[Archived] Mark Hughes - Good Choice ?

[John]

Bit concerned about his comment on contracts though...

That is what I was questioning - don't understand....

[thenodrog]

Taken from an interview in today's Daily Mail.

It's quite obvious why Hughes left: he'd taken us as far as he could and wanted a new challenge. Sir Alex is merely stating that he views Rovers as a stepping stone and so does Hughes. Bit concerned about his comment on contracts though...

Judging by current events I can only assume that the old RFW is mistaken in thinking that footballers contracts are actually allowed to run out...... unless of course the player concerned is sh1t or injured.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

It's all going downhill for Hughesy now... first his boss might be getting jailed, leaving him with no funds...

now he's soo far down the ropes he's appearing on Jeremy Kyle!

[Mc Love]

Thats hilarious!!

[they_think_its_all_rover]

scary isn't it? ...I was thinking maybe a Mark Hughes - Steptoe love child?

[FourLaneBlue]

Ex-PMs wife guilty of fraud

Thaksins missus and brother-in-law have been sent down. He looks odds-on to follow.

For us Hughes was a great choice.

For him City is looking like not such a great choice...

[roversmum]

She's on bail pending an appeal though. Mind you, in that part of the world, if she loses the appeal things are likely to get rather worse......

[broadsword]

Only Man City could find a millionaire backer who looks luike he will be cut off from all of his money and sent down for a good few years.

Hahhahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Absolutely hysterical.

Nice one Mark Hughes! :-)

[roversmum]

I wonder if Dean Saunders had anything to do with it.............

[andrew92]

how was he a fit and proper person to run a football club?? well done the F.A, i think his missus has proven they made the wrong decision!!

[Exiled in Toronto]

I see Hughes has been mouthing off in the press, ruibbishing the previous regime at City, which of course he did when he came here. While he may have a point, it irks me that he feels so superior to predecessors who each won plenty of trophies as managers whereas Hughes has won nowt as yet. He keeps waving the qualifications of his staff, but until he wins things...

[FourLaneBlue]

Hughes was right to do so at Rovers. We were a club on our knees and heading toward relegation. Added to that our previous manager had downplayed expectations which, although pragmatic, does not inspire the fans. Many of our best players had been gradually sold off (Duff, Dunn, Cole, Berg, Jansen - not the fault of Souness but symptomatic of our lost way) and morale at the club seemed to be rock bottom.

At City though this approach seems daft. They just finished in the top half and are in Europe. OK they got their a funny way but they finished higher in the league than the last time Hughes got us into Europe. Added to this they have some excellent players in that squad...England internationals like Richards, Petrov on the wing, Elano, Stephen Ireland, Richard Dune etc...plus they have spent over 20 million on Jo and Ben Haim since his arrival. Not only that but the compensation for Hughes and his backroom team was very expensive compared to the usual payout for a manager.

To impress at Man City he will have to do something special. They are in a far healthier state than we were when he took over at Ewood and they have already spent probably almost as much cash since his arrival as he did in all his time at Ewood!

It is a very tough task for Hughes and with all the turmoil surrounding Thaksin it may be a poor decision. If he had stayed at Ewood and even not had a great season (lower half) he would have been excused and lack of investment blamed. Other opportunities would still have come his way.

Being City manager has always been a poisoned chalice and it looks right now like it will be no different for Hughes.

It is going to be very interesting to see how it plays out.

Edited July 31, 2008 by FourLaneBlue

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Hughes was right to do so at Rovers. We were a club on our knees and heading toward relegation. Added to that our previous manager had downplayed expectations which, although pragmatic, does not inspire the fans. Many of our best players had been gradually sold off (Duff, Dunn, Cole, Berg, Jansen - not the fault of Souness but symptomatic of our lost way) and morale at the club seemed to be rock bottom.

Souness was a damn sight more successful at Rovers than Hughes FLB and the silverware to show for it.....gave many some great memories.

The nearly men...an epitaph of the Hughes tenure?

Edited July 31, 2008 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[thenodrog]

Events have screwed him and screwed us. The door should not have been slammed behind him just because he wanted to angle for the Chelsea job. It wasnt a slight on BRFC at all but it is a slight on us that he has left us for Dodge City! The Chelsea job is about the best in the world, all of football recognise that but when the russian wouldn't play ball there should have been a way for him to return with some dignity.

[alexanders]

Events have screwed him and screwed us. The door should not have been slammed behind him just because he wanted to angle for the Chelsea job. It wasnt a slight on BRFC at all but it is a slight on us that he has left us for Dodge City! The Chelsea job is about the best in the world, all of football recognise that but when the russian wouldn't play ball there should have been a way for him to return with some dignity.

And we would just be waiting until another job came up and he wanted to leave us?

Remember that he also refused to deny that he was in the Newcastle running, because he was interested in the job at St James Park?

He was going to leave us anytime soon anyway.

[FourLaneBlue]

Souness was a damn sight more successful at Rovers than Hughes FLB and the silverware to show for it.....gave many some great memories.

Yes but he if he had stayed then we could well have gone down. That is why the club needed a kick up the bum and a new management style brought in.

Souness was a damn sight more successful at Rovers than Hughes FLB and the silverware to show for it.....gave many some great memories.

Yes but he if he had stayed then we could well have gone down. That is why the club needed a kick up the bum and a new management style brought in.

I am not sure I would class Souness as more succesful overall...Hughes managed a top-half finish in all three full seasons. Three cup semi-finals as well. Best of all...the money he spent will be made back and more.

Most importantly...he left the club in 7th place. Souness jumped ship when we going down...

[scotchrover]

Souness was a damn sight more successful at Rovers than Hughes FLB and the silverware to show for it.....gave many some great memories.

The nearly men...an epitaph of the Hughes tenure?

No - he nearly killed the club - squad value was nil when he left - it must be £50m now. Silverware wise okay - but anyone can buy success. Hughes nearly did it without any cash at all so to speak.

[Frisky Jim]

He wasn't backed with sufficient funds, and that is why he left. He'd taken us as far as he could under the current board.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Frisky Jim

[S15]

No - he nearly killed the club - squad value was nil when he left - it must be £50m now. Silverware wise okay - but anyone can buy success. Hughes nearly did it without any cash at all so to speak.

Which has been proven year after year since the Premier League started.

Nearly killed the club? Are you mental?

[scotchrover]

He wasn't backed with sufficient funds, and that is why he left. He'd taken us as far as he could under the current board.

Oh come on Vinjay - how much are you going to put in then?

[allrovertheworld]

He wasn't backed with sufficient funds, and that is why he left. He'd taken us as far as he could under the current board.

No mate, the manager and the players had the opportunity to secure European football on the last day against an as good as relegated Brum. They failed to produce and that had nothing to do with the board.

Hughes took the club as far as he could take it, not as far as our club can go. Semi finals can turn into finals, just look at Portsmouth.

[scotchrover]

Which has been proven year after year since the Premier League started.

Nearly killed the club? Are you mental?

No - I'm not mental, just realistic - if we had gone down again it would have been the end of Rovers as a Premiership force. JW spent enough time with the board and Trustees convincing them to keep their squad together for the second season in the first division and they would not have put up with another relegation without selling to an inferior financial operation or pulling the plug. You should realise just how lucky you are - or perhaps you were not there in the dark days of the third division.

[allrovertheworld]

No - I'm not mental, just realistic - if we had gone down again it would have been the end of Rovers as a Premiership force. JW spent enough time with the board and Trustees convincing them to keep their squad together for the second season in the first division and they would not have put up with another relegation without selling to an inferior financial operation or pulling the plug. You should realise just how lucky you are - or perhaps you were not there in the dark days of the third division.

The third division was and is a very light place and enjoyable.

[The Prof.]

No - he nearly killed the club - squad value was nil when he left - it must be £50m now. Silverware wise okay - but anyone can buy success. Hughes nearly did it without any cash at all so to speak.

Excellent post - must have cost the club millions. Right manager to start - disaster by the end.

The third division was and is a very light place and enjoyable.

And you'd like to go back?

[jim mk2]

No - he nearly killed the club - squad value was nil when he left - it must be £50m now. Silverware wise okay - but anyone can buy success. Hughes nearly did it without any cash at all so to speak.

Remember also Hughes was one misplaced header (by Pedersen) from taking Rovers to the FA Cup Final.