ROBERTO MANCINI has hit out angrily at questions over his commitment to Manchester City.
The Italian was linked with a move to French side Monaco during the summer and when quizzed about it last week, admitted he was “close to seven or eight teams” at the time.
When asked for further clarification this morning, Mancini raged: “I don’t understand why you continue to ask me (about) last year, last month.
“This is finished.
“Why? Why, for which reason? Why do you continue to ask me, ’Last year you had a chance to go’?
“I stay here because my work is here. I worked for two years. I built with the chairman and the owner, this team. We won three trophies in two years.
“For 50 years we didn’t win. Never.”
Mancini stayed at the Etihad Stadium and guided City to their first league title in 44 years.
He was rewarded for that success, which followed FA Cup triumph in 2011, with a new five-year contract.
His link to Monaco overshadowed the build-up to Saturday’s Premier League game at West Ham.
And the sbject is clearly now irritating the 47-year-old as he tries to prepare for a crucial Champions League game against Ajax.
Continuing his outburst, Mancini, who banged the table with his hand, said: “You need to have respect for the people sometimes.
“I don’t understand why you continue to ask me this. Why?
“You asked me one question. I am polite because I answered your questions.
“I didn’t answer because I was there to talk about West Ham. I am polite because I answered, I said it is true — every year I can have two or three new situations where I can go (but) I want to stay here.
“I decided to stay here because I worked for two-and-a-half years, I worked hard.
“The future will be easy because when you have a new team the strong work is the first few years when you need to build your team.
“But we won three trophies in two years. I think you should have respect for this, for me, for the club, for the players. I don’t understand why every time we talk about this.”
City are playing in the Champions League for only the second time and, like last year, they have been handed a tough group, with Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid all domestic champions.
Mancini said: “In the Champions League there are Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Manchester United that have more experience than us.
“True or not? It is true. Perfect. We play Champions League for the second year, probably we need to work more for this.
“But sometimes you also need to be lucky when there is a draw, because if you take a softer group maybe you have more chance. In these six games you can get more experience for the February stage.
“This time we again took a difficult group and you need to work hard. When you are in a group with Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax, you can go out. It is possible.”
The Sun
