Manchester City Rocked by Player Wars

by Rumours
(UK)

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has called for focus following consecutive defeats and rifts appearing between his players.

The bust-up between Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany during Saturday's defeat by Wolves comes just a week after Yaya Toure and James Milner clashed while leaving the pitch at half-time against Arsenal.

Then there was the constant sniping at his team-mates by Mario Balotelli during the Wolves match, Carlos Tevez's clash with Mancini, Yaya Toure leaving the ground at half time after being substituted, and the dressing down delivered to Joe Hart, Adam Johnson, Shay Given and Gareth Barry for attending a party in Scotland.

It all points to difficult times ahead for Mancini, but the Italian has rubbished suggestions of a crisis at Eastlands.

'We must only think about our jobs, and about the game, and keep our focus because all games are difficult, especially when you play a team like Wolverhampton who are near the bottom of the league,' he told the Manchester Evening News.

'Losing Carlos (Tevez) and Nigel de Jong (to injury) was a factor. They are two important players for us. But we have 15 or 16 fantastic players, and we must go to somewhere like Wolves and win the game.

'I don’t know why people are wanting to criticise us, but we are professional players and must concentrate, because this is our job.

'Now we have to bounce back quickly. This is a big week, and it is important we have a game on Thursday, because we need to forget this defeat. But first we must understand why we lost this game.'

And Gareth Barry has backed his boss, saying: 'The truth is that there is a group of players working together, working hard and working for the manager, trying to do the right things,' he insisted.

'Everyone in that dressing room and that training complex wants to do their best for Manchester City Football Club.

'As a group of players we let the club and the fans down at Wolves. We are sorry for that but it is only one result and as a team we are now desperate to put that right.

'The best way of doing that is on the pitch with wins, starting on Thursday in the Europa League.'

Speaking of the party in St Andrews, he said: 'I regret that. It was naive of me. It shouldn't have happened.

'I have apologised to the manager. We were in the wrong but that is in the past now and we are only looking forward.'