MANCHESTER CITY PLAYERS were so relieved at Roberto Mancini’s sacking that they celebrated, according to a report in the Daily Mail today.
The controversial Italian coach was shown the exit door last week, after a tempestuous reign that saw him fall out with several of the side’s star players at various points, including Carlos Tevez and club captain Vincent Kompany.
The report reveals how one player allegedly asked a journalist “can we put the champagne on ice yet?” after it seemed inevitable that Mancini was set to be sacked following their disappointing FA Cup final defeat to Wigan.
Meanwhile, another apparently joked: “It’s a shame we have a game against Reading on Tuesday. We could have gone out to celebrate.”
Mancini is also understood to have had an increasingly poor relationship with the English contingent at the club as a result of his strong criticisms of Joe Hart among other issues, while also becoming frustrated over transfers with club executives.
Moreover, one of the manager’s most well-documented strained relationships was with Italian Mario Balotelli, though recent claims suggest Mancini at least allowed his striker to smoke in the dressing room when things got particularly stressful.
