THE rumours persist that Man City will dismiss Roberto Mancini at the end of the season - unless he wins the FA Cup or somehow magics up a run that knocks Utd off their perch.
But there's no point in getting rid of him if the man to replace him isn't as good, is there?
The latest name to be bandied around sums up the situation - why would City want to lose Mancini, who has won them a league championship, an FA Cup and a Community Shield and bring in Manuel Pellegrini?
The bloke has done OK at Malaga but he was sacked by Real Madrid and could not win the Champions League or La Liga with them despite having the likes of Ronaldo and Kaka at his disposal.
He is not even the best South American manager in La Liga - that accolade must go to Marcelo Bielsa, the hardline but brilliant boss of Atletico Bilbao.
If Mancini must go - and I believe he deserves at least another season in lieu of his achievements and for the sake of stability - City need to get someone who is guaranteed to aim higher than him. Not some nobody who had his chance at the top with Real and blew it.
The only men who could conceivably take over from Roberto and offer hope of more silverware are Guardiola, who is now wrapped up in a three-year deal at Bayern, Fergie, who would never leave Utd, and Mourinho, who is the best option but who may well be on his way back to Chelsea.
About Me
- Frank Worrall
- is a Fleet Street journalist who has written regularly for The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, FourFourTwo magazine, Melody Maker/NME and many other newspapers and magazines. The subjects of his critically-acclaimed books include Gareth Bale, Roy Keane, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Ferguson and Rory McIlroy.