Mancini Offered Sunderland Job

Roberto Mancini has claimed that he has received an offer to manage Sunderland.

The former Inter Milan boss said: 'I am very happy and at the same time honoured to have received an offer from Sunderland.

'It would be truly wonderful to lead such a prestigious and historic club in England.

'After a year of sitting on the sidelines, I feel ready to start again with immense enthusiasm.'

The only complication for the move to happen is that Mancini still being paid by his former employers and will only be able to take over the Black Cats once that contract is terminated by mutual consent. However, considering Mancini`s opposition for the job, Steve Bruce, requires compensation amounting to £3m to allow him to move to the Stadium of Light, this can only be seen as a minor matter. Also, any wage differential will be off-set by the compensation figure.

Some would say that hiring Roberto Mancini would be a massive risk by the Sunderland board, but would be welcomed by the Black Cats fans. For a fan base that has been craving a big named manager, Mancini`s managerial CV includes three Italian Championships and four Copa Italia victories. In fact, he won the Serie A for Inter Milan during every season he was in charge, only leaving the club due to failures in the Champions League rather than domestically.

The major risk is that he has no managerial experience in the Premiership, something that Steve Bruce does offer. However, this may be the time to take a risk and with the right men alongside him, not forgetting Niall Quinn as chairman, as Mancini is a manager that could persuade top players from across Europe to join him at the club.

In a time where the England manager is Italian, West Ham have an Italian manager, and Chelsea are also set to hire an Italian, why shouldn`t Sunderland follow suit? Mancini also speaks a lot more English than Carlo Ancelotti........

For the very latest Premier League odds

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.