Roberto Mancini 'facing sack in Saudi Arabia' after kicking off with homegrown players

Roberto Mancini, the former Manchester City boss, is on the brink of being dismissed from his role as manager of Saudi Arabia after a mere 14 months at the helm, according to the Mirror. The Italian tactician is under intense scrutiny in the Middle East following a lacklustre start to the World Cup qualification campaign, securing only one win in the first four matches.

The pressure intensified for Mancini during a goalless stalemate with Bahrain on Tuesday, where he was seen apparently cursing at the home supporters in frustration. Additionally, the 59 year old has openly criticised the Saudi Pro League, lamenting the negative effects of high-profile signings on the national squad.

In a fiery press conference earlier this month, he lambasted the fact that "50 to 60 per cent" of Saudi players are not getting game time domestically.

Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, could be facing a hefty severance package if he's given the boot, considering his contractinked in August 2023is set to run until 2027. The tension around his position has been escalating since January, when he faced fierce criticism for exiting to the tunnel prematurely as South Korea scored the winning penalty in their Asia Cup second-round triumph against Saudi Arabia.