Has anyone else ever divided opinion....?

[DontLookBackInAnger]

I agree, although I wasn't around when Marsh was here, and I would guess when the Mercer/Allison era came to an end that might have been bad.

 

[Wooderbeen]

I have to agree with the OP. I've never quite known anything like it. Yes, I've heard argument and different point of views about players before (Marsh, Kinky, Goater, Barton, Dunne, etc.), but I have never known City fans be so divided, with both camps as passionate as each other. I think both camps also have strong cases, which makes it even more fierce. It's a shame though that we can't talk about and debate it without constantly turning it into a 'I'm a bigger fan than you' pissing contest. We are, after all, on the same side!

 

[Brucie Bonus]

I have to agree with the OP. I've never quite known anything like it. Yes, I've heard argument and different point of views about players before (Marsh, Kinky, Goater, Barton, Dunne, etc.), but I have never known City fans be so divided, with both camps as passionate as each other. I think both camps also have strong cases, which makes it even more fierce. It's a shame though that we can't talk about and debate it without constantly turning it into a 'I'm a bigger fan than you' pissing contest. We are, after all, on the same side!

Fair enough. I'm frustrated with everyone who says "stability" but they don't really talk about quality, and seem to think the two are mutually exclusive. I'm losing patience with folks who just won't admit that any manager is a gamble, but that some involve longer odds than others. I'm at a loss to understand why folks talk about doing something different - meaning keeping a manager longer than 30 seconds (which is a deliberate exaggeration) - but don't want to talk about doing something really different, such as getting a manager with an A1 record. It's not about whether we can get a better manager, some don't even want us to try now, or in the summer.

If you want to talk aboutsome fans being "thick as pig shit" and having a "loser mentality", I'll offer this - I know where I'd put my money. Any reasonable person would wany Mourinho over Hughes given what we know. If Hughes turns out to be the best thing since sliced bread, bloody marvellous! Let's just not pretend he's anything other than a long shot.

Hughes....................................v........................................Mourinho.
(nowt)
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Portuguese Champions: 2002-03, 2003-04
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Cup of Portugal: 2002-03
****--------------------------------------------------------------------SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira: 2003
****--------------------------------------------------------------------UEFA Champions League: 2004
****--------------------------------------------------------------------UEFA Cup: 2003
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Premier League: 2004-05, 2005-06
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Cup: 2007
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Community Shield: 2005
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Carling Cup: 2005, 2007
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Supercoppa Italiana: 2008
Career: 220 games, 43% winning 33% losing---------------------374 games, 68% winning %, 11% losing.

 

[PragueBlue]

Hughes....................................v........................................Mourinho.
(nowt)
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Portuguese Champions: 2002-03, 2003-04
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Cup of Portugal: 2002-03
****--------------------------------------------------------------------SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira: 2003
****--------------------------------------------------------------------UEFA Champions League: 2004
****--------------------------------------------------------------------UEFA Cup: 2003
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Premier League: 2004-05, 2005-06
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Cup: 2007
****--------------------------------------------------------------------FA Community Shield: 2005
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Carling Cup: 2005, 2007
****--------------------------------------------------------------------Supercoppa Italiana: 2008
Career: 220 games, 43% winning 33% losing---------------------374 games, 68% winning %, 11% losing.

I think we can all accept that Mourinho has won more trophies than Hughes and has a higher winning percentage of games. However, we will never know how many trophies Hughes may have won if he had been in charge of Porto and Chelsea, both of whom were already well established teams before he got there. What do you think Mourinho would have won at Blackburn and Wales and in half a season at City?

Having said that, I think the vast majority of us would agree that Mourinho is a much better manager but he wasn't an option at that time and still isn't an option now (though possibly could be in Summer?). If he is available in the Summer, then that would be the time to discuss it but at present it's a fairly moot point.