Mancini calls on Manchester City stars to kick booze

LONDON - Manager Roberto Mancini has demanded that Manchester City players cut back on their consumption of alcohol, according to media reports Saturday.

The City manager was reacting to an incident earlier in the week when England and City players Gareth Barry, Joe Hart and Adam Johnson were pictured drinking alcohol in Scotland.

The three, and Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given, went to St Andrews to play golf, but were then seen relaxing at a student party, with Barry holding a bottle of spirits.

“This video was taken Monday and that was a day off, so the players can do what they want, but I do not understand why they have chosen this and I am unhappy about it,” Mancini said.

“I gave my opinion about these situations 10 days ago, so I do not understand it.”

Mancini had already questioned Johnson’s lifestyle.

“We are playing every three or four days at the moment and it is difficult enough to recover,” he added.

“It was a day off and the players can go where ever they want, but when we are playing every three days, they need to know it is important that they recover well between games.

“But this is not a problem only for us, it is a problem for many British players. It is a cultural thing,” he said.