Mark Hughes on borrowed time

[Dunny]

MARK HUGHES is on borrowed time after chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak witnessed yet another dismal Manchester City display.


City's 1-1 draw with Hull - their seventh in a row - has left Hughes on the brink with Guus Hiddink, Roberto Mancini and Jose Mourinho all in the frame to replace him.

Hughes's position has been under threat since the 3-3 draw with Burnley earlier this month.

Al Mubarek flew in from Abu Dhabi yesterday morning and will report back to owner Sheikh Mansour.

Mansour will now make a decision on his manager's future, possibly at the end of a week in which they face Arsenal in the Carling Cup and Chelsea next Saturday.

They may only have lost once in the league this season - to Manchester United at Old Trafford - but City's recent run of results have left Hughes in jeopardy.

Draws against the likes of Fulham, Birmingham, Burnley and now Hull look to have sealed the manager's fate.

Russia's unexpected World Cup play-off exit has put former Chelsea boss, Hiddink, on the market and his presence casts a huge shadow over Hughes.

But chairman Khladoon is also friends with Italian Mancini and sources claim his track record at Inter Milan where he won Serie A three years in a row has left him as a serious contender for the City job.
Former Stamford Bridge boss Mourinho is also keen on a return to the Prem.

Hughes admitted he was under pressure to get results having spent £200million in the transfer market but claimed the club's Arab owners were willing to be patient.

That patience, however, is close to expiring and poor results against Arsenal in midweek and Chelsea next Saturday seem certain to seal his fate.

[Jangle]

Could Mark Hughes be a reflection of the rest of the English Managers' ineptness? Outside of SAF, who is Scottish, and Kenny Daglish, who is from Wales, no other "English" coach has ever won the EPL. The EPL changed back in the early 90's with the influx of foreigners, both players and coaches, and the English coaches were very slow to keep up with that change. Now, 17 years into the league, the closest "English" manager to the title is still SAF. Mrk Hughes was given a bag of money and time to buy a title, but even with a galaxy of stars, his team is still firmly rooted at mid table, just another day at the City. If you analyse the league, you will see that year after year the teams that scrap and scrape to remain in the league, are those led by Englishmen - Bolton, Wigan, Fulham, Stokes, WBA, Newcastle, Middlesborough, and the list goes on.

[Assasin]

Not really a true reflection. Martin Oniel is a good manager. David Moyes took a relegation certain team and made them contender. Harry Redknap also a decent manager. The coach at Fulham is proving to be a good manager after spending years abroad. I also think "Big Sam" is also a decent manager.

In the scheme of things only a few teams win the EPL and while Sir Alex, and Wenger are good managers it also take a club structure and building to get there especially in a time when a man can spend 200 million dollar in a season and buy a completely new team, and "tek way" your best players.

Remember the EPL have its fair share foriegners have also failed in the EPL too.

[Jawge]

Unnuh juss ah see whey mi ah say fram lang time. The fact that Robinho is at this club, translates it should be in either first or second position in the league. This is not the case, so???