Roberto Mancini appreciation thread

[padr81]

City played easily their best football under him during one period, and he had the biggest task of turning losers into winners. Pep lasted longer though but also had better squad.

I don't think he is great at management though, Balotelli created all sort of problems for him and he didn't do a thing about that because he liked him.

He also respected us a lot during his City tenure.

The English players pretty much revolted if rumors are to be believed, he dropped Hart and Milneymar couldn't get in midfield. Rumor even has it they text a journalist celebrating before they went out and got schooled by Wigan in an FA Cup final.

 

[abundance]

Top guy, can be pragmatic if needs be but his teams are set up to play good football.

Not sure he is the sort of character I want when I don't trust the owners. A lunatic like Conte wasn't going to work but he is probably too nice, don't recall him handling the Tevez AWOL stuff too well (could be wrong).

Rest assured he ain't nice.

His style may be worlds apart from Conte's amped-up roid rage, but he's yet another "we set things my way or else" character.
Squad building must go his way; just like each and every first team handling minutia.

Rather than too nice, his temperamental weakness is that he may get too petty in feuds with key players and club officers.
Then his technical weakness is that he's not too much of a shrewd tactician after all.
He sets up the basics of his teams remarkably well, but he's not much nuanced or evolved after that.
At NT level he can easily spank any other coach ass, at club level he's a bit too much hit-n-miss against the top dogs to be included among the best. He's a great squad builder though.

 

[antohan]

Rest assured he ain't nice.

His style may be worlds apart from Conte's amped-up roid rage, but he's yet another "we set things my way or else" character.
Squad building must go his way; just like each and every first team handling minutia.

Rather than too nice, his temperamental weakness is that he may get too petty in feuds with key players and club officers.
Then his technical weakness is that he's not too much of a shrewd tactician after all.
He sets up the basics of his teams remarkably well, but he's not much nuanced or evolved after that.
At NT level he can easily spank any other coach ass, at club level he's a bit too much hit-n-miss against the top dogs to be included among the best. He's a great squad builder though.

Interesting. So ideal as an NT coach (call-ups, form a core, work shit out over a few days for the game at hand) more than a week-in, week-out, club coach then.

Still pretty sure he handled Tevez badly. Went all "my way or the highway" then went all soft. Either I read it wrong then (very possible) or he has since got more set in his ways and confident about holding his ground.

I personally like the type you describe (get basics right but not too tactically nuanced). Again, probably more appropriate for NTs, but I like leaving room for players to shine and show their genius. I know it's not the flavour of the month as a formula for success, but I find predictable game plans, development and outcomes rather tedious.

I long for the days of showing up with 7/10 outfield players being defenders, completely out of the blue, yet spanking Arsenal.

 

[Threesus]

I am still not over losing that title to city. Hopefully Ralph and United work to bring someone like Ten Hag after this season.

 

[antohan]

The only way we get him is if he fails to qualify for the World Cup... with the European Champions. Which is reason enough not to want him anyway.

In fairness, Jorginho missed one penalty in each game with Switzerland. Italy would have gone through with either of those going in.

 

[nuanced]

He won Inter a bunch of Serie A titles in the mid noughties, after Calciopoli conveniently hobbled their biggest rivals. Did nothing of note in CL despite having the best of the Serie A talent. He did a good job stabilizing City's transfers and leading them to their first PL title. I loved how he got the best out of Yaya Toure. I feel he should've done better in a time when Fergie was so broke he had to bring Scholes out of retirement to strengthen the midfield. Wasted a few years after City, and has rebuilt his reputation with his exploits for the Azzurri like Prandelli.

He is not the manager to take on the likes of Guardiola and Klopp. The twists from no-play Ole to gegenpress Ralf and back to Mancini would be along what this management has done before. Managers like him and Enrique, would keep the banter going at United.

 

[Bepi]

Penalties give, penalties take… where would be Tuchel today, for the resident piranhas now eating Mancini alive on this thread, had Jorginho not scored the penalty for Chelsea against United earning him a draw?