Mancini: Italian health checks the way to go

Roberto Mancini has claimed English football's programme of screening players for heart defects is "not satisfactory" and insists the Premier League must introduce more rigorous Italian-style checks as a matter of urgency. The Manchester City manager admitted he was taken aback by the standard of medical testing in the English game following his appointment at the Etihad Stadium in December 2009. Mancini said: "When I came here two years ago and saw all the players in pre-season for their medical, I said to the doctor, ‘This is not enough for the players'. I felt it was a really light medical. Opinion "I asked why and they said, in England, it is like this. But it is not enough. I am not satisfied. My opinion is that I am not satisfied with this because the medicals are really light. If you want to know my opinion, here in England we have the best championship in the world — it is fantastic, but we need to improve the medical side for the players." In Italy, where Mancini coached Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter Milan before moving to City, footballers are screened every six months and subjected to stringent medicals and such testing resulted in the Senegalese midfielder, Khalilou Fadiga, being diagnosed with a heart defect following his arrival at Inter from Auxerre in 2003. Fadiga, who later moved to Bolton, was unable to play competitively for Inter following the discovery of his health problems. But despite Fabrice Muamba's plight highlighting the seemingly robust testing procedure in England, Mancini insists that it is still not good enough. "We need to screen the players more often, maybe two times a year and more accurately," Mancini said. "When I saw our medical [system], I was really worried two years ago. I said that we had to do it better. I want that our players and all the players in the Premier League can have a more accurate medical. Always. Not just once a year. "This is my opinion. In Italy, we do this and the medicals are really accurate. It is really good and better in Italy. The medicals are really strong in Italy during pre-season, for every player, and they happen every six months. "Ten years ago, we would do it once a year, but since then it has been every six months and for the players, it is really important."