JAMIE JACKSON
Manuel Pellegrini, who has not won a major trophy in Europe, has been forced to defend his managerial record.
The new Manchester City manager, who was presented to the media for the first time yesterday, promised a "different style" of football to his predecessor Roberto Mancini and stated he is unconcerned that Ferran Soriano, the chief executive, has revealed City's ambition is to win five trophies in five seasons.
In nine seasons in Europe, managing Villarreal, Real Madrid and his last club, Malaga, the Chilean could win only the Intertoto Cup – in 2004 at Villareal. Yet he did take Villareal to the Champions League semi-final in 2006, second and fifth place in La Liga, finished second with Real to Barcelona in 2010 with a record 96 points, and led Malaga into last season's European Cup quarter-finals.
The 59-year-old, who signed a three-year deal, also claimed the league title in Ecuador with LDU Quito and in Argentina, when in charge of River Plate and San Lorenzo.
Asked why City fans should get behind him given his record, and with Mancini having won the FA Cup and Premier League, Pellegrini said: "I won a lot of trophies in South America. I think it is very difficult for Villarreal to win a title in Spain. It is very difficult for Villarreal to arrive in the quarter, semi-final of the Champions League, it's very difficult to arrive with Villarreal in the second place of the league, 10 points from Barcelona. That's my work with Villarreal. To win the titles it's impossible. "
Five trophies
Of Soriano's ambition that City should win five trophies in the next five seasons, Pellegrini said: "Just five?
"One of the important [factors why] I am here is the way my other teams always played. I think fans of Manchester City will see a different way to how they played in the other years. I am sure we are going to play an attractive game. We will always try to play in the opposition's [half], try to be an attacking team, do what all the other teams I worked with before did."
Guardian Service