Pellegrini and the predictable press speculation

[Rowley Birkin QC]

The press are having a high old time with this.

As far as managers are concerned - The Guardian thinks we're getting Pep Guardia (18 months left on his current contract) and the Torygraph thinks it's Carlo Ancelotti (12 months left on his Madrid contract). Diego Simeone (more than 2 years left on his...) and Patrick Vieira (available!) have been mentioned, and some joker has thrown Rafa Benitez's name into the pot. Pellers has 12 games to save his City career, according to the media scribblers and fortune tellers.

All speculation, well short on anything resembling 'evidence'. However, I think we have to acknowledge that even if Pellegrini manages to rescue something from this season, chances are he won't be around next season. Not when you consider how frequently the big clubs these days 'refresh' their managers - even the successful ones. Few seem to stay at a club much more than four years and it's often less. If City get a whiff of a chance of getting Guardia in - there's no doubt in my mind they will pull out all the stops to get him, irrespective of anything Pellegrini manages to achieve between now and the end of the season. 

[Lekos]

I think Pellegrini's time at City is up to be honest, barring an extraordinary (based on our current form) end to the season. 

Ancelotti has been rumored to be leaving Madrid in the summer for a good few months now, and seems the most likely replacement - one I'd be happy with.  Can't see Pep coming to City at the moment, though would be delighted if he did.  The less said about Rafa the better.  I heard he's off to QPR in the summer anyway, though that might depend on their league status.

[clevblue]

Theteam aren't pulling out all the stops for Pelle are they? It's a shame really, I'd like to see City with a strong, long-term manager but he may be slipping up, we'll see, too early to speculate really.

[goat]

yet klopp wasnt mentioned, seems simeone is this years klopp

[Zabba]

Press speculation inevitable as it does sell papers and generate advertising revenues.

Pelle is a tinkerman like Rafa and rapidly repeating his failings and lack of success.

I have long thought that we need a big name manager to sort out this team. Players have far to inflated opinions of how good they are and to much influence.

A big name manager (not coach like Pelle) would I hope result in a player clear out and hopeful stop the interference of the Barca buffoons picking team and tactics.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

yet klopp wasnt mentioned, seems simeone is this years klopp

Seems that way doesn't it. The media thinks Simeone is the next anointed one.

I had forgotten (until reading a bit about him just now) that he's been at Atletico since the end of 2011 - and his current contract takes him to June 2017!

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Hmmm - Klopp has been at Dortmund since 2008 and his current contract takes him to June 2018!

My theory that managers don't stick around much longer than 4 years is starting to look a little shaky 

[goat]

lets throw a few more fancy names in the media ring of shit

frank de boer, having a mare this year but won the league in his first 3 or 4 seasons
mourinho, usually gets mentioned for no reason on here
laurent blanc, no idea if zlatan likes him or not and he runs the team
brian horton, unfinished business

[goat]

Hmmm - Klopp has been at Dortmund since 2008 and his current contract takes him to June 2018!

My theory that managers don't stick around much longer than 4 years is starting to look a little shaky 

dont forget alan "8 year deal" pardew

[Ludo]

Given our current form, or lack of it, it's inevitable.

I don't think even a win against Barca will save him as he'll be judged at every round thereafter. I imagine the next appointment will be someone with a proven European track record; Ancelotti, Guardiola, Benitez or Del Bosque all spring to mindd.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

brian horton, unfinished business

   

[goat]

this is city remember, id bet on someone that took a shit team to uefa cup places in spain that will be cheaper to sack

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Brain Horton would be very cheap to sack I would imagine?

Your shout for Laurent Blanc is an interesting one. I keep forgetting about him. Had a good managerial career, but I suppose he needs to prove himself outside of France. Current contract takes him to 2016 with PSG so he could be in the frame for the City job come the summer.

Ex rag though - so might upset Gavin 

[goat]

hughes got away with it 

do french managers travel well tho?

deschamps was the best manager since sliced chips a few years back, not heard much since
paul le guen won 50 league titles in a row or some shit with lyon and managed to bollocks up rangers
arse wenger did ok before turning into professor yaffle and commenting  more on city more than all the city forums put together

[Rowley Birkin QC]

...Del Bosque

Hardly mentioned these days after Spain's disastrous World Cup. And I think he's on record as saying he wants to stay as the national coach until after the Euros? Might be seen (rightly or wrongly) as a bit too old now. Isn't he 65 or something?

[goat]

and ex madrid, nothing good ever comes from madrid for city

robinho
mcpointytwat
and the bloke this thread is about

although i like him

pelle

[goat]

whats the state of ex city as managers these days, went a bit wrong for uwe at wigan and stevie lomas was around somewhere

age hariede doing well, want him?

[Rowley Birkin QC]

I realise you're joking, but if we want an ex-City player the only realistic option would be Vieira and that would of course be a huge leap of faith. Not going to happen is it? In fact, come to think of it, has Vieira ever expressed any serious interest in top flight football management?

If he has, then it's perhaps time he was moved closer to the action. Maybe give him Brian Kidd's seat on the front bench for starters? (Nothing against Kidd - but it might be time for him to call it a day soon, and while I'm sure all the players respect mild-mannered Brian I reckon Vieira's presence in the dressing room might gee a few of them up a bit). 

[goat]

was actually curious about the ex city out there and age didnt do too much worse in the champs league

[Lekos]

Can only presume Blanc is a joke suggestion...there's only one team in Ligue 1 and they're second at the moment.

[goat]

by a massive 1 point

[Lekos]

Wouldn't say Blanc setting the league on fire (even when they won the league last season, by a fair margin) in a country where every club is broke and only one team is spending big money.  By that reckoning we may as well get Ronny Deila in. 

[Lekos]

Was he in charge of France when they went out of the world cup in 2010 with one point?

[bluebrendan]

I'd be happy if Ancelotti came, his teams play decent football and he's managed successfully in the Prem before.

[silvablue]

Ancelotti would be fine. It would not be a surprise if Pellegrini's fate was sealed after the Liverpool defeat, much like Mancini's was after the Wigan loss.

Who knows an approach to Ancelotti may have already been made to sound him out.

[Hesperus]

Slaven Bilic? Young, knows English football, could be a decent shout.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Slaven Bilic! Where is he now? Did a good job as Croatian national coach but I can't see him appearing on the radar of the City money men. As a player the main thing I remember him for is taking a dive and getting Laurent Blanc sent off in the 1998 World Cup (Blanc missed the final as a result). Young he may be, but we all know managing City will age him prematurely!

We're all just have a bit of fun here of course. Most of these names are well behind the two or three 'prime suspects'. Considering contract length and where they all are at the moment I would say Ancelotti is the most likely - and like Brendan, I'd be happy with that.

[Ludo]

Besiktas

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Thank you.

[reddishblue]

Besiktas

Bless you.

[Lekos]

Interesting to note, despite our dire, lacklustre displays of late; we are actually two points better off than the same fixtures last season.

[Ludo]

And like last season we're relying on a massive slip up from someone else.

[Zabba]

Interesting to note, despite our dire, lacklustre displays of late; we are actually two points better off than the same fixtures last season.

Comparing our points tally after 27 fixtures this season to last season we are 5 points worse off.

2013/14 P27 60pts

2014/15 P27 55pts

[goat]

Wouldn't say Blanc setting the league on fire (even when they won the league last season, by a fair margin) in a country where every club is broke and only one team is spending big money.  By that reckoning we may as well get Ronny Deila in.

wasnt actually saying i wanted him you massive bum wizard

[Lekos]

Interesting to note, despite our dire, lacklustre displays of late; we are actually two points better off than the same fixtures last season.

Comparing our points tally after 27 fixtures this season to last season we are 5 points worse off.

2013/14 P27 60pts

2014/15 P27 55pts

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. My stat is based on the same fixtures from last season, not number of games played. E.G.
Stoke away this season, vs stoke away last season.

Capiche?

[Ludo]

How'd we do against QPR, Burnley and Leicester last year?

[Lekos]

In that instance best promoted club replaces the best relegated club, second best replaces the second best etc.

[Lekos]

Wouldn't say Blanc setting the league on fire (even when they won the league last season, by a fair margin) in a country where every club is broke and only one team is spending big money.  By that reckoning we may as well get Ronny Deila in.

wasnt actually saying i wanted him you massive bum wizard

Yeah you were. You bloody love the french

[goat]

nah, the french are just the greeks with shaved shoulders

[Rowley Birkin QC]

According to several sources today, Diego Simeone has turned down a contract extension at Atletico.

...or is "stalling" on talks (depending on which story you read)

Naturally, many of these same sources have drawn identical conclusions regarding his pending arrival in Manchester. 

Still has two years left on his contract even without the extension - so we'd be spending a pretty penny to buy that out. Ancelotti might turn out to be cheaper!

[goat]

i liked carlo, was hard done by at milan

[clevblue]

Carlo's family produce the best Parmiggiano in Italy. I find his errant eyebrow a little distracting, but If Pelle has to go I'd live with it

[Neil Mcnab]

Ancelloti is the choice for the owners, because of his chumps league record. Unless RM bin him off he isnt joining us. Same for Guardiola, unless BM sack him, he isnt pitching up either. Klopp, possible, if he came in would be good.
Simeone is our next manager.  I think he can take us forward, for many years. His coming in would no doubt keep our best player happy and OK to stay with us.

[goat]

its funny weve become ok with binning a manager thats won the league in his first season, not that long ago we were happy for any fucker that could keep us up. wondering who the first city manager to be sacked after winning the champs league will be

[Ludo]

Probably hasn't been born yet.

Perhaps we have become a little complacent with our recent modicum of success but if Pellegrini goes go then we'll have replaced two managers that have won the league, both by the skin of our teeth, but have failed to follow that up with any degree of further success.

Maybe some of our failings and down to the transfer policy of Soriano, Begiristain and our scouting network ( I can only assume Stevie Wonder scouted Fernando) but whoever or whatever is at fault it shouldn't be. With the resources we've had available we should at least be more consistent and certainly more competitive in Europe.

[Zabba]

Lets hope Pelle gets a grip of these players and shakes the lazy complacent attitude out of them.

I would much prefer he stayed and we played the premium quality football we have seen under him (pre Christmas run) than start all over again with a new manager.

Pelle needs to change a little as well and be more adaptable on tactics.

I cannot decide if Pelle, as I desperately hope, is actually cracking a big whip as a warning to the players or is he simply resting players for a last charge of the light brigade at the Nou Camp in a last ditch attempt to save his job.

One thing I am certain about, we are no better placed now than we were under Mancini.

[goat]

Perhaps we have become a little complacent with our recent modicum of success but if Pellegrini goes go then we'll have replaced two managers that have won the league, both by the skin of our teeth, but have failed to follow that up with any degree of further success.

aye, its as if the league needed a season to work both of them out and neither had a real plan b the next year

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Ancelloti is the choice for the owners, because of his chumps league record. Unless RM bin him off he isnt joining us.

Well, maybe Real Madrid are binning him off? They have given no indication of any forthcoming contract extension negotiations, and as Ancelotti enters the last 12 months of his contract they are leaving things a little late. Both club and manager have been silent on the matter (in spite of the question being raised in the Spanish media). Still time yet for Real Madrid to lock him in of course, but I wouldn't write off the possibility of Ancelotti coming to City just yet. 

I agree with you though - Simeone's name will almost certainly be in the mix when the time comes. 

[Rowley Birkin QC]

Perhaps we have become a little complacent with our recent modicum of success but if Pellegrini goes go then we'll have replaced two managers that have won the league, both by the skin of our teeth, but have failed to follow that up with any degree of further success.

aye, its as if the league needed a season to work both of them out and neither had a real plan b the next year

I think the problem - from the the City high-up's perspective (and perhaps the fans as well) - is that the first fantastic Championship win under Mancini, as dramatic and exciting as it was, should have been quickly followed up with another - but won by a margin that clearly demonstrated City were the dominant club in the league.

This hasn't happened.

We meekly surrendered our first Championship (of the modern era) to average opposition; we won the next one but again only just scrapped it; and now we look as if we will bottle our defence of it again. Considering the resources available this is unacceptable. Or at least that will be the view of the City high-ups (although a legitimate counter argument might suggest the high-up's lousy speculations in the transfer market have done as much to stuff things up as any errors made by the managers).

[clevblue]

I would much prefer he stayed and we played the premium quality football we have seen under him (pre Christmas run) than start all over again with a new manager.

That's what I hope to see, fingers crossed!


come on Pelle, put a stop to this kind of shit:-

""Brendan Rodgers has effectively ruled himself out of the running for the Manchester City manager's job by insisting that he wants to stay at Liverpool for the long term.""

I don't know what to say, I really don't

[Hesperus]

I personally don't think Pellegrini's football is that good even when we are playing well. I prefer the high intensity pressing game that the successful modern teams play. Don't get me wrong some of the football under Pellegrini has been sublime but even in those games we still seem very open in defence. If we come up against teams that park the bus or press us hard we invariably struggle and given the quality we have in our squad that really shouldn't happen as often as it does.  I do not believe Pellegini has the quality to take us further, same as Mancini. I have a feeling under say Ancelotti that the football would be the same as under Pellegrini.  I haven't seen his teams play the high insensity game that I personally want to see, but I haven't been following Ancelottis teams that much so could be very wrong.  I want to watch the football Guardiola teams play but getting him may be impossible, Klopp or Simione play a similar style but both of those would be risk. It's a tough one for sure but as I've said previously I don't think Pellegini can take us any further and the director of football needs to be scrutinised too because his signings have been very suspect.

[Neil Mcnab]

Maybe some of our failings and down to the transfer policy of Soriano, Begiristain and our scouting network ( I can only assume Stevie Wonder scouted Fernando) but whoever or whatever is at fault it shouldn't be. With the resources we've had available we should at least be more consistent and certainly more competitive in Europe.

Burgerstain needs to go, the players in recently have not been good enough. Their big ticket transfer fees and wages are not deserved. Need to get someone in from Southampton, they seem to know what they are doing.

[goat]

why did he leave barcelona anyway, they dont seem to be missing him

[andy1966]

"Pellers has 12 games to save his City career, according to the media scribblers and fortune tellers."
Burnley 1 - 0 City unforgivable !
He's Toast !
"

[Ludo]

I can't imagine he'll be saved now.

[Swiss]

For me its the style of play which means he's gone.

No fight, surrendering the middle and the long ball game.

[Rowley Birkin QC]

"Pellers has 12 games to save his City career, according to the media scribblers and fortune tellers."
Burnley 1 - 0 City unforgivable !
He's Toast !
"

Yes andy - he's fallen at the first hurdle (and the lowest hurdle at that)