Barry Horne critical of Roberto Mancini sacking

Former Everton midfielder Barry Horne feels that Manchester City's sacking of Roberto Mancini leaves a "sour taste" among football fans.

Horne readily admitted that he was not a fan of the Italian but believes that his sacking was incomprehensible, considering his achievements at the club.

"While I have no sympathy for Mancini - a manager I have always struggled to like and rate - the manner of his departure leaves a sour taste," he wrote in his Liverpool Echo column.

"How can a club the size of City allow the [Manuel pellegrini] story to leak on the eve of their FA Cup final?

"And on Monday they quietly usher out Mancini, who in fairness delivered the Premier League title [last season] and the FA Cup [in 2011], with nothing more than a mealy-mouthed official statement. How many football executives do they have with sharp suits and fancy job titles and they still manage to make pig's ear of everything."

City play Norwich City at home today.