Hughes Sacked

[Original Dub]

According to Micky Quinn on talk sport, MH knew he was going weeks ago

Quinn and MH had dinner together two or three weeks ago and Hughes knew then that Mourinho and Hiddink had been approached about the City Managers job

Mancini appears to be a third or fourth choice appointment which makes me concerned over what the club are doing / thinking (I know only yesterday I said tough choices need to be made in business, but 24hrs of thinking has made me look at the situation from anumber of different angles)

If the current manager has achieved pre-season objectives i.e. 6th place, cup semi-final etc, then why get rid if you cant get your first choice replacement ??

I still cannot work out why sack Hughes to bring in 4th choice,does look our owners are panicking,that's crazy, I would understand and accept a top proven manager,but really this is crazy, unaceptable, really unacceptable. People saying our owners have to be ruthless to get where we want to go, sure, theres ruthless,and just stupidity,and I think the owners have let us know where they are coming from, headless chickens, I guess a bit like our defence.

I think that's a bit much mate... headless chickens? At least wait until you know they've made a mistake before berating the people that picked YOUR club to be the richest in the world!

I remember how ruthless and horrible everyone was calling the Chelsea board and Abramovich after the Ranieri sacking, but the fact it that it paid off and they won the league twice on the bounce... and nobody will tell you they made a mistake now...

Lets just see...

[viking the Odd]

According to Micky Quinn on talk sport, MH knew he was going weeks ago

Quinn and MH had dinner together two or three weeks ago and Hughes knew then that Mourinho and Hiddink had been approached about the City Managers job

Mancini appears to be a third or fourth choice appointment which makes me concerned over what the club are doing / thinking (I know only yesterday I said tough choices need to be made in business, but 24hrs of thinking has made me look at the situation from anumber of different angles)

If the current manager has achieved pre-season objectives i.e. 6th place, cup semi-final etc, then why get rid if you cant get your first choice replacement ??

I still cannot work out why sack Hughes to bring in 4th choice,does look our owners are panicking,that's crazy, I would understand and accept a top proven manager,but really this is crazy, unaceptable, really unacceptable. People saying our owners have to be ruthless to get where we want to go, sure, theres ruthless,and just stupidity,and I think the owners have let us know where they are coming from, headless chickens, I guess a bit like our defence.

I think that's a bit much mate... headless chickens? At least wait until you know they've made a mistake before berating the people that picked YOUR club to be the richest in the world!

I remember how ruthless and horrible everyone was calling the Chelsea board and Abramovich after the Ranieri sacking, but the fact it that it paid off and they won the league twice on the bounce... and nobody will tell you they made a mistake now...

Lets just see...

Sure i know what you are saying, but would it not of been better to wait,get what you really want, than to keep starting again,and again, I can't see how this apponitment will help in the long run, it's like selling a Ford, trying to buy a Ferrari, then settling for a Vauxhall.
But as you say. let's just see.

[ant london]

You don't know he was 4th choice at all! One of a number they may have spoken to, why wouldn't they? But we know from reports that Khaldoon met Mancini several weeks ago, the fact that they checked around for other candidates and narrowed theirshort list down toan appointment shows cool headedness notpanic!

agreed. Some people seem to be labouring under the misapprehension that we are owned/run by total amateur fuckwits

They are recruiting someone for a multi-million pound contract. They wouldn't just speak to one person (ie. trying to get him before going to plans B,C and D). They would speak to a handful of guys to assess whether they thought they were right for the job theoretically, whether they were willing to walk away from any commitments they had currently and to listen to their thoughts on how they could take the club forward.

Hiddink's agent came out and said that he wasn't interested. Well, here are two theories as to what may actually have happened.

1) We told Hiddink (who WAS interested) that he wasn't the one we wanted. So his agent "leaks" the fact that he didn't want to come

or (more likely)

2) Hiddink has had some form of advance loyalty bonus from Abramovich to ensure he doesn't take another job just yet....the kind of bonus that is repayable if you renege on the arrangement

Why do people have to take what is likely to be paper bullshit and/or spin put out by those with a clear personal agenda as gospel.

We are not being run by incompetents. Disagree with the modus operandi if you like (and I would understand that they have acted quite brutally, and that this would stick in some people's craw) but they are clearly smart and serious operators. Have some faith

[CityFanFromRome]

I still cannot work out why sack Hughes to bring in 4th choice,does look our owners are panicking,that's crazy, I would understand and accept a top proven manager,but really this is crazy, unaceptable, really unacceptable. People saying our owners have to be ruthless to get where we want to go, sure, theres ruthless,and just stupidity,and I think the owners have let us know where they are coming from, headless chickens, I guess a bit like our defence.

FFS give him a chance! We haven't even seen a game under Mancini and already there's people saying appointing him is unacceptable...as for the words about our owners...you don't get where they are in business being an headless chicken or panicking.

[The Man In Blue]

Hughes: told after the game, no prior knowledge.

disappointed to be sacked, targets were agreed at start of season and not changed to his knowledge.

would like to thank the fans for support, wants us to go on and achieve success, in particular in a certain semi-final we have coming up.

from 5live.

[viking the Odd]

I still cannot work out why sack Hughes to bring in 4th choice,does look our owners are panicking,that's crazy, I would understand and accept a top proven manager,but really this is crazy, unaceptable, really unacceptable. People saying our owners have to be ruthless to get where we want to go, sure, theres ruthless,and just stupidity,and I think the owners have let us know where they are coming from, headless chickens, I guess a bit like our defence.

FFS give him a chance! We haven't even seen a game under Mancini and already there's people saying appointing him is unacceptable...as for the words about our owners...you don't get where they are in business being an headless chicken or panicking.

Fair enough,so you can't see this as a panic reaction ?, And when Mr Mancini fails,or draws a game to many what then ?. We have had more managers than Sainsburys, I think that may be a problem in it's self,I'm not saying Hughes was our saviour, but why replace him with another unknown, get the right man in from the off,or wait for them.

[The Man In Blue]

Hughes statement in full:

"I was informed after yesterday's match against Sunderland that my contract with Manchester City was being terminated with immediate effect," he stated.

"Notwithstanding media coverage to the contrary, I was given no forewarning as to the club's decision. Given the speed with which my successor's appointment was announced, it would appear that the club had made its decision some considerable time ago.

"I am extremely disappointed not to have been given the opportunity to see through my plans at the club. At the beginning of the season, I sat down with the owners and it was agreed that a realistic target for the season would be sixth place in the Barclays Premier League, or in the region of 70 points. All of this was communicated to the players and we all knew where we stood.

"Whilst everyone at the Club would obviously have wanted to see more wins, we were absolutely on target at the time of my dismissal. Only recently, we had terrific victories against both Arsenal and Chelsea.

"I am very proud of the fact that I steered the club through the most significant period of change in its history.

"I have always been aware of the responsibility that comes with being afforded the luxury of a significant transfer budget, and I was grateful that the club supported me with significant investment in players.

"I very much regret, however, that I will not now be able to enjoy the success that would undoubtedly have followed in the light of that investment.

"I believe that I have handled with dignity the recent pressure placed upon me by press speculation.

"I would like to thank the fans for their support throughout my time at the club and particularly at this difficult time, and I wish the club every success in the future, particularly in relation to the forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final, the club's first semi-final for 28 years."

[ant london]

"I believe that I have handled with dignity the recent pressure placed upon me by press speculation.

"I would like to thank the fans for their support throughout my time at the club and particularly at this difficult time, and I wish the club every success in the future, particularly in relation to the forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final, the club's first semi-final for 28 years."

Too bloody right you did Hughsie

No-one ever parts company with their employers in agreeable circumstances but as splits go I think that is an OK parting note. I don't blame him for being disappointed with the owners and we all know that his degree of "failure" was pretty marginal. HOWEVER, what's done is done and we all should move on.

Forward with Franny...sorry.....Bobby

[Slim]

"I would like to thank the fans for their support throughout my time at the club and particularly at this difficult time, and I wish the club every success in the future, particularly in relation to the forthcoming Carling Cup semi-final, the club's first semi-final for 28 years."

That could be read as "you were shit for 3 decades without me".

Love that taffy dignity, it's like dignity ...only not.

[Im_Spartacus]

"I very much regret, however, that I will not now be able to enjoy the success that would undoubtedly have followed in the light of that investment.

So the man himself confirms it is right to have high expectations given the investment? I'm glad he has cleared that up, maybe I will be allowed to air high expectations on this board in the future light of this without being called a wanker, twat, cunt etc.

[Dazzacity]

I cheered like I had just seen City score a goal when I heard this!! Im so glad he has gone.Its about bloody time!!. I didnt dislike the guy and Im sure he tried his best. Just that he isnt ready fo City.Way out of his depth.

And I think people should have stopped looking at the league table and looked at our performances instead!! We have been piss poor with a great squad.Its just luck that others have also been up and down.

I know some seem upset by what has happened but Im sure you will now get behind Mancini.

Im just looking forward to a new look City in the way we play.

Whats the bettin we swoop in for someone like Cheillini in Jan??

[Citizen of Oslo]

'You are not a proper football manager untill you have been fired'. Malcolm Allison.

[CityFanFromRome]

Fair enough,so you can't see this as a panic reaction ?, And when Mr Mancini fails,or draws a game to many what then ?. We have had more managers than Sainsburys, I think that may be a problem in it's self,I'm not saying Hughes was our saviour, but why replace him with another unknown, get the right man in from the off,or wait for them.

If it was a panic reaction it wouldn't have come after a win but after the Hull draw as it seems that was the moment Mancini and the management defined the deal, only to wait as we beat Arsenal and then Chelsea so the board thought maybe Hughes was turning it around, but Spurs confirmed to them he wasn't and so the deal was finalized. So no, imho it isn't a panic reaction. I might not completely agree on the replacement, and since nothing better was available I might have been willing to wait till the summer, but I can also see why they decided a replacement was necessary now.