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Hughes Reflects On Roller-Coaster 12 Months At Man City
It's been a year of ups and downs for 'Sparky', but he's sure that the Sky Blues are well over the worst of it.
Sep 1, 2009 2:28:51 AM
The term 'roller-coaster ride' is bandied about a lot these days, but there is no more apt way to describe what Mark Hughes has gone through since taking the reins at Manchester City last year.
The Welshman quit his post at Blackburn Rovers to join Thaksin Shinawatra's would-be revolution before the Thai patron was run out of Eastlands - and the UK - due to fraud charges in his homeland.
Then the Abu Dhabi United Group took control of the club, bringing Robinho with them, but even the Brazilian star couldn't solve all of City's problems on the pitch (and did little to help matters off it) last term.
Now, with two more well-used transfer windows under their belt, the Sky Blues have kicked off the 2009-10 Premier League campaign with three straight wins - and Hughes reckons the only way is up.
“People will look back at this period of City’s history and probably view it with incredulity because of what’s happened and everything we’ve had to go through,” he said in The Times.
“But we’ve gone through the bad part and everything in the future will be more positive and better for the club as a whole. It’s been stimulating, it’s been frustrating, it’s been worrying at times for everybody because no one could quite predict how it was going to pan out, but where we are now is a hell of a better place than we were 12 months ago.”
And whereas Shinawatra's time in charge was fraught with behind-the-scenes disputes and unfulfilled promises (just ask Sven-Goran Eriksson), Hughes attributes City's growth to the current owners' willingness to listen and ability to deliver.
He continued, “There were times when it was really difficult for everybody, but we were very strong as a group and the support I had from Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon [al-Mubarak, the chairman] was important in that respect.
“But I told them exactly where we were, what was needed and never really veered from the same message, although if I had done and started trying to protect my own position by saying, ‘It’s his fault or someone else’s fault,’ then that would not have rung true with them.
“I was consistent in my message, told them what needed to be done, and, in fairness, they have gone out and done it.
“You hope you get to this point and all the promises that are made and plans that have been put in place come to fruition, and I have to say most of them have done.”
Mike Maguire, Goal.com
For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section
The Welshman quit his post at Blackburn Rovers to join Thaksin Shinawatra's would-be revolution before the Thai patron was run out of Eastlands - and the UK - due to fraud charges in his homeland.
Then the Abu Dhabi United Group took control of the club, bringing Robinho with them, but even the Brazilian star couldn't solve all of City's problems on the pitch (and did little to help matters off it) last term.
Now, with two more well-used transfer windows under their belt, the Sky Blues have kicked off the 2009-10 Premier League campaign with three straight wins - and Hughes reckons the only way is up.
“People will look back at this period of City’s history and probably view it with incredulity because of what’s happened and everything we’ve had to go through,” he said in The Times.
“But we’ve gone through the bad part and everything in the future will be more positive and better for the club as a whole. It’s been stimulating, it’s been frustrating, it’s been worrying at times for everybody because no one could quite predict how it was going to pan out, but where we are now is a hell of a better place than we were 12 months ago.”
And whereas Shinawatra's time in charge was fraught with behind-the-scenes disputes and unfulfilled promises (just ask Sven-Goran Eriksson), Hughes attributes City's growth to the current owners' willingness to listen and ability to deliver.
He continued, “There were times when it was really difficult for everybody, but we were very strong as a group and the support I had from Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon [al-Mubarak, the chairman] was important in that respect.
“But I told them exactly where we were, what was needed and never really veered from the same message, although if I had done and started trying to protect my own position by saying, ‘It’s his fault or someone else’s fault,’ then that would not have rung true with them.
“I was consistent in my message, told them what needed to be done, and, in fairness, they have gone out and done it.
“You hope you get to this point and all the promises that are made and plans that have been put in place come to fruition, and I have to say most of them have done.”
Mike Maguire, Goal.com
For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section
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