder if this guy has got what it takes to move us on to the next level or he just plays the safe bet and his sole aim before any match is under no circumstances concede a goal even if that means we dont go out of our own half and dont have a single shot on there goal, his philosophy seems to be, we start the game with one point do not lose that point n if we manage to get lucky n sneak 3 its happy days, this is not the mentality of a winner who creates a force to be feared by others due to their ability to slice through other teams at will n put them to the sword. This I believe is what the questions are being asked about

[TheGOAT]

Popular post!

[CityFanFromRome]

Any team that plays 9 defensive minded players will be hard to beat its not rocket science to work that out, I think the reason everyones patience is wearing so thin is down to the amount of money we have laid out on so called world class players only to see that infact the majority are over priced average players or good players that dont perform consistantly, add to that there is no speed creativity or flare and understandably everyone is starting to wonder if this guy has got what it takes to move us on to the next level or he just plays the safe bet and his sole aim before any match is under no circumstances concede a goal even if that means we dont go out of our own half and dont have a single shot on there goal, his philosophy seems to be, we start the game with one point do not lose that point n if we manage to get lucky n sneak 3 its happy days, this is not the mentality of a winner who creates a force to be feared by others due to their ability to slice through other teams at will n put them to the sword. This I believe is what the questions are being asked about

I agree with the points you raise; however, I've seen it mentioned in another thread that maybe he's just playing the safe way to grant himself another season at the helm by getting that coveted fourth spot. It may be the wrong way to achieve that, and it may end costing him his job if we don't get fourth, but I believe there's some truth in that. Mancini is right now playing to save his job, and I'm willing to see how he goes about next season if we do qualify for the Champions League and manage to attract some players who could give us the creativity we lack.

If we get fourth, next season the aim will be to challenge for the title and he knows just as well as us that you can't do that playing for a draw in every game so he will have to change his ways, if he doesn't then he will be sacked because he won't be able to stay on course with the targets set by the board.

[Avalon]

Throw some money, buy some players and suddenly people are expecting things. People have become spoiled.
In the end, Mancini is doing a good job. The football might not be attractive, but is that really mandatory. So what, we lose points. It is not like we're the first club to do that. The top 6 has been dropping points all over the place. It is simply a weird season. We're out of the EL, so we play less games, which might even help our performances. The top 5 teams will also play each other in the coming weeks, so that means more teams will drop points.

Mancini is under a huge amount of pressure. The constant media attention surely isn't making his job easier. I'd rather see him play safe and try to safe his job and attain the minimum required, rather than to risk things by going on the offense and leave us open to counter attacks. Rotating managers out every 2 years hasn't done any team good. Case in point: Real Madrid.

[Original Dub]

I dunno, possibly because the football is horrible to watch and we are sliding down the table yet again, just like last season.
Yes we are in the FA Cup Semi Final, but on current form I cannot see us beat United.
Yes we are 4th at the moment but we are dropping too many points, so many in fact that Chelsea overtook us now and Spurs are breathing down our neck again too... it's all too familiar.

The football may be horrible at times but we have become a very difficult team to beat and i think thats what Mancini wanted to achieve with the team first and foremost.It gives him a solid platform to build upon.

I actually hate to say this but form goes out the window on derby day we all know that.We are now free from eurpean football and they will be coming back off a Chelsea double bill.Surely that has to make you believe it gives us the edge going into the game.

I agree we have hit a wall recently but we have come off a horrid run of away league fixtures.
Along with the fixture congestion bullshit finally leaving the building we should stand in good stead for the remainder of the season.

No we haven't.

We were harder to beat before he took over. Just because we sometimes play with 11 defenders and we SOMETIMES stifle teams as a result does not mean we are harder to beat - it merely means we are less likely to lose by a large margin if the game plan goes wrong.

Which is of little consequence in the grander scheme of things, whereby in most of those games, had we been harder to defend AGAINST, we'd have won.

We've lost 7 league games and 2 cup games. We've been beaten 9 times this season and it ain't over yet. That's around the same as Chelsea and not too far off Liverpool - the two CRISIS clubs.

I'll say this - if we try this "we're very hard to beat" shite in some of the games coming up, we will be in the Europa League next season and Mancini will be on the dole. You can quote me on that.

We need NOW to use what is one of the most potent, attacking array of players to their FULL POTENTIAL and in their best positions from now until the end of the season and we have a real chance.

Otherwise, bye bye bobby.

[Green & Blue]

Any team that plays 9 defensive minded players will be hard to beat its not rocket science to work that out, I think the reason everyones patience is wearing so thin is down to the amount of money we have laid out on so called world class players only to see that infact the majority are over priced average players or good players that dont perform consistantly, add to that there is no speed creativity or flare and understandably everyone is starting to wonder if this guy has got what it takes to move us on to the next level or he just plays the safe bet and his sole aim before any match is under no circumstances concede a goal even if that means we dont go out of our own half and dont have a single shot on there goal, his philosophy seems to be, we start the game with one point do not lose that point n if we manage to get lucky n sneak 3 its happy days, this is not the mentality of a winner who creates a force to be feared by others due to their ability to slice through other teams at will n put them to the sword. This I believe is what the questions are being asked about

The belief that we go out for a draw is nonsense, the only real evidence of us doing so has been away from home against the established champions league sides.Which is fair game in my book as the home records of those sides speaks for itself, playing an open game would be foolish.

I feel the perception many fans have formed of the side has been hugely influenced by the media fabrications.If the media are to be believed Spurs are the most entertaining side in the league, yet city have scored more goals than them this season.

[Ted Hughes]

Imo, if we were where we are now but on the whole playing good, entertaining football people would be very very happy. The fact is that quite often, for some of us, watching City isn't enjoyable. Some don't care about that as long as they can look at some positive results. Well you can do that on teletext without having to go through the ordeal of watching it. I would sacrifice top 4 & the Cup to be playing a Premier League version of the football we played under Keegan in the Championship. I'd be willing to wait for years to win a trophy, playing like that. Many City fans would moan about the lack of instant success but I wouldn't, I'd be happy that it would work eventually, then when it did, I'd be the happiest person alive. Similarly, if we win the lot but play like we're doing now, it will be good to celebrate winning for gloating/ novelty value but that's all it will be & 5 years from now I'll be doing something else on a Saturday.


I've watched shite for the last 30 odd years. I've paid my dues. I'm not going to pay a fortune to watch shite just so a few people can wank over a league position. Someone else who enjoys that can have my seat. I want to see the best FOOTBALL team in the world not purely a team to stop everyone else who tries to play & football then beats them through being well organised. We have the resources to be the best & imo that's what we should aim to be; the most exciting entertaining team on the planet.

I still have hope that Bob will start to build that but so far, for the most part that's not what he's been doing. We may see another step towards it next season, or even this season if the 'tiredness' wears off.

If Bob solves that & we start playing more quality football rather than just for 10 mins here & there, most people will start to be happy again, delighted even. I'll be happy as a pig in shit.

[sandman]

I can help but think people are far too quick to criticise, we have a bad month and the wankers all come out calling for blood, the fact is all succesful managers have grey spots on their cv (Mourhino, Mercer, Baconface etc..) but the fact that the club sticks by them during their poor months meant they could come out of the other side of this.

City never allow the managers to get past this, a bad run and you're gone. We need to stick with this man and give him the time to create something special.

[avoidconfusion]

It is a bit sad that it is apparently acceptable to spend 300+m to become "hard to beat" ... I am pretty sure that can be achieved with less money.

[Ted Hughes]

I can help but think people are far too quick to criticise, we have a bad month and the wankers all come out calling for blood, the fact is all succesful managers have grey spots on their cv (Mourhino, Mercer, Baconface etc..) but the fact that the club sticks by them during their poor months meant they could come out of the other side of this.

City never allow the managers to get past this, a bad run and you're gone. We need to stick with this man and give him the time to create something special.

Quite a lot of people are willing to put up with shit football if it brings results. If the results go, that changes. That's why the complaint level has gone up recently.

[bluej]

I can help but think people are far too quick to criticise, we have a bad month and the wankers all come out calling for blood, the fact is all succesful managers have grey spots on their cv (Mourhino, Mercer, Baconface etc..) but the fact that the club sticks by them during their poor months meant they could come out of the other side of this.

City never allow the managers to get past this, a bad run and you're gone. We need to stick with this man and give him the time to create something special.

The problem is, most of us were like this with Hughes, then the owners made their decision, so everyone will compare Mancini's progress against the criteria they used to assess Hughes. Add to this the questions about the style of our play and critical comments will start to the rise to the fore when the results don't follow.

Just for the record, I don't want Mancini sacked but if he is then he will only have himself to blame, as he knew the targets from the start, and the long running complaints about how we play. He still has time to correct the style of play, and time to grow a set of testes.

[BobbyDazzler]

Another point to consider is if Bob gets the chop, who comes in? Mourinho and Valdano/Perez have kissed and made up a couple of weeks ago, with them progressing in Europe and closing the gap on Barca, so despite all the sensational headlines the most likely scenario is he will stay there next season. If Hiddink leaves the Russia job, he will probaly become involved in the Chelsea set up somewhere. There is no outstanding manager likely to become available, so would we be any better off for sacking a manager who is achieving the owners targets in order to build another new squad, and have another season of "development"? Wigan play good attacking football and get beat every week. I know what I'd prefer.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

This "play good football and lose"point bugs me. They are not mutually exclusive.. How about we play good football and win.

[Ted Hughes]

I can help but think people are far too quick to criticise, we have a bad month and the wankers all come out calling for blood, the fact is all succesful managers have grey spots on their cv (Mourhino, Mercer, Baconface etc..) but the fact that the club sticks by them during their poor months meant they could come out of the other side of this.

City never allow the managers to get past this, a bad run and you're gone. We need to stick with this man and give him the time to create something special.

The problem is, most of us were like this with Hughes, then the owners made their decision, so everyone will compare Mancini's progress against the criteria they used to assess Hughes. Add to this the questions about the style of our play and critical comments will start to the rise to the fore when the results don't follow.

Just for the record, I don't want Mancini sacked but if he is then he will only have himself to blame, as he knew the targets from the start, and the long running complaints about how we play. He still has time to correct the style of play, and time to grow a set of testes.

If the top brass are willing to give Bob the time it takes, then they should say so, publicly, now. Just announce that he'll be staying next season at least. I said the same thing last season & I said that the Jose rumours would come back again this season.

They waited til the absolute last minute before supporting him last season. Either we have a long term plan or we don't. If we have one, then, remind everyone that's the case; say so. If we haven't then there's no fucking point in people complaining about speculation & sticking to our 'plan' if it doesn't exist!! If the bloke is permanently on trial, then all the stuff we're saying on here is reasonable topic for discussion. They could just kill it with one line.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I can help but think people are far too quick to criticise, we have a bad month and the wankers all come out calling for blood, the fact is all succesful managers have grey spots on their cv (Mourhino, Mercer, Baconface etc..) but the fact that the club sticks by them during their poor months meant they could come out of the other side of this.

City never allow the managers to get past this, a bad run and you're gone. We need to stick with this man and give him the time to create something special.

The problem is, most of us were like this with Hughes, then the owners made their decision, so everyone will compare Mancini's progress against the criteria they used to assess Hughes. Add to this the questions about the style of our play and critical comments will start to the rise to the fore when the results don't follow.

Just for the record, I don't want Mancini sacked but if he is then he will only have himself to blame, as he knew the targets from the start, and the long running complaints about how we play. He still has time to correct the style of play, and time to grow a set of testes.

Aye, but we still wouldn't believe it. We'd be talking about the dreaded vote of confidence.

If the top brass are willing to give Bob the time it takes, then they should say so, publicly, now. Just announce that he'll be staying next season at least. I said the same thing last season & I said that the Jose rumours would come back again this season.

They waited til the absolute last minute before supporting him last season. Either we have a long term plan or we don't. If we have one, then, remind everyone that's the case; say so. If we haven't then there's no fucking point in people complaining about speculation & sticking to our 'plan' if it doesn't exist!! If the bloke is permanently on trial, then all the stuff we're saying on here is reasonable topic for discussion. They could just kill it with one line.

[Ted Hughes]

I think we'd believe it if they announced it now, & then we could all get on with arguing about signings for next season!