SOCCER:ROBERTO MANCINI has argued that Manchester City do not deserve to be viewed as a club racked by personal disputes and said he understands the "creative tensions" that led to fights on their training ground, referring to his own playing career and the "four or five times" he was involved in violent flashpoints.

Mancini revealed he had fined four of his players – Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure for squaring up last week and Mario Balotelli and Jerome Boateng for a similar fracas last month – but the Italian wants to dispel the perception of disunity in his squad.

“We have fined them because we know we mustn’t behave like this but we also know that sometimes it can happen.

“We fine the player, the player pays and in the end all the money goes to charity – but it can still happen again. It’s never serious, it starts and finishes in two minutes and in the dressingroom afterwards everything is finished. Creative tensions. That’s why I’m not worried.

“I was a player myself and I understand why these things can happen.

“It’s always for stupid things, nothing serious, and the important thing is that afterwards it’s finished.”

To illustrate his point, Mancini harked back to the days when he was with Sampdoria “when I was young and had a fight in training against an English player who was playing with me”.

The player in question was Trevor Francis, 10 years older than the Italian and signed from Manchester City for £700,000 (€830,000) in 1982 to fill one of the striking roles that the then 18-year-old Mancini coveted.

“I don’t remember the cause of it because it was over 25 years ago, but I remember the fight very well,” Mancini said with a rueful smile.

“It’s happened with me about four or five times but always, after the fight, everything was finished,” he added.

Mancini can cite City’s position, second in the Premier League table with the opportunity to go top if they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home tomorrow, as evidence that his squad possess the spirit of togetherness that usually helps to create a successful team.

Yet an occasionally volatile backdrop to his first full season in charge has also seen tempers flare during matches.

Yaya Toure and James Milner had a heated exchange at half-time of the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in October and there was a flashpoint involving Adebayor and Vincent Kompany during the next week’s 2-1 loss at Wolves.

Adebayor has had at least two serious arguments with Mancini, and the manager was involved in a dressingroom confrontation with Carlos Tevez at half-time when City played Newcastle in October, an argument that became so heated the other players and coaches thought the two could come to blows.

“It happens in every team,” Mancini said.

“The difference here is that we don’t have a big wall at the training ground (to stop the photographers from being able to take pictures).”

The club have had large screens erected to deter cameramen but City are restricted by planning regulations, because the practice pitches run alongside a public footpath.

Mancini confirmed that Shaun Wright-Phillips is likely to be the next of Mark Hughes’s signings to leave the club as the Italian continues the clearout of the old guard.

Wayne Bridge has joined West Ham United on loan for the rest of the season and Roque Santa Cruz is tying up a similar deal with Blackburn Rovers.

City, however, want to arrange a permanent transfer for Wright-Phillips.

Mancini said: “For Roque and Shaun, it’s the same situation. They are good players but every player wants to play and it’s difficult for them here.

“I understand their situation very well and, if they have an opportunity to go to another team and play, it’s better for them.”