I've been a big fan of his since he took over from the eternally irritating Kevin Keegan, but even I must admit that - like Keegan - he has proved that talent as a player does not necessarily translate to talent as a manager and the time to say goodbye was long overdue. Even I could no longer make excuses for the guy.Before we go too much further, I should mention that before I met Phil, I was a fan of no type of sport. The woman who always complained about how much football was on the tv and how every boyfriend I'd ever had seemed to be obsessed with it, whilst claiming that they only ever watched the FA and World cups. Phil patiently got me to the stage where I was able to explain the offside rule in Football and the umpires hand-signals in Cricket (although he's never been able to convert me fully to Rugby, which is probably his favourite sport of all) and in return, I wholeheartedly adopted his teams: Manchester City for League footie and South Africa for International Cricket. (Off the record, for international football I support anyone but England although I restrict any display of this to stifling a giggle when England bomb out of any tournament to what should be a lesser team.) Inheriting a team does not make me any less passionate a supporter but it does mean I do not have a lifetimes memories of following that team. Indeed, I have very few memories of any sporting activity as it was of no interest to me, which brings me back to Psycho.
I've never quite understood the Psycho tag. The guy always seemed lovely to me. Unceasingly honest, courteous to reporters, open to criticism, supportive of his players, a family man (he famously had his daughters toy horse, Beeny, as a touchline mascot for a few matches) and a decent all-round "sort". When the cameras showed him hopping up and down on the touchline, face purple with passion, I got an inkling about the moniker, and with the spate of discipliniary issues involving Ben Thatcher and more recently Michael Ball and poor, stupid Joey Barton I started to wonder if these incidents could in any way stem from having a manager known for his agression and passion of play.
I've been making excuses for ages about Pearce's signings (he's had no money to spend, he's fighting against the richer and more successful clubs to attract players, Keegan made some equally rubbish signings with more money etc. etc.) but surely taking a whole academy team and chucking them in at the deep end would have met with at least equal success as we have had this season (no league wins at home since the New Year? What is all that about??). One positive is that most of them were only on loan or on short term contracts so we wont be saddled with all the dross next season too.
I have to applaud Nicky Weaver for his comeback this year - he has been outstanding. Richard Dunne has, I think, done a fair job of captaincy, taking over from - the rather aloof, but talented - Syvain Distin, but I'm even getting niggles there about what has been going on behind the scenes. Surely some of this is a Captain's responsibility as well as a managers? Joey? Good riddance. I never liked him anyway, talented though he is. Controversially, I'm going to hold out for Samaras coming good. He is young, and he can be developed. Corradi? Get rid. No question. Try and hold onto Mpenza.
New manager? Someone to lead with quiet authority and confidence, but with Pearce's honesty and candour. Pearce's touchline antics were exciting at first, but as the results failed to come in, they started to smell like the actions of a manager who could not trust his players to play the match without him as the 12th man. I have no idea who our new manager is going to be, and I am not so naive to believe that everything will be fabulous when a new man takes over (I've been a City fan long enough to have developed the famous "City strong heart" from all the ups and downs the club goes through). All I ask is, please can it NOT be Sven Goran Eriksson???
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