Mancini fills void left by sacked Hughes

Manchester City FC chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak hailed Roberto Mancini's "proven track record of winning trophies" after announcing the appointment of the Italian as manager Mark Hughes's successor.

'Difficult announcement'
City, who have lost just two league games this term, confirmed on Saturday evening that they had dismissed Hughes, ending the former Manchester United FC and FC Barcelona striker's 18-month tenure at the club. Mancini immediately fills the void, taking over a side that moved into sixth spot in the Premier League by defeating Sunderland AFC 4-3 earlier in the day. "A return of two wins in eleven Premier League games is clearly not in line with the targets that were agreed," said the chairman. "This is a particularly difficult announcement given the personal investment over the past 15 months on all sides."

Serie A success
The task of reaching those targets now falls into the hands of Mancini. The 45-year-old former Italian international won the Coppa Italia in his first two coaching jobs, with ACF Fiorentina and S.S. Lazio, before making his name at Inter, whom he led to three successive Serie A titles. "Roberto is a hugely experienced manager with a proven track record of winning trophies and championships," added Al Mubarak. "His experience and track record speak for themselves. What is absolutely clear is that Roberto believes in Manchester City's potential to achieve at the highest level and, importantly, in his own ability to make this happen."