Hughes handles the pressure

May 29, 2009

Mark Hughes: Relaxed approach

Mark Hughes says he has become more relaxed off the pitch during his first year as a manager of Manchester City.

The former Blackburn and Wales boss insists he tends to laugh off constant rumours about potential signings rather than get angered by them.

With riches at his disposal following the takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group, headed by Sheik Mansour, Hughes found himself in the eye of the media.

There was even speculation about his own future, only for chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to put the record straight and state the manager was staying.

Hughes told his club's official website, www.mcfc.co.uk: "I've changed - I'm a little bit more philosophical these days.

"When I see certain things in the media I shrug them off rather than get upset.

"In years gone by, maybe I would have been more upset about the things that have been said, but it comes with the territory here and you just get on with it."

Hughes believes a season which produced a UEFA Cup quarter-final and a top-10 Premier League finish will stand the team in good stead.

He continued: "I've enjoyed it. It's been great, even with so many things needing to be addressed.

"Part of the art of management is seeing things coming and pre-empting them. This season has certainly tested me in that respect!

"Given that we've got through such a lot, we are all better at what we do than we were 12 months ago.

"As a club and as a squad we have benefited from the work we've done together. We have all learnt, we have had to.

"Things have happened this year that none of us had experienced, and we are stronger for it."

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- Raziola -, Nottm (29/05/2009 at 14:13)

GREAT TO HEAR - NOW MORE IMPORTANTLY WHERE'S ALL THESE SUMMER SIGNINGS??

Sam Haggar Stephen Ireland is a Blue (29/05/2009 at 14:17)

I mark Hughes can handle the presure he has been under presure in the last 6 to 8 months i think it will make him a better manager i think hughes has a bright future here

Esso Blue. , Manchester. (29/05/2009 at 15:08)

You need an imaginary machine gun in your head sometimes, that fires off two fingered salutes at around 1500 salutes a second, then again, As long as you are in touch with the big Boss rumours mean nothing. The big boss could be influenced by rumours but I think they are to wise for that. I see it that things are moving along and everyone is happy. Mark Hughes has done a good job he has had to contend with a few issues. The future is bright the future is blue clear sky's ahead. All the best to Mark Hughes and I hope you are around for many blue moons to come.

Phil , Sacramento, CA U.S.A. (29/05/2009 at 15:09)

OB1: I'm glad Barca won, and they were clearly superior in the first leg, but Chelsea were dominant in the second, your 71% possession stat nothwithstanding. With players like Xavi and Iniesta in midfield, you get used to watching Barca with the ball. However, Chelsea had all the good chances, and until Iniesta's winner in stoppage time, Cech was never troubled. Chelsea missed several sitters, and they lost THREE penalties to the referee. Look, OB1, you crunch numbers at work all day (and night, evidently) long. I'm frankly sympathetic to you, given your usual overreliance on statistics. Maybe you should have some really good German food and beer and take a rare evening off on this trip so that you can decompress long enough to remember a world that isn't underpinned by nothing but numbers. I'll be pulling for you.

Mark, South Manchester (29/05/2009 at 15:16)

Sack this man NOW!
Richest club in the world, but we haven't got a manager fit enough to wipe Wenger's, Benitez's or Moyes's boots. Never mind Guus Hiddink's or Pep Guardiola's!!
Wasted years with Hughes in charge.

Arabian Blue , Chelmsford (29/05/2009 at 15:55)

What have we learn't?

Vass, TBH, Fernades, Petrov, Dunne, Kasper + many others are not good enough now.

The kids like Johnson and Sturridge need a big kick up the backside and stop chasing the money. The money comes with performances and ability (step forward ireland) not by threatening to leave.

Elano the Enigma should and could be the best player to every wear a city shirt but only shows glimses of what he does for Brazil in a blue shirt.

Plus points Ireland, Onouha, Zab, Caciedo (yes he has got a lot better and still just a kid), Robbie, Swp, poss Kompany and Hughes (he has only had 1 season, give the guy a chance and he will deliver) and unlike last season no debt, a owner not wanted for any crime and stability !!!!!!!!!

Its been an amazing 12 months and I couldn't be happier.

UweRosler28, Manchester (29/05/2009 at 17:30)

The summer months and then next season will be a very big test for Mark, maybe the hardest he's ever had.

He needs to buy the right players for the right price to improve the team, get the new and existing players to gel into a very tight side playing as a unit, playing good, attacking and exciting football to finish in a top 6 position.

Let's hope he can pull it off successfully...

Thaksin Shinawatra, In Hiding (30/05/2009 at 11:21)

Same away form he achieved at Blackburn takes us 5th. A few heavy hitters and who knows what might happen? I do however think that it is going to prove difficult to attract the current crop of Champions League winners our way. Worth trying but lets hopw we have an extensive B-List with more NDJ, VK, SWP, SG, CB standard players on it and get some of these signed early doors. I see the rags are still bitter about losing to Barca. Shame.

Tugboat Wilson, Chester, Virginia, USA (30/05/2009 at 12:37)

Get off Sparkeys back, he inherited a mess. We dont want any foreign managers who can't speak English. Most of the push to fire him comes from the press, its been like musical chairs in recent years, just look at some of the stiffs we have had for managers! As for transfers, please home grown players who know the game and the culture, look at the problems we have had with some of the South American players.

Sam Haggar Stephen Ireland is a Blue (30/05/2009 at 18:58)

Mark, South Manchester
29/05/2009 at 15:16

Shame on you.your a disgrace

Phil , Sacramento, CA U.S.A. (30/05/2009 at 22:19)

Tugboat Wilson, Chester, Virginia, USAL: You write "We dont want any foreign managers who can't speak English" and also "...in recent years, just look at some of the stiffs we have had for managers." Okay, so you mean Joe Royle, Kevin Keegan, Stuart Pearce and Sven. I guess they were all foreign managers who couldn't speak English, eh?

Mats, Stockholm (01/06/2009 at 19:06)

Citys problem is Huges From now,he cant attract stars like Sven should have.Sven shadow is around City yet.Huges drowing City into a nightmare,regards from Stockholm.....

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