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Is Bobby Doing A Fergie?

Roberto Mancini is in danger of doing an Alex Ferguson as he bemoans City’s possible fixture pile up.

The United boss has made many rants over the years about the number of games that his club have had to take part in, which the United manager has claimed would damage his side’s chances of further success. While he has ranted on us blues, as well as many other supporters across the country, have just sat back and laughed at them.

But now Mancini has taken on Ferguson’s mantle and criticised the football authorities in England, saying they treat players like machines. City could play up to five games in just eleven days which has prompted Mancini’s outburst, as he feels that it will hinder the blues chances to qualify for the Champions League or win silverware this season.

City face Fulham on Sunday, which is then followed by the delayed FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Aston Villa. Wigan arrive at Eastlands three days later and, if the Villa game goes to a replay, a trip to Villa Park awaits just two days later, which is followed by a trip to Kiev in the Europa League three days later.

“In my life I have never seen this,” said Mancini. “We arrive in March and we could be playing every two days. Seriously, I have never known this in my career. It is not just us who have difficult fixture lists, of course, but it’s impossible. Something must be changed and we must start to respect the footballers.”

And Mancini believes this fixture pile ups could be the reason behind England’s poor performances at major championships. “Every time England reach the World Cup or European Championship there is a big problem because all the players are tired. We are not machines, we are humans.”

But Mancini has demonsrated how much he wants to be in the competition by saying he will not field any reserves for the Villa game and concedes that had he not done similar in the League Cup, things may have been different in the competition. “I will not play a weak side in the FA Cup. We want to win it. We left out some players in the Carling Cup and if we had not done that we would probably be in the final this weekend.”

At least the fixture pile up would have been worth it had we got to the League Cup final.

What do you think? Are fixture pile ups part and parcel of modern football or should more be done to protect the players from fatigue? Let us know your thoughts.

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