[Archived] Mark Hughes - Good Choice ?

[USABlue]

Come on then, who was the second person to voted no. We no 1 was Shaddy and he gave his reasons. Why doesnt the 2nd show some guts and own up

Before you ask I'm number 3. I have stated my reasons. This is nothing more than a cop out by the Board, it was a popularity contest rather than scouring the length and breadth of the football World to find the right man.

It reeks of a self preservation type appointment by John Williams and show him to be less of a forward moving CEO than I thought of him being.

Our club should not be the one to see if Hughes can cut it at this level. I fear relegation, and I fear the man has no savvy to rebuild this club from the grass roots level. Then again what do I know.

Good luck Mark Hughes, welcome and please save my Football Team. If you should happen to be a success, how long will you stay?

[USABlue]

he has been the national welsh manager and has been doing a great job there, why cant he continue with us.

he turned a bunch of muppets into a team that can fight and hold their own.

I think he will do okay

Great job??? Fight and hold their own?? against Azerbjain and N. Ireland, wow, that's me suitably impressed. Oh he NEARLY got to the Euro's it was theirs to lose and they did.

Will we all think it's so great if he NEARLY saves us from relegation.

[dannyboy1206]

Excellent appointment, my first choice, glad to see that the board have listen to the fans and the players well done JW. Heres hoping for a good season and lets hope Hughsey has brought some luck with him so we might actually get a penalty this season.

[Jordan]

Absolutly over the moon hopefully he can produce the goods.

And hope fully he can make our team play to their true potential, which at the moment they are not.

Welcome back sparky.

Mark Hughes' barmy Army!!!

[Paul Mellelieu]

The truth is that no-one really knows how Hughes will do: there's very little evidence to make a judgement against, other than a decent spell leading Wales, and to be honest he didn't have much to follow did he?

Having said that John Williams and the Board are no mugs and will have thought through the options very carefully indeed. It looks like they got the man they wanted, as usual, and for the sake of the club, we must hope that they've done their homework.

I just can't stop thinking, Brian Kidd....

[dannyboy1206]

he has been the national welsh manager and has been doing a great job there, why cant he continue with us.

he turned a bunch of muppets into a team that can fight and hold their own.

I think he will do okay

Great job??? Fight and hold their own?? against Azerbjain and N. Ireland, wow, that's me suitably impressed. Oh he NEARLY got to the Euro's it was theirs to lose and they did.

Will we all think it's so great if he NEARLY saves us from relegation.

Give him a chance he hasnt took a training session and your writing him off. Lets see were we are around christmas

[samtheozzy]

Before you ask I'm number 3.  I have stated my reasons.  This is nothing more than a cop out by the Board, it was a popularity contest rather than scouring the length and breadth of the football World to find the right man.

It reeks of a self preservation type appointment by John Williams and show him to be less of a forward moving CEO than I thought of him being.

Our club should not be the one to see if Hughes can cut it at this level.  I fear relegation, and I fear the man has no savvy to rebuild this club from the grass roots level.  Then again what do I know.

Good luck Mark Hughes, welcome and please save my Football Team.  If you should happen to be a success, how long will you stay?

USABlue. Would you prefer a situation in which the fans had no voice ? Would you prefer a situation like Tottenham when David Pleat was appointed? Or a Southampton limbo situatiuon where they have no manager? Our board has acted swiftly and competently. They have appointed a manager that they knew posessed great managerial potential from his time playing here. Hughes was also the players favourite choice for next manager, in addition to being the boards first choice, and certainly a top 3 favourite amongst the fans.

We could have been like every other club that replaces a manager mid-season and gone with the usual suspects that may have seen us safe for this season (if we were extremely lucky) but would have had us struggling the next season forcing us to repeat the same managerial merry-go-round then. Reid, Hoddle, Houllier, Gregory, just think how much worse it could have been!

I doubt that the fans had anything to do with this appointment but if they did it was certainly not a detriment to the process.

Edited September 15, 2004 by samtheozzy

[Jim J]

Mark Hughes' barmy Army!!!

Was thinking of possible songs myself.

1st choice for me, well chuffed.

[Radagast]

I picked the second option because I didn't have a clear first choice. I'm ready to back Sparky and hopefuuly the excellent way the club has conducted this whole affair will pay off.

Note: Both waggy and KSB are on record as being happy with this appointment. Just remember that. I'll be interested to hear Jim & Jan's views.

[Jordan]

Mark Hughes' barmy Army!!!

Was thinking of possible songs myself.

1st choice for me, well chuffed.

Come on i know im a genius!!!

Beats any of Cucumbers efforts anyway.

[steverovers]

USABlue.  Woudl you porefer a situation in which the fans had no voice ? Would you prefer a situation like Tottenham where David Pleat was appointed?  Or a Southampton limbo situatiuon where they have no manager?  Our board has acted swiftly and competently.  They have appointed a manager that they knew posessed great managerial potential from his time playing here.  Hughes was also the players favourite choice for next manager, in addition to being the boards first choice, and certainly a top 3 favourite amongst the fans. 

We could have been like every other club that replaces a club mid-season and gone with the usual suspects that may have seen us safe for this season (if we were extremely lucky) but would have had us struggling the next season forcing us to repeat the same managerial merry-go-round then.  Reid, Hoddle, Houllier, Gregory,  just think how much worse it could have been!

I doubt that the fans had anything to do with this appointment but if they did it was certainly not a detriment to the process.

Here, here!

We now should all get behind him.

[mjs]

USABlue.  Woudl you porefer a situation in which the fans had no voice ? Would you prefer a situation like Tottenham where David Pleat was appointed?  Or a Southampton limbo situatiuon where they have no manager?  Our board has acted swiftly and competently.  They have appointed a manager that they knew posessed great managerial potential from his time playing here.  Hughes was also the players favourite choice for next manager, in addition to being the boards first choice, and certainly a top 3 favourite amongst the fans. 

We could have been like every other club that replaces a club mid-season and gone with the usual suspects that may have seen us safe for this season (if we were extremely lucky) but would have had us struggling the next season forcing us to repeat the same managerial merry-go-round then.  Reid, Hoddle, Houllier, Gregory,  just think how much worse it could have been!

I doubt that the fans had anything to do with this appointment but if they did it was certainly not a detriment to the process.

Possibly the best comments I have read on here all week.

There were no guarantees whoever we appointed. Hughes is fresh and thoroughly deserves a crack.

I say well done to the board.

Edited September 15, 2004 by mjs

[Hasta]

Great job???  Fight and hold their own?? against Azerbjain and N. Ireland, wow, that's me suitably impressed.  Oh he NEARLY got to the Euro's it was theirs to lose and they did.

Will we all think it's so great if he NEARLY saves us from relegation.

USABlue, go and look at the Welsh defence. Also look at some of the journeymen and never-will-be men who pad out the rest of the Welsh squad.

Jones, Delaney, Collins, Gabbidon, Thatcher, Oster all played against NI. not any of these players would get a sniff of an England B side.

I don't care how good a manager you are. With that defence you will have bad results such as the two Wales have suffered. The thing Hughes has been able to do is also produce good results such as those against Italy, Germany, Argentina and the Czechs. The fact that Wales were disapponted not to qualify for Euro2004 after a playoff defeat just shows how far they have come since the mid to late 90's.

I can understand your concerns with Hughes with regards to lack of club managerial experience and a step into the unknown. It's for these reasons I would rather have had Dowie. However I think throwing the last 2 Welsh results as examples of Hughes managerial shortcomings is unfair.

As regards to how long will he stay how long will anybody stay. Souness was quick enough to drop us and leave and he wasn't even doing that well. Any successfull manager will eventually be eyed up by supposed bigger clubs and it's naive to think that a love of blue and white will keep them at Ewood. Sven was quick enough to drop us for a better opportunity and he never even managed 1 game. Dowie and Strachan would be no different.

At least from reading your posts over the last few years I know you will hold your hands up and admit your fears were unfounded if that proves to be the case. Let's hope for all our sakes it is.

[bob fleming]

If you should happen to be a success, how long will you stay?

Hughes, if he's a success, can stay as long as he likes. If the "big three" come knocking then who in their right mind would stay? Who was the man you had in mind who was going to stay at Rovers when Man Utd come calling? If he does that good a job then we should all be grateful anyway – he’ll have been extremely successful. More to the point when did you become possessed by Jim Mk2?

I'm very happy indeed thank you very much. I clicked on "Yes". I didn't really have a "No 1" choice but he was in my top two.

I haven't looked forward to a game this much in a long time. Roll on Saturday. A new era. A new start. I'm very optimistic that he, and his team (whoever they might be – they can’t be any worse than that other lot (I exclude T.P. from that)) can turn it around. He’ll need time but the other fella (forget his name) really has left a steaming mess behind for him to clear up.

I've not heard anyone say a bad word about Hughes. 99% of people think he's a good coach and a good manager. Sure, he's unproven in the Premier League, but for the umpteenth time, so was Wenger (Grampus 8?!?) and so was Ferguson when they arrived in the EPL.

A happy day!

(Jordan - that's a great song - I'll just get a pen and paper )

[RovertheHill]

Feel really optimistic for the first time in ages and looking forward to Saturday! Coem on Hughesy.

Have Betfair coughed up yet - I had 20 quid on him!?

[philipl]

USABlue.  Woudl you porefer a situation in which the fans had no voice ? Would you prefer a situation like Tottenham where David Pleat was appointed?  Or a Southampton limbo situatiuon where they have no manager?  Our board has acted swiftly and competently.  They have appointed a manager that they knew posessed great managerial potential from his time playing here.  Hughes was also the players favourite choice for next manager, in addition to being the boards first choice, and certainly a top 3 favourite amongst the fans. 

We could have been like every other club that replaces a club mid-season and gone with the usual suspects that may have seen us safe for this season (if we were extremely lucky) but would have had us struggling the next season forcing us to repeat the same managerial merry-go-round then.  Reid, Hoddle, Houllier, Gregory,  just think how much worse it could have been!

I doubt that the fans had anything to do with this appointment but if they did it was certainly not a detriment to the process.

Here, here!

We now should all get behind him.

Firstly, given I cannot quote it on its own thread, this comment posted by Mrs Jansen in the middle of this afternoon:

"Typical Rovers. It takes Newcastle one week to get their new manager. It takes us a week and half to get permission to speak to someone."

wins the most stupid post I have ever seen on this meessage board award (collective sigh of relief from Hughesey and rover 6 ).

As for Mark Hughes, heartiest congratulations and the very best of luck- all of us are going to need some decent breaks going our way over the coming weeks.

I could easily see a Harford-type scenario of Mr Popular Choice not proving up to the job of managing a club side combined with tactical sclerosis which marked quite a few of Sparky's most recent games in charge of Wales.

On the other hand, he will be a breath of fresh air, he will command the respect of the players (not their fear of a stupid black book), and if he gets the Rovers moving forwards, he is a big name with an international breadth of knowledge which will give him a huge advantage in the transfer market.

For once in my life, I am a "yes" man.

[promoted2001]

Glad to see a young manager get a chance. Hopefully he proves that young managers can cut it. At least Parkes reign is cut short, i was counting up the points needlessly lost.

[blue/white]

I wish to echo the sentiments regarding JW's handling of this situation the last two weeks.... we should be nothing but proud of the set up at BRFC!!!

In regards to Sparky's appointment: as usual on the fence:

the negative ----- clearly his lack of premiership experience for what looks to be a hard road this term is a concern... but look at Chris Coleman @ Foolham.

the positive ----- clearly that he is not a re-tread, perhaps his fresh approach can strike a nerve with the team and we can start our march to 8th place.

Go on you rovers !!!

Edited September 15, 2004 by blue/white

[nottsrover]

I'm happy. Hughes was not my first choice (Dowie was) but I am confident that he will get the team motivated. I will be at Ewood for the first time this season on Saturday to welcome in the new era.

[92er]

I just hope he's not Brian Kidd mk2.

[steverovers]

Don't forget everybody that although the situation seems bad we have just played three of the probable top six. We almost beat United. We should have had a point from Southampton. We battered West Brom. We could easily have had 5 more points. We have as much pace (if not more now that 'statue' Yorke has gone) as we had last season.

We seem to be able to play well when it matters - when we were in peril last season for example. I thought we were doomed and I had almost given up hope when we were behind at half time against Fulham.

Our team is not as bad as we seem to think. We needed a change in manager and we got lucky in the timing of it (we even got a few quid compensation - any one know if it was enough to sign a player?)

Sure, Hughesy is unproven at this level. But so are every single one of the other candidates, who either got the sack, are new to the premiership, or are eternally on the manager merry go round. At least we have a fresh face to work with our under performing team.

[Manchester Blue]

I've heard a few comments comparing him to Kidd and apart from the united connection I can't see it. Kidd was a decent coach but had failed twice before as a manager. He never gained the respect of players and most importantly he was clueless.

I'll never forget those days just sitting watching charge around ranting and raving it was truly scary. The only time I was impressed on the bench was when he tried to land one on pinocchio.

Fair enough we can't know what to expect from Hughes to a certain extent but I can't see the link to Kidd.

[Cocker]

I really cant decide if this is good or bad

Against, I think that he is an unproven manager (lets face it, anyone could pick a welsh team what with them only just having a squad large enough to qualify) He hasent done anything that great and I dont think that after he left Utd he did much as a player either.

For Hughes I can only go with the experience that he must have learnt from the managers he has played under.

I think that we must all wait with bainted breath to see if he delivers - no pressure Mark, just keep us up please)

[Jan]

I am one of the happy's as well. He wasn't my first choice- Strachan was, but for sentimental rather than purely logical reasons.

I've been happy since the short list was "announced". I'd have been happy with them. I'd even have tolerated Advocaat until I was looking up some stats on the dirties website and realised just how rubbish he was.

Will see you all at the Middlesbrough game.

Edited September 15, 2004 by Jan

[dave birch]

I voted "yes".

Will he be a success? Only time will tell, we have to give him and the team the support to turn this season around.

Hopefully, we will have the "feelgood" factor for the first couple of games, and pick up a couple of wins and kick on from there.

What will change will be team selection and tactics. With Souness, we were probably easy pickings. New tactics will put opposition teams in some doubt as to their approach on how to beat to the Rovers.

Good luck Sparky. We all want you to succeed, we need you to succeed.