The timing of this is the most telling aspect.
Hughes' words are sufficiently ambiguous, imo, to enable him to call on the defence of misinterpretation. He is not a stupid man, but equally he is nowhere near as intelligent as he would like to think.
I think saying anything that could even be construed as negative towards one of your successors in any job displays a lack of 'class' ( a word that Hughes was happy to throw about in relation to his sacking) and an abundance of bitterness.
In situations like this - if in doubt say nowt.
His repeated references to NDJ and Vinny are a thinly veiled exercise in self-aggrandisement. Yes Mark, we get it, you bought them.
Also his statement at the end about others benefiting from the fruits of his labour are so absurdly short of the full picture as to render them comical.
I've never said this before (because I always though he did an ok job , but just wasn't up to it) but fuck off you bitter ****. You had your chance at the big time and blew it. Please don't spend the rest of your living years boring the rest of us with your view of the details.