Shay Given has revealed his strained relationship with Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, suggesting that the Italian manager is rarely missed when he moves on from a club due to his confrontational attitude.
Mancini spent a total of four years at the Etihad Stadium between 2009 and 2013, and in that time helped convert the club into perennial title challengers.
The former Inter man also broke a 44-year league title drought in 2011-12 when he delivered City's first Premier League crown, although he was sacked the following season following a fall-out with the club board of directors.
According to Given, however, Mancini's coaching methods meant that players tend to celebrate when they see the back of him.
"For the love of me, I couldn’t work Roberto Mancini out," the former City, Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper wrote in his autobiography, Any Given Saturday, in an extract published by the Mirror.
"We heard that when he was sacked by Inter Milan in 2008, the entire squad had a massive night out to celebrate.
"By the time I left Manchester City in July 2011, I was ready to throw a party myself.
"Roberto Mancini saw the world differently to Shay Given, that’s for sure. He fell out with everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone.
"The players, the back-up staff, the physios, the kitman, the press officers, the canteen workers, the car park lads, the lot.
"He probably even swung a punch or two at his own reflection for looking at him funny."
Given began life under Mancini as City's No. 1, but lost ground to Joe Hart after the England man returned from a loan spell at Birmingham City.
The manager's treatment of him at that time particularly irked the shot-stopper, who states he was treated like he was "f*** all" by Mancini.
"After dislocating my shoulder against Arsenal I had to rehab. But in the summer Joe (Hart) came back from Birmingham, it was clear he was Mancini’s No.1," he said.
"I can’t give you a straight reason as to what I’d done to justify that, or warrant it. All of a sudden I was on Mancini’s s**t-list and I couldn’t get off it.
"In December 2009, he’d told the press I was, “One of the best five goalkeepers in the world”. I’d gone from the top five to top f*** all.
"I loved the rest of the staff and my team-mates at City.
"It was the man who matters most who I cared for the least — and it was clear that the feeling was mutual."
