PAUL DICKOV has backed Mark Hughes to be a huge success at City after the Welshman took over at Eastlands.

Hughes has joined on a three-year contract after agreeing personal terms on Wednesday morning.

Scotland international Dickov played under Hughes at Blackburn Rovers for two seasons and reckons the 44-year-old to be the best manager he has encountered in his near 20-year career.

And Dickov, speaking before the deal was rubber stamped, insists that Hughes will not let his United roots get in the way of making City a top six side - quite the opposite.

"He is the best that I have played under," said the 35-year-old Blues Hall of Fame member who started 50 times under Hughes at Rovers scoring 14 Premier League goals.

"His training and that of his coaching staff is different class and he commands great respect from players. During my spell at Blackburn I was the fittest I have ever been and they don't run the legs off players.

Philosophy

"Hughsie has a great rapport with his squad but he doesn't make allowances or do apologies. If he needs to upset one or two people then he will do so without hesitation.

"The man is a born winner and he likes things done a certain way and expects players to buy into that philosophy. He will not have anyone taking the Mick in training."

Dickov refuted suggestions that Rovers' success in maintaining their place in the top ten under Hughes was based on attrition rather than eye-pleasing football.

He revealed that Hughes preaches good football but with a hard rather than soft centre.

"It is a myth that Rovers teams under Hughes simply go out and kick people," said the forward who has played around 400 games under several managers in a career that took him from Arsenal to City and then on to Leicester and Blackburn before he returned to Eastlands two years ago.

"All he ever asks his side to do is make sure they match the intensity and effort put in by the opposition and then after that he encourages passing football and attacking with width and pace.

"You only have to look at some of the players he has brought into Blackburn over the years to see that.

Talent

"He has a great eye for talent. He picked up Ryan Nelson, one of the most consistent of central defenders, for nothing and paid only £700,000 for David Bentley who is now worth anything up to 20 times that amount.

"This season he has signed one of the bargains of the season in Roque Santa Cruz.

"Blackburn were second bottom of the league when he took over and looked like being relegated but he organised the side and gathered everyone together and they have never looked back finishing high up in the table the last few seasons.

"Rovers reached an FA Cup semi final and then in his three complete seasons in charge finished sixth, tenth and seventh.

"I hear what people are saying about the United thing but I can assure them that no-one likes their team to beat them more than Mark Hughes. In his second season in charge Blackburn did the double of United.

"He is a professional and wants to win every game he plays. The fact that he played for United 15 years ago, or whatever it is, shouldn't come into the equation. He is a top manager who knows his way around the Premier League like the back of his hand.

"To me he would be a perfect fit at City. The United thing would not be an issue for him and hopefully not for our fans."

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