Shot in the arm or a shot in the foot?

Walking back to the car after the game on Saturday and there's rumours already flying that Hughes has gone and Mancini is in. Okay The Sun had reported that day that he was for the bullet but I honestly didn't think it would happen, especially after all the words from the Chairman about loyalty, wanting to build a club with a solid base, a team that would win things and then continue to win things - you know the sort of things we as City fans would be quite happy with but things that inevitably take time.

In the end it looks like the owners decided to move the goalposts and decided that they may as well move the manager on as well. Blimey at City we're used to getting rid of managers but the majority have gone in the past because results have been shocking, the team is playing terrible football and the majority of the crowd have let it be known they're not happy. Our last 2 managers have now gone without I would suggest the approval of the majority of City Fans.

Hughes claims he knew nothing about his sacking until the end of the game but looking back I think he must have been tipped the wink from someone (not difficult when the walking liability Garry Cook is in charge!). Going off the pre-match video from now laughably 'The Boss' that was shown on the big screen, Hughes knew. Gone was the relaxed look, replaced with a scowl and a rush to get off camera as quick as possible. When asked about the team he said Robinho and Adebayor were on the bench (none of the usual 'Robbie' and 'Ade' sucking up that has littered other press conferences?), begs the question that was his tema selection based on the fact he knew and that he would no longer have to worry about the smacked arse attitude you suspect come with Robinho and Adebayor?

So with only two matches lost and our first semi final for ages looming with the Reds we get rid of our manager and replace him with Roberto Mancini, a manager with a proven pedigree in Italy who has been out of the game for the past year or so (strange for such a successful manager? Perhaps he was waiting for a job to come up?). Apparently he has been learning English for a while, although I suspect he still won't be able to understand the particular brand spoken by his number 2 Brian Kidd unless his English teacher is from Collyhurst.

Personally I think Hughes would have made City into a major force given time. As I've heard a few City fans say, we've waited 30 odd years for success so what's another few years? I was quite happy seeing a gradual improvement in the team and wasn't really expecting much more than a top six finish this year at best. Okay the defence has been bloody awful this season but I think that could be rectified with the purchase of a full back and a dirty big stopper (believe there's a lad at Villa worth looking at) and going forward I've seen us play some of the best football for years. I for one am unhappy that Hughes wasn't given time and hope this decision doesn't come back to haunt us.

News Conference this afternoon at 4.30. Should be v interesting. Believe Cook has been asked to stay away...can't think why