Hughes becomes Man City manager

GLOWlad · A List Star

RE: Premiership discussion

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

I was more impressed with their win myself... Can Arsenal be caught now?

Mollison · 500 Club Member

They, as always, are relying to heavilly on a few players. This makes them fragile. United have a better squad and I think the Gooners only hope of winning the league is getting an early exit from Europe and The FA Cup. They don't have a squad to be a force on all fronts. Man U do.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

I think yesterday proved my above point...

Carlito Cool · The 'Cool' Mod

I think United proved a point yesterday that Arsenal do have a weak squad and if a few of there players get injured then there, well SCREWED IMO.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Im not so sure, it seemed to me like Arsenal couln't be bothered and were more intent on taking a few lumps out of the United players. Because if you look at the league they are back on toip with a bunch of their key players away at the Africa Cup. They've been missing Van Persie most of the season, so I reckon you're maybe underestimating them...

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

I have to agree with Dark M.Arsenal were awful saturday and the likes of Fabregas and Hleb didnt look like trying,there was no real effort from them and we destroyed them.Itll be a far different game in the league when they visit old trafford against us.I think Arsenal may just sneak the league title because we have to play them, Liverpool and Chelsea again, also Bolton i think, a West ham team that has beaten us 3 times running now and Middlesborough who always cause problems.

-- Edited by Totoro101 at 09:38, 2008-02-18

GLOWlad · A List Star

Man United champions and my Man City humiliated 8-1.

Ive had better days!

braxious · 500 Club Member

i think the city players were protesting about sven beeing replaced.

as for UNITED Fantastic we are champions again.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Indeed! Champions once again! Feel bad for City and Sven should not be sacked but looks like they didnt really have the heart to play the final game.Come on United for the european cup final to soon! Sadly cant see it over here in japan though...:(

braxious · 500 Club Member

totoro - im sure there will be a bar or a web site you can access in japan to see the match.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Unfortunatly due to the time differences of europe to asia, the game would most likely be at 4 or 5am in the morning for me :(...

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

So Man City have finally made official the worst kept secret of the summer with the departutre of Eriksson. Personally I thought that was a dumb move. Now it seems Mark Hughes is in with a shout for the job. But why would he leave Blackburn foir Uniteds Rivals?

braxious · 500 Club Member

Hughes becomes Man City manager

By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Hughes was Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra's top target

Mark Hughes has been appointed as the new manager of Manchester City after signing a three-year contract.

Hughes held talks with the City hierarchy in London on Tuesday evening and agreed to leave Blackburn after a second round of talks.

City's only serious concern was a late move by Chelsea, but BBC Sport believes Hughes was never on their short-list.

And City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has now landed his top target after Sven-Goran Eriksson's dismissal.

Shinawatra said: "He's an outstanding manager who has achieved many things with Blackburn.

"Mark was always the first choice of our new executive chairman, Garry Cook. Together they will make a great team. They will both prove to be excellent acquisitions, I'm sure."

Man City will not be run like Blackburn and Sparky will realise that if he goes there

Dean Saunders

Thaksin also sent a message to City fans still angry at the sacking of Eriksson, saying: "These are exciting times for Manchester City and I hope the supporters can understand that I share their goals.

"That sometimes means making ruthless decisions. Now we can go forward to a new era, with a new management structure and great hope and ambition."

Cook, who was appointed as executive chairman last month, said: "In our view Mark is the brightest young manager in the game and he was our number one target for the manager's job.

"He made it clear to us from the moment we met that he shared our vision and ambition to make Manchester City one of the top sides in the country.

"The club intends to invest in new players as well as securing the long term services of key members of the current first team squad.

"Mark has already identified some of the players and backroom staff that he wants to see here at City, and we will begin the process of recruiting them immediately."

The Welshman has guided Rovers into Europe twice, but recently indicated his long-term ambitions might not be satisfied at Ewood Park.

Despite the volatuile regime that saw Eriksson sacked at City, Hughes is prepared to risk giving up the stability of Blackburn because of the bigger stature of the Eastlands club.

And having always worked within a limited budget at Blackburn, he will now be backed with major transfer funds.

Another temptation for Hughes was the lure of European football, with City in the Uefa Cup, and the attraction of managing a team that plays in front of 40,000-plus crowds on a regular basis.

606: DEBATE

Hughesy dragged us out of relegation and turned us into a force many teams hate to play against

missy

Former Wales boss Hughes has impressed during his three-and-a-half year spell at Ewood Park, guiding Rovers to seventh in the Premier League last season.

He also led the club to its first FA Cup semi-final in 40 years in 2004 and another in 2007.

Blackburn chairman John Williams paid tribute to Hughes.

He said: "We have enjoyed a first-class, mutually beneficial relationship with Mark.

"He leaves the club in a strong position with three consecutive top 10 finishes and an excellent squad of players.

"In turn, we have helped Mark to establish himself as one of the most sought-after young British managers in the business, having previously had no club management experience.

"We wish him well. We would have liked him to stay on, but he made it clear he wanted a fresh challenge."

Earlier this year, the former Manchester United and Chelsea striker was one of the front-runners to succeed Sam Allardyce as Newcastle manager before Kevin Keegan took the job.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

Darth Mattitude wrote:

So Man City have finally made official the worst kept secret of the summer with the departutre of Eriksson. Personally I thought that was a dumb move. Now it seems Mark Hughes is in with a shout for the job. But why would he leave Blackburn foir Uniteds Rivals?

As the man himself said, United aren't the only team he played for. I mean Schmeichel was a bigger United legend and he played for City after. He's been given the chance to show he can lead a team with financial backing as well as teams where he has to bargain hunt. A part of his CV he'll need if he's ever to go to United. They wont want to make the same mistake as Newcastle did with Big Sam.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Oooo It's getting nasty now...

Manchester United have lodged an official complaint with Fifa over Real Madrid's interest in signing their Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

The English champions have reacted angrily to the Spaniards' persistent courting of the 23-year-old.

"On 27 May, United made clear its intention to report Real Madrid if it continued to involve itself in the future of Ronaldo," a statement read.

"Unfortunately, Real Madrid has not kept its own counsel."

The statement went on: "The club feels it has no alternative but to make a formal complaint to the world governing body, which it has done today.

The precise content and nature will remain confidential."

A Fifa spokesman added: "I can confirm that we have received an official request from Manchester United to look into the matter.

"We have only just received the documents so we need some time to analyse them before we can make any decision."

Article 18 of Fifa's regulations does not stipulate any possible sanction against Real, but does state that one club have to inform another in writing if they are to start negotiations with their player.

However, the rules do not specifically state that the club that owns the player have to give consent.

The two clubs have been engaged in a war of words over the last month - while comments attributed to the player himself have also fuelled the speculation.

Despite being under contract at Old Trafford until 2012, Ronaldo has refused to state publicly and unequivocally that his future lies with United.

Real coach Bernd Schuster claimed Ronaldo was their main summer transfer target, triggering United's initial threat of a complaint, while Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has accused the Spanish club of a "lack of morals" for allegedly unsettling the player.

United have sold David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gabriel Heinze to Real in recent years, but Ferguson insisted the case of Ronaldo was different.

He said: "Yes, we sold them Van Nistelrooy and Beckham but we did that because we wanted to."

Former Manchester United star Eric Cantona said on Monday that the club would continue to grow from strength to strength, whether Ronaldo stayed or not.

"He is the best player in the world today and they are the biggest club in the world as they continue to win things," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I hope Ronaldo will stay at Old Trafford - but if he wants to leaves I am sure Manchester United will still win things.

"I am sure that Ferguson will try as hard as possible to keep him at Old Trafford. But if he wants to leave, United it will still be United."

Asked whether now was a suitable moment for the Portuguese winger to leave the club, Cantona added: "It is never the right time to leave Old Trafford."

Ronaldo himself was quoted last week as saying that he "would like to play for Real Madrid - but only if they are ready to pay what Manchester United ask of them".

But on Sunday, Ronaldo said he had not decided about his future and would not comment again until after the European Championship.

Its a bit of a case of pot calling kettle black or would they just be reaping what they've sown for so many years now..?

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Thats not really the point dark M,if united had did any wrong doing,surely a club would have complained about my team to fifa before? besides Real need to be taken down a peg or two,they have acted disgracefully,as they usually do when trying to get new players.Sadly i can see Ronaldo leaving this year..I hope not but oh well.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

So John Terry doubts Man United will struggle to emmulate last seasons double. Yes they will. If JT learns to take a penalty.

I'm neither a United or Chelsea fan. But JT is a waste of time. He's arrogant and self-obsessed. I don't like taking pleasure in anothers despair, but when he missed in Moscow it made my year!

Predictions for the coming season people....?

1: Man United
2: Liverpool
3: Chelsea
4: Spurs
5: Villa
6:Arsenal (yes I think their year will be that bad!)

--------------------

18, 19, 20: What comes up must go down....

Observations, Predictions?

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Cant wait for the league to start.Couldnt care less what John says :).I think itll be between us and
Chelsea, Arsenal i feel will finish in third again.I dont know about liverpool, if Keane and Torres hit it off well then i can see them challenging.Its going to be an exciting season though! Cant wait until it starts.Just hoping we get Berbatov signed by the weekend according to some reports,its quite close for him to join us.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

Your money would be better spent elsewhere Totty. £28mil? What happens when Real come knocking in a few years time? Have you seen how he's acted towards Spurs? Buy him and you'll be on the recieving end of that in a couple of years. Think Ronaldo's been silly and immature? The real villain this summer has been Berbatov.

Take the £30mill and buy David Villa. Or even better... Sergio Aguero AND Klass-Jan Huntelaar...

-- Edited by Mollison at 13:21, 2008-08-13

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

Bad news for Arsenal Fabregas is out for the first two games of the seaosn with a Hamstring injury.. Time to change the fantasy team again..... BTW Totty you joined up yet? And you Eve.

NymVette · Movie Producer

I have joined now

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Havent Joined myself, im no good with fantasy teams! Well a great start to the new season,Chelsea blew away portsmouth and my team Uniteds injury crisis has effected them in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle.Rooney was again very poor,im starting to doubt if he has what it takes to play for us now,rarely scores,little to no spark in his play and no longer takes on players like he did only a few years back :(.As for Berbatov,your right Molison.In fact id much brefer El Kun (aguero) and Huntelaar but im expecting Dmitar to sign sometime...well i hope anyway,he is better then noone!

braxious · 500 Club Member

way way tooo early for the title race, united got odd to a bad start but they always seem to,

wait til after christmas ( only 30 weeks away) then lets seee whats going on,.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

A bit worrying though,as said Rooney looks as lackluster as he did sevral times last season.Without Ronaldo and Tevez,we should be able to rely on him to give us that extra spark,but he was as good as invisiable yesterday.I like Rooneys heart but it seems he isnt the player he was as a kid.

GLOWlad · A List Star

Thrilled that Shaun Wright Phillips is back at City...he was such a specisl player for us, maybe the very best I can remember.

Its baffling though how the other week we were looking like selling off players in a car boot sale, and now we are the biggest spenders of the summer.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

And we havent spent anything despite winning the european cup and premiership :(...

Mollison · 500 Club Member

Totty, to be fair those are the very reason for a lack of spending. The only strengthening your squad needs is a good old fashioned out and out center forward. And we all know they've been making every effort possible to get one...

-- Edited by Mollison at 11:47, 2008-08-31

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

To be honest,i think we need 2 strikers Mollison,the start to the season we have made has been poor and Rooney and Tevez dont get enough goals.Add to the fact we have lost Saha,Dong and soon maybe even campbell and have an unproven player in Manucho,it will be very hard if we dont get a certain Bulgarian player! To early to panic though ;) but id feel better with a couple of additions!

Mollison · 500 Club Member

Well with talk of Owen going for £2mil, you might get 2 players Totty... And before you put him down, his current position isn't all that different to a certain Mr. Sheringham's was back in 97 when United signed him for £3.5mil so £2mil would be a bargain for him.

NymVette · Movie Producer

Well the press got what they wanted and my manager was the first to go this season.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

You have a manager Eve? ^-^ Were you being mismanaged then? ^-^ of course i know you mean west ham,cant believe it personally,Curbs did a good job for them but i guess thats modern day football for you.And as for Owen,im actually a fan of his so would have loved to have had him,but having rid of one injury prone striker in Saha,we could do without another ^-^.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

West Ham want Slavan Bilic. Curbishly is a good manager but I dont hink he'll ever have his heart and soul in a job unless he returns to The Valley and his beloved Charlton.

NymVette · Movie Producer

I am dissapointed that Curbishly has gone because he wasn't doing a bad job at West Ham. You may not realise that he did play for West Ham and grew up supporting them, so I would say his heart and soul was in the job.

I don't think most West Ham fans was Slavan Bilic or Paulo Di Canio as manager. Bilic is a very good international manager but not proven at club level and neither is Di Canio. We need someone with experience and I think with the current owners and structure at the club we need a manager who is used to that structure and way of management, so I don't think an english manager will be suitable. I think the Italian managers they are considering would be a good choice as it is likely they are used to this structure where they just manage the team and don't really have control over who is bought and sold.

My Personal choice right now would be Roberto Donadoni (ex Italy manager) with Paulo Di Canio as his assistant. Donadoni would bring the experience to the job and Di Canio would bring his passion.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

There's a strong possibility that Bilic will do a part time role with Croatia and also WH. The thing as been proven before like with Stuart Pearce, you can't do 2 clubs well.

Bilic is an excellent manager and tactitian. Id want him over Donadoni, who looks like he might corpse it during a game...

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

How about going for Sam Allardyce? A proven manager in the league and did wonders with bolton,never got a chance at Newcastle,but i would imagine the type of football he gets his teams to play isnt something WH fans would like to have at their club.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

But it is the kind a striker like Dean Ashton would thrive with...

NymVette · Movie Producer

There is no way Sam Allardyce could ever be manager of West Ham! The same would happen at West Ham as happened at Newcastle if he got in charge.

Darth Mattitude · The Dark Admin

West Ham director Mike Lee has revealed that Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Donadoni "really shone" in interviews for the vacant managerial position.

Zola was interviewed by club officials for a second time in Rome on Sunday.

Lee also told BBC Radio 5 Live the club will talk to Michael Laudrup and Slaven Bilic this week - although the Croatia coach may not be a viable option.

"With Donadoni and Zola, and potentially Laudrup, we have some very exciting candidates," said Lee.

"But if Bilic wasn't available until January, that would rule him out."

Lee said Bilic "could potentially be on the shortlist" but the former Hammers defender, 39, might not be available until next year because of Croatia's World Cup qualifying campaign. Bilic declined to answer questions about the vacancy ahead of his side's World Cup qualifier against England on Wednesday.

But Lee suggested West Ham might still try to talk to him to assess the possibility of Bilic returning to Upton Park.

Lee added: "That is a discussion that would have to take place with the Croatian FA and with Slaven himself, but is it unlikely that it will be possible until after the England game.

"Ideally we would like to have a manager in place in time for the West Brom match next Saturday, or if not in the stands, and in place for the Newcastle game the following week."

Alan Curbishley resigned as manager on Wednesday, unhappy at the club's transfer policy, and the Hammers have wasted little time seeking a new man.

Italian Zola, 42, and compatriot Donadoni , 44, appear to be the front-runners, while Dane Laudrup is considered an outside contender and will be interviewed on Monday. Former Scotland midfielder John Collins was interviewed on Friday but despite making a good impression, appears to have been ruled out.

"John Collins is very strong and will be an excellent manager in due course. He truly impressed but is maybe not quite right at the moment," Lee told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek.

Zola is joint coach of the Italian Under-21 side and assisted another ex-Stamford Bridge player, Pierluigi Casiraghi, with their national squad at the Olympic Games.

Donadoni guided Italy to the Euro 2008 quarter-finals but lost his job after the tournament as the Italian Football Federation re-appointed Marcello Lippi.

Donadoni, who has coached Serie A sides Livorno and Genoa, speaks English after spending two seasons playing in Major League Soccer in the United States.

Former Denmark striker Laudrup, 44, has been linked with several jobs in Europe since he resigned as manager of Spanish club Getafe CF.

Zola would make for a great manager.

Mollison · 500 Club Member

NymVette wrote:

There is no way Sam Allardyce could ever be manager of West Ham! The same would happen at West Ham as happened at Newcastle if he got in charge.

Thats because West Ham are the same as Newcastle; an average at best Premiership side that have their heads way above their station.

NymVette · Movie Producer

Mollison wrote:

NymVette wrote:

There is no way Sam Allardyce could ever be manager of West Ham! The same would happen at West Ham as happened at Newcastle if he got in charge.

Thats because West Ham are the same as Newcastle; an average at best Premiership side that have their heads way above their station.

How dare you! furious

I don't think many West Ham fans think we are a top side, 10th last season was a success for us and I think Curbishly did a very good job. We realise that we are average, we have some good players and some ok players, but we are better than some of the clubs in the premiership (Stoke, Hull, Wigan, Tottenham wink

)

The reason why West Ham don't want Sam Allardyce in charge is not because we think we are too good for him, we just don't want to watch his kind of football. I'd rather finish 10th/11th each season and watch some skillful and attractive football than finish 7th/8th and what his style of play.

It is because we are an average team I can say this becuase I know right now if we finished in a european place it would be pointless, we wouldn't win anything and it would just effect our next season as we have to play more games and probably end up struggling in the league.

Anyway I think Zola may be a good choice, I don't know how good he is as a manager but he was a very good player. How about Zola with Di Canio as assistant. I think we would see some attractive footbal then?

-- Edited by NymVette at 22:01, 2008-09-07

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

You certainly know your stuff a bit Eve ^-^.Zola would be a great choice,one of footballs nice guys,but is he ready to manage such a big club like West Ham? Could do a good job with an assitant but with Di Canio itll be 2 unexperianced guys in charge of the team.But itll certainly make the Hammers a more skilled team with their style.West Ham are are a good club with good history (and i have a soft sport for them since my nan has loved them all her life!) so hopefully theyll make the right choice and progress from there.

NymVette · Movie Producer

Thanks Totty, I do like my football. I used to even go to a few games when I could. I was at West Ham when Di Canio scored against Wimbledon an amazing goal.

I was the other end of the ground and can still remember looking at it and thinking did he really just do that?

NymVette · Movie Producer

According to BBC Zola pretty much has the job and will all be agreed on Thursday.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

I like west ham even more with Zola in charge,fantastic guy and deserving of a chance and good for West Ham on crushing newcastle! The Toon are so arrogant about their club and their own fans often scream for the heads of their managers or threaten Mike Ashley with violence.Great fans right.Anyway big game for United today v Chelsea.To be honest,i think Chelsea will hammer us maybe 3-0.Rooney is playing awfully,Tevez works hard but cant score,the midfield is to lightweight to compete with them and even our defence is poor and Fergies tactics seem terrible,with out Queroz,our team might stuggle this year in tactics..Cant see us picking any points up here,easy win for chelsea.

NymVette · Movie Producer

I am very happy with Zola's first game in charge.

As for Man U vs Chelsea, I think Chelsea will win but who knows this season with lots of strange results so far not going the way anyone would have expected.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Lets hope Chelsea fall on their faces then eve ;)...but cant say my team is actually any good right now so come 6pm tonight ill be on here complaining how United got destroyed..booo to chelsea!

DoctorOfDesire · 500 Club Member

You'll be happy with a point then Totty! Seriously, I was watching the Arsenal game yesterday, and if they keep playing like that for the full season, I can't see anyone else having a chance. They were absolutely magnificent! I'm a neutral fan, and they are without a doubt the most entertaining team in the premiership. Unfortunately, they started last season in a similar fashion, but couldn't keep it up due to injuries, suspensions etc and I feel the same may happen this year.

Totoro101 · Movie Executive Producer

Im a little happy but couldnt help but wonder why we didnt leave with 3 points,we should have won but Rooneys error by conceding the free kick was costly.Arsenal are a superb side but they dont have stamina,theyll play well but usually they fade towards the end of the season.As good a side they are,i still say at our best,we play successul and fantastic footie like no other in the country.But i do like Arsenal a lot,they play the game in the right way and a fantastic manager.We better start winning matches soon mind...

NymVette · Movie Producer

See I said this season they are so many games going different to what people were expecting, I think this may be an interesting season.