Roberto Mancini will be unveiled as Manchester City manager on
Monday knowing his first job is to restore order to a dressing room
in revolt.
But the Italian will also come into a job where predecessor
Mark Hughes found the expectations of the club's owners changed, it
has been claimed.
Hughes' sacking, straight after the 4-3 win over Sunderland
on Saturday, triggered an angry reaction from a group of players
who remain solidly behind the Welshman.
While Robinho, a £32.5million purchase imposed on
Hughes, and maybe even the axed Emmanuel Adebayor, will shed no
tears at Hughes' exit, the core of City's side, including Shay
Given, Craig Bellamy and Gareth Barry, were part of a deputation
that urged chief executive Garry Cook to reverse the decision to
dismiss a man who was only appointed 18 months ago.
Predictably, given Hughes' exit had been plotted for over a
fortnight, it had no effect.
However, resentment remains, which Mancini must restore calm
before his first match in charge against Stoke on Boxing Day.
Having been handed a £3million-a-year contract that it
is said will be extended to a full three seasons should City
qualify for next year's Champions League, Mancini has a fortnight
to assess the troops at his disposal before deciding how much of
the Abu Dhabi billions he must invest during the January transfer
window.
The Italian takes over amid claims from League Managers
Association chief executive Richard Bevan that Hughes was unaware
of his fate prior to Saturday's game.
City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak revealed the decision had
been taken in response to a run of just two wins in 11 in the
Premier League.
City's woes stem largely from too many drawn matches, the
club having lost just two games all season - one of those an
unfortunate reverse in a thrilling Manchester derby.
