Moreton Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Link Mark Hughes has been appointed as the new manager of Manchester City after signing a three-year contract. Hughes held talks with the City hierarchy in London on Tuesday evening and agreed to leave Blackburn after a second round of talks. City's only serious concern was a late move by Chelsea after they were snubbed by AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti. But City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has landed his top target after the dismissal of Sven-Goran Eriksson. Shinawatra said: "He's an outstanding manager who has achieved many things with Blackburn. "Mark was always the first choice of our new executive chairman, Garry Cook. Together they will make a great team. They will both prove to be excellent acquisitions, I'm sure." Thaksin also sent a message to City fans still angry at the sacking of Eriksson, saying: "These are exciting times for Manchester City and I hope the supporters can understand that I share their goals. "That sometimes means making ruthless decisions. Now we can go forward to a new era, with a new management structure and great hope and ambition." The Welshman has guided Rovers into Europe twice, but recently indicated his long-term ambitions might not be satisfied at Ewood Park. Hughes is prepared to risk swapping the stability of Blackburn for the volatile regime that saw Eriksson sacked at City because of the bigger stature of the Eastlands club. And Thaksin is willing to back his new manager with major transfer funds, while he always worked within a limited budget at Blackburn. And another temptation is the lure of European football, with City in the Uefa Cup, and the attraction of managing a team that plays in front of 40,000-plus crowds on a regular basis. A Blackburn statement on Monday said City had made an approach to talk to Hughes. "Mark has made it clear to the board he would like the opportunity to talk to Manchester City," it said. "In view of this, the board have decided reluctantly to give permission subject to terms and conditions acceptable to Blackburn Rovers being agreed with Manchester City in advance." Former Wales boss Hughes has impressed during his three-and-a-half year spell at Ewood Park, guiding Rovers to seventh in the Premier League last season. He also led the club to its first FA Cup semi-final in 40 years in 2004 and another in 2007. Earlier this year, the former Manchester United and Chelsea striker was one of the front-runners to succeed Sam Allardyce as Newcastle manager before Kevin Keegan took the job. Hughes's former Wales team-mate Dean Saunders feels he may be better off staying at Ewood Park. Hughes succeeded Graeme Souness and assistant Saunders at Blackburn in September 2004 when the pair moved to Newcastle. Saunders said: "Man City will not be run like Blackburn and Sparky will realise that if he goes there. "I had a shock going to Newcastle. Graeme took a risk going there but you don't realise how well Blackburn is run until you've left. "Mark has done well and taken the club into Europe a couple of times by finishing seventh twice. "But that is because of how it's run and because the chairman and the directors are very stable people. "Mark will have the same problem at Man City that we had at Newcastle and he'll realise it should he get there." Good Appointment? I think so, he's done very well with Blackburn and i wish him all the best at Manchester City.
Kilworthfox Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 LinkGood Appointment? I think so, he's done very well with Blackburn and i wish him all the best at Manchester City. Meh
lildave3 Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Not surprised, don't think Blackburn can go any further and Man City have huge potential.
Benjani Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Bad move imo. No way. Man City have a great stadium, massive fanbase, there not in a small town in Burnley, big funds to spend on new players, some managers like the added pressure. Ronaldinho and Jo are rumoured to be going there. He took Blackburn as far as he could, they had a shit stadium, never sold out there stadium. It's clearly a good move and although the chairman is mad if things go wrong and he get's sacked Thaksin will get the blame. Sven got a new job within weeks of getting sacked in Mexico. Good move for Hughes imo
Tommy G Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Good move for him! Blackburn are now fcuked. Expect Bentley/Santa Cruz to sign for Man City in the summer
Jonezy Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Interesting. Hughes must have fancied a challenge...... He has built Blackburn up slowly and steady, but Thai druglord wants instant results. Santa Cruz, Bentley and Gamst to be linked with Man City the next few days.
Tilley Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Could go one of two ways, If he doesn't have a great start then meat head Thaksin will sling him out, Or, he could do great, have massive financial backing and do fantastic, He should have looked at how Sven was treated. All the best to him.
Daggers Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 I don't reckon he's the inspirational kind of guy who will get results in a year, and I don't reckon he'll be given any longer to achieve something. Blackburn to be fighting relegation this season? Got to be worth a couple of quid.
Benjani Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Good move for him!Blackburn are now fcuked. Expect Bentley/Santa Cruz to sign for Man City in the summer Yeah same as what happened to Wigan briefly when Paul Jewell left. When you have had a manager in charge for a large period of time and then goes, a lot of players will not be happy.
Tommy G Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 I don't reckon he's the inspirational kind of guy who will get results in a year, and I don't reckon he'll be given any longer to achieve something. Blackburn to be fighting relegation this season? Got to be worth a couple of quid. Unless there is a mass clearout they will have enough quality to stay up whoever the manager is
Number 6 Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Top man, good move for him. I think Man City will do well under him.
Finnegan Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 I don't reckon he's the inspirational kind of guy who will get results in a year, and I don't reckon he'll be given any longer to achieve something. Blackburn to be fighting relegation this season? Got to be worth a couple of quid. Noooo. He isn't a really explosive motivator but he'll work hard to get results out of what he's got. I'd be more likely to put money on a top half finish than relegation favourites.
Ric Flair Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Hughes is a good manager, I hope he's lucky enough to be able to make his mark on Man City early on, otherwise it could be another decent manager who moves on to bigger things and doesn't find success like Allardyce. The thing is, Sven hit the ground running with Man City and although they only finished 9th in the end, his achievements early on were more than good enough and that means Hughes has to at the very least replicate that sort of fayre.
Uncle Albert Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 I can see him falling flat on his face at Man City.
sdb Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 Brave move, ambitious and sensible in many ways. Bigger club with more potential and he'd done all he could at B'burn who will slide now. BUT the chairman is a complete goon as we all know, so there's a risk there...
Darkzzz_ Posted 4 June 2008 Posted 4 June 2008 I can see him falling flat on his face at Man City. It usually works that way !!
Tilley Posted 5 June 2008 Posted 5 June 2008 Sven had the pulling power to get in good players, & I know Thaksin has a lorra dolla, but, Does Mark Hughes have the pulling power to get somebody like Ronaldinho
Koke Posted 5 June 2008 Posted 5 June 2008 Blackburn are a massive club. And secondly, this is a backwards move. He had everything at Blackburn. Top half club, great infrastructure, well run club financially, and he is backed by the chairman. And for a town of their size, they do actually get good crowd in, despite what people may say. So they've got a good fan base. I dont agree with people saying he got them as far as he could. He could get them further. With some more additions to their squad they could improve even more. Santa Cruz was a steal, and I'm sure Hughes had more 'steals' lined up in the summer. And plus it's not like Man City will ever break into the top 4. So in the end, Hughes went to Man City because of the $$$$ - Fair play to him, I would probably have done the same.
lildave3 Posted 5 June 2008 Posted 5 June 2008 Blackburn are a massive club. And secondly, this is a backwards move. He had everything at Blackburn. Top half club, great infrastructure, well run club financially, and he is backed by the chairman. And for a town of their size, they do actually get good crowd in, despite what people may say. So they've got a good fan base. I dont agree with people saying he got them as far as he could. He could get them further. With some more additions to their squad they could improve even more. Santa Cruz was a steal, and I'm sure Hughes had more 'steals' lined up in the summer. And plus it's not like Man City will ever break into the top 4. So in the end, Hughes went to Man City because of the $$$$ - Fair play to him, I would probably have done the same. I don't agree with that. Man City have got a bigger stadium and more money for transfers. I can't really see Blackburn going any higher than they have done while Hughes has been there, and Man City could have a chance of breaking into the top 4. They have a very good core of a team, the likes of Hart, Richards, Petrov, Elano etc. With some good signings (Bentley I think would be very good for Man City) then they could at least challenge for a while, like Everton seem to be doing.
breadandcheese Posted 5 June 2008 Posted 5 June 2008 Massive gamble. Thaksin is a man after Mandaric's heart, only madder. Whilst Hughes is signing a contract to manage at Man City, Thaksin is negotiating deals to buy Ronaldinho and Jo. Good players, but shouldn't Hughes be the one to decide who he wants in his team.
Koke Posted 5 June 2008 Posted 5 June 2008 I don't agree with that. Man City have got a bigger stadium and more money for transfers. I can't really see Blackburn going any higher than they have done while Hughes has been there, and Man City could have a chance of breaking into the top 4. They have a very good core of a team, the likes of Hart, Richards, Petrov, Elano etc. With some good signings (Bentley I think would be very good for Man City) then they could at least challenge for a while, like Everton seem to be doing. I just think he had a lot of good things going at Blackburn. And as breadandcheese said, Thaksin is a mirror of Mandaric and if Hughes doesn't get instant success I can see him getting his P45 just like Sven. Man City is a bigger club, but Blackburn is a better one imo.
Finnegan Posted 6 June 2008 Posted 6 June 2008 Mmh. Bigger is better though when you're talking about trying to break the top four of English football. It's a sad reality that you need money, and a lot of it, to do that. I like Sparky and I quite like Blackburn but I think he's taken them as far as he realistically can. Manchester City, if this bloke really has the dollar dollar he claims to, are a much, much bigger prospect and I can fully understand the decision to move. The only concern would be job security, really.
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