Usual Managerial Rumours Springing Up

What is it about the City manager’s role that seems to take precedence around springtime?

In the spring of 2008, then chairman Thaksin Shinawatra said he would conduct a ‘review’ of the season. That was taken as a sign that Sven’s job was in jeopardy and the final games of the season were played under a cloud as the players and supporters wondered if he would be in charge the following season. Of course he was later sacked regardless of the fact that he’d led the blues into Europe at the first time of asking, albeit by the Fair Play league.

Last spring, Sven’s replacement Mark Hughes’ future was thrown into doubt despite leading the blues to the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup. An abundance of names were thrown into the frame before Hughes’ future had been decided and only stopped when chairman Khaldoon Al Muburak declared that Hughes would remain in charge for the forthcoming season.

Now Roberto Mancini’s job is being questioned, only this time it is who he will be replacing in Italy mixed with who will be replacing him at Eastlands.

Just recently, Jose Mourinho has been touted as returning to England to possibly replace Mancini in the City hotseat. This would surely have ruffled the Italian but no as he is apparently being offered the Juventus job, his old role at Inter Milan and even manager of the Italian national side.

To be linked with the Italy job must be an honour but Mancini is experienced enough to know that any potential move would not take place until after the World Cup or at the very earliest, at the end of the football season so why start with the rumours now?

And to hear stories of Mourinho returning to England with City a possible destination must be frustrating and unsettling to the players. The City dressing room has had too much upheaval in recent years without yet another unwanted, and quite frankly, unnecessary managerial change.

Mancini can do the job for us and is capable of ending our silverware drought. Many loyal blues still doubt his ability to manage at the highest level of English football and some results since he took over will not have done much to endear him to their hearts.

But it’s not like we’re suddenly fighting relegation or dropped down into mid table. We’re still in the frame for a place in Europe and although we would prefer the Champions League, would we really grumble if it was fifth place and another crack at the Europa League?

So why can’t Mancini be allowed to finish the season without rumours about his future? Allow him to get on with his job and judge him at the end of the season and hopefully by then we’ll have place in Europe and he’ll have won the doubters over and silenced the rumour mongers.

But only until next spring of course.