Manchester City has officially relieved manager Roberto Mancini of his duties exactly one-year to the date of the club’s resurgence as Premier League Champions in 2012. City’s decision to sack Mancini is due to the club’s failure to reach their target goals outside of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, according to the club’s website.
Assistant Manager Brian Kidd will lead the club over it’s final two matches of the season. Mancini’s sacking comes to the disbelief of many supporters, as the Italian manager led City to it’s first league title since the 1967-68 season and also won the F.A. Cup in 2011.
City started this season off well by winning the Community Shield over Chelsea but things quickly turned for the worse as the club failed to pick up crucial wins against club’s they were favored against going forward. Instead, City played to a draw early in the season against Stoke and West Ham before drawing even with the Queens Park Rangers, who are now being relegated, in late January.
Before they knew it, rival Manchester United had taken control of the Premier League Table, which they never back. United secured their 20th title in April after a 3-0 win over Aston Villa . Now, Roberto Mancini is out of job, though that may not last long either.
City’s frustration with the club’s performance this season boiled over this past Saturday, as Wigan upset the Blues 1-0 in the F.A. Cup Final. Wigan came in as a huge underdog but they out-matched the stronger City players and had control for the majority of the contest.
Shortly after, rumors began making their rounds about Mancini’s future dismissal. The club has officially ended all speculation as Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak thanked Mancini for his time at the Etihad Stadium.
“He has done as he promised and delivered silverware and success, breaking the Club’s 35-year trophy drought and securing the title in 2012,” the Chairman said in a statement on the teams website. “I would like to personally and publicly thank him for his dedication to the progress that he has overseen and for his support and continued friendship.”
As Mancini will no longer return to Maine Road and lead the Blues onto the pitch, the club will now look to replace their popular manager. It has been reported by nearly every source in Europe that Malaga’s Manuel Pellegrini will be named the successor to Mancini ,and quite possibly bring Isco, the club’s talented striker, along with him.
Roberto Mancini delivered when all hope seemed to vanish in 2012 as Sergio Aguero netted the most historic goal in the club’s history and possibly the league. Mancini’s club stole the title right out from under United, which stole the hearts of City supporters.
With the fans behind his back and a title defense in the waiting, it looked as if nothing could go wrong for Mancini in 2013. Things change, even when your supporters least expect it. Roberto Mancini has been sacked just one-year to the date of Aguero’s dramatic goal in stoppage time that gave Manchester City their third Premier League title ever.
Did Roberto Mancini deserve to be fired by Manchester City?
[Image via Roger Goraczniak ]