Mark Hughes is the 7th highest scorer in the history of Manchester United, spending a total of 13 years with the club. He joined us as a teenager and was a fans’ favourite early on.
Hughes won the FA Cup with us in 1985 before leaving for Barcelona the following year. He didn’t do too well in Spain and was loaned to Bayern Munich for a year, only to return to United the following season.
He saw out the peak of his career with us, staying at the club in to his 30s. In this time, he added to his honours, winning two league titles, two more FA Cups, a League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup.
Hughes was much loved by our fans, mainly due to his ability to spice up a game and score truly wonderful goals. His skill wasn’t just recognised by United though, as Hughes claimed the PFA Player of the Year award twice, first in 1989 and again in 1991.
His most important goals came in the European Cup Winners Cup in 91, goals in the 1990 and 1994 FA Cup final wins against Crystal Palace and Chelsea. He scored the goal that helped us in to the FA Cup final in 1994 against Oldham in the semis, with just seconds remaining on the clock.
So how are we expected to feel now, knowing that Sparky is likely to take the manager’s job at our local, bitter rivals, City?
Hughes is a player a lot of reds tip to be the man to replace Sir Alex Ferguson in a few years time, following successful stints as Wales and Blackburn manager. He understands the United way, he has the support of the fans, and would be a much needed familiar face after Fergie is to depart following over two decades at the club.
However, news today suggests that Hughes’ next job will be down the road at the Council House, not Old Trafford.
Dr. Death booted out Sven Goran Eriksson today after months of speculation, despite earning City their highest ever points total in the Premier League years.
The official Blackburn website today released a statement saying, “Mark has made it clear to the board he would like the opportunity to talk to Manchester City. In view of this, the board have decided reluctantly to give him permission.”
Aside from my preferences over Hughes’ future, even the neutrals would have to think he is mad to leave his post at Blackburn, who finished two places above Eriksson’s team this year. City owner, Shinawatra, clearly has no idea what he is doing, meaning Hughes has very little job security. If Sven can improve City by 5 places in just one season, as well as guiding them to the UEFA Cup, and still be kicked out, what guarantee does Hughes have over his future, regardless of the success he may bring?
Some reds might say his status as a United legend will be tarnished somewhat if he takes on the position at City, and talk of a future with us will certainly be diminished. It’s a no win situation now. If he fails to make City successful, then he won’t get the backing to take over at United, as the Glazers certainly don’t hold the sentimentality for him that we might. If he does well at City, then questions will be asked over whether we want the man who turned City in a decent side as our manager.
If Hughes takes the City job, would you rule him out of the running for future United manager?
For me if Hughes goes to City for me there’s no way back !!! Why he’d want to go manage under Shinawatra is beyond me and with United’s rivals?!? Especially now that Fergie has declared that his time is drawin to a close…if Hughes nows whats best for him he’ll sit tight and continue doing what he’s being doing at Blackburn for another year or two….
If he gives up the City job he’s not exactly decling an opportunity at a big club now is he ?!
Couple of things here
a) is he trying to flush out any interest by chelsea?
b) he will be on a far bigger salary with the citeh
c) hell have more transfer funds to spend
d) we all know citeh are a massive huge massive giant massive club
how can he turn them down
if he does well there , with their nutty chairman in charge then he will only have strengthed his claim to the untd job taking their manager off them wouldn;t bother me at all
carlos will be our next manager anyhow imo
I agree with what bob said about CQ being our next manager. That’s probably why Sparky is thinking of taking the role at Citeh…he knows he still has quite a few more years before he can manage United!
Citeh——-! HaHa!
I just dont understand why Hughes’y would leave Blackburn for citeh? I thought hed only leave them if a job worth taking came along and this clearly isnt it! What can he acheive at wastelands? The likes of Spurs, Villa, Everton and Portsmouth are ahead of them and even Blackburn! I dont understand it at all!?
I don’t actually want Mark Hughes to replace Sir Alex, I want CQ.. the obvious successor to continue and if Sparky is up for becoming an AM after his sucess at Wales and Blackburn then I’ll take that.
I cannot see why he’d go to city, even from a proffesional level. I can see that City can offer a bigger transfer kitty and in that sense have more potential than Rovers but CITY? After the way they treated Sven, Sven, Sven? I just don’t get it!
the thing is i would like to see what he would do with some wad of cash from thaksin,he has shown that he can pull off some incredible steals in Benni,Roque and the dutch winger .So this is the time to show if he can spend our money wisely or is another arsene wenger.Shrewd with unknown players but can’t manage stars or established stars.Would it be so bad if he were to manage city ?yes it would, but united would be the better for it if he didn’t turn out to be a dud that’s all.
Sparky has shown that he can get players to join blackburn of exceptional quality if he can replicate that at Cityhe is more than welcome at United.If ever there was a time for him to prove his credentials it would be now.
Sir Matt Busby played for Ciddy
I think our next manager has to have proven himself to be a good manager with experience. Now, I’m not saying Sparky isn’t a good manager, but he has no experience of any other club, and if he can make Citeh a ‘good team’ as Blackburn has become, he can prove it’s not beginner’s luck.
Even though SAF didn’t have much ‘big time’ experience, he did manage 3 clubs and Scotland before joining us.
I don’t think there would be a problem with Sparky leaving Citeh to join us if that possibility presented itself in the future and I hope we can all appreciate that it probably isn’t an ideal situation for him but he needs to further himself and Citeh may just be the place for him to do that.