As the Premiership title race roars into life with just two months to go, there is an interesting sub-plot developing in terms of the two managers in question, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini. Will either of them leave their respective post depending on the success they have achieved? Whatever happens, it is by no means clear that these two will again be battling the Manchester Derby out again next season.
Starting with Ferguson, he’s now been in charge for an astonishing 25 years. At the age of 70, surely it must be time to start considering retirement, as much as the club legend will dread it. Studying the man that is Sir Alex, everybody around football knows that he has a deep innate desire for success, and this hunger hasn’t diminished over the years. So, if United beat City to the title this summer, will he finally call it a day? It would be a superb triumph, seeing as at one point Mancini’s men looked set to run away with it, especially after that 6-1 hammering at home to their dearest rivals. Sir Alex must want to sign out on a high, and at his age he can’t be sure that many better chances will come up. However, nobody would bet against United lifting the trophy this season, and their manager remaining in charge and delivering more success next year too.
In terms of Mancini, it is an all-together more different conundrum. He took over with the task of reaching the top 4, and he achieved this last season. Now, he has the brief to deliver the Premiership title to the Ethiad Stadium. So, will failure to do so result in him being fired? While nobody could complain against the job he has done so far, City have spend a lot of money and in today’s society failure to achieve immediate joy can result in the loss of your job. This fuel has been added to the fire in the manner in which Mancini has appeared under serious pressure of late. His post-match interviews are becoming more and more tepid and sketchy, notably the one after the defeat at Everton – he was in no mood for talking at all. There is the interesting events unfolding too with Patrick Vieria’s comments appearing to go over Mancini’s head in terms of mind games, and you do just wonder that if City don’t win the title, the manager might be made the scape goat. However, in this case, you can rest assured that if the Italian does bring the trophy home, he’ll be regarded as a hero and definitely offered a bumper new deal.
Either way, events between now and May are sure to be exciting, and may well hold serious connotations for the manager’s future’s, as well as those of the players.
HA
Got an opinion on the title race? Not a fan of Mancini? Do get in touch, find me on Twitter by searching Harry Aitkenhead, or merely @aitkenheadhj
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