Reactionary opinions and speculation really not helping through current sticky patch
This afternoon's disappointing draw at home to Hull City will have quite rightly been deemed unacceptable by most in attendance, both in terms of the performance we witnessed and the point ultimately gained. Confidence is low at the minute, the football poor and results below par, but that's not to mean we should consider resorting to reactionary decisions, and as supporters we have a duty to back the players and manager through the dip in form.
Sadly, some see a few dropped points as fuel to go over the top whilst venting their spleen. Not that they're not perfectly entitled to do that, as paying fans, but a bit of common sense is needed all round, and those who think us sitting in the top six isn't good enough might want to remember where we've come from in recent years. That's not being pessimistic, more pointing out that any huge improvement takes time, there will be ups and downs along the way, this run being one of the latter.
Funnily enough, those who seem most vocal against Hughes often seem to appear online within minutes of any game in which we drop points. No doubt sat waiting for the final whistle with baited breath, badly spelt and usually brief 'Hughes Out' rant already typed, their popcorn nearby, ready for some verbal jousting, no facts or real thoughts needed, just a generic provocative statement after seeing ninety minutes of buffering IraqGoals footage.
What they don't seem to understand is that there are huge expanses of middle ground. Those of us pointing out that even the suggestion of a change at the top is reactionary and daft see Hughes' flaws, that's always been the case, and we all agree that what we're getting at the minute isn't good enough. None of us blindly defend the manager for the sake of doing so, we've just seen where these sort of decisions have gotten us in the past, and believe in giving whoever is in charge a fair crack of the whip.
You absolutely do not change your gaffer a third of the way through a season having given him £120m to spend that summer, especially with them having only lost one of sixteen games. At the start of any given campaign a manager will be made aware of his targets for it. Hughes', officially, was to finish in the top six, the position we currently sit. Off the record some suspect his instructions may have been to better that and achieve Champions League football. Unless my eyes are deceiving me we look to be in quite a good position to achieve that.
My opinions on the current boss haven't changed in light of this run of draws. I see him as the man for the job at hand, if not maybe the task of leading us to where we ultimately want to be, winning the title and regularly competing for European trophies. Those targets, realistically, are some way down the line, but some progress has quite obviously been made. The current owners have done the correct and honourable thing by giving a previous regime's man time and the resources to prove himself, and i'm sure they'll go on doing the same.
Sadly, some have a ballooned idea of our club's stature. We're immensely wealthy, and cash is obviously a draw in any walk of life, but we've been an absolute calamity of a club for a number of years and those who think that were Hughes to go, the elite of the world's managers would be wanting the job, well, i think they're a touch deluded. The best managers mange the best clubs, and i believe there's a step we have to make before we can genuinely attract the biggest names, and the odd example apart i think that also to be true regards signing players.
The name that pops up most, of course, is Jose Mourinho, and a good number of the 'Hughes Out Brigade' appear certain he'd walk out of one of the biggest clubs in world football, ignore the advances of his numerous suitors, all so he can come to Eastlands and blow a small fortune. It's not going to happen, even if there was anything beyond idle gossip to the current incumbent's position being under threat.
Jose Mourinho could hand-pick his next employer, and whilst current goings-on at some Premier League sides might limit his chances of a big job in England, he'd go to a club that's already one of the established superpowers, not one with hopes of being there in five years. A bit of money doesn't make us one of the big boys, it just doesn't, to us the vast figures that could be on offer would swing it, but for the cream of managers and players leaving a legacy and competing for big shiny things is what it's all about.
The other name being bandied about is Guus Hiddink, who did an excellent job during a short stint at Chelsea last season and has a wealth of experience all over the world. Folk seem to be conveniently ignoring the fact that on several different occasions he's expressed a desire to not take a club job requiring day-to-day management, and is almost certain to accept a more hands-off role somewhere once he leaves Russia. Given his links with Roman Abramovich, it's thought he'll return to Chelsea in some capacity.
At the time of writing we are three points off being level with Arsenal in fourth, the way some of our supporters are carrying on you'd think we were bottom of the division. No-one's excusing the drab and spineless performance we saw today, or the inexcusably bad defending against Fulham or Burnley, but we need to see how things pan out rather than acting like tools and losing faith in Mark. He needs to motivate his players, and those same players need to stand up and ensure we remember how to win games again, but it's a wobble more than a crisis.
Whatever your thoughts, and it is only a minority who absolutely don't think Hughes is the man for the job, in real life it seems that way anyhow, the anonymity of forums mean we're never really sure whose opinions are worth taking notice of, i'm sure we'll all agree that the next game is huge for several reasons. I'd encourage those who seem to be almost taking delight from our current results in order to be seen to be proven right about Hughes to go and scream their hearts out against Arsenal. We're all in it together; fans, players and manager, now's not the time to be losing faith.
