Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insisted Friday he was comfortable with personnel changes that appear to have undermined his position with the Premier League champions.
The Italian saw Spaniard Txiki Begiristain appointed as director of football by City this week, strengthening a Barcelona connection which began when they made Ferran Soriano their chief executive.
The double Barca link has led to speculation that Pep Guardiola, currently taking a year out of the game after phenomenal success at the Camp Nou, is being lined up to replace Mancini, who has endured a poor Champions League with City to date.
But Mancini, who has also seen the club’s football administrator, Brian Marwood, sidelined into a role as managing director of City’s yet-to-be-opened Academy, was adamant he had no problems with the new structure.
“I think the next three or four years will be very important for us,” Mancini said on Friday. “Now, with Ferran and Begiristain, we can work very well and improve our team.
“I’ve always believed my future is here. I signed a contract for the next five years because I believed in this squad and because I can work with serious people like the owner and the chairman. To work with these people is fantastic.
“I played against Txiki many years ago and I am very happy,” said Mancini, who did not deny reports he spoke to French second tier outfit Monaco after winning the Premier League title with City last May, with the Guardian newspaper reporting he held “extensive talks” with Monaco.
“Last year I was very close with seven, eight teams but I prefer to stay here because I work well here the first three years.”
Despite City, unbeaten in the Premier League this term, trailing current leaders Chelsea by just a point and only five months on from being crowned champions of England, Mancini’s men have yet to scale the heights they hit last season.
The criticism of his club’s form drove the manager to joke: “I didn’t know we were the only unbeaten team in the Premier League. Last week, I thought we were in last position in the table.”
Whatever the appointments mean for Mancini’s long-term future, the City manager has had some good news from defender Micah Richards, who injured his knee during last week’s win over Swansea.
Earlier in the week, the club announced he could be out for up to four months but Mancini said Friday: “In my opinion, he will be out three or four weeks maybe.”
