ROBERTO MANCINI has expressed his anger about the drinking habits of Manchester City's British and Irish players after feeling compelled to warn them about their behaviour for the second time in a fortnight.
Mancini admitted being "unhappy" to discover Joe Hart, Adam Johnson, Gareth Barry and Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Shay Given had apparently been drinking into the early hours of Tuesday at a student party in St Andrews.
A video of the players, who had been on a golfing trip, was subsequently sold to the Sun and, though Mancini has chosen not to watch it, he has been informed the players look drunk and, surrounded by teenagers cheering them on, are filmed drinking directly from a liqueur bottle.
The pictures have caused embarrassment behind the scenes at City and Mancini has warned the players involved, in particular Hart and Johnson, he will not tolerate a repeat.
"I just don't understand it," Mancini said. "I told the players my opinion about getting into these situations 10 days ago. This video was on Monday, a day off, so the players can do what they want, but I don't understand why they have chosen to do this and I am unhappy about it."
The point has been made in private to the relevant players, with Mancini particularly concerned about Johnson, having criticised him recently for what he perceives to be an immature attitude, urging him to focus on football rather than allowing himself to be distracted.
Hart was involved in a similar incident before the last England game, when he was filmed dancing on a bar during a stag do in Puerto Banus, which led Mancini to speak to his players.
Barry was with Hart on that occasion as well, and there is a sense of bemusement among City's management that a man of 29 should want to go to a student party. The same applies to the 34-year-old Given, with Mancini's anger not related to the fact the players had gone all the way to Scotland but that they had not followed the lead of James Milner, who was on the same trip but elected not to go out drinking.
"It's a cultural thing," Mancini said. "It is a problem for many British players. I read that Aston Villa had the same problem, for example. It was a day off and the players can go where they want but when we are playing every three days the players need to know it's important they recover well between games."
Mancini was asked about Johnson's involvement coming so soon after his recent comments about the player's lifestyle. "Johnson is young," the Italian replied, but he was not willing to divulge the consequences if there is a repeat. He would not say whether he intends to follow Harry Redknapp at Tottenham by banning his players from nights out drinking.
"I want to resolve this problem in the dressingroom not here (at a press conference) because here is not good."
The fit-again Mario Balotelli, signed from Internazionale for €29 million in August, could make his first start for City today at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Carlos Tevez missing because of a thigh injury.
Tevez, described as homesick, has been given special dispensation to fly back to Argentina, with the club eager to do all they can to help their leading scorer cope with being away from his family.
"He has never spoken to me about it but it is normal in football that when you are in another country for a long time you miss your family and your country," Mancini said. "But his job is here and it is a fantastic job, and I don't think there is a problem. He asked if he could go back to Argentina to sort out some personal problems and he will have treatment there."
Tevez will miss Thursday's Europa League tie at Lech Poznan but Mancini hopes his captain will be fit for the game at West Bromwich Albion next weekend.
Guardian Service
