Hughes taking impossible job ??

[tingtawng]

Premier League - Hughes taking impossible job

Eurosport - Thu, 29 Jul 15:49:00 2010


At first glance, Fulham looks like a terrific job for Mark Hughes. They are a stable club with a sensible chairman, appreciative fans and an atmospheric ground.
- 0

There is a positive vibe about the place, and they go into the new season with much the same squad that reached last season's Europa League final.

A far cry from the madness at Manchester City, who sacked Hughes last December when they were just a handful of points off the fourth place their owners craved - by the time the final whistle blew in his last game, Roberto Mancini had already been appointed.

Hughes has already fallen victim to impossibly high expectations once. Now he risks doing so again.

For all the condescending pats on the head doled out to 'lovely little Fulham' they have become accustomed to no little success.

Roy Hodgson has just led them to the two best seasons in their recent history; finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe, then reaching a continental final where they lost agonisingly in extra time.

Now it falls to Hughes to extract the same level of performance from a modest group of players. Old stagers like Danny Murphy and Damien Duff must hold back the advancing years; Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes must continue to play like Baresi and Costacurta; and Bobby Zamora must maintain the amazing form that might have taken him to the World Cup if not for injury.

And that is if Fulham just want to stay still.

Hughes has inherited an ageing group of players - not one first team squad member is under 25 - and he has neither the money nor the time to revamp it.

Where City wanted Hughes to take them to previously unattained heights (for 30-odd years at least), Fulham want him to keep them at a stratospherically high level. Hodgson performed an impossible job, now Hughes must do the same or be branded a failure.

It might just be the most thankless task in professional football.

Expectations are everything in sport.

Take poor Iain Dowie, handed the job of following Alan Curbishley at Charlton. Curbs had miraculously made a mid-table side out of the Addicks, but when Dowie failed immediately to work the same wonders he was done for.

Dowie was sacked by November of his first full season, quickly followed by the hapless Les Reed. Only once all hope of survival had been extinguished could a manager come in (Alan Pardew) and last more than a few months.

Likewise Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings, who took the hotseats at Bolton and Wigan following periods of success under Sam Allardyce and Paul Jewell. Neither manager made it past bonfire night.

I'm not saying Hughes should start applying now for a job as Father Christmas at the Westfield shopping centre. But Hodgson has raised the bar so high, Sparky has a near-impossible job satisfying expectations.

The lower mid-table finish that befits Fulham's pool of talent simply won't do.

On the other side of the coin is Martin O'Neill, who timed his arrival at Aston Villa perfectly.

Between 1995 and 2002, Villa finished in the top eight seven seasons in a row.

But a wobbly spell followed, and after David O'Leary dragged Villa to the depths of 16th place, O'Neill could scarcely fail to look like a genius when he restored them to their former status.

Coming sixth three straight years looks like a stunning achievement, when it is no more than Villa achieved with regularity just a few years earlier.

That's not to belittle O'Neill, who is a fantastic motivator and has an enviable track record, just to say he got to Villa Park at the right moment.

And Hodgson himself has shown deft timing, arriving at Liverpool at a time of deep depression and following a thoroughly miserable season.

The signing of an England fringe player on a free transfer was greeted rapturously, as was the news that the club captain is staying put. Imagine the reaction if they actually win some games.

All Hodgson has to do is return Liverpool to their natural level in the top four and he will be a hero. Fulham's natural level will almost certainly earn Hughes the sack.

[JBH]

For tingtawng read w****r

[AlFayedsChequebook]

That article is the biggest load of b0ll0x that I have ever heard.

It compares him to Ian Dowie, sammie lee and Chris Hutchins. What utter rubbish.

What this article seems to forget is that Fulham have now been in the prem for 10 years. We are a premiership club, like it or lump it, and Hughes is a manager who can take us forward.

[FatFreddysCat]

For tingtawng read w****r

yep

[mrska]

Premier League - Hughes taking impossible job

Eurosport - Thu, 29 Jul 15:49:00 2010


At first glance, Fulham looks like a terrific job for Mark Hughes. They are a stable club with a sensible chairman, appreciative fans and an atmospheric ground.
- 0

There is a positive vibe about the place, and they go into the new season with much the same squad that reached last season's Europa League final.

A far cry from the madness at Manchester City, who sacked Hughes last December when they were just a handful of points off the fourth place their owners craved - by the time the final whistle blew in his last game, Roberto Mancini had already been appointed.

Hughes has already fallen victim to impossibly high expectations once. Now he risks doing so again.

For all the condescending pats on the head doled out to 'lovely little Fulham' they have become accustomed to no little success.

Roy Hodgson has just led them to the two best seasons in their recent history; finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe, then reaching a continental final where they lost agonisingly in extra time.

Now it falls to Hughes to extract the same level of performance from a modest group of players. Old stagers like Danny Murphy and Damien Duff must hold back the advancing years; Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes must continue to play like Baresi and Costacurta; and Bobby Zamora must maintain the amazing form that might have taken him to the World Cup if not for injury.

And that is if Fulham just want to stay still.

Hughes has inherited an ageing group of players - not one first team squad member is under 25 - and he has neither the money nor the time to revamp it.

Where City wanted Hughes to take them to previously unattained heights (for 30-odd years at least), Fulham want him to keep them at a stratospherically high level. Hodgson performed an impossible job, now Hughes must do the same or be branded a failure.

It might just be the most thankless task in professional football.

Expectations are everything in sport.

Take poor Iain Dowie, handed the job of following Alan Curbishley at Charlton. Curbs had miraculously made a mid-table side out of the Addicks, but when Dowie failed immediately to work the same wonders he was done for.

Dowie was sacked by November of his first full season, quickly followed by the hapless Les Reed. Only once all hope of survival had been extinguished could a manager come in (Alan Pardew) and last more than a few months.

Likewise Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings, who took the hotseats at Bolton and Wigan following periods of success under Sam Allardyce and Paul Jewell. Neither manager made it past bonfire night.

I'm not saying Hughes should start applying now for a job as Father Christmas at the Westfield shopping centre. But Hodgson has raised the bar so high, Sparky has a near-impossible job satisfying expectations.

The lower mid-table finish that befits Fulham's pool of talent simply won't do.

On the other side of the coin is Martin O'Neill, who timed his arrival at Aston Villa perfectly.

Between 1995 and 2002, Villa finished in the top eight seven seasons in a row.

But a wobbly spell followed, and after David O'Leary dragged Villa to the depths of 16th place, O'Neill could scarcely fail to look like a genius when he restored them to their former status.

Coming sixth three straight years looks like a stunning achievement, when it is no more than Villa achieved with regularity just a few years earlier.

That's not to belittle O'Neill, who is a fantastic motivator and has an enviable track record, just to say he got to Villa Park at the right moment.

And Hodgson himself has shown deft timing, arriving at Liverpool at a time of deep depression and following a thoroughly miserable season.

The signing of an England fringe player on a free transfer was greeted rapturously, as was the news that the club captain is staying put. Imagine the reaction if they actually win some games.

All Hodgson has to do is return Liverpool to their natural level in the top four and he will be a hero. Fulham's natural level will almost certainly earn Hughes the sack.

What an ill informed load of tripe..

[Burt]

Its hard to agree with the conclusion drawn from this drivvle.

If we end up avoiding relegation I am sure Hughes will still have a job.

I would like to think we have sensible expectations. We are not a top 4 club, and a good season for us would be a good top-half finish and a great cup run.

[Steve_orino]

I understand the author's point...

but I have to disagree with him/her (sorry Beamer).  Fulham has a pretty intelligent fanbase (at least on this board) and we realize that a top 10 finish is something that is acheivable and as long as we're not having to sort out how many points we need to get out of the relegation scrap come December, the Fulham Faithful will be happy.  

I expected Hodgson to return (disappointed but undrstandable) and felt that a push towards the Europa League, as well as respectable showings in both domestic Cups would be the goal for the season.  With a new Manager & system to be put into place and not much time to bring in "his" players...If we finished Top 12 and had a good run in the Cups, I could be satisfied with that.  

With Hughes being about 15 years younger than Hodgson and an established foundation from the past two years, we could be looking at the stability of the Club in the making.

[Burt]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

[Steve_orino]

Its hard to agree with the conclusion drawn from this drivvle.

If we end up avoiding relegation I am sure Hughes will still have a job.

I would like to think we have sensible expectations. We are not a top 4 club, and a good season for us would be a good top-half finish and a great cup run.

Of course Burt sums my post up in 3 sentences...should have just waited and typed +1  

[JBH]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

Have a look at all the other posts by this knob and then work out why he is abused, I will give you a clue "they are all TOTALLY NEGATIVE BOLLOX"  exactly what you'd expect from a Chels*a fan:doh:

[Burt]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

Have a look at all the other posts by this knob and then work out why he is abused, I will give you a clue "they are all TOTAL BOLLOX" 

But its not his thoughts, he's just copying and posting a Eurosport article...

Not sure about the quality of the rest of his posts, not on here frequently enough I guess.

However one of the things I like about this board is tolerance of others views, even if they are different, and avoiding personal abuse.

[Steve_orino]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

Have a look at all the other posts by this knob and then work out why he is abused, I will give you a clue "they are all TOTALLY NEGATIVE BOLLOX"  exactly what you'd expect from a Chels*a fan:doh:

I've always thought of him as a Lighthouse protege...

I guess a Chelsey fan could work too.

[Logicalman]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

Have a look at all the other posts by this knob and then work out why he is abused, I will give you a clue "they are all TOTALLY NEGATIVE BOLLOX"  exactly what you'd expect from a Chels*a fan:doh:

I think you might be a little harsh on the lad there JBH. I believe he means to post what he has read (in the case above the url is actually Here ) and so, as with many posters on here, when publishing such items (albeit some are pure crap like the one above), there is no apparent disclaimer as to whether the poster actually agrees with the content or not. Unfortunately, this is likely a case of shooting the messenger.


In any case, the article is pure crap mainly due to the fact the author fails to appreciate what being a Fulham fan truly is. Unlike the plastic prats we see in most clubs (and there are some here as well - unfortunately) the faithful tend to take success with as much a pinch of salt as failure, and understand it's just another thread in the grand tapestry of our club. So, whereby expectations initially might be high, had RH stayed, a change in management reduces such expectations by some degree.

[tingtawng]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

yesp i

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

i didnt write it just throw it in for discussion but theres some on here who have a attitude about other points of view .bury your heads in the sand

[FC Silver Fox]

While I agree with your replies about the comparaisons of other managers, I think the basic premise of the article is fairly accurate. We've had 2 fantastic seasons and we're almost euphoric with expectation to experience more of the same. Sherpa Tensing will be breaking out the oxygen masks soon.
 We have further to fall than 2 years ago. I disagree that it is an impossible job to maintain this standard, but it will certainly be a challenging task. On the other hand, you can apply that to any club in the Premiership nowadays.
  When Woy arrived, he had everything to gain. If we had been relegated that first season, he could justifiably have argued that it was inevitable. Hughes won't have that luxury.

[tingtawng]

haha yeh i am a c.h.elsea double agent paid for by unknown dark forces to rattle your cages ,C.A is my uncle ,hey i am the man from Uncle !

[AlFayedsChequebook]

While I agree with your replies about the comparaisons of other managers, I think the basic premise of the article is fairly accurate. We've had 2 fantastic seasons and we're almost euphoric with expectation to experience more of the same. Sherpa Tensing will be breaking out the oxygen masks soon.
  We have further to fall than 2 years ago. I disagree that it is an impossible job to maintain this standard, but it will certainly be a challenging task. On the other hand, you can apply that to any club in the Premiership nowadays.
   When Woy arrived, he had everything to gain. If we had been relegated that first season, he could justifiably have argued that it was inevitable. Hughes won't have that luxury.

Granted, we do have further to fall than two years ago, but we also have a stabilised set-up. What irritates me is that this journalist, and I use that term loosely, is ignoring the fact that Fulham are now an established premier league team. Yes, relegation still lurks over our shoulder but I don't think there is anything wrong with looking up the table rather than down. I am not expecting Europa League football but consistent top 10 finishes is by no means past our means.

[Lighthouse]

Incidentally, why the abuse for Tingtawn for posting this? Perhaps I have missed something along the way...

Have a look at all the other posts by this knob and then work out why he is abused, I will give you a clue "they are all TOTALLY NEGATIVE BOLLOX"  exactly what you'd expect from a Chels*a fan:doh:

I've always thought of him as a Lighthouse protege...

I guess a Chelsey fan could work too.

:005: I am sure tingtawng would find that insulting but I appreciate the comparison. I have never understood why by copy/pasting an article means you are responsible for the tone of the article. As for being negative? We were right to believe Roy would leave and right to question any story or news item telling us anything. Being happy but an idiot is not a good thing but then only we negative people can see that.  :011:

[Teabag]

Hughes has inherited an ageing group of players - not one first team squad member is under 25 - and he has neither the money nor the time to revamp it.

Load of rubbish. The average age is high, but to say there is no money to revamp the team is crap.

[tingtawng]

Mark Hughes Set For Fulham, But Will 'Second Choice Sparky' Keep Up The Good Work?


by: Chris Wright
29
Jul
2010
Hughes

After a brief but ultimately fruitless dalliance with Ajax manager Martin Jol, it would now appear that Fulham are within hours of appointing Mark Hughes as their new manager, with many reports suggesting that he could be unveiled at Craven Cottage as early as this afternoon.

It is thought that Hughes has already accepted chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed's contract offer, and is currently travelling to London from his home in Cheshire before being formally presented to the media either later this evening or first thing tomorrow.

Fulham have understandably taken their time in appointing an able  successor to previous incumbent Roy Hodgson (who left to join Liverpool at the turn of the month) after enjoying a season of unprecedented success under his stewardship last term.

Hodgson's close-knit side enjoyed a glorious run in last season's Europa League, a resolute campaign that saw them advance past European footballing luminaries such as Roma, Juventus and reigning champions Shakhtar Donetsk, before narrowly losing out to Atletico Madrid during extra-time in the final.

Their showing on the domestic front was more solid than spectacular but a 12th place Premier League finish is far from derisory, especially once you take into account the inevitable physical toll that the rigours of a prolonged European run must have taken on what was essentially a very thin squad.

Fulham triumph over Juventus in last season's Europa League

Fulham triumph over Juventus

As a result of the club's various exertions and laudable over-achievements last season, the level of expectation at Craven Cottage has inescapably risen – but the loss of their veteran manager, the man at the hub of the success, served to deflate that buoyant optimism almost immediately.

Supporters of any club tend to demand a certain degree of visible progress in order to sate their perpetually simmering frustrations and the loss of Hodgson to Liverpool therefore naturally represented a step backward for the Fulham faithful.

There was no bad blood and no acrimony between the two parties, but to see the architect of the club's fledgling gestalt pulled from the heart of proceedings must have been a decidedly bitter pill to swallow for everybody involved including, I suspect, Hodgson himself.

So here we are, a month down the line and a new name (almost) installed at the helm. He may have been many of their second choice, but the appointment of 'Sparky' is still being greeted with a distinct air of positivity by many of the Fulham contingent.

During his spells in charge at Blackburn and Manchester City, Hughes proved himself to be a stern operator of sorts.

He demonstrated the disdain in which he holds players with overly-precious egos on numerous occasions by refusing to pander to their various whims (his willingness to drop wayward Brazilian winger Robinho being a prime example) and developed a sturdy, if not a little limited, tactical system which proved (especially at Blackburn) to be considerably difficult to play against.

These two simple factors seem to bode well for his immediate future, as it isn't particularly difficult to foresee how both elements will integrate into the current set-up at Fulham – a team that is often lauded for it's lack of conceit and it's propensity to work like dogs for one-another.

Philippe Senderos

Fulham new-boy Philippe Senderos

With Fulham's only summer acquisitions made so far being erstwhile (to put it politely) centre-back Philippe Senderos from Arsenal and Jonathan Greening (who spent last year on loan at Craven Cottage anyway) from West Brom, Hughes is going to have to work diligently during the remainder of the transfer window in order to bolster his squad with the kind of players that can seriously aid the club consolidate it's position – and not just 'make up the numbers'.

However, I believe that the biggest challenge Hughes will face is to balance the remnants of the club's burgeoning ambition that blossomed under Hodgson, with the reality that Fulham are still a mid-table club with a mid-table squad – regardless of the feats that may have gone before.

Read more: http://soccerlens.com/mark-hughes-set-for-fulham-but-will-second-choice-sparky-keep-up-the-good-work/51145/#ixzz0uzqC2pYK