weak at the back, and that when Craig Bellamy plays that we are
excellent going forward.
But I don't think that 19 December 2009 is going to be remembered by
City fans as the day when we narrowly overcame Steve Bruce's
Sunderland.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
City 4 - 3 Sunderland
The 90 minutes aren't exactly the story here. We knew that we were
weak at the back, and that when Craig Bellamy plays that we are
excellent going forward.
weak at the back, and that when Craig Bellamy plays that we are
excellent going forward.
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12 comments:
If he is sacked I will be gutted. True, its not exactly been fantastic but I believe that the guy has sweated blood rebuilding our club to resemble a 21st century outfit. If anyone should be sacked its Bowen - he was a left back wasn't he and therefore probably coaches our defence? Let's face it they are a shambles so all we needed was to hire a quality coach to work along side Hughes.
We are on course for top 6 and that was the stated aim. Is Mancini really going to have the desired effect (through an interpreter)? He should have had the rest of the season in my view.
I think it's disgraceful that Hughes hasn't been given the time needed to make us a regular contender for the top 4. The club said top 6 was the priority and with a game in hand mid-way through the season we're on track. There HAS to be something inside the club that we're not aware of. Personally, I like Hughes' management style - especially his player management approach; just look at how he has tamed Bellamy and what he did with RSC at Blackburn. He should've been given more time. I am absolutely disgusted that Mancini is his replacement too. He won the Scudeto whilst Juve had been demoted and then won 2 additional back to backs whilst Juve and AC were rebuilding following the scandals. In my mind that is no major success. If we have to replace Hughes why didn't we go for Mourinho (after all money is no object) or Hiddink (I'm sure we could've negotiated our way out the bizarre Abramovich contract set up).
I'm quite saddened by how much respect I've just lost for my own club, through a period of major transition like this, where players are changing so regularly, Hughes was one face you could always relate back to City, even if he has only been there 18 months. Now I barely recognise the club at all, not in a nice way, and after the way the club was supposed to reflect Abu Dhabi itself, I'm quite shocked, confused and angry. Who knows what to think eh?
Agree with the other posters. This is the worst turn we could have taken at the worst possible time, but is it really anything new? New owners, new ambition, new direction, blah, blah, blah. Influx of money and ownership who haven't got a clue by this sacking and immediate hiring. As simon said, all of this is from an Italian (of which we have none of in the team). What's more, we can't even get our owner to leave his ivory palace and come to a game. Ridiculous again.
I have never been a huge Hughes guy but this was pretty sour. Spursesque, even. Even worse, this has that clown Garry Cook's fingerprints all over it.
I don't agree with the overall emotional tone here (and in many other media). Hughes did many good things for the club, but he clearly didn't do well enough at the big things. Perhaps the owners have deep pockets, but Hughes didn't spend wisely. Spending £22mil on Lescott and letting Dunne go was a serious error. Having a shambolic defence nearly halfway through the season, and not being able to manage moody but skilled players like Robhino, Petrov, and Adebeyor, really shows he isn't up for the job.
We can quibble whether it was the right time (personally I think it was), or done in the right way, or if Mancini is the right replacement, but Hughes ultimately wasn't the right man to handle a club with such unprecedented expectations.
He had to go.
Hughes wasn't sacked because of City's position in the league, for getting to a semi-final, for the way we attack, for our fitness or for establishing a professional culture.
He was sacked for the dreadful defence (1.5 goals a game), for buying some poor players, for the side's inability to close down games, for unwise tactics (Wednesday's set-up, for example, was all wrong) and for failing to get the best from the big names like Robinho, Toure and Adebayor.
I'm surprised, disappointed and baffled by the timing. This decision would have been hasty next June but to do it now suggests, as Jason says, that there is some reason other than the ones above.
Not only am I thoroughly disgusted with this rash and unecessary decision but the manner in which was handled borders on disgraceful. This is a huge and unecessary gamble and the potential negative fallout could be huge.
My main concern is what effect this will have on the players, particularly our most consistent performers such as Bellamy, Ireland, SWP,and Tevez, players who were strongly pro-Hughes , plus all the multitude of players he signed. The media can spin the mercenary story all they want but one the reasons I think we were able to sign players like Barry and Tevez and even Adebayor was on the strength of Mark Hughes character. If they feel he got a raw deal then there is a very real chance we could see a return of the downward spiral we saw under the cagey but very overrated Sven.
I'm sure the "Hughes out" crowd will point to the series of dissappointing draws and the poor showing at Spurs and their continual concern with tactical nous, but I will still argue that this hardly justifies firing Hughes at such an early stage for a manager who is not a significant upgrade.
Tactical nous can be learned and acquired, but strength of character, drive and determination and a winning mentality cannot so easily and Hughes has these qualities in abundance. There is no doubt in my mind that Hughes will go on to be a very succesful manager and I would have loved to see him achieve it here at City. If nothing else we should all be kissing Hughes' hand for the manner in which he fought tooth and nail for professional stability at this club, for improved training and medical fascilities, match preparation and physical training. If Mancini or any other manager goes on to achieve success it will be because of the foundation Hughes has laid. If my delusional self can see this than surely the ardent "Hughes out" crowd can too.
@Andrew
Couldn't agree more. This whole affair stinks of Garry Cook to high Heaven. If anybody should be called into question and be sacked it is this man. His is a Marketing man through and through. This is a man who would market arsenic as a healthy food if he thought it would make him money and I do not trust this man whatsoever.
Like everyone I'm a bit torn on this decision. On one hand, no one can argue that Hughes brought a tenacity, a strong character, and a dogged determination to the squad. However, two wins in 11 is just not good enough. Whats worse is that you couldn't really predict a City win before any game, in fact most bloggers correctly predicted that we would struggle against Tottenham. After such a huge investment in the club the owners where certainly looking for a top four finish regardless if they set the public goal at a modest sixth. Its hard from a fan's perspective to set down sentimentality for a second and look at the business side of the game. But imagine that you are a stockholder in a company who invested more than any other competitors but is still not on top of the market. Surely no company on the planet would stick with the same CEO. In the end, whats done is done, I think we all should get behind Mancini and focus on the future of our beloved club instead of scrutinizing the past.
he was sacked because he didnt organise the players he brought. he was sacked because he flunked the biggest game of the year and blamed the players. because he limited his targets to the small pool of premiership experienced players that are available at any one time. because there are never that many good players in that pool, you end up with poor matches (toure and lescott) instead of tailor made solutions. because he had no interest in buying anyone for the future, it was all quick fixes, get a season out of them and then think again. because most of these players just aren't as good as their reputations. because because because he never made the job his own.
if you ever get the opportunity of a lifetime, don't expect to get away with 'ok'. don't get caught up in the short term. don't compromise your values to avoid trouble.
the mourinhos, capellos and hiddinks don't think like that. they have total belief in their ability to do outstanding things, to get any player onside or deal with them swiftly, they never ever worry that they are going to get the sack for taking a risk. hughes couldn't make the jump from short-term survival to the bigger picture.
it's horrible and it's harsh, it's even hypocritical of the owners, but it's the real world, if you want the best job you have to DO the best job. OK doesn't cut it.
is Mancini in the same league as Mourinho, Capello? hard to say. but his arrival should see the clubs horizons broadening beyond the provincial and prosaic targets, he has a track record of bringing on emerging talents and of harnessing some huge egos. If he tamed Ibra, getting Adebayor to jump for the ball occassionally becomes a realistic proposition.
Good luck to him
Good luck to MH as well. We owe him for stabilising the club at a difficult time, and for bringing Ireland on at a time when most would have sold him.
To say he deserved better, well, I happen to know he's done a few sneaky and underhand things in his time at our club too.
We're all grown ups, we are talking about a very major role in managing a is a half a billion pound investment. I think the sentimentalism here is a bit silly.
Mancini and the players will still have my backing, but its does now make me deeply question the credibility & judgementof ADUG for what is a lateral move at best and it doesn't excuse the fact that they made a pigs breakfast of this!They should have held to their word and given Hughes til May to prove himself. If this isn't typical City I don't what is? Mark Hughes has been treated harshly and unfairly it as simple as that.
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