Fulham fan in peace. I disagree with my friend Surlyc about Hughes' time with us. Hughes is universally and rightly reviled on our board, but I think that has more to do with the manner and timing of his leaving rather than his year in charge. My recollection of his season with us is that injuries affected the first half of the season, and that all along there were promising signs in the way we were playing, even if results weren't showing that before Christmas. In the second half, we played much better and it's a little unfair to say that was all down to the players rather than the management. As Smithers has pointed out, Hughes' record at Blackburn was very good.
For what it's worth, I don't think Hughes would be just a continuation of Pulis' style of football. At Blackburn he initially played a hard, physical, direct game to keep the club up, but gradually over his time got them playing better and better football and had them further and further up the league table. It could be that he's the ideal manager to lead the transition from Pulis' style to something easier on the eye. It took Martinez a while to get Wigan playing the way he wanted, and I would imagine that the transition would be bumpier with a manager like him.
If he's appointed for you, I think everything is going to depend on whether he insists on the board matching his 'ambition' with silly money. When he's not been given blank cheques to spend, he's been very good in the transfer market and turned up a succession of unheralded gems; when he's given lots of cash, he signs the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jose Bosingwa. My guess is that your chairman is too canny to give Hughes everything, meaning Hughes will have to either revert to his Blackburn ways or he'll get frustrated and leave when he thinks he's rehabilitated his reputation enough to get another crack at a 'big club' (don't hold your breath, Mark).
Whether it's Hughes or someone else, good luck for next season. I hope the next manager gets you playing football that all of you are happy to watch.
For what it's worth, I don't think Hughes would be just a continuation of Pulis' style of football. At Blackburn he initially played a hard, physical, direct game to keep the club up, but gradually over his time got them playing better and better football and had them further and further up the league table. It could be that he's the ideal manager to lead the transition from Pulis' style to something easier on the eye. It took Martinez a while to get Wigan playing the way he wanted, and I would imagine that the transition would be bumpier with a manager like him.
If he's appointed for you, I think everything is going to depend on whether he insists on the board matching his 'ambition' with silly money. When he's not been given blank cheques to spend, he's been very good in the transfer market and turned up a succession of unheralded gems; when he's given lots of cash, he signs the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jose Bosingwa. My guess is that your chairman is too canny to give Hughes everything, meaning Hughes will have to either revert to his Blackburn ways or he'll get frustrated and leave when he thinks he's rehabilitated his reputation enough to get another crack at a 'big club' (don't hold your breath, Mark).
Whether it's Hughes or someone else, good luck for next season. I hope the next manager gets you playing football that all of you are happy to watch.
