Roberto Mancini's Legacy Lives on as Man City Manager and Sampdoria, Lazio Great

Roberto Mancini might have parted company with Manchester City as manager but he will leave the supporters with a plethora of good memories.

The FA Cup win over Stoke City in 2011 ended a 36-year wait for silverware while the pulsating last-minute Premier League title triumph last season saw City overhaul their neighbours and rivals, Manchester United, for one season at least.

The Italian was sacked by the Etihad Stadium hierarchy on Monday night after the team lost the FA Cup final to Wigan Athletic two days earlier.

Mancini, 48, has already been linked with a move to Monaco in the summer (Daily Express) on the next stop in a managerial career which has also included stints at Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan.

But, after 12 years in club management, it has been easy to forget what a great player Mancini was in his prime with Sampdoria.

Mancini won the Italian Player of the Year and Serie A Player of the Year awards for his displays for the club during the 1996-97 season.

With Samp, the former Italy international won the Serie A title in 1991 and four Coppa Italia winners' medals. In 1990, Mancini won the European Cup Winners' Cup as Sampdoria defeated Anderlecht 2-0, with goals from Gianluca Vialli in Gothenburg.

Mancini also won the 1999-2000 Serie A championship with Lazio, plus two more Coppa Italia triumphs and a further Cup Winners' Cup victory when the Rome club beat Mallorca 2-1 in 1999.

For evidence of how good Mancini was as a player, watch the video tribute above.

Bleacher Report's Premier League coverage has been nominated in the 2012-13 EPLTalk awards. Cast your vote here.