[Archived] Sparky - Not A Great Manager?

[John]

Hughes always understood the importance of losing our better players. With Lucas Neil, he always said he could only leave if we could remain strong (in terms of quality in the squad). He nullified the loss when he brought in Warnock.

Also replaced Bellamy ok as well.

[Rover4ever]

Hughes only fault was not getting us a decent stable central midfielder, but I think that wasnt really his fault as he didnt get enough funds after Savage left...

[Mr. E]

Hang on. Those two didn't leave under Hughes. Even if they were destined to leave, it was not Hughes' fault they were not adequately replaced.

Actually it was quite obvious they were leaving (at least Bentley), and Hughes chose to leave the sinking ship.

[rovgers]

Actually it was quite obvious they were leaving (at least Bentley), and Hughes chose to leave the sinking ship.

I agree that Bentley wanted to leave whilst Hughes was still here but its been well documented on here that friedel only wanted to go after finding out that Ince was looking for a new goalkeeper and Villa coming in with a big deal.

[American]

I agree that Bentley wanted to leave whilst Hughes was still here but its been well documented on here that friedel only wanted to go after finding out that Ince was looking for a new goalkeeper and Villa coming in with a big deal.

NO IT HASN'T.

It's been well documented that he allegedly asked for a transfer as soon as the season ended. Even if this isn't true, it is well documented that he wanted to go to Villa because of the money on offer, and we went looking for the replacement before finalising the deal, but it had already been agreed in principle.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

I agree that Bentley wanted to leave whilst Hughes was still here but its been well documented on here that friedel only wanted to go after finding out that Ince was looking for a new goalkeeper and Villa coming in with a big deal.

Really? Let's see where it says that.

[Tom]

I don't see how it matters too much Friedel is getting past it now replacing him with the younger Robbo was good business. Sure he isn't prime Friedel but neither is modern day brad.

[neekoy]

Replacing Friedel had to be done sooner or later and I was glad that it was at least with a more then capable keeper.

Hughes played to our strengths, might have just been Bentley on the right, but he played to it.

Ince on the other hand doesn't any clue as to where our strengths lie.

Hughes would have us playing friggin 4-5-1 by now looking to draw or sneak a goal and defend like buggery.

[67splitscreen]

He's in the same taxi as Ince, if the City MB's are anything to go by.

[tchocky]

Well, they're donig pretty damn awful to be in 17th with the outlay they've had. Just wait till they get Kaka and Cristina Ronaldo as well....

Sadly I don't think Hughes would come back if he was sacked.

[frosty]

Your signature is worrying Tchocky

[John]

Hughes getting a bit of stick (apparently).

some of the older players feel they are being sidelined by Hughes. They believe he wants to surround himself with younger players who will not question his methods or raise questions about tactics, formations and training methods.

[bigbrandjohn]

In some ways I think he is in the same position as Ince. He was appointed in the Thaksin era and now City are richer than United with larger ambitions than Chelsea. I am not sure Hughes is worldly wise enough to take them to the next level. With more money than God, his aspirations are an injured Santa Cruz and Bellamy. Players like Robinho want the best players in the world. My guess is that he will be out of a job after Albion and they will bring a manager with a wealth of experience and connections.

[John]

Something we did not really hear Ince say when he was up against it!

"Time is something we all need - myself included - but I know the quality of my staff and we will gain results in the future.

[Billy Castell]

I doubt Hughes will last much longer. The Brazilians will be leaking their displeasure, who the Arabs (not Hughes) should sign, the fans will be whinging and so on. The Man Citeh circus is rolling up into town soon, and it would be strange to put Hughes out of a job.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Would it be wrong for me to laugh if Hughes got the sack after Blackburn beat Man City.

[philipl]

The fact Sparky has just fired City Chief Scout Graham Carr and replaced him with ex-Rovers Mike Rigg doesn't suggest he is going to be leaving Eastlands.

[Fylde Coast Fan]

City fan on 606 reckons that Hughes has no charisma and can't man manage, and that he just tries to bully players into a good performance - which worked on the mob of journeymen and unknowns he had with us, but doesn't work on big name players like Richard Dunne and Michael Ball, apparently.

[John]

Surely The End is Near For Mark Hughes?

[RibbleValleyRover]

City fan on 606 reckons that Hughes has no charisma and can't man manage, and that he just tries to bully players into a good performance - which worked on the mob of journeymen and unknowns he had with us, but doesn't work on big name players like Richard Dunne and Michael Ball, apparently.

That City fan is talking utter crap. He has managed bigger names that Dunne and Ball at Rovers plus at International level he has managed the likes of Giggs and Bellamy.

We can only make a guess on what is going wrong at City; it could be a number of things. From what I’ve observed there seems to be a lot of ‘individuals’ there rather than ‘team players’, something that is likely to increase with cash rich owners wanting bigger names and immediate success.

[philipl]

I come back to the fact SGE got a 2nd placed performance out of Man City in the first half of 2007/8 and a relegation performance in the second half.

The relegation performance has continued:

- they lost Corluka through their back stabbing carry-ons who was a steadying and cementing influence at the back

- Jo as I suggested from what I'd heard in Russia is a waste of space

- Robinho has flashed every so often but is clearly not the influence you need in the dressing room

- SWP is basically a replacement for the ever-injured Petrov

- Kompany has been so-so.

So for all the cash spent, City are still the same City that trundled along in apathetic mode in the second half of 2007/8.

They would have been doing far better if Thaksin hadn't summarilly executed SGE and that is not detracting from Sparky as a football manager but Sparky is far less experienced or knowledgable of handling a nest of vipers masquerading as a football club.

[RovertheHill]

Frankly they'd be below us without Robinho in terms of direct contribution. Or bizarrely, on the other hand, they might be a better team without him. The fact is, and I said this when the money turned up, that Mark Hughes will not last the season at City. When you are that minted, you are used to the absolute best, and nothing but. It wouldn't surprise me to see a certain Mr Mourinho return to the premier league, or certainly another boss that has won the champions league or managed at the absolute top level. And the likes of Bellamy and Santa Cruz, if they are interested in playing and not just money, would be mad to go there in January because the simple fact is they are nowhere near the best players in the world in their positions and will be replaced very quickly

[T4E]

I've just seen Sparky's interview from yesterday, very disappointing. He said something along the lines of -

"There were problems with the squad last season and every so often they come out, we just have to live with that".

As excuses go that makes Paul Ince seem like he was taking complete responsibility for everything. Was Sparky like that when he was with us? I can't remember him ever saying anything as cringe-worthy as that - was I being blinkered?

It's sad to see how far he's fallen.

[Manchester Blue]

I did say to citeh fans here that my biggest annoyance with Hughes was that he never seemed to accept when we were poor. There would always be a reason or excuse and many times it was the ref. Really do think this contibuted to us getting a poor deal odd refs at times.

At Citeh i've noticed he still doesn't seem to willing to accept any blame or admit when they are poor. I suppose a manager can't win in that respect. If he blames the players or himself then people will complain, if he comes up with the usual old flannel people complain.

[CrazyIvan]

Quite honestly I think managers are on a hiding to nothing when it comes to press conferences. They say the same phrases over and over and people don't like it but what else can they say? They're honest and tell it as they see it and people criticise them for it, they don't condemn their players and people criticise them for that. It goes on. Hughes always had his stock-in-trade answers, just watch his old press conferences and you'll see what I mean. It goes with the turf. Fans only see the good when they have a manager they want to back, the bad when they want rid and the bad for all the opposition managers, that's just life.

Having said that the only managers I've ever enjoyed watching post-game are Neil Warnock and Ian Holloway.