Hugely unpopular with fans, a desperate failure and yet seemingly untouchable. And we all know how that ended. After Saturday, it almost beggars belief that Hughes has still got a job. Not just a defeat to fellow strugglers. But the worst home performance that most of us can ever remember. The final nail for me was Hughes coming out afterwards and saying he couldn't explain it and was going to have to rethink everything. An admission if ever there was, that he's run out of ideas and is unable to motivate the team. Tony should have pulled the trigger immediately that interview ended. Like Kean, are we going to have to wait until we get off to a poor start in the Championship next year before the board acts?
It has been looking increasingly likely since the Hammers game to me. I thought it was totally clear he needed replacing after that game. But once a decision is made to replace him it will take some time to find a replacement, and sever Hughes contract, so hope Southampton did finally make that decision for TF, and now he's working on it.
Northy seems convinced this 'Hughes is still manager' line is just a front to thrash out the mutual departure contract. I sincerely hope so. I want to see us go up to OT under a new man and have a go as Warnock used to say 'I told them to go out and enjoy it'.
I would say this is prob the case and negotiations are going on behind the scenes with possible replacement ( prob HR, who has asked for big wages and transfer pot).
Agree totally with Northolt, however the new man wont be in before the Utd game. The enormous spanner here is if by some miracle we manage to get something out of that game whilst playing well - a big outside bet I know, but I'm sure TF was gambling on us beating Saints. On the subject of is Hughes our Steve Kean - We must never let it get to that stage and I'm sure TF wont either, the moment this happens TF's branding vision goes into reverse, so in effect paying a fortune for extreme negativity - He just wont let it happen.
