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Should Hughes be SACKED?


Guest Mahonio

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I received a text last week from a reasonably reliable source with no real interest in ICT matters who recounted a rather convoluted and long-winded line of dialogue allegedly emanating from Hughes along the lines that he didn't rate a lot of the players, too many lacked heart and he couldn't wait until the Summer to get some "proper" players in.  Whether or not this is actually what was said by Hughes is a moot point, I would suggest that his actions/tactics to date would suggest that this is precisely his thought process.   The last part in particular fills me with dread - letting Hughes free in the transfer window is akin to letting toddlers play with power tools. 

Why on earth would he tie the rest of the team down on long term contracts then? Including wingers like Williams.

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I received a text last week from a reasonably reliable source with no real interest in ICT matters who recounted a rather convoluted and long-winded line of dialogue allegedly emanating from Hughes along the lines that he didn't rate a lot of the players, too many lacked heart and he couldn't wait until the Summer to get some "proper" players in.  Whether or not this is actually what was said by Hughes is a moot point, I would suggest that his actions/tactics to date would suggest that this is precisely his thought process.   The last part in particular fills me with dread - letting Hughes free in the transfer window is akin to letting toddlers play with power tools. 

Why on earth would he tie the rest of the team down on long term contracts then? Including wingers like Williams.

 

Did he tie them down or had they already agreed to stay but waiting to sign on the line

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I'm fed up of hearing this "be thankful that we are in the top league, top 6, punching above our weight, etc etc" fact is we have a side who are good enough for all that so why shouldn't we expect it from them? Unfortunately we have a manager that has destroyed what could have been a great season and needs to get the boot now! I feel sorry for the players having to play for this guy!

 

I'm inclined to agree with you, to a point. I would never say we should be thankful. You get what you put in and this team through good work, play and results earned a place high in the league table by the end of the last calender year. It is definitely one of the best squads ever assembled in ICT history, even more so than Christies 7th place team that was taken apart by Brewster.

However I would still say that had someone offered me top 6 for only the 2nd time in our history and a cup final and quarter, I'd have been quite happy with that. Had it been a win and 2nd I'd be on cloud 9. That would be far beyond my expectations.

I accepted at the start of the season, as someone who watches a lot of football and has a sense of realism that there would be highs and lows as despite the strength of the squad it isn't good enough to be THAT consistent. 

I am still comparing it to the final 4-5 months of last season and it's not that different. We won 4 from January then and finished lower than we'd been before then. It was a end of season anti climax. Dreaming of Europe, fell short.

 

 

I have stayed out of this up 'til now but Hughes should be sacked just for last nights post match comments. Educate? This was an insult to every player in the squad and his self- praise for the substitutions was pathetic. Raven spent most of his game in acres of space wide right only for us to play balls to feet through the middle. I am not looking forward to our last 6 games, never mind what will happen next season if things don't change. We can't afford to wait until Christmas as I think the rot will have already set in and our season will be lost.

 

Personally, I thought that very insulting to our squad indeed and I fear it will do him no good in holding the dressing room. What an ill considered thing to say.

 

Despite being an advocate of giving Hughes more time I too found this worrying. Educate is hugely patronising for a team who needed little education in getting high in the league before. Poor word choice. I don't feel it helps.

I still feel Hughes, as any manager, should not be judged this early. I don't think he's done that badly. After what was a good February, where we went the month unbeaten, following an average January I satisfied. 

Alas the 5-0 at Celtic really came out of nowhere and since then our team have looked shot of confidence and belief. They put in an amicable performance and effort in the league cup, but after all that effort and ending up on the losing side it can't have helped matters. As much as Richie was adamant there were many things worse it seems that the team are still suffering from a cup final hangover.

Now, I've not attended enough games to judge Hughes tactics so I cant really. Though gathering from most, and what he said after the game about playing it through the middle, there is an issue and it is worrying. 1st of all he's just told every team in the country how he intends to make us play (if it wasn't obvious already) but he seems to leave out any room for variation in his game. If it's not working through the middle the players need other options that they can implement in the game. Not at half time, not via subs alone, but Drapers on the ball, looks up middle packed, so passes out to a wide man, gets a cross in. And vice versa. You need to encourage imagination in play. Not restrict it.

Ideally I'd always give a manager 12 months (end of November in Hughes case), but a poor result on Friday and I think the fans, who as the cliches state are the most important, will be lost. Yogi will have lost their faith. It really is a must win game I feel. I imagine the board conduct an end of season review and aside from Feb, Hughes December to March has been average at best. If he picks it up for the last 6 games then hopefully there can be hope for more optimism, but March, aside from a lucky win v Partick, has to be vastly improved upon.

As for Europe, in terms of the games, it's a novelty to me which would be nice but not necessary, but it does help to sign players. Look at OTJ joining Hibs, for Europe were his words.

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I received a text last week from a reasonably reliable source with no real interest in ICT matters who recounted a rather convoluted and long-winded line of dialogue allegedly emanating from Hughes along the lines that he didn't rate a lot of the players, too many lacked heart and he couldn't wait until the Summer to get some "proper" players in.  Whether or not this is actually what was said by Hughes is a moot point, I would suggest that his actions/tactics to date would suggest that this is precisely his thought process.   The last part in particular fills me with dread - letting Hughes free in the transfer window is akin to letting toddlers play with power tools. 

Why on earth would he tie the rest of the team down on long term contracts then? Including wingers like Williams.

 

Did he tie them down or had they already agreed to stay but waiting to sign on the line

 

Held at gun point allegedly.

But until a contracts signed it means nothing. In the case of Suarez it still means very little.

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After about 6 months into the final season of Brewsters ill-fated second spell in charge the supporters trust called a meeting over the fans concerns about Brewster, I am curious if CJT are considering a meeting to discuss Hughes? The strength of feeling about Hughes, not only from fans on here but a vast majority I speak to is probably is as strong as it was about Brewster

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Hughes on MFR tonight - still on about "educating the players". No sign of backing down and reverting to a winning formula....arrogance beyond belief

Heard that too. Also asking the fans for patience so as he can implement his plans to take ICT to the next level.

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Hughes on MFR tonight - still on about "educating the players". No sign of backing down and reverting to a winning formula....arrogance beyond belief

Heard that too. Also asking the fans for patience so as he can implement his plans to take ICT to the next level.

ETA- must have heard it twice.

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If it is education Hughes wants we have 1 or 2 ex school teachers in the squad with degree level education perhaps he should listen to them together with a large number of well educated fans who he most certainly is not listening to!!!!.

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Hughes on MFR tonight - still on about "educating the players". No sign of backing down and reverting to a winning formula....arrogance beyond belief

The only possible subject that Hughes could educate anyone about is the A-Z of crap football cliches  :swear:

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There are a few problems with what Hughes is trying to introduce - this is a system which is unknown to ICT fans. We are more used to wingers and playing on the break. Most managers have their own systems and usually try to stick to it. To me Butcher stuck by his system put tried to put square pegs in round holes and had his clear favourites and stubbornly and arrogantly stuck by them. Hughes has his own system and again he is presently having to put square pegs in to round holes. His folly is by changing it so abruptly and he needs to sign 3-4 newbies who fit neater in to his system. At least he has a Plan B but will he use it. He is also beginning to demonstrate who he values and who he doesn't.

Personally I prefer playing with width and the 4-2-2-1-1 system. To play the Hughes way in my opinion requires 6 players who concentrate on defending, two forwards in a combination of target man and pace plus a pacy,mobile in the hole player.

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There is one other issue and that is what was asked of Yogi when he was interviewed for the job. If the Board had done their screen correctly they surely must have noted the choice of systems that had previously been favoured by Hughes. They must also have surely decided on what systems would be of most benefit for the current squad and the way forward for the club.

I would find it inconceivable if one of the questions posed to the candidates would not have been as to how they envisaged the future, what system would they be utilising and how they would make such changes, which players they felt would fit in to that system and what personnel changes they would envisage in the future.

So to me the Board either were amateurish or they accepted the Yogi vision of the future.

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There are a few problems with what Hughes is trying to introduce - this is a system which is unknown to ICT fans. We are more used to wingers and playing on the break. Most managers have their own systems and usually try to stick to it. To me Butcher stuck by his system put tried to put square pegs in round holes and had his clear favourites and stubbornly and arrogantly stuck by them. Hughes has his own system and again he is presently having to put square pegs in to round holes. His folly is by changing it so abruptly and he needs to sign 3-4 newbies who fit neater in to his system. At least he has a Plan B but will he use it. He is also beginning to demonstrate who he values and who he doesn't.

Personally I prefer playing with width and the 4-2-2-1-1 system. To play the Hughes way in my opinion requires 6 players who concentrate on defending, two forwards in a combination of target man and pace plus a pacy,mobile in the hole player.

I agree with what you say about Butcher but on the other hand it worked, he got us to a our first top six and we were sitting pretty again this season before he left.

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Agree Gordie and probably what we needed was a manager of similar ilk in regard to style of play so why did the Board appoint Yogi if his consideration was to alter it ? And if that was not the case then why are they backing him. I am afraid that this season is dead and buried and we will continue to play as we are. Some may be crazy BUT if this is a plan for the future and players who are more likely to fit in the system are being sought then we may have to wait to see the outcome.

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Well at least John Hughes has a vision of how he wants his team to play, albeit one which is contrary to the other sides in the SPFL.

 

Who knows  It could be the way to go, it is just the getting there that has us all so worried and het up. Maybe his system can work, maybe it is the way ahead, maybe where he has failed with other teams is because the clubs he had could/would not give him the full chance to develop.

 

A lot of us have had our say about how he should be going about managing our side and what system he should be using.  I include myself in this when I say what right  do we really have to tell him what to do.........none really, we can just voice our wrath, outrage or expectations. .......Yes we do this because we think the side is being damaged.........We do not know however if given full backing whether or not this man could bring a successful freshness to the Scottish game... It is the unknown and the fear of failure that makes us protest

so strongly .................should we not back off and give him  a real chance to achieve ?

 

Cast your minds back to the ''Butcher madness'' outcry, getting rid of all the favourite players in one  fell swoop...........disastrous ?!!.... no .....the new ICT emerged and showed us just how right he was in bringing in the new regime. Took some time to settle and do the business but it did do the business until we became predictable and other sides sussed us out.  Hughes has a wider spectrum of the game than Butcher and shows more willingness to try different options.

 

I for one do not want him sacked so early in his arrival here.............. give the man a right real go at it.

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There is one other issue and that is what was asked of Yogi when he was interviewed for the job. If the Board had done their screen correctly they surely must have noted the choice of systems that had previously been favoured by Hughes. They must also have surely decided on what systems would be of most benefit for the current squad and the way forward for the club.

I would find it inconceivable if one of the questions posed to the candidates would not have been as to how they envisaged the future, what system would they be utilising and how they would make such changes, which players they felt would fit in to that system and what personnel changes they would envisage in the future.

So to me the Board either were amateurish or they accepted the Yogi vision of the future.

 

But JH came across as genuine, plausible and we know he can talk a bit. "Don't need to change anything" etc. Maybe they bought that line too as well as maybe having one eye on the playing budget and seeing how that could be trimmed by using young home grown players against a backdrop of dwindling gates with no hearts, rangers or county in SPL next season and maybe a transfer fee for the odd player in contract.(they have to be thinking about that - tickets, programmes and pies won't fund the squad). Save the board :ohmy:

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lol @ "But we're not playing against Real Madrid and Malaga, no disrespect to the rest of the teams."

 

I'm sure anyone aware of world football over the past 2 years would've said "Real Madrid or Atletico".
 
What an absolute farce, you could pick holes in almost all of that, not even Barcelona, Spain or Peps new side play the 'Barcelona' way.

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