Stormy: Mancini
and chief executive Garry Cook at Monday's press
conference
New manager Roberto Mancini arrived at the club
yesterday and immediately walked into tribal warfare.
The ex-Inter Milan boss is used to being the big chief
- but key players Bellamy and Given are still squawking over the
way Mark Hughes was axed on Saturday.
The pair have proved to be Hughes' best signings in his
18 months at Eastlands.
Bellamy is particularly loyal to Sparky, having played
under him at Blackburn and with Wales. Keeper Given made the
tough choice to leave Newcastle because of Hughes and the way the
Welshman sold the ambitions of the club to him.
Both feel let down by chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and
chief executive officer Garry Cook. The pair were particularly
emotional after Saturday's 4-3 victory over Sunderland at Eastlands
which proved to be Hughes' last game.
They led a six-player delegation to complain to Cook
about the sacking. And they have told close friends they are
now considering their futures.
It will be a massive blow to Mancini if the pair decide
to leave. Both arrived in January - Given for £8million and
Bellamy for £14m.
Many other players were unimpressed with their first
day's training under Mancini and new assistant Brian Kidd.
Mancini had given a short address to the players saying
how much he was looking forward to working with them.
Cook also told the players there had been no
negotiations with Mancini until last Thursday.
A number of players left shaking their heads as it was
clear there was earlier contact. Yesterday Mancini admitted he
met Khaldoon and Sheikh Mansour in London two weeks ago.
A source close to the players said: "Some felt they
were being treated like idiots and were not swallowing that."
