ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Manchester City- Dear Chairman

Posted by Wallace Poulter on 11/28/2009

Dear Chairman
Hello there, haven't had the pleasure of meeting you yet.

Just wanted to say what a fabulous job Mark Hughes is doing. Sixth you said and by golly Hughes has got the team playing at that level. Yes, yes, of course we could quibble about a result or two or three... well technically seven, but the point is the team is not losing and is only one of a handful of clubs in the entire five tiers of English Football that have only lost one game so far this season in the league.

I know you hear the rumblings of some of the fans concerning the in game tactics and substitutions but really what do they know? As Hughes insinuated last season when defending his playing of Vassell they really are just trouble causers. I mean in the grand scheme of things, who can't see the value of playing a virtual man down? Builds character that does.

This has nothing to do, nothing to do, with the potential unemployment of a Spaniard in Liverpool. It's a complete coincidence that my public support of the Manager happens to coincide with the slow realization from the Anfield faithful that Benitez won with Houllier's team, has frittered away 200 million and the inevitable job search that will ensue. Honest... complete coincidence.

Real Madrid hasn't figured that out either, so lets all giggle when they introduce their new manager next summer. In the meantime City will go from strength to strength with an invigorating sixth place in the Premier League. It's the club's highest position ever.

And you know, City might still win something this year. We seem to have the measure of Arsenal when we play them at home, so who knows maybe this year the Liquid Cup has our name on it. What do you say, top 4 next year?

"Hughes... could be worse." Admittedly not the greatest marketing slogan ever, but work with me here.

CTID

Wallace

Update For those of you looking for an opposing and I think balanced view check out the blog of norfstander (google it...)

Comments

Posted by Sebastian on 11/28/2009

Is it completely unreasonable that this 'letter' has inspired me to want to create a t-shirt with a cell-shaded silhouette of Hughes' face with "Hughes... could be worse" beside it on the front and a cell-shaded silhouette of Scolari waving from the Bridge stands on the back?

Posted by Mark on 11/28/2009

Please, please, please santa get rid of this complete incompetent manager we have at the helm. He is so worried about not losing that he can't win. I hear that a Mr Mourinho is not happy in Italy.

Hughes is a joke. I for one will not put another penny into the Man City coffers until he is gone. End of.

Posted by Sean on 11/28/2009

Won with Houllier's team? Apart from Alonso and Garcia who scored most of teh goals that got us to the final. Rafa has spent 80M net son which is about half of what you lot have already spent and we will still finish above you.

Did Houllier's team get us to the final in Athens in 2007 as well?

Wallace Reply Keep believing in Rafa... please. As long as he stays as far away from Eastlands as possible.

Posted by lex on 11/28/2009

I'm still backing Hughes (seriously), but this is getting VERY frustrating. No ambitious team worth their salt draws 7 games in a row.

After drawing six games, and throwing away (yes, throwing away) leads, this team and manager should have been chomping on the bit, with the only aim being to knock five past Hull. This should have been a ruthless performance, the one where you feel bad for the opposition.

It is so maddening to watch them play well (as we know they can), and then wait for the inevitable lapses. Frankly, it's bullshit. I mean it when I say I support Hughes, but Arsenal is a must win, and really, who would tolerate an EIGHTH SUCCESSIVE premier league draw when we play Chelsea?

If we can't win home or away, against both big and small teams, then how will we get points?

Posted by James on 11/29/2009

In this situation, we need to find a new manager instead of using Hughes until the end of season. There are two managers can be consider here such as Luis Scolari and Jose Mourinho.

If we take Scolari as the new manager of Manchester City, Robinho would not leave the club to join Barcelona.

Posted by Greg on 11/29/2009

Looking past the penalty call and the numerous missed chances at goal, the frustrating thing for me is the number of long balls from the back. City spent the majority of the game punting(American term for "we can't do anything productive with the ball so lets just give it to the other team in their end") the ball deep in the hull half of the field. I'm somewhat confused, because for the first five games of the season City were a possession team that moved the ball quickly and frustrated opponents. It appears to me that as the ties have mounted the amount of punting has increased. I want to support Hughes as I like him, but the quality and creative play that started the season seems to be in jeopardy of extinction. As Wallace has said in the past, I do not mind losing if there is a quality effort but I can not stomach giving away matches.

Wallace Reply The punting from the back is the inevitable and entirely predicable (not least I predicted it) result of getting rid of Elano. As I've stated if Elano had to go I understand, but the skills of the player were not replaced in the squad.

Posted by Martin Nazimek on 11/29/2009

Wallace,
7 draws in a row in unacceptable for a team who spend so much money. I back MH, but am loosing my faith in his ability. The flowing 1 touch football has not been seen for a while. Have the players lost their faith in him as well? Also, I totally support your view on Benitez. He is absolutely NOT the man for us. Cant stand him and his tactics. Plus, how much money has he wasted for Liverpool. Imagine how much he would loose with our resources. I believe its only a matter of time before we pull the plug. Maybe at the end of the season we have a clear picture of what we are missing and address it in the offseason. I hope its not too late. CTID

Posted by Frank on 11/29/2009

listen to al u turkeys gobling away like a bunch of idiots..WE ARE IN THE BEST POSITION WEVE EVER BEEN IN!! we've got world class businessmen runing our club (that just happen to have billions at their convenient disposal!) and a manager who has potential to be great!

anyone remember a wily old Scotsman by the name of sir alex ferguson? you may have heard of him.. wily old character manages a team called Manchester united has won 11 premier league titles, 5 FA cups, 3 league cups and before i forget 2 champions leagues...does this name ring a bell?

it took the man 6 years to win his first title and since then there has been no one who has come close..if the board and the fans didnt keep the faith do u reckon man utd would be where they are today!?

the fact is that projects such as these take time and patience. we've got the money, we've got the talent (with more to come) but we as fans need to stay committed to the cause and stop ranting and raving at a drop of a hat and grow up!

Wallace Reply Frank, you make a fair point and if it was only about the poor run of form I would agree with you. The problem I have with Hughes is that he makes decisions that are obviously wrong from the moment he makes them. My criticism about him is rarely, if ever, with hindsight. Vassell - wrong player in the wrong position; Elano - best passer on the team, when he played City won; Lescott - good player with suspect positional sense etc. Take those away and I agree with those that say Hughes should be given more time, that a squad built so quickly will almost by default have issues of cohesion and that the manager has brought in players of good winning character. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. I'd just prefer someone who didn't make such obvious ones that are easy to see.

Posted by Frank on 11/29/2009

p.s. KEEP THE FAITH!!! were only at the beginning of what could be something great, granted there are going to be bumps along that road but its no reason to derail the stability

Posted by DeeJay on 11/30/2009

Let's not change our Manager again. Last time we got rid of a Manager in our present lofty position was Peter Reid and which direction did we go then?

As Frank said above, we've only just found the path, its going to be a bit bumpy, but it leads to the road to success.

Posted by Jon on 11/30/2009

I've done my best to support Hughes - but the team plays with less and less belief every match, but we've drawn with Wigan, Hull, Brum, Burnley, and Fulham. Do you think any of tottenham, liverpool, or spurs will get less than 10 points from the same 5 fixtures? I sure as hell don't.

Wallace - What do you think about one J. Mourinho whose head is on the chopping block at inter Milan? Or one G. Hiddink who is not going to the world cup with Russia?

Wallace Reply I think either Mourinho or Hiddink is unrealistic. While I believe Mourinho will return to the Premier League whenever he leaves Inter I can't see him coming to City. Hiddink is almost certainly going to become Director of Football at Chelsea. Michael Laudrup is the guy I'd like to see in charge.

Posted by pj on 12/01/2009

I have to say I'm in full agreement with Frank. Personally I think our problems are mostly mental as several players are struggling for form and confidence at the moment so now more than ever every single City fan needs to get behind the team as all the tactical nous in the world is not going to help a team clearly struggling for confidence and self-belief and I'm confident both Mourinho and Hiddink would agree (and I also agree with Wallace that Mourinho and Hiddink coming to City are completely unrealistic).

I also think the "Hughes out" crowd are not only overreacting but are subscribing to the "magic bullet" theory that a change in a management will cure all our ills. The season's still young and there is plenty of time for Hughes and City to turn it around. Now more than ever calm is needed, not bitching and moaning which sadly, too many City fans are doing at the moment. We have a diamond. It just needs polishing.

Posted by zam on 12/01/2009

i think Man City need Jose Mourinho to complete the revolution. Guus Hiddink is another choice.

Posted by Brandon on 12/01/2009

I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again!!! Mark Hughes is not a good manager!!! He wants to buy more talent?!? Sure there's nothing wrong with that but we all have seen mangers get better results with less in their locker room! The problem is and always was Hughes!

Posted by Neil ex Pat ! on 12/04/2009

Wallace why Laudrup .....I wouuld love to get either Mur/Hudd & think either would come here with what we have set up....

Great result on Wed but we just don't get the same enthusiasm against lesser teams in the League.

I like what MH is doing (most of the time)but think we could get better results with Mourinho/Huddink.

Neil/California

PS: A draw is a good result tomorrow !

Wallace Reply Laudrup prefers the 4-2-3-1 which I believe works best for City and his style is fast paced attacking football. The work he did at Getafe was excellent.

Posted by Floridian on 12/05/2009

ANYONE could get this multi-million quid squad to draw games... even me!! To be honest, they could probably get the same results without a manager!! When the players are (individually) better than the manager, draws are inevitable. What makes a manager a good leader is his ability to build a TEAM out of talented INDIVIDUALS. Hughes can't.

Posted by chris on 12/09/2009

No word from Wallace or Hughes-haters after the Arsenal and Chelsea matches? Is the glass still half-empty or now half-full?

Maybe the realization is setting in that the squad is still gelling and needs time to come together... Although I can't help but point out that this weekend at Bolton is a must-win. Prove that we can beat the lesser sides as well as Chelsea at home.

Posted by Justin on 12/11/2009

Hughes is a great manager of lesser talent. He can take the Christopher Sambas of the world and make them better...the diamond in the rough that become a premier league player. Get a relegation team to play mid-table and maybe Europa League...but as it appears now he can't take the mid-table adn Europa League to the next level. Wallace, you still love Elano! I was never convinced and i believe that Ireland can fill that role, but seems like he has been unhealthy this year. Funny how the conversation has stopped since the Chelsea win, but didn't it have the same feel to anyone else? Hopefully it is a game that gets us over the hump. Sack Hughes? Give him the year to compete and bring the team further together. At least he isn't headbutting Santa Cruz in the locker room naked!

Wallace Reply I think that's a reasonable evaluation of Hughes. re Elano, yes I love him as a player. I'd love for Ireland to become a player with similar vision for the pass. Ireland makes wonderful runs, we need someone, anyone, who can make the passes that Elano made.

Posted by Joel on 12/13/2009

As a since-childhood City fan living on the west coast of the US, I guess I might bring a different perspective. From my view, bringing in a new manager at this point would do no more good than bringing in a new major signing (other than maybe an additional central defender for January). Bringing in anyone at this point will do nothing other than cause drama at a time when the blues desperately need to just settle down. These past few weeks have shown that the team is starting to do just that - especially after today's draw @ Bolton.

Of course could be argued that City should have never been on the wrong side of that score to start with based on the admittedly awful officiating, but the team pulled through *with 10 men* to stay in striking distance of the top 6 that he set as his goal at the outset of the season.

Quite frankly to go from a horribly disappointing side that finished mid-table to a side that qualifies for Europa cup and brings home a domestic trophy-I'd be thrilled

Wallace Reply Hughes playing of Vassell is paying dividends in that the team has learnt how to play well with 10 men! ok, a low blow but... I thought the team showed a great commitment against Bolton. Given the circumstances a draw was a good result.

Posted by patrick on 12/14/2009

get rid of Hughes is the simple message here but Jose is still at inter and will stay because of the champions league, scolari cant cut the premiership, so the best option for city is Guss Hidink, amazin manager and Russia didn't qualify for the world cup, its like it happen for a reason so Mr shiek all i want for Xmas is a dutch manager called Guus. well city owners are like Santa can make dreams happen!!!

Posted by Justin on 12/14/2009

January needs: swine flu vaccine (de Jong was missed badly!!!), center back (still would love Upson for coverage or start), and yes wallace a creative passing midfielder as Ireland seems set on being the final one touch that pulls people open. Also, did anyone play on the right side after SWP went down? 8 Draws in 9 games, at least we only have the one loss! spurs away is a huge test!

Wallace Reply Weiss is a natural right sided midfielder/winger while Ireland has always seemed to be a better fit in the 4-2-3-1 in that he drifts more inside naturally than in a 4-4-2.

Posted by Ted on 12/15/2009

There are times when I think it would be preferable to go back in time and ask the Sheikh to put his money into another club.

Some of you need a reality check and you need to understand what is happening at City.

Our new owners have in a very short time not only invested in the team but also in the youth set up, the commercial team, Carrington etc.
Now whether you like it or not (and feel free here to stick your fingers in your ear and sing at the top of your voice) the Chairman has given Mark Hughes the job of managing and selecting the team.

In a short(ish) space of time the team has done reasonably well and despite some below par performances (Birmingham, Hull and Fulham) the signs are there that with a little patience and maybe a little fine tuning this team (and manager) could do very well.

Finally to the Gus Hiddink fan.
As good a manager as he is (was?) he still couldn't get a decent Russian team into the world cup and in an easy group!!

Posted by Afiq on 12/23/2009

Why Manchester City always wants to follow all the big four teams that wanted to buy players such as (Chelsea wants to buy Robinho), (Man Utd wants to buy Dzeko)?

Posted by Passer-by on 01/23/2010

It is extremely interesting for me to read the article. Thanx for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to them. BTW, why don't you change design :).

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