Mancini: My legacy secure

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is proud of his achievements at the club and is convinced the future is golden — whether he remains at the helm or not.

Mancini’s long-term position at the Etihad Stadium has been questioned as his side have stuttered in the Premier League title race over the past month.

That is despite the Italian guiding the club to their first trophy success in 35 years with FA Cup victory last season and overseeing a sustained challenge for a first title since 1968 this term.

Mancini, who succeeded Mark Hughes in December 2009, is not concerned about the speculation.

The former Inter Milan coach said: “I don’t know about this but it is not important for me. I have a one-year contract.

“I started my job two-and-a-half years ago and from that moment I think we have improved a lot as a team, as players, as a club.

“I think this is important when you are at a new team.

“I know football very well and I left Inter after seven trophies [and saw] a four-year contract to the end.

“In football anything can happen in any moment.

“This championship can change in one week — we have three games in one week — and it is the same regarding my future.

“When you choose the job you should know anything can happen any moment but I don’t have any problem for this.

“When you work hard for your job and you improve for your team, I think this is important.”

City, having led the table for most of the season, now trail rivals Manchester United by five points with seven games remaining.

Real Madrid‘s former Chelsea and Inter boss Jose Mourinho has been linked with Mancini’s job but there has been no suggestion from City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners that they are considering a management change.

Indeed, Mancini has been strongly backed by them throughout his tenure, both financially and in terms of other key man management matters. Mancini is thankful for that and enjoys working with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

The 47-year-old said: “I can say if he sacks me at the end of the season or next year — I don’t know — I can say every manager that works with Khaldoon is very lucky. Khaldoon is a really good man.

“This doesn’t change my opinion about him or about the club. I don’t have this problem. I continue in this job, this club now has arrived at the top.

“I think with two or three players, and after this year, this club will start to win — and when we start to win we can win two or three titles every year, now we have arrived.”

More immediately, Mancini claims “anything can happen” in the title race — despite admitting his side’s hopes could be over by tomorrow night.

On Thursday Mancini conceded defeat at Arsenal tomorrow, coupled with a win for rivals Manchester United over QPR, would all but condemn City to the runners-up spot.

Yet the Italian is determined that will not happen and, with seven games remaining, believes the five-point gap to United can be closed.

He added: “I can say I am proud of what the players have done in this championship. We were on the top for a long time and we have been fighting with United until now.

“I think we have improved as a team, in the Premier League title.

“Maybe we did some mistakes in the Europa League, and also the Champions League — but with 10 points you [usually] go through.

“I don’t believe this championship is finished. If they [United] win all their games, congratulations they deserved to win the title.

“But seven games from the end I think anything can happen. We lost four points in two games. It is possible to happen to them.”