Mancini: I understand my City players

Posted Saturday, October 15, 2011 by ESPN

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini accepts he cannot keep all his players happy but at least believes he has a good understanding of their feelings.

Mancini would not answer questions about the ongoing Carlos Tevez situation at his regular press conference on Friday morning but spoke in general about the issue of handling players.

Tevez is the subject of disciplinary proceedings at City after allegedly refusing to play as a substitute in the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich last month.

Tevez, the totem for City's FA Cup success last year, had been largely confined to the bench since failing in a high-profile attempt to secure a transfer last summer.

Juggling players in a star-studded squad is an issue Mancini must grapple with as he targets more trophies and he feels his own playing experiences with Sampdoria, Lazio and Italy stand him in good stead.

Mancini said: "I don't have a problem with players.

"When you choose this job, every three days you should change the first XI, make some choices. It is difficult.

"I played football for 20 years and I can understand the frustration of some players when they don't play but this is my job.
"I try to do the maximum for my club, the best I can do, but I didn't have a big problem with the players."

After the club's lavish spending on players, Mancini is thought to be under pressure to deliver.

The Tevez saga has thrown the spotlight on him even more but, after four years in charge of Inter Milan, he feels he can handle the pressure.

He said: "I think I had many very difficult moments but pressure - never.

"For me to play football is a fantastic job and a manager is the same.

"Sometimes when you lose or your team don't play very well, this is the difficult moment for the manager but with a lot of pressure, never.

"I work always 100% for the club, for the squad.

"In football you can lose if you meet a team better than you, who play better than you, but it is important you work always 100%."

Tevez trained alone for a second successive day on Friday after returning to the club following suspension.

The Argentinian had been told to stay away from the club for a fortnight while an investigation was conducted into the Munich allegations.

Mancini claimed the 27-year-old had refused to come off the bench when asked at the Allianz Arena and was "finished" at the club as a result.

The City boss was not so definitive when asked whether Tevez would play for the club again this season on Friday, saying "I don't know" when the question was put to him.

With the investigation having concluded that Tevez does have a case to answer, that remark will raise questions over whether the player will be available for selection during the disciplinary process.

Mancini did not expand on the comment as journalists attending the press conference were warned the subject was forbidden.

A City official read a statement saying: "We have been unable to allow questions about Carlos Tevez today [Friday], either to Carlos in general, his alleged conduct on the night in question, or the ramifications of that conduct.

"Questions also in relation to his future at the club are strictly off limits today [Friday] and won't be answered. Breaches of this will result in the press conference being suspended."

However, Mancini did give an indication Tevez was not in his plans when he addressed how many strikers he had available for Saturday's Barclays Premier League game against Aston Villa.

"We have three strikers at this moment," he said, although he added he would not take risks with the almost fit again Sergio Aguero after an adductor injury.

Mancini, however, did move to assure fans the rest of his team will not be unduly affected the continuing negative publicity surrounding Tevez.

He said: "It isn't a problem, the team is good enough.

"Our fans are fantastic - against Blackburn they were incredible.

"Before every player, every manager, there is a club and a squad."