There's a clause in Pardew's contract that says they don't have to pay full compensation if they terminate early I believe.

 

City are fools. Pellegrini is an excellent coach but will he do any better than Mancini on the same budget? I doubt it.

 

I agree, it's a stupid decision although the majority of Mancini's signings have been extremely poor. Maicon, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell have all been costly under-performers.

The thing is Mancini has been at City over three years now. In three years he's won them two pieces of silverware. Man City should be winning the league again this year (12/13). They have the best squad depth. But at times they look void, and devoid of any ideas. He should be looking at creating some sort of dynasty, but his team looks worse now than it did 12 months ago. This shouldn't be the case.

 

I don't think Mancini is a bad manager, but he's not a great one either. He's no philosophy,done abysmal in Europe and has no great man management skills. I don't think half the Man City squad want to play for him. He's tactically a bit clueless. If they get Pelligirini or Benitez they'll piss the league next season and will get out of the CL group stages. That's if the Man City hierarchy are sensible.

don't think mancini should have been sacked, 1 off season seems to be the trend all accross football now :banghead:

on a side note, shame brighton didnt go through play-offs, don't want palarse to go up. the only thing good about them is the cheerleaders, they are fiiiiiiiit :wub:

Next season will certainly be interesting anyway, the top three clubs on paper all having a managerial change. I'm sure the Arsenal/Spurs fans are loving this.

Not sure about overrated. He's not as good as the media make him out to be, and his own White Pele tag that's for sure. But his attitude for a footballer probably in the second bracket of the world's best players is terrible. His goal return and assists this season is excellent. I think Fergie put it right when he said an in-form Wayne Rooney wouldn't be dropped/substituted. He's been nowhere near the heights he can reach.

he's nowhere near pel'e and is clearly playing for the money. That's why i don't watch much premier league anymore as most are only there because of the money and don't give a f*** about they're club, for example im sure if man city tripled mcmanamans wages then he would be off. But equally i spose so would i haha :dance:

Very bad decision by the Manchester City Board members, Mancini was definately the man to take the club forward and i think it's unfair that he got sacked but then again Mark Hughes got sacked in similar fashion while Mancini was waiting in the stands during his last match as manager.

 

It's crazy to think that on this day last year Mancini led them to their greatest and most famous triumph and now exactly a year on the tables have turned in Manchester and now he is out of a job.

Very bad decision by the Manchester City Board members, Mancini was definately the man to take the club forward and i think it's unfair that he got sacked but then again Mark Hughes got sacked in similar fashion while Mancini was waiting in the stands during his last match as manager.

 

It's crazy to think that on this day last year Mancini led them to their greatest and most famous triumph and now exactly a year on the tables have turned in Manchester and now he is out of a job.

 

Mancini was definitely not the man to take them forward to the next level. They've been so poor in Europe under Mancini. They were in a hard group again this year, but even then that's no excuse for their terrible showing. Sorry but the guy is tactically clueless. If they get Pelligirini or Benitez they'll be a much stronger team next season. It's not even like they're a bad side now, they're just nowhere near at the potential they should be.

Ergh, a Watford v Crystal Palace final? :nocheer: :mellow:

I don't think he's tactically clueless at all, he just had no Plan B because his signings over the summer were fairly dodgy. Nastasic will be excellent, but Garcia was just a like-for-like replacement for De Jong in terms of ability and it made it fairly obvious that they hadn't got Javi Martinez.

 

It'll be very easy for Pellegrini to do well if he signs Cavani and Bale but I don't think Mancini would do any worse.

I don't think he's tactically clueless at all, he just had no Plan B because his signings over the summer were fairly dodgy. Nastasic will be excellent, but Garcia was just a like-for-like replacement for De Jong in terms of ability and it made it fairly obvious that they hadn't got Javi Martinez.

 

It'll be very easy for Pellegrini to do well if he signs Cavani and Bale but I don't think Mancini would do any worse.

 

But that's the problem, his signings first and foremost. They reeked of mid-table mediocrity. He made some good ones but he also spent a lot of money on Rodwell and Sinclair who have been way below par. Having no Plan B is silly, he contributed to his own downfall. He's a good manager, but he's certainly not good enough to be a top manager. Man City looked out of depth in Europe under him, and I'm sure that was a massive factor as well. Look at his man management skills aswell.. like I said earlier, I think he lost the dressing room a long time ago.

 

Pellegrini is a step above Mancini.

To be fair to Mancini although it's true they looked out of their depth in Europe I can remember the same being true of Man Utd in their first forays into the Champs league. Because you need to play a different style to compete there it does take time to be competent at it. Being in a night mare group didn't help them this season but sacking Mancini now and in the manner they did it is, frankly a disgrace.

 

There just aren't enough trophies to go round the top teams. True, City disappointed this year but so did Utd last year. They regrouped made a couple of great signings and came back stronger. No reason City couldn't have done the same and if Van Persie had decided to play anywhere but Utd then City would've been champions again.

 

If he'd have failed to win anyhting again next season then yeah I can understand pulling the trigger but after one season is self defeating. Better to support Mancini next year than bring in a new man who may have any number of initial problems. They're taking a risk of going further backwards (although this will be lessened by Fergie and Rafa leaving)

To be fair to Mancini although it's true they looked out of their depth in Europe I can remember the same being true of Man Utd in their first forays into the Champs league. Because you need to play a different style to compete there it does take time to be competent at it. Being in a night mare group didn't help them this season but sacking Mancini now and in the manner they did it is, frankly a disgrace.

 

There just aren't enough trophies to go round the top teams. True, City disappointed this year but so did Utd last year. They regrouped made a couple of great signings and came back stronger. No reason City couldn't have done the same and if Van Persie had decided to play anywhere but Utd then City would've been champions again.

 

If he'd have failed to win anyhting again next season then yeah I can understand pulling the trigger but after one season is self defeating. Better to support Mancini next year than bring in a new man who may have any number of initial problems. They're taking a risk of going further backwards (although this will be lessened by Fergie and Rafa leaving)

Pretty much this. Last season's CL foray wasn't that bad, ten points in a group with the eventual finalists and a team that should have probably beaten the eventual winners is good for a first outing.

 

This season they should have got at least a point at the Bernabeu and should have beaten Ajax at least once. Getting three points in six games can't be entirely hinged upon a couple of pieces of luck, but it played its part (Zabaleta's bizarre performance against Real for one wasn't really Mancini's fault at all) and, as you said, United haven't exactly been perfect and Chelsea got found out this season as well.

But this is surely why he's been sacked? Man City were better than Man Utd last season, and all they did was buy Van Persie and they trounced City consistently in the league even though City have spent far more money and have a much better team. Mancini did good for the club. Won them some silverware and put a small dent in their neighbours egos, but he was certainly not the man to take them to the next level. Teams had figured of how to play City, and like has already been established he had no Plan B for when things weren't going their way.

 

Has anyone read the stuff leaked BY Manchester City to the press? It makes for grim reading. Sorry but to have not stepped once in to the academy in three and a half years is miserable. He'd lost half of the dressing room and wouldn't listen to anyone. He over-trained players, played players when they weren't fit, ignored the advice of others. He did a good job, but Mancini was certainly not the man to take Man City to the next level.

No one's taking British clubs to the next level, though. The fact that United walked the league despite a weak squad isn't exclusively City's fault, no one has pushed on. It just reeks of what Chelsea did by sacking Ancelotti - going for the fashionable manager after failing to defend their crown set them back a year and it would have been more had they not won the CL.

 

The fact that Mancini didn't make top signings is either down to:

 

1) the board not giving him sufficient backing

2) top players not wanting to go there

 

Neither of which could be his fault.

No one's taking British clubs to the next level, though. The fact that United walked the league despite a weak squad isn't exclusively City's fault, no one has pushed on. It just reeks of what Chelsea did by sacking Ancelotti - going for the fashionable manager after failing to defend their crown set them back a year and it would have been more had they not won the CL.

 

The fact that Mancini didn't make top signings is either down to:

 

1) the board not giving him sufficient backing

2) top players not wanting to go there

 

Neither of which could be his fault.

 

But you're forgetting that we were at the top level 4/5 years ago. It's of no surprise that during the English teams dominance of Europe, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all had a spine of players that were homegrown. The same for when Barcelona dominated, and now the German teams seem to be doing aswell. English teams don't have that anymore. 80% of the big stars have moved on. British football will dominate again in Europe but it will be another 3/4 years yet probably.

 

The board obviously gave Mancini good backing. I'm sure they were comfortably up there with the biggest spenders last season. Martinez, Agger, Suarez, Neymar, Van Persie ...off the top of my head those are five players that City tried to get last summer but failed. 1/2 clubs out right rejected their approach but surely there must have been some reason why they didn't want to come. He isn't a great man manager, just look at his very pubic fallouts with Tevez, Balotteli, Hart, Dzeko, Nasri. Pelligirni is fashionable yes, but he's a downright better manager than Mancini will ever be.

 

Like I already said, Man City should have moved forward this year but they took two steps back. They won 8 away games and scored 2/3rds of what they did last season. A rot was beginning to creep in. They should have waited until the end of the season, but if they want to truly progress as a club then they made the right choice.

But you're forgetting that we were at the top level 4/5 years ago. It's of no surprise that during the English teams dominance of Europe, Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all had a spine of players that were homegrown. The same for when Barcelona dominated, and now the German teams seem to be doing aswell. English teams don't have that anymore. 80% of the big stars have moved on. British football will dominate again in Europe but it will be another 3/4 years yet probably.

 

The board obviously gave Mancini good backing. I'm sure they were comfortably up there with the biggest spenders last season. Martinez, Agger, Suarez, Neymar, Van Persie ...off the top of my head those are five players that City tried to get last summer but failed. 1/2 clubs out right rejected their approach but surely there must have been some reason why they didn't want to come. He isn't a great man manager, just look at his very pubic fallouts with Tevez, Balotteli, Hart, Dzeko, Nasri. Pelligirni is fashionable yes, but he's a downright better manager than Mancini will ever be.

 

Like I already said, Man City should have moved forward this year but they took two steps back. They won 8 away games and scored 2/3rds of what they did last season. A rot was beginning to creep in. They should have waited until the end of the season, but if they want to truly progress as a club then they made the right choice.

I'm not forgetting that at all, it's entirely my point. We're in a lull because clubs have fallen away - United, Arsenal and Liverpool sold their best players but Chelsea's decline only started to accelerate when they sacked Ancelotti and stopped spending money. He probably wasn't massively liked by the players either but he knew his team.

 

As I said before, if Pellegrini wins the league after signing Bale and Cavani then it won't prove anything. He's an excellent manager, but it's hardly a step up in class like going from Hughes to Mancini.

I'm not forgetting that at all, it's entirely my point. We're in a lull because clubs have fallen away - United, Arsenal and Liverpool sold their best players but Chelsea's decline only started to accelerate when they sacked Ancelotti and stopped spending money. He probably wasn't massively liked by the players either but he knew his team.

 

As I said before, if Pellegrini wins the league after signing Bale and Cavani then it won't prove anything. He's an excellent manager, but it's hardly a step up in class like going from Hughes to Mancini.

 

I think the idea is for Manchester City to become more self sufficient, hence the appointment of Txiki Begiristain, who is obviously the driving force behind the future of the club. It's not sustainable for them to spend that much money all the time, and Mancini's lack of involvement in the youth team, as well as his man management skills must be the main factors along with Europe as to why he got the boot.

 

Chelsea were wrong to sack Ancelloti, but the two cases are completely different. Chelsea were coming off the back of a good season, and Man City were coming off a season where under-performed massively. Regardless of him moaning about not signing Hazard and Van Persie they still had tons of quality, and should have walked the league. Instead he made 2/3 very bad signings and moaned when things didn't go his way. Man City will probably make one marquee signing in the summer, probably Isco/Cavani but I expect that to be it.

 

I think the idea is for Manchester City to become more self sufficient, hence the appointment of Txiki Begiristain, who is obviously the driving force behind the future of the club. It's not sustainable for them to spend that much money all the time, and Mancini's lack of involvement in the youth team, as well as his man management skills must be the main factors along with Europe as to why he got the boot.

 

Chelsea were wrong to sack Ancelloti, but the two cases are completely different. Chelsea were coming off the back of a good season, and Man City were coming off a season where under-performed massively. Regardless of him moaning about not signing Hazard and Van Persie they still had tons of quality, and should have walked the league. Instead he made 2/3 very bad signings and moaned when things didn't go his way. Man City will probably make one marquee signing in the summer, probably Isco/Cavani but I expect that to be it.

First of all - does anyone how to pronounce the name of their Director of Football? :lol:

 

Their seasons were pretty similar really - the two smallest winnings margins in recent PL history, both over United, and followed up with a fairly distant second place. Both made a good defensive signing (Luiz / Nastasic) and messed up elsewhere, both were underwhelming in cup competitions.

 

You say they should have walked the league despite not signing anyone good, but then blame them losing it on bad signings. I don't see how that works, as patchy as they were it's not like Garcia and Rodwell didn't strengthen the squad to some extent.

First of all - does anyone how to pronounce the name of their Director of Football? :lol:

 

Their seasons were pretty similar really - the two smallest winnings margins in recent PL history, both over United, and followed up with a fairly distant second place. Both made a good defensive signing (Luiz / Nastasic) and messed up elsewhere, both were underwhelming in cup competitions.

 

You say they should have walked the league despite not signing anyone good, but then blame them losing it on bad signings. I don't see how that works, as patchy as they were it's not like Garcia and Rodwell didn't strengthen the squad to some extent.

 

I just call him tikki! Literally had to Google 'Man City director of football' as I had no idea what he was called!

 

Ancelloti fared a lot better in Europe though. I've always thought the reason Ancelotti was sacked was more political than anything. He didn't know how to play Torres, whom was Roman's favourite toy. I think it's only just now that Roman's realised that the Torres he thought he bought, was finished a long time ago.

 

The spine of their squad is/was excellent - Hart/Zabaleta/Kompany/Toure/Silva/Aguero/Tevez is better than any other Premier League team spine (as of last summer anyway). My point is that he panic buyed, and spent a lot of money on some very average players. Rodwell £20m? Jesus the Everton fans were laughing all the way to the bank, not that they saw much of the money spent :basil: Even with his signings they had the quality stretched across the squad to put up a decent challenge, but they never really did that. Teams found City out, and knew the way to beat them was to flood the wings and hit on the counter attack when they lost the ball.

It's over for Wigan. Arsenal away isn't the sort of fixture you wished to see when you are battling against relegation, especially as Arsenal still have a Champions League place to play for.