Mancini signs new contact with Manchester City

The Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. Mancini has signed a five year contract to stay at City through the end of the 2016-2017 season.
(Photo courtesy of Flickr user cvrcak1)

The manager of the Manchester City soccer team Roberto Mancini has signed a five year contract which keeps him as manager of City through the end of the 2016-2017 English Premier League season. Mancini led Manchester City to its first Premier League title for the first time in nearly 45 years at the close of the last season, after Sergio Aguero’s last second goal in the match.

In a statement on the club’s web site, Mancini said he was pleased with the new contract. “I am delighted to be able to give all of my efforts to Manchester City for a further five years,” Mancini said. “The opportunity which exists to build on our recent success is enormous. Manchester City is a fantastic football club, from the owner, chairman, Board and the executive team, through to the players, staff and fans. I am very much looking forward to the challenges and excitement ahead.”

The interim chief executive of City, John MacBeath, praised Mancini’s managerial performances. “Roberto’s managerial credentials have been well proven in Europe for many years and in leading a team which has won the FA Cup and an unforgettable Barclays Premier League title in successive seasons, his ability to manage in the English domestic game is also undisputed,” MacBeath said. “”This new agreement allows Roberto to focus on the challenge of guiding a team which is capable not only of defending the Premier League title, but one which can compete for European honors.”

Mancini became manager of City in 2009 taking over from Mark Hughes, who is manager of the Queens Park Rangers. City beat QPR 3-2 to win their first Premier League title since 1968. City won the Football Association Cup in the UK in 2009, according to a report from the BBC.