[Archived] Mark Hughes - Good Choice ?

[John]

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.a...tball_Home_Page

Best pundit around sums us up well.

Key areas- Centre Back: Agree with verdict on Amo, too many mistakes.

Hughes will need to invest here as a priority unless someone comes into their own between now and January- Matteo? NEJ? Cant see it happening.

A partner for Ferguson- Thommo? Douglas (too limited maybe)

Also up front- If Jansen could come back it would be tremendous, if not we need more firepower.

Will be interesting to see how Hughes see these areas of the team, as more often than not Souness seemed to have no strategy when it came to the transfer market.

[Manchester Blue]

I find it quite unbelievable that the same people are willing to take 'staying in the premier' as acceptable for Souness but not for Hughes yet he has only just taken over.

Regardless of who was in charge I would want us to be challenging in mid-table. I would accept staying in the premiership from either because that's what matters but I wouldn't be happy with 17th. I know you aren't saying that you would be happy and I understand that Hughes needs and deserves time. My only point is that with the players we have I think we should be able to achieve a mid-table finish.

[USABlue]

usa blue!!

The reaction i get from posting such a positive post is a joke. I hate to think what you'd say if someone was critisising rovers. i thought this was a site we could all share are opinions but obviously if there not along the lines of yours there's trouble!! grow up

Mr Bubble, I am really not sure what positive post you are referring to. this id the only one I responded to..

"So usa blue!!

who would you have wanted appointed since you know the football world in side out!!! All i want is for people to get behind the team. People like you would complain if mr wenger had been appointed,"

I am sorry but I don't really see anyting positive in that do you? My reaction is based on the assumtion you make as to how I might react regardless of who was appointed. Very naive I think, as for growing up there is a strong possibility I am way ahead of you in that aspect. Try not to make this a personal thing OK. We can all share opinions and we do but when you try to tell me what sort of personality I am you WILL get a response if you are wide of the mark. Accept that.

[Scotty]

Funny that with the same players and a different manager, 17th wasn't near good enough, but with a new manager it would be acceptable.

Another smart-alec comment from you American that in no way reflects what I was trying to say.

Obviously this is all my opinion, but I think Souness managed to reduce a squad that finish 6th to relegation fodder within a year. That's why 17th place wouldn't have been good enough this year under Souness. He made us crap - they're his players.

Hughes has now come in and has got to deal with the mess. If he keeps us up that would be great and we can build from there over the summer. If we do any better then Hughes will have done a fantastic job.

[American]

Tell me, how long have you been complaining about the squad? From what I remember you were complaining about the tactics, lineups and motivational ability. All of the sudden with Souey gone, the squad is crap? No. We have the talent to finish top 10.

If tactics and motivation were the main problem before, then the right manager should bring us there. NO excuses.

[Hughesy]

Tell me, how long have you been complaining about the squad? From what I remember you were complaining about the tactics, lineups and motivational ability. All of the sudden with Souey gone, the squad is crap? No. We have the talent to finish top 10.

If tactics and motivation were the main problem before, then the right manager should bring us there. NO excuses.

Woooooo hoooooo. I agree with that 110%

Spot on

[American]

Great. There goes my credibility!!

[Scotty]

Tell me, how long have you been complaining about the squad? From what I remember you were complaining about the tactics, lineups and motivational ability. All of the sudden with Souey gone, the squad is crap? No. We have the talent to finish top 10.

If tactics and motivation were the main problem before, then the right manager should bring us there. NO excuses.

I think I've been complaining about most aspects of the club for the last eight months or so. Along with all the things you've mentioned we've sold good players and replaced them with average ones. But it's more the type of players we've not bought that has been the problem - nobody with pace, power, flair, creativity.

I realise though that you were one of Souness's biggest fans so I wouldn't expect you to want to blame the man that has caused all our current problems.

[AndyC]

Tell me, how long have you been complaining about the squad? From what I remember you were complaining about the tactics, lineups and motivational ability. All of the sudden with Souey gone, the squad is crap? No. We have the talent to finish top 10.

If tactics and motivation were the main problem before, then the right manager should bring us there. NO excuses.

I think I've been complaining about most aspects of the club for the last eight months or so. Along with all the things you've mentioned we've sold good players and replaced them with average ones. But it's more the type of players we've not bought that has been the problem - nobody with pace, power, flair, creativity.

I realise though that you were one of Souness's biggest fans so I wouldn't expect you to want to blame the man that has caused all our current problems.

I've been a long term admirer of souness after he dragged our club out of the mess that it was in.

But I've done a lot of thinking recently and looked at the harsh realities without my pro souness and blue and white tinted specs.

For the first time in about 8 months, I'm startign to agree with some of what Scotty is tryign to get across.

Look at the difference when we play the big teams these days. I don't think we have a chance when it comes to newcastle, liverpool etc.

Going back 18 months, I was really excited at the prospect of a trip to celtic, arsenal etc where I belived we had enough quality to get at them and win.

Duff on the left, dunny on the right, tugs and flitty in the middle, berg and short at the back, cole upfront. It all looked so good!

Now we seem to have gone so far backwards its untrue. Amo is half the player berg was. matteo - absolute garbage and no flair in the midfield. I love fergie as a player, but he's got no one decent to pass it too!

It's not all doom and gloom for me though. I rate the youngsters coming through, I think we have an excellent new manager who seems to really study the game and I think we have a mid table type side.

[broadsword]

Sparky in the LET:

"The target of staying up is always there because the consequences of going out of this league are too bad to contemplate ...

Oh no! Where have we heard that before! but ...

but it's not our only target, we want to make sure we can move the club forward. We need to make sure we're competitive as a club and a team, and I'm sure we can be."

Well, thank bu99ery for that! Thought we had GS mk 2 there for a sec!

[USABlue]

I like it. It's as if he is making the statement that staying in the Prem is a goal that goes without saying. That that is expected and does not even need to be mentioned, that it is a redundant statement. This is good.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Hughes has revealed that he consulted Fergie before accepting the Rovers job, and RFW was supportive of his decision to try his luck at Ewood.

Link below:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/...1306528,00.html

Strachan was my first choice for manager - but I'm not disappointed by Hughes.

Sparky might prove to be the right choice given time. We'll have to wait and see.

Looking at the positives for our new manager:

Mark clearly has the respect of the Rovers players, and most of the fans. He had a long and distinguished playing career.

Sparky improved the fortunes of Wales - compared with the shambles under Bobby Gould.

He's not an old dinosaur. Instead, he's in touch with the modern game and will obviously be keen to do well at Rovers - a club he has an affinity for.

For a possible negative:

At the risk of bringing up that old chestnut of 'experience' again....

Whilst it's true that many of the managers in the Premiership such as Mourinho and Fergie had no previous experience of top flight football in England, it's also true that the majority of managers in the Premiership had some experience of previously being a boss of a club side, either in Britain or continental Europe.

In terms of club management, Hughes is a novice. Only four other Premiership managers had no previous experience of managing another British/European club side before they gained their current jobs.

To go through the Premiership managers:

Arsene Wenger - Managed Monaco.

David O'Leary - Managed Leeds.

Steve Bruce - Experience with Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Wigan and Crystal Palace.

Sam Allardyce - Previously managed Notts County and Blackpool.

Jose Mourinho - Managed Porto.

Iain Dowie - Previous experience with Oldham.

David Moyes - Managed Preston.

Rafael Benitez - Managed Valencia

Kevin Keegan - Previous spells with Fulham and Newcastle.

Alex Ferguson - Managed Aberdeen and St Mirren.

Graeme Souness - Previous clubs include Rangers, Liverpool and Southampton.

Nigel Worthington - Previous spell in charge of Blackpool.

Harry Redknapp - Managed Bournemouth and West Ham.

Jaques Santini - Managed Lyon.

Gary Megson - Has managed Norwich, Blackpool and Stoke.

The four other Premiership managers who had no previous club management experience prior to their current jobs are Steve Wigley, Chris Coleman, Alan Curbishley and Steve McClaren.

This might not prove to be a negative for Hughes - but as yet, Sparky is untried at club level.

I was listening to Radio 5 the other day, and a couple of Welsh fans were very critical of Hughes.

One guy said that Sparky "ruined" Wales' best chance of qualifying for years, when he played a negative formation against Russia. Another Welshman berated Sparky for his reliance on the long ball to Hartson, and accused Hughes of being dishonest earlier in the week when he spoke of having 'no plans' to leave the Welsh job.

There are obviously two sides to Mark Hughes. There's the aggressive, nasty bugger with thighs built like tree trunks who enjoyed going round kicking people for fun.

Off the pitch, his demeanour couldn't be more different - a very softly spoken guy who barely talks above a whisper level.

Apart from berating refs, he's never been a very opinionated character.

Very few people probably get close enough to know him well. As Bryan Robson said, Sparky never used to say two words in the dressing room, but as soon as he stepped out onto the pitch, he became a different animal.

How Hughes will do at Rovers, time will tell.

Unfortunately, he can't make any significant changes to the squad until January - and even then he will probably be hampered by the tight purse that John Williams and the board keep now.

It was a bit of a 'politicians' answer on Monday, when Hughes said: "I have no plans to leave Wales."

A bit like a Government minister saying that there are "no plans" to put up taxes, the week before they actually go up.

A link to Hughes's earlier comments this week:

http://www.utvinternet.ie/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=17740&pt=s

Edited September 17, 2004 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[USABlue]

You *do* slag everyone's opinion - you go around picking fights and needling people with sarcastic responses.

I'd only criticise someone's opinion if I thought they had a hidden agenda (or not-so-hidden in Jan's case), I don't tend to make a habit of it, as it doesn't suit my sunny disposition.

Rubbish Bryan, acting a bit holier than thou I think. Just yesterday you slammed me for my opinions, basically told me to shut up. No hidden agendas either mate.

[American]

I think Bryan has a thing for Jan. Kind of a love/hate. He hates her so much, but would love to put her over his knee and show her who's boss.

[broadsword]

Oh whatever, I couldn't give a monkey's.

I didn't tell you to shut up, I told you you were talking crap I seem to recall.

[Flopsy]

Oi - chill the lot of you - The blokes our new manager like it or not. So shut your bickering and lets get behind the guy. (Lee I wanted you to be our new manager)

[CAPT KAYOS]

I find it quite unbelievable that the same people are willing to take 'staying in the premier' as acceptable for Souness but not for Hughes yet he has only just taken over.

and vice-versa kettle. Most of your complaints about Souness were his lineup and tactics, so if Hughes is as good as we think, expectations should be higher.

American

Think you are totally missing the point here and trying to gain points.

Following on from what Scotty says, and what I have said previously this is not his team so I think expectation cannot be as high, at least not for this season.

Yes come next season (if he is still here ) and he has brought in/sold on players then my expectations will be higher as it would for any manager - which as you seem to be following what I have said in my posts previously was the same for Souness.

I am not naive enough to think we are going to set the P/L alight, but I do feel like yourself we should be doing better hence my frustration with Souness and his constant cock ups that many of us expressed our concerns at way before they became major issues.

For all managers you live by the sword and every manager's time will come to an end but Hughes has only just taken over. Just take a look at what people are saying such as myself and Scotty are trying to say (maybe we are not expressing ourselves that wel) but I think you will get the gist.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Lets just all concentrate on giving the new manager 100% from the stands,we all desperately want this to work...we can do no more.

[T4E]

I love it when you birds get narky

[speeeeeeedie]

Quick one regarding Hughes' consultation with Fergusson before taking over. Ferguson said go for it you'll do well. This is the same bloke who said that Brian Kidd didn't have it, and was correct. Is this a good omen?

[roversmum]

It was a bit of a 'politicians' answer on Monday, when Hughes said: "I have no plans to leave Wales."

He didn't say that on Monday. He was asked about it at the Press Conference and said it was something he said a while ago when he didn't have any plans to leave Wales at that time.........

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The more I read about Hughes the more I realise what a calm,intelligent and thoughful fella he is..tomorrow cant come quick enough!

[nolan9]

Quick one regarding Hughes' consultation with Fergusson before taking over. Ferguson said go for it you'll do well. This is the same bloke who said that Brian Kidd didn't have it, and was correct. Is this a good omen?

I Thought Ferguson wanted to keep Kidd as his assistant but didnt want to stop him furthering his career?? You might be right im not sure

[thenodrog]

Quick one regarding Hughes' consultation with Fergusson before taking over. Ferguson said go for it you'll do well. This is the same bloke who said that Brian Kidd didn't have it, and was correct. Is this a good omen?

I Thought Ferguson wanted to keep Kidd as his assistant but didnt want to stop him furthering his career?? You might be right im not sure

Ferguson was highly critical (and widely quoted) of Kidd's managerial qualities in his autobiography which was published soon after BK got the Rovers job.

[1864roverite]

ther eis one absolute positive which noone has picked up on since the sourness left our divine club.

Not one player has come out and rubbished him or dissed him in any way.

That for me shows the professionalism around the club players.

Judging by the comments attributed to mssrs Short,Flitcroft and Jansen there appears to be a masive upchange in mood within the club.

It definately stinks of sourness having lost the respect of a lot of the players. I have always been a staunch supporter of Souness but it appears that over the past 12 months he had certainly lost his way with the majority.

Its a new day, a new broom and a new start.

Come on Rovers