6 REASONS WHY IT WAS WRONG TO SACK MARK HUGHES

Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by Broadband in Football, Sports

I guess Mark Hughes’ sacking today shouldn’t be a surprise, after all Football has lost it’s ethical side and been taken over by the ruthless investment of Business Groups and Owners. Yet I can’t help but feel sad at the distaste of how decisions are made and what football has become.

At 6:27pm today the statement from Khaldoon Al Murabak (part owner of Manchester City) was one of professionalism, clarity and showed respect to the now former boss of the club. Yet behind the scenes tells a different story, with the club having secret meetings with Roberto Mancini behind Hughes’ back and agreeing to a contract on December 2nd (after City had booked a place in the league cup semi finals) for Mancini to join the club.

What followed today was disheartening as owners told Hughes of his sacking as he walked through the Manchester City tunnel and advised Shay Given and Kolo Toure to tell the rest of the squad that Hughes was no longer their manager. But Why??

7 Reasons why it was wrong to sack Mark Hughes…..

He’s Made GREAT use of Good Players

The difference between the multi-million purchases made by cash machines like Chelsea and Real Madrid and that of Manchester City is that the former made world class signings, whereas City signed good premiership players.

We mustn’t forget that Manchester City were a mid-table team before Hughes took over and so attracting world class players would always be an uphill struggle. Instead Hughes used his brain and picked up good (not world class) experienced premiership players in Lescott, Barry, Toure, Bridge, Bellamy and Santa Cruz to aid his efforts. So far this season despite slip-ups (DRAWS) they have managed to stay with the pack and are 6th…Oh No they’re in a European qualifying spot, madness!!

Time + Nurturing = Success

No matter how much money you put into a business or how much talent you have, success always takes time. There’s no way you can take a mid-table team and turn them into world beaters overnight; things have to change from the mentality to the bonding of the club and Hughes was slowly building that rapport.

Its no coincidence that three of the most successful clubs in English football in the last decade have the longest running managers (Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger & RaFacts Benitez). Ferguson who endured rough opening years at Manchester United was given time to do his job and what followed was pretty obvious

He Was Reaching Their Target

When the Abu Dhabi group took over, their intentions were clear…Europe. Indeed the club failed to qualify for Europe in their first season but they were well on their way this season having only been defeated twice. They have gone toe to toe with premiership contenders and left with good results and had an impressive home record.

Seeing as it is only December, Liverpool are below them and the top teams are more capable of losing games than ever Manchester City were a good outside bet to finish in top 4. You trying to tell me they couldn’t wait 5 months?

His signings produced

Just like Mourinho at Chelsea, Hughes wasn’t able to always make his own signing but rather comply with what the board wanted. It’s no coincidence that the signings Hughes made were the ones who performed well. Compared to players who Hughes was forced to sign by the Abu Dhabi group to enforce their buying power

Hughes Signings: Shay Given, Craig Bellamy, Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz, Shaun Wright Phillips, Nigel De Jong, Wayne Bridge

Abu Dhabi signings: Emanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure & Robinho

The majority of Hughes’ signings produced whereas the majority of Abu Dhabi’s signings haven’t….go figure

No Problems?

When a club that has the least amount of losses in the premiership and the biggest victory over Arsenal in years you usually associate that with brilliance. The only downside of Manchester City’s season so far was the constant draws.

I’m no expert in management but that seems like it can be easily be addressed with focus on the defensive side of City’s game. If I was in that position I’d be happy because outside of that there was nothing else wrong with Man City’s game…surely…

Caring British Manager

This is in no way saying that foreign managers don’t care about the English game however I think I’m inclined to wonder whether Mancini took the job because of the money. What is a manager who had previously managed the Italian champions Inter want to do at a club who haven’t been in the Top 4 of the premiership? Money perhaps?

Some may say that Hughes took the job for the same reasons as he was doing fine with a Blackburn side who were establishing themselves as European contenders. However I put it down to opportunity and with the astute signings of British players such as Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Barry, Hughes was looking for a core of hard-working players rather than a Harlem-Globe Trotting dream team suitable for Pro Evolution and Fifa domination.