UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Pellegrini puzzled at FIFA, trusts Joe Hart and impressed with Everton

Record ID: 862852

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Pellegrini puzzled at FIFA, trusts Joe Hart and impressed with Everton
  • Date: 4th October 2013
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 1, 2013) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER CITY PLAYERS AT TRAINING SESSION
  • Embargoed: 19th October 2013 13:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
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  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6XHU06U1RA4UBCAYQUQGNRP9
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  • Story Text: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini indicated on Friday (October 4) he was puzzled by FIFA's decision to allow Qatar to stage a world up in their Summer and wondered if it was a mistake.
    He also told a news conference in Manchester that goalkeeper Joe Hart has everyone at the club's trust and Saturday's home match against Everton will be difficult.
    FIFA on Friday decided to establish a 'consultation process' to decide whether the 2022 world cup in Qatar should be moved to the Winter from the Summer because of the heat.
    Asked about the issue, Pellegrini said: "Well I can't answer that at the moment. I think it's not the most important subject for me today; I think about the next match. But sure,if you must change all, not only all the Premier League, all the leagues in Europe, it will not be easy to change them.
    Asked if he thought the competition should be moved from Summer to Winter, the Chilean replied: "I think that when FIFA gave the world cup to Qatar, they must think about what happens if they play it in Summer in Qatar. I don't know what happened, (if) it was a mistake as its president say, but I know which the best way to arrange it."
    Joe Hart has been criticised for recent performances with both City and England and although Pellegrini expressed his support, he also said the goalkeeper knows he must do better.

    "Of course Joe knows he must improve the way he is playing, but of course he has our trust," said Pellegrini.
    The City manager added: "Well of course he, he feels that he didn't do very well. But, but I think he, he has any problem, he continue with the trust of all the team and with, with our trust. So we hope he will recover as soon after what he did last match."
    City host Everton in Saturday's early game (1145gmt), hoping to improve on a poor record against a team who are the league's only unbeaten side this season. Everton have won nine of their past 12 encounters with City and have scored in six of their last seven trips to the blue side of Manchester.

    "I think Everton is always a very difficult team. It's the only team unbeaten in the Premier League and I think it is a team that they play really well. So it is a very difficult team. It's exactly the same as the other teams that we play her at home, so I hope tomorrow we will do, if we can do a very good game we can win again the three points here, but we must, as I said, we must do a very good game in all senses, defending and attacking," said Pellegrini.
    Roberto Martinez's side are fourth in the table with 12 points from six games and City are seventh, two points behind.
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