John Hughes

[bauhaus]

if you look at our fixtures over January February, it is quite a difficult period, and if Richie Foran is out for a while, it makes the task doubly difficult.

We will in many ways see the difference Richie makes to this team, just as much as John Hughes does.

 

However, we have done exceptionally well up to now this season, due to brilliant team performances, and also a reasonable fixture list more in our favour than against. Now the second half of the season appears to hand us a more difficult task the way the fixture come at us.

 

At the start of the season, with last season weighing on our shoulders, we had bigger expectations. most would be happy top 6, some and a good number at that expect as much as hope Europe is our place. But that means top 3 or a Scottish cup win. Yogi will keep the ship steady with a top 6 finish, however, I do also think that 2nd or 3rd may also be down to the appointments of McNamara at Utd, and  McInnes at Dons. Both with much bigger budgets and attraction power. McCall appears to be continuing his good work at Motherwell, so if we remain in the battle for the top 5 i will be happy.

 

Next season will be the marker, and to be brutally honest, most of us will hope for top 6. So far, we would not have been suprised by the results over the last month if Tel and Mo were still here. We have relied very heavily this season on Mckay scoring, Forans drive, and our defence being excellent in the main. Test comes if Billy goes dry, Foran's out injured, and our defence loses confidence.

 

I like Yogi's style of football, as long as its not all along the back line. With the right forward players, as we have right now, we can maintain our lofty place in Scottish football. Herte's hoping 2014 continues as 3013 has

[Scarlet Pimple]

Back-passing footie--yes, it's .......very passé isn't it?

 

As previously mentioned, I detest it myself 'cos the opposing goal is at the other end of the park.

[+Tree]

I think that unless he can appoint a clued up Assistant then the next Taxi should have his name on it!

 

Embarassing that we have to think like this after only a few games, however I think that the Board also need to look at themselves. The first time we have ever been in the position of being a "catch" for good Managers and we end up with this

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Again what the feck has the last month have to do with Hughes ?

[clacher_holiday2]

I'm on IHE's side on this one, the fans/media have been guilty of building us up to be better than we are, any manager could've experienced a slump.

 

Its just very bad timing for Hughes.

 

My questioning his appointment is more a criticism of our apparently untouchable board than the man himself.

[WYNESS101]

Any word on an assistant manager starting? Or is big dunc staying with him till end of season.

 

John Collins? Think he was with him when he was at Livingston

[RiG]

Collins was Director of Football at Livi rather than Assistant Manager to Hughes. Just had a look and see that mark Burchill is the current A/M at Livi - that makes me feel old!

[NoIInTeam]

Way too early to judge whether he is going to be a success or not but he has made decisions already eg continuing to play shinnie at rb and Williams starting the last few games as well as adopting a change of approach for the defence to play a bit more. To paint him as an almost casual observer is a bit condescending. He is also responsible for the half time turnaround against Aberdeen and hopefully our next win against motherwell. He is the manager now and he runs the team not terry butcher, the chairman, Ritchie foran or any of us on here.

I still think he can be a success and don't lose sleep when we have a sticky period, which we have had a fair few of in the past. I'm still behind him until he has been through a couple of transfer windows or we become atrocious.

[starchief]

I'd say I'm giving him a chance rather than behind him.  Expecting poor things from Yogi but would be delighted if he proved me wrong.

[MrAsterisk]

At long last folk are beginning to see through his inabilties

[Guest]

That's 5 points from a possible 18 AJ -that's relegation form IMO !!

[starchief]

Look back and I don't think there were many overjoyed by his appointment. But once he's in, you just gotta hope for the best, rather than be overly-critical of what might happen.  I still hope but have never expected success.

[tm4tj]

Yawn, I'm off to watch the darts.

[Donview]

After that performance today he's had his chance for me......lack of effort against septic put on the back boiler but that today was a feckin disgrace.

I'm seething......Adams must be laughing his **** off.......what a farce, motivation seriously lacking and he's hiding in the dugout and Duncan looking increasingly uneasy on the touch line.

Substitutions later than Butcher and Williams still in the side.........apparently for 90 mins, did anyone notice his contribution.

Nick Ross, Aaron Doran even Warren and Meekings seem to lack desire. Gone is the fierce tackling and we seem to back peddle and invite teams onto us.........and the constant back to the keeper WTF.

Bottom six and even less fans order of the day me thinks!

[AJS]

That's 5 points from a possible 18 AJ -that's relegation form IMO !!

 

Oh Im sorry are you talking to me? Now I really feel like Im being stalked. 

[Guest]

That's 5 points from a possible 18 AJ -that's relegation form IMO !!

 

Oh Im sorry are you talking to me? Now I really feel like Im being stalked.

:-)

[+DoofersDad]

Having been away for a few weeks I have yet to see ICT play under JH. Whilst not my first choice, I was not unhappy with his appointment but from what I am reading there are some worrying signs.

 

To be fair to Hughes, it is always difficult taking over a team that is doing well. If you go into a winning dressing room and immediately change things then you set yourself up for criticism if the level of performance dips at all.  I think Hughes has taken the view that he wants to observe the set up he has inherited.  That's fair enough but the dip in form which had been apparent before Butcher left has accelerated.  Before Butcher left we had lost the fluidity of early season but still managed to win ugly from time to time.  With the uncertainty of what the new manager wants and now with Foran's injury the form has slumped further and points are hard to come by.  Hughes has now had plenty of time to observe the team and it is time to take some decisive action to stop the slide.

 

We do have to be patient though.  In my view, the success of early season was built on the midfield strength of Vincent, Foran and Draper.  They were effective at breaking up the play and providing defensive support to allow Raven and Shinnie to press forward on the flanks.  This in turn created space and opportunity for the forward players to create scoring opportunities.  The loss of Vincent has been a significant factor in a gradual loss of form and we can't expect the same level of performance with Foran out, let alone Draper as well now.

 

We are going to struggle in the next few games whatever Hughes does and this must be seen as an opportunity to give other players a chance and see how they perform on the big stage.  Coaches may learn a lot from the training ground but you never know how players will perform in a match until they have a genuine opportunity on match days.

 

Hughes will not be unaware of how we played earlier in the season and he will have studied all the videos.  What worries me, therefore is why on earth Raven is not starting at right back if he is fit.  Surely Hughes knows how effective he was pressing forward and how much better Doran plays when Raven is offering support?  The experiment of playing Shinnie on the right must end.  Raven is better at RB and in the absence of both Vincent and Foran (and now Draper as well) I feel we really need Shinnie playing in a ball winning midfield role.  The limited use of subs is also perplexing - there would be a lot to learn by using subs earlier when certain players in the starting XI are having an off day.

 

We also have to play to our strengths.  Up front we have an instinctive but very small striker in McKay supported by Ross and Doran who are also small.  The long high ball is clearly not the way to go.  We need to stretch the play wide and play the ball to feet and into the spaces.  It really isn't rocket science.

 

In that context, one final point about the importance of Raven playing down the right is that most teams in the league are better defensively on the right than the left.  IMHO Raven and Doran should be encouraged to expose these weaknesses, get behind the defense and drill low balls into the centre for Billy.  Not only is this likely to be our most productive route to goal, it is also great to watch.

[lukemackay]

Lol. Some people on here btw.

[starchief]

Go on Luke...

[Kingsmills]

Far from my choice but I am prepared to give him a fair crack of the whip. However, I am getting more and more concerned with every passing game. We have not had a single convincing performance since his appointment. Even our single league victory at Tynecastle was as a consequence of a couple of pieces of individual skill late in the game against the weakest and most inexperience side Hearts have been forced to put out this season.

 

Something needs to be done urgently to arrest this decline before it becomes terminal to our European and cup winning ambitions starting with the appointment of an astute assistant manager who can help coach and motivate the players who have not gone off form on masse overnight. Preferably someone who is not one of JH's cronies and someone who is able to articulate himself without resorting to hakneyed cliches.

 

It was not inevitable that Butcher's departure would end or even impede our recent upward progress and indeed there was an opportunity to build on that with a man with fresh ideas and renewed impetus.

 

I am afraid, even at this early stage, it's looking like that opportunity might have been missed.

[Guest]

Far from my choice but I am prepared to give him a fair crack of the whip. However, I am getting more and more concerned with every passing game. We have not had a single convincing performance since his appointment. Even our single league victory at Tynecastle was as a consequence of a couple of pieces of individual skill late in the game against the weakest and most inexperience side Hearts have been forced to put out this season.

 

Something needs to be done urgently to arrest this decline before it becomes terminal to our European and cup winning ambitions starting with the appointment of an astute assistant manager who can help coach and motivate the players who have not gone off form on masse overnight. Preferably someone who is not one of JH's cronies and someone who is able to articulate himself without resorting to hakneyed cliches.

 

It was not inevitable that Butcher's departure would end or even impede our recent upward progress and indeed there was an opportunity to build on that with a man with fresh ideas and renewed impetus.

 

I am afraid, even at this early stage, it's looking like that opportunity might have been missed.

6 points now - go on yogi -great job !

[Guest Mahonio]

Pressure must be on Hughes though knowing that he wasn't fans or boards 1st choice for job so it will be interesting to see how long he lasts if this continues.

Not sure what's gone wrong since Hibs game a few month ago but its something dramatic as goals are not coming and goals are being leaked.

[ICTRoughi]

Pressure must be on Hughes though knowing that he wasn't fans or boards 1st choice for job so it will be interesting to see how long he lasts if this continues.

Not sure what's gone wrong since Hibs game a few month agobut its something dramatic as goals are not coming and goals are being leaked.

I can tell you what's gone wrong, the players will feel abandoned. The way that Terry left our club would have had a negative effect on the players. Terry rejected Barnsley because he didn't think it was right to leave the club cause of how special it is. The situation with Hibs is identical to the one last January with Barnsley but with the opposite outcome. The players will have felt that when Hibs came calling that he would have had the same thought process.

I feel that the unecessary comments towards John Hughes are unjustified - the man has only just got through the door. I can take a defeat and I thought the game vs Celtic we played a positive game and we should have got something out of the game. Yesterday's game and first half vs Aberdeen really hurt me to watch but none of it has been John Hughes' fault. Sure tactically we could have done better but as time goes on John Hughes will gel with the players and vice versa and we can easily get back to winning ways. Things obviously have been made more difficult for John Hughes with the absence of Richie Foran leading and motivating the team. I think John Hughes should look to be a more interactive and motaviting on the dugout as I've yet to see that happening but again I'm positive that will come over time.

[Renegade]

Things obviously have been made more difficult for John Hughes with the absence of Richie Foran leading and motivating the team. I think John Hughes should look to be a more interactive and motaviting on the dugout as I've yet to see that happening but again I'm positive that will come over time.

 

 

Having a lack of leadership on the park is one thing, but it's the job of the management to motivate the players, whether Foran's in there or not.  His absence is no excuse.

[ICTRoughi]

Things obviously have been made more difficult for John Hughes with the absence of Richie Foran leading and motivating the team. I think John Hughes should look to be a more interactive and motaviting on the dugout as I've yet to see that happening but again I'm positive that will come over time.

 

Having a lack of leadership on the park is one thing, but it's the job of the management to motivate the players, whether Foran's in there or not.  His absence is no excuse.

Richie always ran the show on the pitch. Of course, as I said in my post that I have yet to to see John actually motivate the players from the dugout (only when things went tits up vs County and Aberdeen)