- Nedum Onuoha opened up on his Man City exit
- Former defender said he had no connection with Mancini
- Onuoha recalled being left out of pre-season training
Nedum Onuoha has opened up on his difficult relationship with Roberto Mancini during the final stages of his Man City career.
After coming through City’s academy, Nedum Onuoha went on to make over 100 appearances for the club.
However, his time at the Etihad eventually came to an end in 2012. The defender went on to play for Queens Park Rangers after falling down the pecking order under Roberto Mancini.
The Italian manager helped the Sky Blues win their first Premier League title. However, not every player had a smooth relationship with the Euro 2020 winner.
Nedum Onuoha opens up on Roberto Mancini relationship
Speaking to All Out Football, Onuoha admitted that he never really built a real connection with the former Man City boss.
The football pundit claimed that there was a lack of respect from Mancini’s side for the player. The former England U21 international also shared a pre-season story, highlighting their differences.
“I didn’t like him. He probably knew I didn’t like him, but not because I was being overly aggressive about not liking him. I just had no connection with him at all,” Onuoha pointed out.
He added: “So it was the Saturday before preseason on a Monday. I’m at Centre Parcs, again with Fraser Campbell, loads of other people. Oh, this is the best time ever.”
“And then I got a text through again saying, ‘Don’t come in on Monday, come in on the following Saturday.’ So I text, I think I text either Wrighty or Micah asking, like, ‘Have you got the update as well?’ [They’re] like, ‘No, we’re in on Monday.'”
Roberto Mancini’s Man City success came with difficult decisions
Mancini’s methods clearly did not suit every player, but his impact at City cannot be ignored. The Italian helped the club win the FA Cup and the Community Shield, apart from the league title.
However, this transformation also came with ruthless squad decisions. Onuoha was one of several academy players who found minutes harder to come by.
The Englishman’s account is a reminder that City’s transformation was not always smooth behind the scenes, even as the club moved closer to becoming champions.
Nedum Onuoha was caught in Man City’s rapid transition
Despite being a part of Man City’s squad since 2004, the defender couldn’t maintain his spot during the club’s transition.
Roberto Mancini was one of the very first changes after Sheikh Mansour’s takeover. The Emirati Royal had put up with Mark Hughes for more than a year, only to be met by inconsistent results.
Mansour wanted quicker success, and Mancini was brought in to make the required changes. Onuoha just couldn’t keep up with the new demands and ended up not making the cut for City’s new era.
