Manchester City boss Hughes is aiming to improve on a run of just one win in five Barclays Premier League matches when he takes the Blues outfit to St. Andrews on Sunday.
There he will confront a team newly taken over, and with a manager being promised vast sums to spend in the next transfer window.
That is all old hat for Hughes, who has gone through something similar at Eastlands this season as City have engaged in a spend, spend, spend policy to cut the gap between themselves and the big four.
Now it is Birmingham's turn, and Hughes said: "My advice to anyone in Alex's position, is to spend the money wisely.
"We have tried to do that, to increase the quality of the squad that we have and get the right players in here. We have tried to improve the standard and the depth of the squad.
"It depends on how much finance the new owners will make available for McLeish.
"When Sheikh Mansour took over here, everyone thought that there was an endless amount of money, which is not quite the case. We are working to a budget, maybe a little bit bigger than most, but we are working to a budget."
Hughes has some sympathy for McLeish, who is now in an unusual position for any manager more used to tighter financial controls.
He said: "It's not easy. There are a lot of things that will happen when takeovers go through.
"At times, you just want to be fully informed. If you are, and you are part of the process, then you're very much in tune with what's going on - and that is reassuring.
"That was the case when Sheikh Mansour took over. I was kept fully informed. I knew exactly what the long-term plan was, and as a consequence it was easier than it could have been.
"It is about communication, making sure that you are involved at every level and have an understanding of what the plan is.
City spending plan
"If you have that, then there's no reason why they cannot go quite smoothly."
But he added: "You must spend wisely. That's key to it. Irrespective of what budget you have, it is how you use that finance that is the key factor.
"If you spend well, which we feel here that we have done, then you can improve your squad and you can improve the level of performance that you produce on a consistent basis.
"With any money that comes into the club, or any perceived change in the levels of finance that you have, then there is a lot more interest.
"I would expect their profile will be raised if they do go into the market with some vigour."
Hughes expects to have Kolo Toure, Wayne Bridge and Martin Petrov back on Sunday, the trio having sat out the midweek Carling Cup victory over Scunthorpe with minor injuries.
Craig Bellamy and Emmanuel Adebayor were also rested in midweek and should return to a squad that has been boosted by the return of Michael Johnson and the excellent form shown by Roque Santa Cruz on his full debut in the cup tie.
Hughes is aware that his side must address their recent form, but he is confident they are heading in the right direction.
He said: "Is our glass half-full or half-empty? I would say half-full. We are the only side that's only been beaten once in the Premier League. That is something to look back on.
"People are looking at the goals we've conceded in recent games and questioning our defensive capability.
"But if you look overall, there is only Chelsea who have conceded fewer than us in the top six and Chelsea are the only team with more clean sheets than us.
"If you look through all the stats, then maybe in terms of defending, we are not as bad as we are being painted.
"But we are not going to avoid addressing certain issues in terms of elements of our defending. That would be wrong. Every goal is a consequence of a lapse in concentration or technique.
"You can look at any goal you concede and see a problem with it. It's about making sure those problems do not become consistent problems."
What do you think? Have your say.
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frank clarke's guitar tutor, warrington (30/10/2009 at 13:49)
I'm an 'impeccable' one ! 10 Feb '08, Florida (30/10/2009 at 14:21)
I wish we had a better record, something like only having lost one of the last 12 competitive games !
Oh well .......
Eike Immel's crossed eyes, Leeds (30/10/2009 at 14:45)
Lescott apart I feel that we paid a reasonable price for most of the new arrivals this summer.
Dukinfield Blue, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 14:50)
g1lly blue (30/10/2009 at 15:04)
madblue, oldham (30/10/2009 at 15:04)
bludarnsarf (30/10/2009 at 15:54)
30/10/2009 at 13:49
Well I s'pose we can't have everything!
Bill, Carlisle, Cumbria (30/10/2009 at 15:57)
Everyone is entitled to their opinion though, and the Hughes critics are as entitled as anyone else, but the facts are that so far only one Hughes signing has been a failure (Ben Haim). I think we should discount Jo from the equation as it would appear that the deal was all but done & dusted by Thaksin before Hughes joined.
As for the others, IMO all have been succesful apart from perhaps two so far - RSC & Joleon Lescott. Santa Cruz has just returned from injury so for me the jury is out. As for Lescott, well I think that most of us here would agree that we paid well over the odds, but that was the price that had to be paid to get him. There's a price for City and another price for the rest.
I agree that he hasn't settled in well so far, but that's not unusual for players when they switch Clubs. New surroundings, new team mates and different tactics can affect some players more than others.
Some settle straight away, others don't. Similar to most people who change their place of work, not everyone hits the ground running. For those who believe we would be better off with Dunne, then that was never going to happen by all accounts. There is a strong belief that he was a part of the disruptive element that Hughes needed to weedle out. Anyone who knows anything about football and has something constructive to say would recognise that Lescott was a tremendous defender when at Everton. He hasn't yet set the world alight at City, but neither has he suddenly become a bad 'un overnight.
Those who criticise Hughes' purchases are no doubt part of the doom and gloomers who damned him for buying arguably our player of the season to date - Craig Bellamy. I wondered myself at the time why supporters at almost all his previous Clubs loved Bellers. Now we know why.
Finally, in all my years watching City I don't think I have seen a squad of players so together and working for each other since the Mercer-Allison days. History tell us that attitude plays a big part in winning things and that's partly why the Rags have been so successful for so long.
Seems to me that Hughes is aligning skill with the right work ethic and that, fellow Blues, is a receipe for nothing but success. If and when Kolo Toure is lifting silverware at the end of the season (or maybe even in February) no doubt we shall still have some dissenters. Some people are impossible to please.
wahablue (30/10/2009 at 16:07)
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (30/10/2009 at 16:09)
Straight to the point, Westhoughton (30/10/2009 at 16:21)
During his first season in charge he spent a substantial amount of money. I know that Robinho and Jo were not his signing's however the rest were. Now although at this moment in time we seem to be doing okay, I can recall some real awful performances last year in which a number of Hughes buys failed to deliver.
In my honest opinion I don't think that Pablo Zabaleta, Shay Given, Kolo Toure, Jolean Lescott or Wayne Bridge are good enough to bring a Premiership title to Eastlands. That is recognised as our strongest back line, but in all honesty as a unit they are average at best. The full backs are good enough for a number of reasons. Both get caught badly out of position and cannot read the game. Zabaleta makes rash unnecessary challenges through his ball watching and lack of pace, whereas Bridge allows himself to be beaten far too easily. I think anyone who has watched City this season will find it hard to disagree, although the staunchest of blues will say I am finding unecessary fault. I'm not it's just the truth.
Lescott and Toure are both fine players, however I have serious reservations over their ability to bring the the top honours to City. Kolo Toure was the pace, during his partnership with Sol Campbell, who provided the power and leadership. At City we don't have a Campbell type centre half, which all successful teams have. Terry, Vidic and Carragher have all been the backbone, which has brought trophies to their clubs. You only have to look at Arsenal recent lack of success to realise that Sol was never replaced, therefore their defence has lacked that vital ingredient required for success.
If Hughes want success he will have to have the bottle to realise that his buys have not been the overwhelming success that people would like to believe. He will need to overhaul the back four and bring in defenders who can defend, read the game and most importantly play as a unit.
Finally, Shay Given, great shot stopper, the best in the league. On box commanding and crosses, possibly the weakest. Someone pointed out to me that although Joe Hart was prone to errors, most of these were when he came for crosses. Given doesn't make these types of mistake, as he just stands on his line. We have the money to but the best and to win the big trophies we need a keeper who is the all round package.
Eike Immel's crossed eyes, Leeds (30/10/2009 at 16:26)
30/10/2009 at 14:50
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What, as opposed to the world class signings your lot made of Owen "Sicknote" Hargreaves? Not to mention the classic "old skool" bloopers of signing Veron and Taibi, to mention just two.
The current crop of "world beaters" like Berbatov, Nani, Obertan and Valencia aren't exactly pulling up trees at the moment either are they? And they add up to a LOT more than £40 million in outlay....
There is no way on this planet that you're a City supporter - PROVE ME WRONG if you are.... I'm sure there's a lot of people on here who would love to know where your TRUE allegiances lie!
Rick Jenks, Bury (30/10/2009 at 17:23)
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (30/10/2009 at 17:39)
Esso Blue & R. Soul, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 18:15)
Esso Blue & R. Soul, Manchester (30/10/2009 at 18:18)
Taxed Todeath, Middleton (30/10/2009 at 18:24)
I think you need to ask would any of these 'wise spends' get in the champions first team? I wouldn't swap any but....thats me.
Algernon Blabbermouth, eccles (30/10/2009 at 18:40)
Bristol Blue, Bristol (30/10/2009 at 18:45)
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (30/10/2009 at 22:32)
MBLUED, UK (30/10/2009 at 23:48)
33Years But47K (30/10/2009 at 23:59)
CityZenX, Omnipresent (31/10/2009 at 09:18)
Kippax 36, High Heath (31/10/2009 at 11:36)
I see your blog name aptly fits!! What's it to you anyway, get back on your own site or is it business as usual over at Stretford......boring! Go away fool, Hughesy wasn't offering advice to McLeish, he was merely responding to a journalist's question.
Signed the noisy (but extremely wealthy) neighbours!!
Noddy (31/10/2009 at 12:48)
Good post but, I think Mark Hughes has bought some of these players to get us to the next level, when we get there, he will replace some of them and push on to the top. You can only buy what's available, and when you are finishing mid table, that's a limited group of players. Next season we will be able to lure just about anyone we want to sunny Manchester. I agree that we are missing a few players to get us to the top, but we have enough to get us to the next level. Let's be honest, the next level is top six and a trophy, a couple of players in January means top four.