Source: Telegraph
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini targets next season's Premier League title
The Italian, who ended Inter Milan's 17-year wait for a domestic title by guiding the nerrazzurri to a hat-trick of scudetti before leaving the club in 2008, takes charge of a team in sixth place in the Premier League and preparing for a first major cup semi-final in 29 years when they face Manchester United in the Carling Cup next month.[LNB]In sacking Mancini's predecessor, Mark Hughes, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak had suggested that the club's failure to keep track with a 70-point target — a figure which would have guaranteed Champions League qualification in all but three of the last 10 years — had prompted Hughes's dismissal.[LNB] Related ArticlesCity agreed Mancini deal before Hughes's sacking'Disgusted' Bellamy considers transfer requestMancini will find England 'completely different'Mancini takes over at City with future in doubtSheikhs just like SwalesSport on televisionBut with City just six points adrift of fourth place, with a game in hand, Mancini insists that he can guide the team to the Champions League this season before launching a title bid in the 2010-11 campaign.[LNB]He said: 'My target is top four this season and I think that is possible, but next season, I want to win the Premier League title.[LNB]'My job is to work hard every day to try to improve the team and to win more games than Mark [Hughes] did.[LNB]'I had four years at Inter and I won seven trophies. I want to win every game I play. That is my philosophy and mentality.[LNB]'I want to stay here many years and make a big contribution by winning many trophies.[LNB]'I believe in my ability and I believe I can do a good job because we have good players. So I think I can reach the targets set because my squad always plays to win.'[LNB]Mancini arrives at Eastlands with doubts hovering over his appointment. Firstly, that he has no experience of management in England and, secondly, question marks over his ability to unite a group of players disenchanted by Hughes's dismissal.[LNB]According to Mancini, neither will prove to be a problem. He said: 'People have said I don't have any Premier League experience as a manager, but I played for Leicester 10 years ago and I've watched a lot of English games on television.[LNB]'I have been living in London and seen a lot of games. Anyway, I think football is the same wherever you go in the world.[LNB]'If you manage in Italy, living with pressure is the norm, so that won't be a problem for me here. I stayed at Inter for four years, which was a record.[LNB]'Today was my first day at the training ground and I didn't have a problem with the players.[LNB]'It's normal for players to feel bad when their manager goes and I hope they will feel like that about me in many years' time when I go.'[LNB]
