[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ANCHESTER, UK—Despite finishing second in the English Premier league to cross-town rivals United, City pulled the trigger on manager Roberto Mancini.
Mancini, who would help lead the Citizens to their first English title in 40-plus years in 2011, has been rumored to be replaced by current Malaga boss Manuel Pellagrini.
It is not common for a Gooner such as myself to blog about—nor even care—about the happenings at the Ethidad, but when a big-money club decides to sack it’s own manager on the one-year anniversary of the most thrilling championship-clinching goal in modern history, even a fellow soccer buff such as myself has to take notice here in the States.
While I am no fan of City and their exorbitant spending, I have no personal beef with them—and even more strangely, with their 800-pound red gorilla neighbors in United—as the Citizens were on the cusp of becoming a legitimate European power.
During his time in Manchester, Mancini had to contend with the volatile—yet talented diva/headache known as Mario Balotelli, raised expectations and a ever-present inferiority complex when it comes to United.
Despite dealing with such distractions, Mancini would still find a way to win 103 matches in 175 games, finish in the top four three times under his guidance and win both the 2011 FA Cup and 2011-12 Premiership during his four-year reign.
I am not sure what Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s end game is up at City, but if he honestly thinks that Pellagrini is as good—or better—than Mancini, then he is sadly mistaken.
While being on the other end of the biggest upset in FA Cup history in losing to relegation-bound Wigan may have been the last straw, even this Arsenal fan feels that City is making a terrible mistake.