[Archived] Mark Hughes - Good Choice ?

[USABlue]

Time to hold my hand up.  I did not want  Hughes as manager simply because I was concerned about his motivational skills.  Most players are self motivated when playing for Wales and I would rather have gone for somebody with managerial experience at club level. 

However I have to say that imo the team is now working hard and for each other as a unit.  And the "effort = results" ethic is clearly evident.

Almost ditto. I must admit Sparky started to make a beleiver relatively quickly, even the two 4-0's did not discourage me.

I think he is on the right track, can he sustain it? I hope so. I am now looking forward to being able to watch the games when they are on instead of just watching them out of blind loyalty.

He keeps things moving in this direction and the gates should pick up. We may not always be the prettiest but the effort is their for all to see and it is worth the price of a ticket

Well done Mark Hughes, now let's just hope he does not get the dreaded Manager of the Month anytime soon.

As far as Marsh's comments, no one player? Well in my mind that is just fine as long as we have the right balance it means the opposition never knows where the danger is coming from.

Perhaps it is better to have several players that can do a little damage than one who gets a lot of attention.

Case in point, would Gally have been allowed so much space for his goal if he had the reputation of a big name player, I think not.

Edited November 28, 2004 by USABlue

[Eddie]

Not really GS came in like a new broom too.

As I've said before if somebody had poached him away after we won at Spurs and pipped Everton for europe GS would be remembered in a far far different way by the supporters.

He came in with a new broom, but I think the point was that they are different, and that you can't deny. Their styles and methods contrast greatly, we'll have to see who was more successful in three years time, but lets hope for the clubs sake that it was Hughes.

[pg]

Bleedin' eck!

The season isn't half over yet. Even Brian Kidd won a few games whilst in charge.

The jury is still out on Hughes... lets see where we finish at the end of the season before we pass judgement on him.

[waggy]

time for some more backslapping

[joey_big_nose]

Well, he well deserves it. Our team looks transformed from a side with some talnted individuals who frequently lose concentration to a solid unit who are extremely hard to beat. The quality of football we are playing is improving to- we a re pinging it around a bit more.

Looking on Everton websites last night and the general consensus was that Rovers looked like a team that should be the opposite end of the table.

The only real difference between us and Everton in terms of league position has not been talent but organisation and work rate. Hopefully under Hughes we can keep up these high levels. Add a quality striker, a creative midfielder (if Reid does not fill that role....) and a left back over the summer and we could really be in business.

Top man.

[Jan]

Joey

I'd agree with almost all of that, except the bit " from a side with some talnted individuals who frequently lose concentration". Before Hughes we looked like an average pub side. The talented individuals had long since departed leaving (I must admit I thought) a bunch of no-talent no-hopers.

I have no doubt that had Souness not gone, the situation would just have got worse, but he did, and we go real cash money for him AND an infinitely better manager. The no-talent-no-hopers are now quite skilled professionals who actually know how to play the game again, they look fitter and are playing at least twice as fast (and infinitely more accurately)

Result.

[den]

I have a feeling that, if Gresko can regain his fitness, he could be the answer to the left back spot. After all, Hughes had turned around the defensive side of our team before the signing of Nelsen or Mokoena.

Defendings all about discipline and concentration.

[BRFC4EVA]

I have no doubt that had Souness not gone, the situation would just have got worse, but he did, and we got real cash money for him AND an infinitely better manager.

Does anybody know what the terms of the compensation package was that n'castle had to pay us?

[Jan]

Nope, but we didn't have to pay the (can't use the word I'd like to here) to go, so anything was a result!.

[frosty]

Hughes has done a fantastic job for us. If souness had still been here, we'd of had about 20 points and would have been rock bottom

[Modi]

I have a feeling that, if Gresko can regain his fitness, he could be the answer to the left back spot. After all, Hughes had turned around the defensive side of our team before the signing of Nelsen or Mokoena.

Defendings all about discipline and concentration.

And his best performances were with a genuine left footed midfielder in front of him.

[Eddie]

I have no doubt that had Souness not gone, the situation would just have got worse, but he did, and we got real cash money for him AND an infinitely better manager. 

Does anybody know what the terms of the compensation package was that n'castle had to pay us?

I believe it was somewhere around 300,000 pounds, but we then gave the Welsh FA basically the same package I think.

[philipl]

Mark Hughes- an appreciation.

I've said it before but Sparky is massively over-achieving what I had expected/hoped of him.

Getting the players fit and sorting out the tactics was the least we could have expected after the embarassments of Souness in his declining months but I would not have expected that Hughes and his team would have:

- made the Rovers as lean as butcher's dogs and twice as fit

- turned Rovers into the tightest and meanest defence outside the billionaires club

- so quickly turned into a tactical mastermind (particularly as he wasn't in the Wales job)

- become a whizz in the transfer market (including the scrapings and droppings)

- created a fantastic team spirit.

Truly Mark Hughes is a brilliant appointment.

Long may RFW not overdo the scotch, Glazer keep his hands off the Mancs, Bruce keep smarming to Crerand (or whoever he needs to crawl to for the Manc job), may Boro win the UEFA Cup to make RFW's old number two a contender, and the Blackburn public get their backsides down to Ewood on Sunday to show our Manager that he is a gem and we treasure him and his team.

[thenodrog]

Long may RFW not overdo the scotch, Glazer keep his hands off the Mancs, Bruce keep smarming to Crerand (or whoever he needs to crawl to for the Manc job), may Boro win the UEFA Cup to make RFW's old number two a contender, and the Blackburn public get their backsides down to Ewood on Sunday to show our Manager that he is a gem and we treasure him and his team.

Hear Hear!

[Philly Rover ®]

I'll admit that when Souness went my top choice was Dowie, mainly because he had proven himself a brilliant manager at the club level and was familiar with the everyday ins and outs of running a club as opposed to a national team (i.e. transfers, training, etc.).

However, having seen what Hughes has been able with respect to Rovers' fitness (witness the article on Sky Sports today with MGP), their defense, and (so far) in the transfer market, I couldn't be happier with his performance.

Well done, Sparky, keep up the good work.

[waggy]

Long may RFW not overdo the scotch, Glazer keep his hands off the Mancs, Bruce keep smarming to Crerand (or whoever he needs to crawl to for the Manc job), may Boro win the UEFA Cup to make RFW's old number two a contender, and the Blackburn public get their backsides down to Ewood on Sunday to show our Manager that he is a gem and we treasure him and his team.

Hear Hear!

this will haunt all rovers fans whilst hughes is manager here,but i honestly think most managers have 3-4 seasons at 1 club,if sparky puts us on the road to sucsess,i will not begruge him his dream move.

[waggy]

you have got to hand it too hughes he is not afraid off making big decisions,1st parkes is shown the door and now he put's STEAD on the transfer list,he certianly does not let the grass grow under his feet.

[LeChuck]

you have got to hand it too hughes he is not afraid off making big decisions,1st parkes is shown the door and now he put's STEAD on the transfer list,he certianly does not let the grass grow under his feet.

319017[/snapback]

Why do you have to hand it to him? Two wrong decisions, how big they were doesn't matter.

Stead is the best striker at the club, alright that doesn't say much but we shouldn't be selling someone of his age. We were being offered around £1 million for Dickov in January from Birmingham weren't we? He should go first because of his age.

[thenodrog]

Stead is the best striker at the club, alright that doesn't say much but we shouldn't be selling someone of his age. We were being offered around £1 million for Dickov in January from Birmingham weren't we? He should go first because of his age.

319027[/snapback]

Rubbish for every goal Stead has scored Dickov has scored 5! Playing Stead all season would have seen us visiting tTurf next year.

What are you on Le Chuck?

[tcj_jones]

Lets see, Dickov is the teams penalty taker, he has played far, FAR more games, with Stead usually coming off the bench, Dickov is one of the poorest one on one finishers I have seen, he is a headless chicken who upsets any balance the team may have, he is impossible to play alongside or use as a target man...

Dickov is not a good player; he moan, winges, falls over, cannot score one on ones and is getting on in age and therefore must be the most logical player to release.

I fear for our future if we persist with him up front next season, I really do.

I appreciate Hughes' ruthlessness and aility to make the big decision, however, in this instance, I think he has made the wrong one.

Edited May 27, 2005 by tcj_jones

[broadsword]

you have got to hand it too hughes he is not afraid off making big decisions,1st parkes is shown the door and now he put's STEAD on the transfer list,he certianly does not let the grass grow under his feet.

319017[/snapback]

Why do you have to hand it to him? Two wrong decisions, how big they were doesn't matter.

Stead is the best striker at the club, alright that doesn't say much but we shouldn't be selling someone of his age. We were being offered around £1 million for Dickov in January from Birmingham weren't we? He should go first because of his age.

319027[/snapback]

Gotta say ... I find myself disagreeing with you quite a lot ...

Parkes had to go, and who's to say we might get someone in in place of Stead (in Stead's stead?) on less money and for a profit, who bangs more goals in.

But don't let that stop you bitching and moaning, we only have 10 weeks in which to get players in - madness!

[Alan75]

With respect Bryan, I dont think the club have 10 weeks. In my opinion its 4 weeks, the 25th June deadline for season ticket renewal.

If Hughes or the club dont come up with some possitive action, or even vibes, following the announcement of a Stead transfer by the deadline I see a greater loss of season ticket revenue than originally expected.

[cn174]

Dickov is one of the poorest one on one finishers I have seen,

319086[/snapback]

Yea, because Stead is so much better in that respect!

If we're comparing the two, Dickov made 27 starts and scored 9 goals - thats 1 in every 3 games. Stead made 19 starts and scored 2 - thats 1 in every 9.5 games. Whatever you think about Dickov moaning and whatnot, the fact is he's scored some very vital goals and without them we'd be off to Burnley for two more games this season. Neither record is good enough but Dickov's is better.

As for selling Stead, I'm unsure. Given another season he may come good and return to the form of 03/04, but Hughes might not be willing to take that chance if he can use Stead to get a better player.

[den]

With respect Bryan, I dont think the club have 10 weeks. In my opinion its 4 weeks, the 25th June deadline for season ticket renewal.

If Hughes or the club dont come up with some possitive action, or even vibes, following the announcement of a Stead transfer by the deadline I see a greater loss of season ticket revenue than originally expected.

319118[/snapback]

Looks like they're trying, Alan. It's the right way to go, but it will take a lot more of the same to get through with some real impact.

Come and join us - Hughes.

[Alan75]

Much better that the Souness pre-season comments of our main priority is survival. ..den.