SalfordCityBlue said:Well said Blueturban...
Some of the posts on here tonight are a new low, even by Bluemoon standards.
mrbelfry said:Thanks Mark for all your hard work over the last 18 months. I went on a stadium tour a few months ago and the small changes you made to make us a winning team were immense. I loved your fight and determination to make City a force to be reckoned with and your seemingly tireless energy to make it happen will always make you good manager for City in my opinion. You are clearly a gifted manager and bound for success somewhere. You've brought some great players to our club and I've enjoyed the 18 months you were in charge - they've been a lot of fun regardless of many of the criticisms you've received on this board.
BUT I think your time had ran out. 4 league away wins in your entire time at City and only 7 wins this season in a league that is waiting for a team to dominate it whilst better than any season I've experienced before just isn't good enough. The games we've drawn from winning positions have cost us dearly. Whilst I've defended you in the past and said that the league is stronger than previously with the big teams losing to the minnows (just look at today's results) I was just making excuses for lost opportunities. Yes we are 6th and within touching distance of the top 4 but in all honesty we've thrown points away that would have seen us higher in the league.
I'm sure managing us last season was very difficult for you with the divisions in the team and I applaud you for sticking to your guns and you leave us with a squad much better than the one you inherited BUT whilst we talk of improvement we could also point to other managers who have improved their teams such as Bruce, O'Neil, Red*nap, McLeish, Pulis and Hodgson. I have to believe we are better than them but I often feared we were only as good. Having assembled the squad you wanted we should not have to be holding out for the transfer window for you to improve it and fix the glaring mistakes. Solutions had to be found within the current squad which is the same way other managers have to work.
Yes we have only lost 2 games all season and this is a record that we should be proud of but we have also only won 7 which is only 3 more than Portsmouth! Yes we've beaten Arsenal and Chelsea but we've failed to beat teams we needed to.
This league is wide open and our failure to capitalise and be in a position to push on rather than correct problems and continue to rely on the failings of other teams was the concern. I believe the concern for the board was the fear of missing this opportunity and the last quarter of the season gave no confidence that we could capitalise.
Thanks for the great team and the great matches that will live long in the memory. I wish you all the success in the future as long as you never beat us ;)
Welcome to Manchester Bobby. I honestly believe the league is waiting for a team to dominate it. We have the tools all you have to do is put them to use!
Beagal said:When will we learn keep sacking managers never works. Mancini what experience of English football, wonder when the never happy doom merchants want him out . Then they will swamp the boards cos they have the biggest gobs until he's out .. I fear that mancini is going to do worse than hughes but hope not cos I want City to do well.. Lets hope the twats that wanted Hughes out give this manager a bit of time.
Bellamy's Caddy said:(The following is all provided Hughes is sacked, if he's not then brilliant. Its also a long read so if it bores you feel free not to read it)
I hope Hughes comes on to read some of the comments....
Thank you Mark,
The job Hughes took on at City wasn't the job it became. Probably expecting a kitty of 30million a year, we became the richest club in the world and he had Robinho bought for him. Expectations went through the roof and last season was a letdown. This summer Hughes brought in players he wanted and set about shaping his own team. No manager of a top 4 club has had to go out pre season and buy a whole team. This squad was always going to take time to gel and with 2 defeats all year its hardly a relegation battle. We need to kick on the rest of the season and win more games instead of all those draws but I think Hughes could have got us there.
Very disappointed with the owners, we were nearly in the relegation zone this time last year and they gave Hughes backing, now we are 6th in the leage and in a semi final of a cup. I feel sorry for Mark Hughes, he's been given a rotten time by far too many of our own 'fans' They are entitled to criticise managers but those that couldnt get over his past allegiance with United are simply pathetic. Hughes wasn't a 'rag plant' he was a professional manager doing the best he could. He played for many other teams than united and rarely has anything flattering to say about united or ferguson. He's also only 46 and could have built a fantastic legacy at this club. Things don't happen overnight and I'm sure we would have got there with Hughes, now we have to go through the uncertainty of a new manager, will he get the team settled straight away or will we slide at a very important time of the season. Its a huge gamble and what if Mancini or whoever replaces Hughes doesnt get us in the top 4 etc, sack him as well? I really hoped City had turned the corner and would have some stability for a few years sadly that has not been the case. Good luck to whoever is the new manager, I hope all of our fans can actually get behind the new man. Best of luck Mark you're going to be a top manager somewhere, sorry City didnt appreciate you.
BlueTurban said:Mark Hughes, unlucky, thankyou for all you did for our club and good luck in the future.
Roberto Mancini, welcome to our club, lets hope you realise how much it means to us the fans.