RICHARD Dunne will skipper the Blues for the third season in succession.

Boss Mark Hughes confirmed the Republic of Ireland international is to retain the armband first given to him by Stuart Pearce and then Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Hughes made it his first priority when he took over the reins this summer to persuade Dunne to stay with the Blues after the player seemed certain to depart when Portsmouth and Spurs bid £5m for the central defender.

Dunne, who was in the last year of his contract, signed a new deal earlier this month that will extend his stay with the Blues beyond a decade.

And the new manager had no hesitation in verifying the 29-year-old as the man who will lead City again for the whole of this term as they fight on four fronts, including the Uefa Cup.

"There was absolutely no reason for me to change the captaincy this season," said Hughes.

Delighted

"It was important for me to understand Richard's situation when I arrived here and to get it resolved and now everyone is happy.

"I have been delighted with the response that Richard has made since he has signed.

"He has been part of this squad and this club for a long, long time and I felt it was important that we made sure he would continue to be a big part of things.

"The strength and the pace that he has at the back will be one of the keys to the way we play this year."

Dunne, who will miss the opening two games of the season due to a suspension picked up at Middlesbrough last term, has been busy shuttling between the first team changing room and the manager's office as the new regime settles into Carrington and Hughes insists that strong liaison is all part of being a leader and the club captain.

Role

"Richard fulfils that role very well and will continue to do so. I have had a number of discussions with him and he understands where I am coming from," said the manager.

"It is important that role develops and he puts the players' point of view from time to time. I think he is enjoying the work that we are doing - even if on occasion there is moaning and groaning!"

Hughes and his coaches Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki have proved hard taskmasters since making the switch from Blackburn.

The 10-day German training camp, dubbed a boot camp by some, was followed by the Uefa Cup tie with EB/Streymur sandwiched between lengthy, lung-bursting double sessions at the re-vamped Carrington headquarters.

Hughes though is not all work and play and has just awarded the squad its first day off.

"The work is, by all accounts, not what the players here have been used to and it has been a very intense period so we will give them a short rest," he said.

"We have to make sure they train in the correct quantities and then we can kick on again. Preparation at this stage is vitally important."

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