MARK HUGHES THREAD (all hughes opinions in here please)

[bluej]

However surely Hughes recognises he is not the finished article yet, and that things are not progressing as nicely as he would have liked, by that I mean the football on the pitch, Hughes has a lot of qualities that can be tapped in to I think we all see he has potential in management.

The problems I see at City at the moment are on the coaching and tactical side, confusing systems, player selection, lack of tactics during game play, and the fundamental basics of defending as a unit.

We have a great squad and a young manager with potential nothing more, the coaching side looks at the best shambolic ,that’s my opinion formed on what I have seen on the pitch.

Maybe Hiddink is 63,but if he worked with Hughes for the next 4 years surely Hughes could learn so much from one of the best in the game.

I really believe we should get him on board with this ambitious project we have going on at City

Why wait until things go tits up before acting.

Hughes has been in management for 10 years. He is 47 which is the same age (give or take) as Mourinho. Taggert had won European Trophies in his early 40's. Heck Cloughie won the 1st Div title in his thirties (so ok the guy was genius). Benitez won La Liga in his early 40's and so on.

My point is that Hughes is not some young rookie manager elevated into a managerial role but an experienced international and PL manager whose potential has to a greater or lesser extent been demonstrated. If you think learning under Guus for 4 years is going to make Hughes 'youthful potential' blossom at the age of 51 (I mean fifty f**king one) then my flabber is well and truly gasted.

If on the other hand you just want Guus in to f**k Hughes off then I agree with you.

That's great but when you consider the respective sides that Hughes has managed and how football has drastically changed since at least two of the manager's you have mentioned took charge. Hughes took a Blackburn side to its limits, they couldn't have gone much further without a large cash injection. He has got that cash now, so lets see what he can do with it.

As for comparing him to Benitez - i really wouldn't think Benitez would be a massive step up. The guy has spunked millions of pounds on some absolute dross and has spent 5 years forming a cup team.

[Blue Since 76]

However surely Hughes recognises he is not the finished article yet, and that things are not progressing as nicely as he would have liked, by that I mean the football on the pitch, Hughes has a lot of qualities that can be tapped in to I think we all see he has potential in management.

The problems I see at City at the moment are on the coaching and tactical side, confusing systems, player selection, lack of tactics during game play, and the fundamental basics of defending as a unit.

We have a great squad and a young manager with potential nothing more, the coaching side looks at the best shambolic ,that’s my opinion formed on what I have seen on the pitch.

Maybe Hiddink is 63,but if he worked with Hughes for the next 4 years surely Hughes could learn so much from one of the best in the game.

I really believe we should get him on board with this ambitious project we have going on at City

Why wait until things go tits up before acting.

Hughes has been in management for 10 years. He is 47 which is the same age (give or take) as Mourinho. Taggert had won European Trophies in his early 40's. Heck Cloughie won the 1st Div title in his thirties (so ok the guy was genius). Benitez won La Liga in his early 40's and so on.

My point is that Hughes is not some young rookie manager elevated into a managerial role but an experienced international and PL manager whose potential has to a greater or lesser extent been demonstrated. If you think learning under Guus for 4 years is going to make Hughes 'youthful potential' blossom at the age of 51 (I mean fifty f**king one) then my flabber is well and truly gasted.

If on the other hand you just want Guus in to f**k Hughes off then I agree with you.

That's great but when you consider the respective sides that Hughes has managed and how football has drastically changed since at least two of the manager's you have mentioned took charge. Hughes took a Blackburn side to its limits, they couldn't have gone much further without a large cash injection. He has got that cash now, so lets see what he can do with it.

As for comparing him to Benitez - i really wouldn't think Benitez would be a massive step up. The guy has spunked millions of pounds on some absolute dross and has spent 5 years forming a cup team.

I was discussing Benitez with a Liverpool fan today ahead of Saturday. I made the (slightly OTT) comment that Benitez would win the league with our team and Hughes would get theirs relegated. Hughes buys really well. I can't take that from him. Benitez buys rubbish. Despite that, they will probably still finish above us. Why? Benitez is the better coach/tactician in my opinion. On a one off game, if he puts his mind to it, they can beat anyone - look at the game against the rags. But I wouldn't give him a pound to spend, so not sure if I'd really want him as the manager

[Blue Since 76]

As I said in the Hiddink thread that was locked,

Could he get better results, this season, with this group of players than Hughes? I honestly don't know the answer to that. He is hardly a solution for the long term though is he?

edit: removed bizarrely, was unfair.

I certainly think he'd get better results with the current players and that's not just a reaction to the recent run. I appreciate where you are coming from with the long term bit and it would be great to have a manager for a number of years, but only if they are good enough. You could have kept Frank Clark in a job till Armageddon and he'd have still been hopeless. Whilst I don't think Hughes is that bad, I think those expecting him to turn into Taggart will be sadly disappointed.

I think you are being swayed by your concerns over Platini and have decided it's Hughes or bust. I don't agree with that either, but taking you as correct, if the most important thing is making the Champions League this year before we get locked out, surely the best manager available is the most important thing, rather than a long term vision?

[bluej]

However surely Hughes recognises he is not the finished article yet, and that things are not progressing as nicely as he would have liked, by that I mean the football on the pitch, Hughes has a lot of qualities that can be tapped in to I think we all see he has potential in management.

The problems I see at City at the moment are on the coaching and tactical side, confusing systems, player selection, lack of tactics during game play, and the fundamental basics of defending as a unit.

We have a great squad and a young manager with potential nothing more, the coaching side looks at the best shambolic ,that’s my opinion formed on what I have seen on the pitch.

Maybe Hiddink is 63,but if he worked with Hughes for the next 4 years surely Hughes could learn so much from one of the best in the game.

I really believe we should get him on board with this ambitious project we have going on at City

Why wait until things go tits up before acting.

Hughes has been in management for 10 years. He is 47 which is the same age (give or take) as Mourinho. Taggert had won European Trophies in his early 40's. Heck Cloughie won the 1st Div title in his thirties (so ok the guy was genius). Benitez won La Liga in his early 40's and so on.

My point is that Hughes is not some young rookie manager elevated into a managerial role but an experienced international and PL manager whose potential has to a greater or lesser extent been demonstrated. If you think learning under Guus for 4 years is going to make Hughes 'youthful potential' blossom at the age of 51 (I mean fifty f**king one) then my flabber is well and truly gasted.

If on the other hand you just want Guus in to f**k Hughes off then I agree with you.

That's great but when you consider the respective sides that Hughes has managed and how football has drastically changed since at least two of the manager's you have mentioned took charge. Hughes took a Blackburn side to its limits, they couldn't have gone much further without a large cash injection. He has got that cash now, so lets see what he can do with it.

As for comparing him to Benitez - i really wouldn't think Benitez would be a massive step up. The guy has spunked millions of pounds on some absolute dross and has spent 5 years forming a cup team.

I was discussing Benitez with a Liverpool fan today ahead of Saturday. I made the (slightly OTT) comment that Benitez would win the league with our team and Hughes would get theirs relegated. Hughes buys really well. I can't take that from him. Benitez buys rubbish. Despite that, they will probably still finish above us. Why? Benitez is the better coach/tactician in my opinion. On a one off game, if he puts his mind to it, they can beat anyone - look at the game against the rags. But I wouldn't give him a pound to spend, so not sure if I'd really want him as the manager

That's the problem though, they can turn it on for one game when they want to but can't do it over a 38 game season. Last season was probably their best chance and that was only after the rags got so far ahead that they took their eye off the prize.

I can't see Liverpool ever winning the Prem under Benitez.

[Socrates]

As I said in the Hiddink thread that was locked,

Could he get better results, this season, with this group of players than Hughes? I honestly don't know the answer to that. He is hardly a solution for the long term though is he?

edit: removed bizarrely, was unfair.

I certainly think he'd get better results with the current players and that's not just a reaction to the recent run. I appreciate where you are coming from with the long term bit and it would be great to have a manager for a number of years, but only if they are good enough. You could have kept Frank Clark in a job till Armageddon and he'd have still been hopeless. Whilst I don't think Hughes is that bad, I think those expecting him to turn into Taggart will be sadly disappointed.

I think you are being swayed by your concerns over Platini and have decided it's Hughes or bust. I don't agree with that either, but taking you as correct, if the most important thing is making the Champions League this year before we get locked out, surely the best manager available is the most important thing, rather than a long term vision?

Yes, that's the conundrum. Well, two in fact. a) would Hiddink get better results, this season, with these players as handpicked by Deslie - I'm not totally convinced that he would - and b) do we have another season to get the CL money before UEFA shut us out ?- in which case does that give someone like Hiddink that bit of time needed to maximise our chances to secure that place at the top table in time? I honestly do not know.

[BobKowalski]

However surely Hughes recognises he is not the finished article yet, and that things are not progressing as nicely as he would have liked, by that I mean the football on the pitch, Hughes has a lot of qualities that can be tapped in to I think we all see he has potential in management.

The problems I see at City at the moment are on the coaching and tactical side, confusing systems, player selection, lack of tactics during game play, and the fundamental basics of defending as a unit.

We have a great squad and a young manager with potential nothing more, the coaching side looks at the best shambolic ,that’s my opinion formed on what I have seen on the pitch.

Maybe Hiddink is 63,but if he worked with Hughes for the next 4 years surely Hughes could learn so much from one of the best in the game.

I really believe we should get him on board with this ambitious project we have going on at City

Why wait until things go tits up before acting.

Hughes has been in management for 10 years. He is 47 which is the same age (give or take) as Mourinho. Taggert had won European Trophies in his early 40's. Heck Cloughie won the 1st Div title in his thirties (so ok the guy was genius). Benitez won La Liga in his early 40's and so on.

My point is that Hughes is not some young rookie manager elevated into a managerial role but an experienced international and PL manager whose potential has to a greater or lesser extent been demonstrated. If you think learning under Guus for 4 years is going to make Hughes 'youthful potential' blossom at the age of 51 (I mean fifty f**king one) then my flabber is well and truly gasted.

If on the other hand you just want Guus in to f**k Hughes off then I agree with you.

That's great but when you consider the respective sides that Hughes has managed and how football has drastically changed since at least two of the manager's you have mentioned took charge. Hughes took a Blackburn side to its limits, they couldn't have gone much further without a large cash injection. He has got that cash now, so lets see what he can do with it.

As for comparing him to Benitez - i really wouldn't think Benitez would be a massive step up. The guy has spunked millions of pounds on some absolute dross and has spent 5 years forming a cup team.

So name some other managers. Wenger won the UEFA cup age 42. Ancellotti UEFA cup age 43. Even good old Sven landed the UEFA cup at 43 with some Swedish outfit. And I started with the UEFA cup as their first meaningful trophy and not counting other domestic trophies they won prior to this. My point remains. Hughes is not a rookie manager who had just landed a plum job and is being tested for the first time. He is an international and PL manager of 10 years standing. Hell Hughes even started his managerial career before Mourinho did yet somehow its 'too early to judge him and lets wait for his potential to flower'. Well 10 years later and 18 months in the City job and I'm still f**king waiting.

[CITYTILLIDIE11]

However surely Hughes recognises he is not the finished article yet, and that things are not progressing as nicely as he would have liked, by that I mean the football on the pitch, Hughes has a lot of qualities that can be tapped in to I think we all see he has potential in management.

The problems I see at City at the moment are on the coaching and tactical side, confusing systems, player selection, lack of tactics during game play, and the fundamental basics of defending as a unit.

We have a great squad and a young manager with potential nothing more, the coaching side looks at the best shambolic ,that’s my opinion formed on what I have seen on the pitch.

Maybe Hiddink is 63,but if he worked with Hughes for the next 4 years surely Hughes could learn so much from one of the best in the game.

I really believe we should get him on board with this ambitious project we have going on at City

Why wait until things go tits up before acting.

Hughes has been in management for 10 years. He is 47 which is the same age (give or take) as Mourinho. Taggert had won European Trophies in his early 40's. Heck Cloughie won the 1st Div title in his thirties (so ok the guy was genius). Benitez won La Liga in his early 40's and so on.

My point is that Hughes is not some young rookie manager elevated into a managerial role but an experienced international and PL manager whose potential has to a greater or lesser extent been demonstrated. If you think learning under Guus for 4 years is going to make Hughes 'youthful potential' blossom at the age of 51 (I mean fifty f**king one) then my flabber is well and truly gasted.

If on the other hand you just want Guus in to f**k Hughes off then I agree with you.

That's great but when you consider the respective sides that Hughes has managed and how football has drastically changed since at least two of the manager's you have mentioned took charge. Hughes took a Blackburn side to its limits, they couldn't have gone much further without a large cash injection. He has got that cash now, so lets see what he can do with it.

As for comparing him to Benitez - i really wouldn't think Benitez would be a massive step up. The guy has spunked millions of pounds on some absolute dross and has spent 5 years forming a cup team.

So name some other managers. Wenger won the UEFA cup age 42. Ancellotti UEFA cup age 43. Even good old Sven landed the UEFA cup at 43 with some Swedish outfit. And I started with the UEFA cup as their first meaningful trophy and not counting other domestic trophies they won prior to this. My point remains. Hughes is not a rookie manager who had just landed a plum job and is being tested for the first time. He is an international and PL manager of 10 years standing. Hell Hughes even started his managerial career before Mourinho did yet somehow its 'too early to judge him and lets wait for his potential to flower'. Well 10 years later and 18 months in the City job and I'm still f**king waiting.

I don’t see Hughes making the grade, I wanted him too I really did, but the reality was he never had what it takes and never will it is as simple as that.

I hear some spouting the Virtue of patience being the Key, trying to convince me we will eventually be rewarded for sticking with Hughes, the truth is there are no guarantees that he will ever be more than an average mid table manager that’s the truth

Alarmingly 16 months in the same problems exist as they did at the start of last season, shit tactics, shit substitutions, school boy littered game play, it is sometimes akin to watching the Keystone Cops playing football whilst he sits there doing nothing.

My opinion is based on what I have seen up to now, I have seen nothing to suggest things will change, I don’t see the point dithering around prolonging what is almost inevitable, I reckon the next few weeks will give our owners the opportunity to pull the trigger.

Before some start slaughtering me for being negative, I am not I am just being realistic we have been shite all season except for the game against Arsenal and 45 minutes at the Swamp, we have won once in the last 6 against shite lower league sides based on that I don’t feel overly confident about the next few weeks, and I don’t think Hughes does either.

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

if by liverpool winning Hughes got the sack i would be shouting for Liverpool but i think he will last till the end of the season

[Wonderwall]

So name some other managers. Wenger won the UEFA cup age 42. Ancellotti UEFA cup age 43. Even good old Sven landed the UEFA cup at 43 with some Swedish outfit. And I started with the UEFA cup as their first meaningful trophy and not counting other domestic trophies they won prior to this. My point remains. Hughes is not a rookie manager who had just landed a plum job and is being tested for the first time. He is an international and PL manager of 10 years standing. Hell Hughes even started his managerial career before Mourinho did yet somehow its 'too early to judge him and lets wait for his potential to flower'. Well 10 years later and 18 months in the City job and I'm still f**king waiting.

Wenger has never won the Uefa cup, he was 43 when he got Monaco to the final that they lost against Werder Bremen and it was his 5th year in charge.

Ancelotti has NEVER won the eufa cup, in fact he started his career Reggiana then Parma, and then Juventus and won nothing with these teams, he only won something when he went to AC Milan and he only won the league once in his 7 years there.

Sven actually won the uefa cup aged 34, maybe we should go for him..... oh yes, been there done that.

All in all, nice rant but a waste of time and effort as it was completely rubbish.

[BobKowalski]

So name some other managers. Wenger won the UEFA cup age 42. Ancellotti UEFA cup age 43. Even good old Sven landed the UEFA cup at 43 with some Swedish outfit. And I started with the UEFA cup as their first meaningful trophy and not counting other domestic trophies they won prior to this. My point remains. Hughes is not a rookie manager who had just landed a plum job and is being tested for the first time. He is an international and PL manager of 10 years standing. Hell Hughes even started his managerial career before Mourinho did yet somehow its 'too early to judge him and lets wait for his potential to flower'. Well 10 years later and 18 months in the City job and I'm still f**king waiting.

Wenger has never won the Uefa cup, he was 43 when he got Monaco to the final that they lost against Werder Bremen and it was his 5th year in charge.

Ancelotti has NEVER won the eufa cup, in fact he started his career Reggiana then Parma, and then Juventus and won nothing with these teams, he only won something when he went to AC Milan and he only won the league once in his 7 years there.

Sven actually won the uefa cup aged 34, maybe we should go for him..... oh yes, been there done that.

All in all, nice rant but a waste of time and effort as it was completely rubbish.

Correct Ancelotti won the UEFA champions league not the UEFA cup which I guess counts as 'something' and Wenger lost in the final. My apologies for hurried research although I will take an upgrade from UEFA cup to UEFA Champions League over losing a final. As for Sven again I'll take a 34 over a 43 :) Hiddinck won the European cup at 42

The point remains the top managers make their mark early on. Having started in 1999 as an international manager and managed 2 PL teams Hughes is not some rookie who has to be coddled and whose best achievements to date in 10 years of top flight management is (drum roll please) - actually I have no idea 6th on the PL and a semi final? In terms of winning things its a gaping void, a vaccuum.

Mourinho entered management in 2000 and managed 5 teams in 3 countries. Mourinho also is not some rookie to be coddled and whose best achievments to date in 9 years of top flight management are:

* Portuguese Liga: 2002-03, 2003-04
* Taça de Portugal: 2002-03
* SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira: 2003
* UEFA Champions League: 2004
* UEFA Cup: 2003

Chelsea F.C.

* FA Premier League: 2004-05, 2005-06
* FA Cup: 2007
* Football League Cup: 2005, 2007
* FA Community Shield: 2005

F.C. Internazionale Milano

* Serie A: 2008-09
* Supercoppa Italiana: 2008

Mourinho started at Benfica and lasted 9 games after falling out with the Club President (ah Jose so demanding) and properly started his carreer at an unfashionable Portuguese side. Hughes started as an international mangager (higher profile) and went on to unfashionable PL side.

Mourinho racks up 14 trophies in his short time. Hughes has potential.

[Wonderwall]

So name some other managers. Wenger won the UEFA cup age 42. Ancellotti UEFA cup age 43. Even good old Sven landed the UEFA cup at 43 with some Swedish outfit. And I started with the UEFA cup as their first meaningful trophy and not counting other domestic trophies they won prior to this. My point remains. Hughes is not a rookie manager who had just landed a plum job and is being tested for the first time. He is an international and PL manager of 10 years standing. Hell Hughes even started his managerial career before Mourinho did yet somehow its 'too early to judge him and lets wait for his potential to flower'. Well 10 years later and 18 months in the City job and I'm still f**king waiting.

Wenger has never won the Uefa cup, he was 43 when he got Monaco to the final that they lost against Werder Bremen and it was his 5th year in charge.

Ancelotti has NEVER won the eufa cup, in fact he started his career Reggiana then Parma, and then Juventus and won nothing with these teams, he only won something when he went to AC Milan and he only won the league once in his 7 years there.

Sven actually won the uefa cup aged 34, maybe we should go for him..... oh yes, been there done that.

All in all, nice rant but a waste of time and effort as it was completely rubbish.

Correct Ancelotti won the UEFA champions league not the UEFA cup which I guess counts as 'something' and Wenger lost in the final. My apologies for hurried research although I will take an upgrade from UEFA cup to UEFA Champions League over losing a final. As for Sven again I'll take a 34 over a 43 :) Hiddinck won the European cup at 42

The point remains the top managers make their mark early on. Having started in 1999 as an international manager and managed 2 PL teams Hughes is not some rookie who has to be coddled and whose best achievements to date in 10 years of top flight management is (drum roll please) - actually I have no idea 6th on the PL and a semi final? In terms of winning things its a gaping void, a vaccuum.

Mourinho entered management in 2000 and managed 5 teams in 3 countries. Mourinho also is not some rookie to be coddled and whose best achievments to date in 9 years of top flight management are:

* Portuguese Liga: 2002-03, 2003-04
* Taça de Portugal: 2002-03
* SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira: 2003
* UEFA Champions League: 2004
* UEFA Cup: 2003

Chelsea F.C.

* FA Premier League: 2004-05, 2005-06
* FA Cup: 2007
* Football League Cup: 2005, 2007
* FA Community Shield: 2005

F.C. Internazionale Milano

* Serie A: 2008-09
* Supercoppa Italiana: 2008

Mourinho started at Benfica and lasted 9 games after falling out with the Club President (ah Jose so demanding) and properly started his carreer at an unfashionable Portuguese side. Hughes started as an international mangager (higher profile) and went on to unfashionable PL side.

Mourinho racks up 14 trophies in his short time. Hughes has potential.

Ancelotti's record is not that great, certainly not as fantastic as is being depicted. Also in a very bent league where match fixing was rife.

Mourinho is very good and plays boring football also.

pros and cons to every side of the argument, however, why are you not giving hughes a chance?

[Burt]

if by liverpool winning Hughes got the sack i would be shouting for Liverpool but i think he will last till the end of the season

I could never, ever, ever, ever shout for any team playing against City.

Very embarrassed to hear a Blue say this and there's a lot of Blues that will travelling to Anfield who would kick seven fuclin different colours of shite out of you if you got caught doing it.

Nuff said IMO.

[BobKowalski]

Ancelotti's record is not that great, certainly not as fantastic as is being depicted. Also in a very bent league where match fixing was rife.

Mourinho is very good and plays boring football also.

pros and cons to every side of the argument, however, why are you not giving hughes a chance?

Ancelotti's record in 14 years of management

Juve
* Intertoto Cup: 1999

Milan
* Coppa Italia: 2002–03
* Serie A: 2003–04
* Italian Supercup: 2004
* UEFA Champions League: 2002–03, 2006–07
* UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
* FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

Out of that he has 3 major accomplishments being 2 Champions League and 1 Serie A

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

The Mourinho boring 1-0 football is a mixture of myth and fact. When Chelsea won the 04/05 title they were in fact the second highest goal scorers and when they won the following season they were joint highest goalscorers and did play some great football. When things started to sour between Jose and Roman they did start to concentrate more on being difficult to beat and it was used as a stick by Roman to criticise Mourinho. Its a lazy journalist tag and trotted out on forums by people to counter pro- Mourinho arguments which is understandable given thats all they have along with ego and antics.

The lazy jounalist tags with Hughes are also rife. The 'best young British manager' is often used along with 'potential', 'learnt at the best schools' etc. The fact these tags are used 10 years into his career as a substitute for not actually winning something is for me significant and I half suspect that he will be the 'best young British manager' well into his fifties. Even Steve McClaren has actually won something in his managerial career and at an equally unfashionable club as Rovers (and no I do not regard McClaren as a great manager).

Will Hughes win something at City? After spending £200m+ yes I think he will. The League cup especially is well within his grasp and a 4th spot is within our capabilities especially with Liverpool imploding as they have. Will Hughes ever leads us to PL or European Champions glory. No he won't. Its beyond his capabilities no matter how much he spends as he lacks the leadership and man management skills and for me lacks the necessary self belief in himself to make that quantum leap.

Are ADUG content to let Hughes take the first steps to sustainable and meaningful success? Well quite clearly they are and you can see their logic as City are not ready for a Mourinho or even maybe a Hiddinck much as I would like to have either man at the helm.

[sky_blue_stew]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

[Wonderwall]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

Many people think the job hughesdid with wales was magnificent, even though they didnt quite make it, its the first time for a VERY long time that they had a shot.

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

Many people think the job hughesdid with wales was magnificent, even though they didnt quite make it, its the first time for a VERY long time that they had a shot.

And many people don't

[Wonderwall]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

Many people think the job hughesdid with wales was magnificent, even though they didnt quite make it, its the first time for a VERY long time that they had a shot.

And many people don't

There are more people who think he did a very good job than people who think he didnt. If you cast your mind back to the that time, it was almost fantasy land for the welsh.

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Ancelotti's record is not that great, certainly not as fantastic as is being depicted. Also in a very bent league where match fixing was rife.

Mourinho is very good and plays boring football also.

pros and cons to every side of the argument, however, why are you not giving hughes a chance?

Ancelotti's record in 14 years of management

Juve
* Intertoto Cup: 1999

Milan
* Coppa Italia: 2002–03
* Serie A: 2003–04
* Italian Supercup: 2004
* UEFA Champions League: 2002–03, 2006–07
* UEFA Super Cup: 2003, 2007
* FIFA Club World Cup: 2007

Out of that he has 3 major accomplishments being 2 Champions League and 1 Serie A

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

The Mourinho boring 1-0 football is a mixture of myth and fact. When Chelsea won the 04/05 title they were in fact the second highest goal scorers and when they won the following season they were joint highest goalscorers and did play some great football. When things started to sour between Jose and Roman they did start to concentrate more on being difficult to beat and it was used as a stick by Roman to criticise Mourinho. Its a lazy journalist tag and trotted out on forums by people to counter pro- Mourinho arguments which is understandable given thats all they have along with ego and antics.

The lazy jounalist tags with Hughes are also rife. The 'best young British manager' is often used along with 'potential', 'learnt at the best schools' etc. The fact these tags are used 10 years into his career as a substitute for not actually winning something is for me significant and I half suspect that he will be the 'best young British manager' well into his fifties. Even Steve McClaren has actually won something in his managerial career and at an equally unfashionable club as Rovers (and no I do not regard McClaren as a great manager).

Will Hughes win something at City? After spending £200m+ yes I think he will. The League cup especially is well within his grasp and a 4th spot is within our capabilities especially with Liverpool imploding as they have. Will Hughes ever leads us to PL or European Champions glory. No he won't. Its beyond his capabilities no matter how much he spends as he lacks the leadership and man management skills and for me lacks the necessary self belief in himself to make that quantum leap.

Are ADUG content to let Hughes take the first steps to sustainable and meaningful success? Well quite clearly they are and you can see their logic as City are not ready for a Mourinho or even maybe a Hiddinck much as I would like to have either man at the helm.

Bob you have hit the nail firmly on the head there, fantastic post.......I have been trying to say the same thing myself for over a year now.

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

GRAEME SOUNESS won the league cup with Blackburn Rovers.
Bobby Gould did every bit as well with Wales as Hughes did, would we be happy if he was our manager?

[BobKowalski]

Give Hughes a chance? So in 10 years of management he has been denied the opportunity to accomplish something? The fact that his CV is devoid of substance is not my problem. He didn't qualify for any major championships with Wales. He didn't win anything with Rovers. He finished 10th in his first season with us and didn't even manage to qualify for UEFA cup (or whatever it is called now). Hughes CV comprises of nothing of substance. Ancelotti has 2 Champions League and a Serie A to his name and you state that his record isn't that fantastic?

I'm not defending Hughes particularly, but I think not winning silverware with Blackburn or getting Wales into a major competition is a very fair criticism, with the players in those sides, compared with the competition for silverware, means I believe any manager would have struggled to accomplish anything of substance with those squads. Hughes has his chance now. He needs this season, to show what he can do with a handpicked talented squad. Writing him off before Christmas is crazy. Next summer is the time for reappraising surely, giving a manager a matter of months with new players isn't enough. There's obviously a lot of areas he needs to improve in, chiefly defence. But if we're in the top 4 in May, calling for Hughes' head now seems hasty.

I am not calling for Hughes head right now. Never have. The time to assess the manager is in the summer. Nor am I writing him off before Christmas and do in fact believe with the squad that has been assembled that we will get that elusive 4th spot. I do however question the quality of the manager we currently have and do not believe Hughes will achieve the ultimate goal of Premier League or Champions League success.

Excusing his failure to achieve any tangible success as either manager of Wales or Blackburn save they gave it a gallent effort is what we do since there is no where else to go with Hughes record. Other managers have achieved more with equally unpromising material - after all Mourinho won the Champions league with an attack headed by Benni McCarthy whereas Hughes fell out with the same player after 1 season and won nothing (ok I enjoyed that one!). Taggert broke the old firm monopoly and so on. The point is great managers make their mark and achieve something early on. Their talents are noticed early through their achievements and they achieve because of their talent. Its no coincidence that in 10 years of management Hughes has won nothing whereas in 9 years of management Mourinho has won 14 trophies. Which is why managers like Mourinho and Hiddinck are in demand and Hughes isn't. Its a harsh world.