No! I don't expect that we are going to attract a really top guy! Read what I wrote! Unless we can attract such a guy, I think we should have kept with Neil. I don't think the ones we can expect to attract are better than Neil, some of the apparent candidates are surely worse - Bruce, Wilkins, Zola for example. Hughes is probably OK, but I don't see any obvious signs that he is better than Neil. I would have preferred that we had naintained continuity and stuck with Neil this season, he was on target and would have improved the squad January. A decision could then have been made in May. If we get relegated are we going to fire the new Manager too? We have been a swing door Club when it comes to managers for far too long - this a further extension of bad policy when we probably are not going to bring in anyone who is a lot better than what we had. But in case you are in doubt, I will still be 100% behind the new Manager in keeping us up - whoever it is (well will have to try especially f'kkin hard if its Wilkins!
Apart from his much better Premier League record!! If we go back down, it will be a massive task to get back up and there's no guarantee that we will!! TF had to act to try to keep us up. NW is a top man and I really like him and I'm genuinely sorry to see it end like this, but he was taking us down mate!
Hughes has a better PL record, but Neil a much better record in top football below the top flight. He has won far more than Hughes. It's a toss up who has the better record overall, but I don't see that Hughes is obviously better. Another thing that concerns is this period right now. I would have hoped that by sacking Neil and all his staff, the Board had a new management team all ready - a "done deal" if you like, yet perhaps not signed! If we don't have anyone pretty well lined up , then we can be really squeezed by someone like Hughes and his Kia agent. If we don't do a deal are we going to Newcastle with the Junior team trainer? Hardly sounds professional to me! F'kkin brave decision but as gungho as Neil was supposed to have been perhaps!
As i said on another thread Oslo, comparing win percentages in the PL with the Championship and below is like comparing apple and oranges. Of course he's won more than Hughes, he's had 30+ years in management. Hughes built his own team in Blackburn and took them to Europe through 6th and 7th place finishes. Then when City was looking for a manager to spend their crazy money they headhunted Hughes. For me that says a lot, and we should be ever so gratefull if we manage to attract him.
And like I said apples and oranges are both fruit mate! I think the difference between the PL and the Championship, and the other leagues is overplayed by the PL to give it good PR. Of course the level is higher, but it is stll the same game, same rules and played on the same planet - ain't that much difference. Tactics, win memtality, skill, fitness etc apply the same. And what has Hughes won or even achieved with all the crazy money made available to him, and years of playing with top clubs? Not a lot - a solid record yes, but no more.
Of course I will Col! Viewed against the alternatives I seen proposed I think he's the best of that lot, and I hope we get him.
To all you Fernandes doubters, have a lay down! To attract Hughes he must have been telling the truth. Genualy thank you Tony, you have lived up to your word. Now onward and upwards, you R's!
