Mancini hits out at speculation

Roberto Mancini said chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has "never" told him he will be in charge of Manchester City next season but railed at speculation that others managers have been lined up to replace him.

PA PhotosRoberto Mancini is unhappy that his position has come under such regular scrutiny in the media

Mancini signed a new five-year contract last summer and has always insisted he is confident he will be in charge for the 2013-14 campaign. He also insists his record of winning the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Community Shield means he deserves to be treated with more respect.

City director of football Txiki Begiristain was reported to have met the agent of Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini this week and Mancini has never been given a guarantee he will stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Before he confirmed he would join Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola was also described as a City target, along with Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. Carlo Ancelotti, currently at Paris Saint-Germain, and even Brendan Rodgers have also been linked with the club.

Mancini told the media: "In the last six months you have written everything. You started six or seven months ago with Pep, Mourinho, Pellegrini, Ancelotti, [and now] Brendan Rodgers. I have four years [left on my] contract.

"I think that if there was another manager who won three trophies in two years you would say nothing about this manager and I don't know why you in general continue to ask or say these things."

Mancini revealed he has received no assurances about his future from the City board.

"Never," he said. "Never. We don't have to talk about this. We don't have any problems about this. We have a good relationship. I know that I work with serious people, like Khaldoon and Sheikh Mansour. In two years we have won three trophies and now we have another chance to get another trophy [the FA Cup]."

Mancini admitted he is not sure why Begiristain met Pellegrini's representative, smiling: "I hope that he had a good dinner. I don't know. You should ask these questions to Txiki, not me."

<