Unpopular Football Opinions (Mark Hughes is shit thread)

[mistermagic]

Are you taking the piss?

No. I'm always serious.

City bet was a bad call. I just couldn't imagine Leicester winning it to be honest at the time.

Neither could I. I thought Spurs were finally going to win something. Ah well.

 

[irish-stu]

I think that, unlike last season where Lee bet me that City would win the league (I mean, come on, who does that?), he's going to win this one. I do agree that his ceiling is upper mid-table (some managers would kill for that ceiling) but also Hughes has done nothing this summer to improve the squad which just leaves the door open for decreased motivation and novelty wearing off. Happened at Chelsea last season and they went from champions to 10th!

From stuff I read that rot set in before they had even lifted the title, players not happy with Jose.

But your right in the premier league if you don't improve the squad you don't stand still, you go backwards.

 

[Abertawe]

Because it's Mark Hughes. They'll draw too many games they should win much to the manager's constant befuddlement (I like that word) despite the problem being him.

Here is Mark Hughes being befuddled.

8 points from 12 including holding City and winning their last two games without conceding. It's now obvious the start of the season was just a freak run of form and with Bony still to start scoring things are looking very bright for the Potters.

 

[MJA]

8 points from 12 including holding City and winning their last two games without conceding. It's now obvious the start of the season was just a freak run of form and with Bony still to start scoring things are looking very bright for the Potters.

Indeed. Beating 2 teams who are very likely to be relegated is very much worthy of a knighthood.

Arise Sir Mark!

 

[Leewilson]

He's still not hitting 55 points or beyond.

 

[Leewilson]

So with half of the season gone, let's admire the job Mark Hughes has done. 4th season now and they've mustered 21 measly points. Didn't they sack Pulis because they wanted someone to take them to the next level? With the players available to him, Stoke should be up in that 7th spot and they're currently 6 points behind a poor Everton side.

No way is Hughes managing 34+ points in the last 19 games.

No doubt they'll improve slightly and finish somewhere between 45-50 which with the shower of shite operating 7th and below at present, would probably get them 9th or 10th and con most into believing he's done a solid job again. Please get rid of him at the end of the season Stoke, you can do better.

 

[Abertawe]

Doesn't help playing Peter Crouch.

 

[lordofthepies]

Please get rid of him at the end of the season Stoke, you can do better.

Please keep him Stoke, you don't deserve better. Or sack him and replace him with someone even worse.

 

[Leewilson]

Doesn't help playing Peter Crouch.

That's the point isn't it? He's a shit manager and hasn't solved the striker situation which has been going on for multiple seasons now

 

[TubularBells]

Sean Dyche is out of his f*cking depth! Well it will be unpopular amongst Burnley fans.

 

[PDS]

Dyche is clearly a decent coach, but the constant moaning and 'world is against us' shtick got old about 3 years ago.

 

[Anon]

Dyche is clearly a decent coach, but the constant moaning and 'world is against us' shtick got old about 3 years ago.

Plus, while he gets all these plaudits for not spending much and only bringing in committed players yadda yadda yadda, I do wonder why there's not more vocal questioning of why in their 2nd recent Prem season they've seemingly not had the money gained spent on the team.

Am not advocating them overspending, but as far as I know they're not in debt and I doubt have huge wage outgoings, so where's the money going? While I'm sure the owners aren't like the Oystons, the narrative is the same compared to Blackpool's season in the Prem when they were getting props for not spending.

 

[haduytuan1994]

and now Hull City top 20

 

[TubularBells]

Plus, while he gets all these plaudits for not spending much and only bringing in committed players yadda yadda yadda, I do wonder why there's not more vocal questioning of why in their 2nd recent Prem season they've seemingly not had the money gained spent on the team.

Am not advocating them overspending, but as far as I know they're not in debt and I doubt have huge wage outgoings, so where's the money going?

Not so much Dyche as what the board were prepared to spend. He does bang on about it though. We don't have any multi billionaire benefactors and it's understandable we do make a point that we don't have a bottomless pit. We don't, however; and won't spend money we haven't got.
Previous board's had let our academy/training facilities get so delapidated that they were not fit for purpose. Trust me, the fans went batshit over the last term in the Premier League at the lack of investment and even more so over the promotion before that, where ALL the money disappeared.
£10 million has been invested in the academy and it looks fantastic and was needed to improve our chances of bringing in young talent.
He has kind of taken a side swipe at our board regards money available in the past and he has been able to invest markedly more than the previous time. He'll have about £25 million to spend in this window too.
We're actually totally debt free and in line, despite and including any signings from this season; to make a profit in the region of £60 million. That's after the re-development of the stadium, training ground and all transfers, wages etc and before Sky money from the end of this season, wherever we finish.
The board will not want us to be relegated again and are being prudent. However, they can hardly not spend this season as we Clarets fans are still wondering where the money went from the first promotion to the Premier League.

 

[Anon]

Not so much Dyche as what the board were prepared to spend. He does bang on about it though. We don't have any multi billionaire benefactors and it's understandable we do make a point that we don't have a bottomless pit. We don't, however; and won't spend money we haven't got.
Previous board's had let our academy/training facilities get so delapidated that they were not fit for purpose. Trust me, the fans went batshit over the last term in the Premier League at the lack of investment and even more so over the promotion before that, where ALL the money disappeared.
£10 million has been invested in the academy and it looks fantastic and was needed to improve our chances of bringing in young talent.
He has kind of taken a side swipe at our board regards money available in the past and he has been able to invest markedly more than the previous time. He'll have about £25 million to spend in this window too.
We're actually totally debt free and in line, despite and including any signings from this season; to make a profit in the region of £60 million. That's after the re-development of the stadium, training ground and all transfers, wages etc and before Sky money from the end of this season, wherever we finish.
The board will not want us to be relegated again and are being prudent. However, they can hardly not spend this season as we Clarets fans are still wondering where the money went from the first promotion to the Premier League.

All good, interesting to know. Yeah I certainly wasn't advocating going batshit crazy spending what you don't have, just wondered if it was being spent elsewhere on infrastructure rather than into the pockets of owners. Didn't realise the stadium had been redeveloped either.

Sounds like it's at least being kept an eye on by the fans which is good.

 

[GodsGift]

What plans are in place for the stadium redevelopment then? It's long overdue.

 

[TubularBells]

just wondered if it was being spent elsewhere on infrastructure rather than into the pockets of owners. Didn't realise the stadium had been redeveloped either.

Sounds like it's at least being kept an eye on by the fans which is good.

We've kept asking what happened to the first £90 million but that's been explained away in a smokescreen. Stadium has had exterior add-on's to the frontage. New store, offices, ticket offices. Nothing major to the stands themselves, more the corporate and office spaces. Although a lot of that will be moved to the new Barnfield Training Centre later this year when pretty much the whole football side of things moves out of Turf Moor.

 

[TubularBells]

What plans are in place for the stadium redevelopment then? It's long overdue.

Ours? There were plans to knock down the two older stands a good number of years back. There are two options. One is to add a second tier to the Bob Lord and rebuild the Cricket Field. A more controversial one which is possible, is to build a new stadium next to the training ground. Which is easy enough as we own the land anyway. That may split opinion as it would mean leaving our home. But it would still be within Burnley.

 

[TubularBells]

Before and after frontage and the new training development.

 

[Christian Slater]

Lipstick on a pig.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

I am so sick of that dreary cladding on everything these days.

 

[Abertawe]

That's the point isn't it? He's a shit manager and hasn't solved the striker situation which has been going on for multiple seasons now

I think I might concede on this one. Losing at home to Wolves in a competition where lesser clubs have won silverware is unacceptable. It wasn't that I thought Hughes is a particularly good manager, I just didn't believe he was so shit as to not perform in an easy job. He's 2nd longest serving and has been backed in the transfer market so he has no excuse. Eyebrows were raised when he spent a year & a half chasing a nippy forward like Berahino and he ended up with Bony. Had Berahino everything might have ticked as he had an obvious plan in mind. He had no plan on how Bony was going to fit into the team and it's been exposed with the manner of the performances.

Stoke is a damn good proposition and there will be plenty of guys on the up who would love to manage the club given the patience & financial backing afforded by the Coates'. They should stop pissing about with this Welsh clown and get someone proper in and I think it's inevitable it'll happen too. He seems to be at the point of no return. I'd imagine towards the end of the season unless things drastically worsen.

 

[Kopper]

Paul Scholes is STILL ridiculously overrated and overbummed these days.

No way. Very underrated player. He's world class. Something even some United supporters don't accept.

 

[Abertawe]

Had a 3 man midfield been a thing back then would've Lampard, Scholes & Gerrard been a success?

 

[Kopper]

Liverpool supporters should've accepted a small rise in ticket prices.

I want FSG to consolidate over the next 3 years (TV deal period) and spend next to nothing on the team. Financing for new players should come from existing players. Academy players and our scouts need to step up. In regards to the former they did well yesterday against Plymouth.
I get the sense they could operate against opposition in a division or two, higher.

After many years, Liverpool, now, have the right owners, the right manager, even the right f*cking players. The only thing that can f*ck this up, is if FSG don't think Liverpool are worth the continued effort and sell up.

I want for the club to pay off the stadium extension money, along with the money put into the team over the years and fill FSG's coffers in the mid to long term. I want, just, the thought of Liverpool FC, bringing a smile to John W. Henry's face. His pockets, should be, so full he has difficulty leaving Anfield.

It's so rare to feel this kind of happiness as a Liverpool supporter, that I find it necessary to look for any potential clouds on the horizon.

 

[TubularBells]

I was discussing the Liverpool situation yesterday with my better half Kopper.
Be thankful for FSG. In 2010 you came within an hour of receivership. You were about to do a Portsmouth.
Be thankful of what you have and where you are, because you came so bloody close to being no more.
The conversation was based on our rivals who also have a multi billionaire owner and they have not spent so wisely and are now in severe debt.

 

[Leewilson]

I think I might concede on this one. Losing at home to Wolves in a competition where lesser clubs have won silverware is unacceptable. It wasn't that I thought Hughes is a particularly good manager, I just didn't believe he was so shit as to not perform in an easy job. He's 2nd longest serving and has been backed in the transfer market so he has no excuse. Eyebrows were raised when he spent a year & a half chasing a nippy forward like Berahino and he ended up with Bony. Had Berahino everything might have ticked as he had an obvious plan in mind. He had no plan on how Bony was going to fit into the team and it's been exposed with the manner of the performances.

Stoke is a damn good proposition and there will be plenty of guys on the up who would love to manage the club given the patience & financial backing afforded by the Coates'. They should stop pissing about with this Welsh clown and get someone proper in and I think it's inevitable it'll happen too. He seems to be at the point of no return. I'd imagine towards the end of the season unless things drastically worsen.

Fair play to admit that. I hope for Stoke's sake that he keeps fucking up so he gets the sack quicker. They've got a good base to build from and a number of talented yet enigmatic players who may thrive under the right leadership..

 

[St. Juste]

Had a 3 man midfield been a thing back then would've Lampard, Scholes & Gerrard been a success?

There was more chance of the sun rising in the West than England dropping Beckham.

Liverpool supporters should've accepted a small rise in ticket prices.

Financing for new players should come from existing players. Academy players and our scouts need to step up. In regards to the former they did well yesterday against Plymouth.

They drew 0-0 against a team from League Two....

Anyway, I think the 3rd round demonstrated what we all kind of knew. The FA cup needs to be either radically adapted or put out its misery.

LVG was sacked hours after winning it because....nobody really cares. Not that the top teams, not even really the Championship teams - promotion, survival, top 4 etc. are all clearly and demonstrably favoured by the clubs.

So either give the winner a CL spot or ditch the competition entirely for PL sides. Yes it is the oldest football tournament still going on but like Elvis the longer it goes on as a shadow of its former the glory, the more it will become meaningless.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Had a 3 man midfield been a thing back then would've Lampard, Scholes & Gerrard been a success?

Would all 3 of Lampard, Scholes & Gerrard have had the positional and tactical intelligence and sufficiently differing skillsets to all play together in a 3 man midfield? You (usually) have 3 different and clearly defined roles. Defender, playmaker, box-to-box or whatever. I still think the 3 of them would have been falling over each other wanting to occupy similar positions on the field and do similar things. Though it would have been more balanced that a 4-4-2, for similar reasons I still doubt it'd have worked.

 

[Leewilson]

Stoke have underachieved under Mark Hughes and he's rather lucky that he's escaped criticism.

Stoke have managed to do even worse than I thought possible.
41pts from 37 games. If Hughes is still there in August they want shooting