gvercillo wrote:Pep.
To me there is no doubt that Roberto will be sacked at the end of the season, wouldnt be surprised if it was earlier, if there epl form gets out of hand or they fall far behind in the title race. 2 straight years being out at the group stage in the champions league, not acceptable to all the money hes spent on transfers. its well known that Roberto's back heel is in europe and he wont win a champions league with any team, he is great in the league but in Europe he dosent have balls to succeed. With new Sporting Director Txiki Begiristrain, Pep Guardiola's old pal at Barcelona in the glory days. Pep created the Barcelona Academy, players like Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Valdes, Puyol, Pique, Pedro, Sergio Busquetts. If Mourinho is hired he will try to win a champions league just like everywhere he goes. This Man City team need a strong academy that will improve the future. The only way this squad will become successful is when there is chemistry within the squad, right now that is tremendously lacking. I think Pep will try to build a project that can be successful now and for down the road. Mourinho may win now but he may leave with a mess for the near future. I have an Italian background, when Mourinho left Inter after winning the champions league, the squad was a mess. He had players like Lucio, Cambiasso, Julio Cesar, Milito, Sneijder(injury prone) who were washed up. Last year they finished 7th in Serie A. They have gone through 4-6 managers since Mourinho's departure. Thats why Pep Guardiola is the right choice for this club if Mancini does get sacked. Even with Mancini this squad will win the EPL title this year. There is no squad that can compete depth wise with this team. That will be the difference near the end of the season.
Not sure about the 'Bob getting sacked' bit, but I am leaning towards the thinking that we may not win the CL so long as Bob is here, & I agree entirely with the comparisons between Mourinho & Pep.
I've always said that my No 1 concern is the academy. All I wanted from both Hughes & Mancini, is that they looked after the club well in the short term & progress the 1st team but don't do any serous damage, whilst others sort out the academy, & I think they have both done that at their own level; Hughes as a stepping stone & Bob has turned it into a top side & delivered trophies & a title on top. I would hapilly see Bob here for 20 years if i thought he'd win the Champions League too, & help establish a style of play for the club which the academy will build into our recruits, but since this season I now have some doubts in both those areas.
I think he's been absolutely awful in Europe right though, not just the Chumps League. And so far, I can't see any kind of plan behind Lombardo's appointment as EDS manager. It just seems more like a control thing from Mancini to help his own power base rather than any kind of football plan for the good of the young players coming through. This, & the inclusion of his spies (Scapuzzi plus Mancini Jr) at reserve level, give me serious worries as to how much he is genuinely interested in football at youth level. I can see he has no problem using young players at first team level, if he thinks they are good enough, but I'm not convinced he has any kind of plan, or interest, at their production or the younger levels. He just wants players for the 1st team, however they come.
Mourinho has no interest whatsoever, & whilst he has proven himself as a more capable man manager than Bob, & would no doubt give us at least as much, possibly more success in the short term, he would be even less inclined than Mancini to build for the future. And he is a twat.
Pep imo, would be a huge gamble short term & less likely than either Bob or Mourinho to deliver trophies ( but tbf, could be even better if his method worked). Bob & Jose are proven in the Prem in that respect though. Pep is not.
For 1st team stability & short term success, the only sensible move is to stick with Bob & let him go for the title this season & have another shot at the Chump next season. If we show improvement, carry on, if we are awful again; sack him immediately, perhaps even whilst we are still in it.
What I would do though, if I owned the club, would be to offer Pep vast millions to run the academy, & if he said yes, but he insisted in being first team manager as well, I would reluctantly sack Bob & give Pep a five year deal, which he would see out, even if we won fuck all. It would be an academy appointment, first and foremost.
I would put the academy 1st in my list of priorities, & the first team second (but obviously still invest & go for it). Imo, irrespective of FFP, Sheikh Mansour is not going to plow £200m per annum into overpaid primadonnas for the rest of his life. It will stop. If City are to be the best club around in ten years, the academy is where that success willmostly come from, not the cheque book.
I recon Khaldoon shares that view & always has but I don't think Pep would be given 5 years to sort things at 1st team level, so Bob stays imo.