Former England boss Peter Taylor says the jury's out over whether Roberto Mancini can handle the expectations at Manchester City.

Ex-Leicester boss Taylor signed Mancini as a player in 2001.

He said: "Sven Goran Eriksson recommended him and it wasn't only his quality on the ball that struck me - it was the fact he asked so many questions about our training and all aspects of the club.

"You could sense he was heading for management.

"Roberto was also the perfect gentleman but I detected a hard streak. He will be very firm with the City players, I'm sure.

"A measure of the respect Gerry Taggart, Robbie Savage, Muzzy Izzet and others had for him can be gauged by this. At Leicester if you were late for training you had to stand in the goalmouth, your back to the players who fired volleys at you.

"A meeting with me when Robbie told me was going home made him late, but he still insisted on doing the forfeit.

"But, instead of smashing the ball as hard as they could, the lads sidefooted a few at him."

Mancini left Inter in 2008 after coming up short in the Champions League and has turned down offers from clubs in Spain, Greece and Turkey.

Taylor added: "The Premier League is fast and furious, more open and full of goals compared to Italy - and that's new to him as a manager.

"Stoke and Wolves are his first opponents and they will run everywhere. These are massive opening games for Robbie."