Source: Daily_Mail
Manager Roberto Mancini facing a players' revolt at Manchester City
Roberto Mancini looks unlikely to survive at Manchester City beyond the summer after growing dissent in the dressing room over the Italian's training regime and managerial style.[LNB]Mancini, who took over at City from Mark Hughes just nine weeks ago, knows that only clinging to his team's current fourth place in the Premier League - a finish that would earn a lucrative place at Europe's top table next season - can save him from the axe.[LNB] Getting shirty: Craig Bellamy has clashed with Roberto Mancini over his training methods[LNB]That makes today's visit of Liverpool, one place and one point behind City in the table, a crucial test of Mancini and his team.[LNB]City insist that Mancini is a long-term employment, although it is understood that he has a break clause in his three-and-a-half-year contract this summer, which will be activated if City fail to qualify for the Champions League.[LNB]Mancini has already acknowledged that he argued with Craig Bellamy over training last week, but a number of players are unhappy with the Italian's long practice sessions and have complained to senior figures at the club. Players are also unhappy that training times are changed on what seems like a whim.[LNB]The feeling in the dressing room is that Mancini has failed to understand the physical demands of the Premier League.[LNB]In a further blow, players are expecting popular fitness trainer Raymond Verheijen, who was only appointed last summer, to quit the Eastlands club after Mancini abandoned the training methods Hughes established.[LNB] Under pressure: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini faces a crucial clash against Liverpool today[LNB]Bellamy, who has suffered from numerous injuries in his career, is the player who has most notably benefited from the new regime instituted by Verheijen under Hughes. There is a chance that the Dutchman, who worked under former Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink with Holland, South Korea and Russia, will stay on as a consultant but players fear he will draw back from his commitment to the club because of the clash of philosophies with Mancini.[LNB]A more balanced approach to training, with less hard running, helped Bellamy to achieve the best form of his career, but Mancini is more of a traditionalist, with longer and harder training sessions, which he feels are necessary to prevent the defensive laxity of the team under Hughes.[LNB]Mancini is now under even greater pressure to motivate his players into fourth place and guarantee his job. He is struggling to win his squad over partly because Hughes was such a popular manager. City players enjoyed his positive approach to the game and Bellamy was part of a delegation which confronted chief executive Garry Cook when the Welshman was sacked in December.[LNB]Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt made clear the significance of this afternoon's clash with City by insisting that defeat for his side could cost them their chance of a Champions League place.[LNB]Kuyt said: 'It's a really big game and if we can win we will be back in it. But if we lose, then we have a big problem.[LNB]'So we have to try to win this game and finish in the top four, and we believe that we have the quality to do that.[LNB]'City have a better team than last season but we have the experience and, apart from the Arsenal game, we are on a good run.'[LNB] VIDEO: Roberto Mancini on his row with Manchester City striker Craig BellamyTorres boost for Liverpool: Striker returns for Manchester City clashRobinho sells up for good: £32.5m flop has no desire to return to Manchester'I'm going to die!' Manchester City striker Adebayor's text to parentsMan City eye £24m Yaya... but Barca star to lure Arsenal jewel FabregasMANCHESTER CITY FC
