Mark Hughes was tipped by some to be the successor of Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager, the club where he had become a legend after playing at Old Trafford for 13 years.
But he took the job at City, ruling out any possible future as United boss. 18 months later he was sacked, with a 10th placed finish all he had to bring about over his time at The Richest Club in the World.
Former team mate, Roy Keane, reckons Hughes made the wrong choice in taking the City job and is now better off to be away from them.
“I’m disappointed for him of course I am,” said Keane. “I think when you’re involved with a club like United, as Sparky was over his career, you shouldn’t go to a club like City. I think you should try and get employment somewhere else. I think Sparky is probably better off.”
Man Utd News 24/7
i have to agree
loyalty to the club is everything, without it we’ll just become like the renboys. The pride for playing for united should be what drives our players on, lets hope we have a new generation thats as loyal as the old one
couldn’t agree more with Keano here.
I’ll never understand why andy cole and schmeichel went there either.
Wow! As if Roy Keane had to do anything else to cement his legendary status at United. I still didn’t expect this statement but glad he’s said what he did.
Keane is the best…
THERE’S ONLY ONE KEANO!!!
Hughes may not become the United manager now, but can you blame him for taking the city job?. i wont ,with the money that was being invested it was always a step up from Blackburn Rovers. Hughes had spent a lot of years at Blackburn and had shown his managerial abilities by guiding them to quite a few wins over us and the other big 4 members and some really good league campaigns. The difference between Blackburn and City was at Blackburn sparky had players who gave in their 100% week in week out. Here at city the players earn obnoxious amounts even if they dont give their 100% every week. Player like that overhyped cunt Robinho were clearly not giving in 100%. Hughes also said some things about Fergie and United that didnt go down too well with the United fans, but we shouldnt forget that he was at City and hence you cant expect him to say good things about United. I am sure deep down inside he has respect for United and Sir Alex.I still wont mind him as the United manager one day. No manager will succeed without the players giving in their all every week. As Steve Bruce said yesterday managers not getting time is a major problem. we are in a different world now.The pressure is too much..Thank God fergie came 23 years back and not now.I would love to see Sparky return to management seen.Man Utd wasnt built in a day and neither will any club shitty or any other club. Not exactly comparable to the owen situation but in some ways it is, owen should never have joined United,thats what the dippers fans think but when it comes to that point you cant let chances like this go.Hughes had achieved everything he could at Blackburn. It is easy to say he shouldnt have done this and he shouldnt have done that but put yourself in that position and then think,what would you do?
FUCK MAN SHITTY. FUCK ROBERTO MANCINI.FUCK OFF TO THOSE GLORY SEEKING ARAB OWNERS
The second the new owners took over at City Hughes was done. We saw the exact same thing at Chelski too. New people with new money come in and they clean house. If it hadn’t been for a few poor results they’d have fired him for leaving a coffee cup on his desk without a coaster or not being able to piss champagne on demand. The media focus on what the money brings to the club and forgets what the new owners throw out. First they got rid of the captain, Dunne, who had served the club as best as a player of his limited ability was capable, and the manager was always next in line to fall.
They want their people, loyal to them at the club in the same way that Abramovitch has at Chelsea. Through this they want the fans on side, because they want to be associated with acquisitions that bring success. The difference is though that while the Rentboys were happy to sing for Abramovitch because they are whores, and he did bring them success, they were already in the top four, they were already in a position to spend huge money on quality players who could be lured with the promise of football on the big stage. City are not a top four side, they won’t be a top four side this season and they can’t bring the sort of quality they need to their sphincter of a club without Champions League football. End of the day even paying silly transfer money the players to build a premiership contending squad are not available. They need about a dozen guys, guys who are good enough that they are at the sort of clubs that won’t have to sell them. You can’t win titles by twisting the arms of the likes of Everton to hand over their best, or getting United rejects.
City were funny when they were just shit, a pointless team that existed only to try to take points of us. But this false dawn, this moment of hope, has made them funnier still. When they fall it will be beautiful and they will fall. If these guys ditch a manager after barely any time at all how long will they be able to maintain interest in the club? How many managers and millions will they throw into the pit before they walk away leaving massive salaries to be paid and nothing else?
Keano is in his own zone, an absolute legend and a monster of a player. Keano and Robbo are two players that I idolise – proper solid midfielders who took no prisoners.
I guess Sparky had to make a living, but did he have to pose holding the Shity shirt with a smile on his face? Did he have to act disrespectfully towards United so that he could warm up to City fans? I had the same problem with Schmeichel. Everyone is a professional in football, but there are moments when you have to be respectful of who helped make you who you are.
aig alex is god
Indeed, I didn’t blame Sparky when he took the job. I still like him.However,I was disappointed when he became City’s manager. Sparky was one incredible player for United, and when you like a player, you want to like him even more and it’s possible when the player in question keeps getting involved with the club, for example baby-face assassin Ole who manages our reserves or Robbo who is an ambassador for us or even The King who only has good things to say about us.
But Sparky? How could I not be disappointed when one of the great players of our most successful era is managing one of our most hated rivals?
Just imagine if Cantona went on to manage Liverpool one day (I know, it just cannot happen.). I would still love Cantona, but wouldn’t it feel really sad?
Check out Hughes press comverence when he was named city manager he said something along the lines of , people are making a big deal about mr playing for Manchester united I played for Chelsea as well would there be a big deal if I went to a London club….
That’s when I taught this legend in my mind is saying playing for united/the united v city rivals are no big deal, also Manchester united during the time Hughes was there was on par with his time a Chelsea. He didnt convay that Manchester united is one of those special teams always has and was the day he took over city. It was just another club. Like pally saying yeah I played for united no big deal I went to boro after it and got a 1 all draw with Newcastle it’s the same thing
Che Guevarist
I agree with what you are saying.The fact is Sparky wanted a new challenge. The only club intrested in him was city. No other club showed an intrest.Of course United fans will feel bad but thats football. You have challenge yourself time and time again. Had sparky been offered any other job i can gurantee he would not have taken over at the wastelands.Playing carrer and managerial career are different. You want to manage a side with whom you can win,that has ambition. CIty were ready to provide sparky that and thats why he decided to move on.As fans we will feel bad but you have to understand why he did it by putting yourself in his place and i think he was justified in doing it.
The thing is boys, some of us are trying to defend Hughes by saying he was given a big transfer budget blah blah blah – one question for you all, would Gary Neville manage Man City – would he fuck!!! Hughes made his bed and now has ruled out any chance of managing us, cunt!
@Costas
part of the job mate. he did it because he was at City. he cant go to city, have a frown on his face and say,” City is a bigger club than blackburn, i am looking forward to this challenge. i know we arent or will never be as big as United”.I am sure deep down inside Sparky has immense respect for United and SAF.
@Stretford Ender
Hughes was a legend but he is no Gary nev,scholes or Giggs. Its unfair to expect all our great players to show complete loyalty to the club.I stand by what i said, i wont mind Hughes as our manager.
It’s opinions AIG, I know we have agreed a lot in the past and we wouldn’t be on here if it wasn’t for opinions etc. I think there is only one place worse than Wastelands and that’s the dippers. I don’t think I would want Hughes back now, like Keano says – you just don’t do it, in my opinion. But I understand, it’s his career….Blackburn and Wales aren’t the biggest jobs, I just think Sir Alex will help picking the manager and there is know way now he would let Hughes have it, not just because he was City manager, but because he became a total prick in that time!!
Keano was absolutely spot on,there are some abstract rules in football which you dont need to be taught cuz its instinctive. In summary, i’d say mark hughes joined shitty for the same reasons tevez did.. To get extra GBP wads.
AIG, also, don’t you think there is others who will be approached first? I don’t think Hughes is a great manager, he did well with Blackburn, but couldn’t handle the ego’s at Wasteland?
AIG, also, don’t you think there is others who will be approached first? I don’t think Hughes is a great manager, he did well with Blackburn, but couldn’t handle the ego’s at Wasteland?
Are we presuming though, for the sake of this conversation, that Hughes would ever be considered good enough to manage United? There are three former United players above him in line to the throne if you ask me, Blanc, Solksjaer and Keano himself. Hughes is a known quantity, fuck all.
@Rhystiano
A. Cole and the big Dane went to City cause they werent good enough for Man Utd anymore. So its not like they were disloyal. City were in no threat of Man Ut in any competition so it was ok for us..
The same is if Nistelrooy goes to Liverpool.. its not like he would be disloyal. Lpool are in no threat of Man Ut in any competition so it has to be ok for us.. right?
Welcome to the world of betrayal keano but for a player like sparky i think its understandable after playing for barcelona,bayern,chelsea,southampton,everton and blackburn you cant really execept him to have those strong feelings torwards united that can make him reject lucrative city deal …And besides its a dog eat dog we’re in…. or how can you explain harry redknapp move to southampton and back to portsmouth considering the hatred between the two ? Or even michael owen dippers>facists>newcastle>united ? I would be surprised if one day solkjaer or giggs went on and managed shitty…
@Stretford Ender
Of course Hughes wont be the first choice. Ole,Blanc,Bruce and other options will be there ahead of sparky. I also have had a disagreement with many about their opinions about Jose being our manager.i dont mind having him too. i feel Hughes wont even be in the top 5 contenders at the moment but things can change. I feel Hughes is a good manager but no manager however good he is will last long at a club that has owners like those arab clowns or abrahmovic. He wasnt doing bad at all. Leaste number of defeats in the league. Unbeaten at home.6th place and in contention for a CL spot. thats not bad,is it?
Wouldn’t be surprise i meant…
Sparky did not crucify teammates on an MUTV recording(admittedly not aired) like Keane did, or become pally-pally with Donkey Quinn or Mick McCarthy after their fallout at the 2002 World Cup. Keane is a hypocrite of the highest order who has the audacity to assume the moral high ground now.
I bet the cunt would have grabbed the Shitty job if it was offered to him, but if truth be told, he is a shite manager.
@ aig alex is god
i would rather take sunil shetty and put him in that position than have jose shouting and whining in our touchline
No it’s not bad, but I don’t want the next manager to be ‘ bad’. Like I said it wasn’t just his record that put me off, the amount of articles Scott wrote about Hughes slating us or Neville or the time added on for them wasting it etc etc. Jose is interesting, I think he would love the job, I just don’t know if he would be in it for the long stint. I would love Capello to do it, I know Fergie has raved about him before. Blanc or Pep would be mine at the moment but I’ve got money on Blanc doing France national team first. Ole would be amazing but might need a higher profile job first.
I think Keano could be an amazing United manager. Or he could be like a supernova of shit exploding above Old Trafford. One or the other, no middle ground.
@Sam the kenyan red and Stretford Ender
my opinion has always been to have someone for 4-5 years after SAF with Ole as his assistant. Ole can then take on. We need someone who has the experience of handling pressure. Ole does not have experience , so it will be difficult for him to be thrown straight in considering that our fans expect success every season. Jose is a proven manager but wont last 4-5 years. In the mean time Ole can develop and take over.Jose is just one,there are others too.SAf himself has good friendship with Jose, the only manager whom jose respects and is friends with.
Suniel Shetty. LOL. i hate his voice though.
I get your point aig and as I said I don’t blame Sparky. He did what he thought was best for him at the time, fair enough.
To be honest I was suprised by Keano’s comments. Although he is still very much a legend,he hasn’t been too warm towards United since he left.
@Che Guevarist
i loved and still love Roy keane as a player. His attitude though has reduced a lot of respect i had for him.His slagging of the players in 2005 and his managerial style put me off. Dont rate him the same way as i rate Giggsy or Scholesy or Sir Bobby. I may have forgotten a few but these are the 3 people who are/were great players and carry themselves off equally well of the field.
@Che Guevarist & AIG. I think I am one of the few who still feels completely loyal to Keano. I know he slated the players, which I think was a mistake to do publically. However, people like fletcher have improved vastly since, is this a coincidence? We did have some shit players back then, players like Kleberson etc, Keano was a warior and would do anything for the good of United. He was too hot headed and made a lot of mistakes, but oh how we need a Centre Mid of his drive and passion at the moment. Ole has done a cracking job with the boys this year, seen them live twice and was impressed with the football played, he has raved about Diouf recently and rumours are Fergie signed him on his reviews, we shall see!
I think in Roy’s case, it’s a matter of which side of the bed he wakes up on. He is an unpredictable man. Sometimes i wonder if he is brutally honest or just bitter. He says these things about Hughes and we could argue about them all day long. But what would he have done if City had actually approached him? That’s something that we might never find out.
Off topic, but it will be interesting to see Alan Wiley take charge of Sunday’s game at Hull. Couldn’t help but add a little controversy to the coversation.
@Costas
Spot on. What would Bruce, Keano have done if city had approached them ? exactly my point. It is easy to say that i wouldnt have done this or that but when you are put in that position loyalty often goes out of the window. Thats why i gave michael Owens case as an example.Some opportunities you cant let go by.
Alan Wiley? SAF better watch out. Hope we play well because if we dont Poor Wiley may be on the receiving end of another SAF rant.
Got to agree with Keano on that one!
Mark Hughes used to be one of my favourite players. I can’t stand the guy now and the contempt he holds our club and its fans in is shocking. In his press release through the lma he said ” i particularly wish city good luck in their upcoming semi final in the carling cup”. he seems to have an axe to grind with SAF and United. He is always trying to get one up on us and i was delighted that he got the sack. couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. He is a bitter blue nose nob and has burned all his bridges with me anyway. Keano says it how he see’s it fair play to him. I can gaurantee you he would never take the city job. True United legend.
well said Keano!! I loved reading this this morning.
“I wouldn’t have got involved with City – never. I wouldn’t have cared what kind of money they were talking about.
“I’d rather go hungry”!Sparky will be OK. He’ll still have a turkey this Christmas.”
After leaving United the only way is down…..fact!
@AIG:
It had to happen at some point. I think Wiley knows what’s at stake and that he has a job to do and a reputation to preserve. So i think he will call it down the middle. Besides, we got plenty of punishment from other referees for those comments!
If we play well(a big if given out current predicament), Wiley won’t be an ussue. I keep remembering the Hull game last May and thinking that Sunday’s game should give us the perfect opportunity to bounce back. I am not underestiumating Hull, but i think that a United team with a couple of defenders back should do ok.
@Costas
i am worried a bit too. Hull wont be easy .Any news as to which players will be back?. We need vidic badly. otherwise i am not too confident we will get the result. We have to win given that Chelsea have a tricky game at Birmingham and i read this morning that they have no regular forwards for the home game against Fulham on Monday.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1238144/Chelsea-boss-Carlo-Ancelotti-win-kids-Nicholas-Anelka-crunch-Christmas-games-Didier-Drogba-Africa.html
Its interesting that nobody is mentioning cantona as a favourite sucessor to saf for me he stands heads and shoulder above the rest just imagine the management staff of cantona,giggs,gary and ole ?
Priceless
@AIG:
I am a bit lost this week. Fergie usually speaks on Fridays, but this week Christmas is on Friday. Who knows? We don’t have any news about the training sessions. Given what SAF said in the past, i think we can expect Vidic(who almost made Craven Cottage) and possible Neville and Rafael back. But i am not taking anything for granted anymore.
I heard about Chelsea. I think that the next two games are tricky for them anyway and I would be ecstatic with 2 draws or one defeat. But in my country they say that whe you make plans, God laughs at you, so I won’t get my hopes up!
Lads,
first of all chrissmas wishes to everyone!!!
im back home in ireland after an 8 hour boat journey! DRINK!!!
With regards to keanes comments i dont agree!! it would be the same as grown up supporting liverpool and then playing for united! taking the city post was a step up for hughes!
If he wanted to improve himself as a manager or progress his managerial carier then he had to move to a club with bigger ambitions than blackburn! so no big deal there!
I have no disrespect for schmichael or cole never mind hughes!
with regards to keane, he always likes to share his opinion and i love the man to bits!
On an off note anyone know who the prem manager was who was caught in a brothal~???
@ Scottish wonder
I can see what you mean but i still can’t accept it… YOU JUST DONT JOIN CIDDY, regardless of how shit they are within relation to us. To be fair to Schmeichel and Cole, they’re constantly saying how much they love Utd and the fans. Loyalty is a massive issue for me and i’ll never understand how you can change from red to blue.
If RVN joined Liverpool…I WOULD NEVER FORGIVE HIM, i couldn’t give a shit if they were in League 2.
Now you’ve said that, its reminded me of Paul Ince, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CUNTS OUT THERE.
@Rhystiano
to be honest i wouldnt really are if vn joined liverpool. Would be differnt if he joined straight from united or something.
Lets face the facts. VN is 34, Struggleing with Injuries. What kind of impact will he make!
I agree he will score goals in any league but so will owen! Although id rather have Vn as he is than owen as i think he ofers more but fitness will be a major doubt!
To be honest the only players i hate are ones who speak out badly about the club. What tevez done was unreal, He lied through his teeth and sprouted all these false facts… now there is a cunt to hate!
With regards to Ince, he got too big for his boots long time a go. A lot of respect for him as a player. At the time fergies dilema was made easy, lets face it. Keane Scholes or Keane Ince……. Erm No comparison!
Keano is absolutely right. Sparky was not desperate for a job and was doing a fine at Blackburn.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.
I’m with Stretford Ender on this. He was once a hero but in my eyes he’s betrayed us. He can take his £3million pay-off and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. He’s not capable of managing United as we demand loyalty. He was totally disrespectful during his time at the wastelands and deserves what he got. I hope we’ve seen the last of Hughes – I can’t call him Sparky anymore – it’s the name of my beloved dog who turned in his grave when Hughes took over the Muppet Show.
“City were funny when they were just shit, a pointless team that existed only to try to take points of us. But this false dawn, this moment of hope, has made them funnier still. When they fall it will be beautiful and they will fall”.
Best line of the day Doghouse.
At least I don’t see Hughes as “the City manager now” but still cannot look on him as “Sparky”. Blotted his copy book.
Could not agree with Roy more.
aig – Hi mate. I agree with some of what you say but there were plenty of clubs that would have took Hughes on board. Everytime a job came up he was linked.
The hypocrisy of the bitters leaves alot to be desired. They were all up in arms about him. “He is shit” and “he can’t control big players” even “he is a fucking red” springs to mind. They could not wait to get Jose or Guus. Now all of a sudden they are taking the moral high ground and saying that it is a “disgrace” the way he has been treated. Mugs.
Zunaid – Keano had every right to criticise the players if he didn’t think they were performing. He was a passionate captain for United and he is bang on to do this. He said after the treble that certain players were happy with their lot, that they would be happy if they never won another trophy again. This is not the attitude United players should have. Complacency .
Costas – Alright mate. There are a couple of articles in the papers today saying that Rafael and Fabio will both be ready and hopefully Vidic and Brown. Even if we get two of those four fit it will make the difference so long as one is a centre back. United and Fergie will be furious after Saturday’s result so lets hope we can give them a hammering.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=717470&sec=england&cc=4716
UNITED NEVER DIE
King eric.hi mate.exactly.hughes was treated shockingly.he didnt do badly at all.changing more than half of your team will never gurantee instant success.neither of those players they bought are world class.some like toure,cunt head lescott,argie twat,adebawhore just came for money.robinho is the most overhyped cunt i have seen.bellamy,given,ireland and de jong were the select players who didnt let sparky down .unfortunate because these arab clowns came after sparky was named manager.hughes had no option but to do things their way.city have made themselves a laughing stock by the way they treated hughes.the fact that kaka,berba,etoo,guss,mourihno rejected them says the story.none of the above would have rejected at the chance to join us.that says the story.oh and dont forget the quote of the season by maicons agent.”lets not joke around,what will maicon do at city”
aig – The irony is that Bellamy probably won’t figure in Mancini’s plans and wants to leave. Don’t think Given is too happy either.
“A club like city” xD lol
KEANO! KEANO! KEANO!
No doubt about it – Keano’s right. I used to love ‘Sparky’, but some of his deluded and smug comments about Utd and SAF mean I can’t feel that way about him anymore. Loved him as a player but I don’t want him as the next manager. I think it either has to be someone who is Utd through and through (Brucey, Eric, Ole, Keano?) or it has to be someone with an exceptional track record (Jose, Hiddink, Capello?). I’m sure there are more. I think someone with a ‘decent’ record or even ‘up and coming’ wont be given the time and most importantly wont be given the respect by the players and the media. We’re slagging off the Arabs, the Russia mafia, but who knows – the Glazers might just be as trigger happy – especially as you could argue they need immediate success even more so than other clubs. I don’t think they would be able to be so trigger happy with a Utd legend. So my personal vote would be for Bruce with Ole as no.2. Brucey has really impressed me over the last few years – first with Wigan and now Sunderland. I know he’s no (managerial) experience in Europe, etc, but I’d let that go seeing as he knows about us, how we should play, what the fans want, etc. As long as the dippers aren’t near another title for a few years that would keep the pressure off. One things for sure – we’ve been blessed with Fergie – and long may the wizard continue…..
Let’s be honest, Hughes was NEVER in line for the United job in a million years, so him going or not going to City never really affected anything.
Personally I think footballers talk a lot of rubbish, “never” is a long time in football. Keane can say this now, because its a pretty easy thing to say when he knows he’s not good enough for City, so they’d never even think about employing him. If Keane becomes a manager in maybe 5 years lets say on the same level as O’Neil and City approached him, I’m almost sure, he’d gladly take the job, United legend or not. Keane has NEVER been a sentimental person as United fans should know, so I see no reason why that should start now.
After Manchester derby this year I went through an article from Guardian. It was about relationship between Sir Alex and Sparky. I was really surprised by an incident mentioned in that article. Drunk and emotional Sparky was found saying something on the lines of ‘Fergie brought me back from Barca to make fans happy. He never really trusted me’. Why Sparky felt that way is beyond me!
never understand how people can say Ole or keano should be our next manager, what the hell have either of them done in terms of management that makes them fit to lead the biggest football club in the world.. Im all for a ex Utd player taking over if possible but they have to have some kind of management experiance. Great players dont alyeasy make great managers just ask Bryan robson.
To this day I ain’t seen anyone who could volley like sparky. Great player. Maybe the chance to replicate utd with all that money was something which clouded out reality….
belfast77 – I think with Ole people are looking at Pep Guardiola. He did it. Ole’s football brain is excellent and Fergie sad he could analyze a game sitting on the bench, come on and score the winners. You only have to look how he has the reserve lads playing and the amount of debut’s in the first team since he took over. Not sure about Keano though.
“To this day I ain’t seen anyone who could volley like sparky”.
No neither have I. Scholes comes close on his day. Did Hughes ever score a “shit” goal?
why does it matter so much what club he is employed by? I believe that a certain Matt Busby played for city and captained liverpool but he came to us. I feel sorry for the way hughes has been treated and would like to see him working at united again.
@ king eric. True scholsey is probably the closet comparison. Remember when he rounded the barca keeper n drilled it in from that angle! Lovecthe way he used to be able to dish it out when given some
King Eric Said,
I agree with you about Ole has the footballing brain but for me you still need some kind of top level experiance. Living in the USA for the last 15 years i havnt got a chance to see what Ole has done with the younger players( Ive herd good things) but having the reserves playing well and being the first team manager of the biggest club in the world are two different things.
i guess Ideally you would have him as first team coach and them promote him from there, almost like Liverpool back in the day promoting from within. Ive always thought that when SAF retires its going to be one of the most important times in the club history and its not a time to pick a manager who lacks management experiance at the top level.