Mark Hughes takes over at Manchester City

Filed in archive Managers on June 4, 2008

Former Wales and Blackburn manager Mark Hughes will be unveiled today at a press conference as the new manager of Manchester City.

He leaves Blackburn rovers having taken them to seventh place in the Premier League this season, their third top ten finish in a row, to take over at Eastlands where Sven Goran Eriksson had guided them to ninth.

In many ways this could be regarded as a sideways move by 'Sparky' Hughes, but he will regard City as a bigger club, with a bigger fanbase and much more potential. He has said that his ambitions as a manager may be restricted by staying at Ewood Park and although it is many years since Manchester City tasted success there is no doubt that they have the infrastructure to become a top team.

There is also the lure of European football as Manchester City qualified for the Uefa cup courtesy of the 'fair play' league.

As a player Mark Hughes played for the best. His career took in Manchester United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea. He is fondly remembered at all the clubs for whom he played. As a manager he very nearly brought the good times to Wales and is generally regarded as that country's best manager for a very long time. What he has done at Blackburn has been outstanding. He will always be loved by the Blackburn faithful for what he has done for them.

I have no doubt that Mark Hughes will be a success at Manchester City. The only problem could come with how Thaksin Shinawatra defines success. In many ways I would say that Eriksson had been successful this season but he was rewarded by getting the sack. Would an eighth placed finish be acceptable for Shinawatra next season? Seventh?

It is a brave move by Sparky to swap the relative security of his position at Blackburn for the pressure cooker of Manchester City.