Garry Cook, Manchester City's executive chairman, has given Mark Hughes a vote of confidence ahead of Thursday's Uefa Cup tie against Aalborg by insisting there are no plans to review the manager's position at the end of the season.
Cook, speaking at a fans' forum, said the club's owners in Abu Dhabi understood the need for continuity and are happy for Hughes to remain in place. The manager has come under sustained criticism from some supporters, but City's form has improved since January and Cook's announcement drew applause from the audience.
The executive chairman denied reports the club had approached Jose Mourinho or any other potential replacements for Hughes, and also denied the club's immense wealth meant they would try to buy the City of Manchester stadium from Manchester City Council. However he did confirm they had purchased a substantial amount of adjacent land for development of, among other things, a training ground.
Of the club's failed attempt to sign Kaka from Milan in January, Cook said he now regrets accusing the club of "bottling it". However, he could not resist taking a sly dig at the former world footballer of the year, saying he should instead have said that Kaka "would never have taken Stephen Ireland's place anyway".
Hughes has received assurances recently from the club's chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, but he is also aware that Cook's support does not necessarily equate to what the owner, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may be thinking. City dropped into the relegation places over the Christmas period and though they are now eighth, it is imperative for Hughes that his team are not eliminated from the Uefa Cup by a side who are fifth in the Danish league.
City have already knocked out the leaders, FC Copenhagen, and the fourth-placed side, FC Midtjylland, but Aalborg achieved a 2–2 draw at Manchester United in the Champions League's group stage and a 2-1 defeat of Celtic. They then dropped into the Uefa Cup and beat Deportivo La Coruña 6-1 over two legs.
"In terms of European experience they are ahead of us and they will look to use that experience," said Hughes. "The fact they could go to Old Trafford and score two goals underlines they have the quality to cause good teams problems." Robinho has recovered from an ankle injury but, in the centre of midfield, Nigel de Jong is ineligible and Vincent Kompany requires a fitness test because of a toe injury.
