Hughes sacked official!

So, safely sacked while Harry Redknapp is on the other side of the world with no contact with the outside world?

 

Hughes did a fantastic job of changing our mentality last season, and I've got no doubt we'd have gone down if he hadn't come in.

 

I do think we've played a lot better than our results indicate this season, and there's been a hefty dose of bad luck in them, not least in the quality of refereeing we've had, but ultimately on paper our results have been terrible.

 

Never any guarantees with a new manager of course, but our (expected) hiring of Hasenhüttl sounds interesting, especially if we can dig out a gem or two in January.

Maybe if Hughes employed a good defensive coach he would be still here.

At Stoke, he was lucky with the players, having been drilled by Pulis. Hughes just adjusted for a bit of attacking flair and got some decent additions to complement what he was given. As soon as the defenders needed changing due to old legs it went to pot.

Does anybody want to buy a 30 meter 'Hughes Out Now' banner? Going cheap.....

Should be any easy sell to anyone who supports the club he turns up at next.

I do think we've played a lot better than our results indicate this season, and there's been a hefty dose of bad luck in them, not least in the quality of refereeing we've had, but ultimately on paper our results have been terrible.

The squad he inherited is ****, so he can only take so much blame. I struggle to see how the next fella will get a tune out of this lot.

Probably got some infractions on here for saying that. Tut Tut.

Really, why?

Should be any easy sell to anyone who supports the club he turns up at next.

are there no other managers called Hughes?

are there no other managers called Hughes?

Yes, I expect so.

We have won once against them in 12 games home and away since our return to the top flight. There has been a few years when I thought we had a good to chance to win away at Spurs. The FA cup game in 1990 was one, the game that helped get Hoddle the sack another and anything seemed possible in 2003 and 2014. But if you are honest, getting some luck and sneaking a draw is not exactly an unusual outlook for Saints fans.

I wasn't laughing in a "you're so negative" way (which I know is the usual tone on here). I'd be inclined to agree - and that's before I knew Lemina & Hojbjerg were both suspended! In fact, I don't do match betting and would never want to bet against Saints but this is a game I'm pretty certain of losing. It just made me chuckle that the idea of us being the luckiest side in the world would only just be good enough for a draw... can just see the headlines "Southampton caught in match fixing scandal... and still only drew", lol. Not only does it show our current plight, but also the level of competitiveness in the PL, because it's not the only game this season I've felt that way.

Well it's certainly not a given that whoever comes in will improve results. It's a little ironic as maybe the penny finally dropped with Hughes regarding certain players (Austin et al ) he gets the boot. The timing is a little comical also, "sacked for failing to beat Man Utd" . I can picture Jose and Hughes bumping into each other at a run down Salford dole office in the near future, both wearing Smiths T-shirts under grubby long overcoats....

Does anybody want to buy a 30 meter 'Hughes Out Now' banner? Going cheap.....

Wait til he finds another club, then tout it on their forum.

Simples

Decent Christmas.

@ed_aarons: It's estimated that Mark Hughes has been paid around £18m in compensation after being sacked by Manchester City, QPR, Stoke and Southampton. Not a bad return.

In my view, he clearly was not up to the job, as for the most part there were too many losses

Also said it’s established fact that Hughes did not want Vestergaard, told Reed he wasn’t good enough for Prem, but Reed insisted.

Don’t buy it at all. Why would he play him if that was the case.

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Don’t buy it at all. Why would he play him if that was the case.

 

 

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He had seen Hoedt.

Don’t buy it at all. Why would he play him if that was the case.

 

 

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Plus in an interview with the echo he confirmed he signed off on all the deals this summer.

Don’t buy it at all. Why would he play him if that was the case.

 

 

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Desperation? PS i don’t buy it either and certainly not that is an established fact, but that’s how Crook put it.

The squad he inherited is ****, so he can only take so much blame. I struggle to see how the next fella will get a tune out of this lot.

This will be interesting. Have to agree with you Chez.

Madness

Perhaps it would have been if Les Reed had still been here as every manager he appointed seemed to be worse than the previous one but this is a new era and we can look forward to getting a better manager now so it is a sensible decision.

Have some sympathy for him but even though the play was more attacking and we got some goals, the defence never improved, the fitness seemed questionable and most of all he wasn’t able to fix our brittle confidence.

 

Hopefully the new man can come in and change things for the better. For a player to come out and say they get terrified when they are winning and know it’ll be a draw soon (paraphrasing) is shocking.

How come our defence got so bad under Hughes? They were all adrift and getting ever worse.

Yes, Hughes managed at last to get the team moving forward and playing some interesting football. But leaving the back half totally at sea was hardly Premiership quality management.

I feel for Hughes.

The Boardroom strategy of self destruction led to this weakened team set for relegation.

Hughes couldn’t polish a turd could he?

Thanks Mark Hughes for saving us last season - you deserved a better Boardroom.

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I thank Hughes for keeping us up last season. Just a shame it hasn't worked out this season. 1 win in 14 was not good enough so the board had to make a decision. Good luck in the future Sparky

I can’t see Hughes getting a high league job in this country any time soon.

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He’s received something like £18m in compo from his sackings at Citeh, QPR, Stoke and Saints. Not bad eh.

It's pretty old school to think defence is a job for a different coach though. It's about organising the whole team to defend, which for a start you can't do with Austin strolling around up front.

 

Hughes doesn't get his players onside enough, none seem to like him that much, too many seem to go downhill or fall out with him and get moved on. He's just not a good football manager at all. I don't think he would be in the championship either now.

 

He started off as a ok manager when his ideas were still vaguely relevant, then quickly got left behind.

 

Delighted he's gone and even happier we're getting off the ridiculous journeyman british dinosaur manager merry-go-round and back to something actually well thought out.

This.

Not a lot of our current crop will do well with this “new” manager, Austin being one of them.

Don’t think he has the legs to gegen

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Going to be interesting what we do in January, given Ings and Long are the only strikers suited to a pressing game you'd think.

Going to be interesting what we do in January, given Ings and Long are the only strikers suited to a pressing game you'd think.

Think we might sell Gabbiadini to raise cash?

If he’s into playing youngsters and likes a high energy press, could well see a few shifted out and a few of the youngsters recalled from their loans i’d imagine. Sims and Reed in particular would be very suited to a high energy game.

Think we might sell Gabbiadini to raise cash?

Surely got to do something in that area of the pitch. Gallagher getting overlooked for Obafemi, Gabbi + Austin not doing enough either...

Surely got to do something in that area of the pitch. Gallagher getting overlooked for Obafemi, Gabbi + Austin not doing enough either...

Think Gabbiadini left Napoli because he didn't suit Sarri's pressing style.

I can't even imagine Austin attempting to play it

Surely got to do something in that area of the pitch. Gallagher getting overlooked for Obafemi, Gabbi + Austin not doing enough either...

He's injured. Not overlooked.

You could flog Austin, Long, Gabbiadini, Davis and Ward Prowse - then buy one to decent attacking player and you improve the team.

Goalkeeping looks fine

RB is ok with Cedric and impressive Valerie

LB Ditto

We need a star centre-back in Jan, we can probably perm a 2nd out of the rest depending who we are up against.

Midfield two lok solid with Redmond and Armstrong making up the four.

Maybe another attacker if we can't keep Ings fit.

You could flog Austin, Long, Gabbiadini, Davis and Ward Prowse - then buy one to decent attacking player and you improve the team.

Who would buy them and pay them what we do? Honestly?

Squad is poor, not sure where this myth comes from that this group of players is decent. A decent manager could get more out of the current lot, but not much more.

So much deadwood, more should have been done during the summer. We must wheel & deal a little in January to save our season. Wholesale changes needed in the summer.

Consider selling anyone below other than the KEEPS is how I see it. Good luck Ralph!

Keepers, sound:

MCCARTHY- KEEP

GUNN- KEEP

FORSTER- MUST SELL/LOAN ASAP

Fullbacks, need a new right back that can defend:

CEDRIC- SELL & BUY CLYNE, INSTANT UPGRADE

VALERY- KEEP

BERTRAND- KEEP IF HE WANTS TO BE HERE, SELL IF HIS HEARTS NOT IN IT

TARGETT- FENCE

Centre halfs, what a mess- serious quality issues:

BEDNAREK- KEEP

STEPHENS- FENCE

YOSHIDA- FENCE

VESTERGAARD- SELL

HOEDT- MUST SELL

DESPERATE FOR A DECENT NEW MOBILE CENTRE HALF

Midfield central, inconsistent:

ARMSTRONG- KEEP

LEMINA- KEEP

HOJBERG- KEEP

ROMEU- FENCE

JWP- FENCE

REED- ON LOAN BUT FENCE

DAVIS- SELL

Wingers, light on numbers, little-no end product:

REDMOND- FENCE

SIMS- RECALL KEEP

ELYOUNOUSSI- FENCE

DESPERATE FOR A PACEY WINGER WITH SOME END PRODUCT

Forwards, cannot score for toffee bar Ings:

INGS- KEEP

OBAFEMI- KEEP

GALLAGHER- FENCE

GABBI- FENCE

LONG- SELL

AUSTIN- MUST SELL

DESPERATE FOR A MOBILE FORWARD WHO CAN NET A FEW

Wrong thread pls delete above mods!

We have won once against them in 12 games home and away since our return to the top flight. There has been a few years when I thought we had a good to chance to win away at Spurs. The FA cup game in 1990 was one, the game that helped get Hoddle the sack another and anything seemed possible in 2003 and 2014. But if you are honest, getting some luck and sneaking a draw is not exactly an unusual outlook for Saints fans.

That game ranks very highly in my list of best experiences as a Saints fan, the Spurs fans thought they were going to beat us easily when they went ahead, only for Davo to p*ss on their chips. What a feeling coming out of WHL that day knowing that we had all but guaranteed ourselves European football the following season as well! Wednesday night will be a totally different situation with Harry Kane bagging himself a good haul after Hoedt just lets him past while looking for his guide dog and Maya backpasses straight to him in an easy win for Spurs!

Going to discuss it on the Debate and guess who is on......Merson.

Hes a big supporter of jobs for the old guard so no doubt will say Hughes sacking was harsh and that we should give it to big Sam instead of some unknown foreigner

Going to discuss it on the Debate and guess who is on......Merson.

 

Hes a big supporter of jobs for the old guard so no doubt will say Hughes sacking was harsh and that we should give it to big Sam instead of some unknown foreigner

It's criminal that he knows so little about football considering what his job is (Merson)

Thanks Sparky for your efforts in keeping us up, regardless of whether Swansea imploded. Especially liked how he dealt with the shenanigans at Swansea before the game.

Really wanted it to work out for him here but unfortunately he had to go, no home wins at this stage is unacceptable and he was unable to sort out the defence. Shame really as I do feel performances were starting to improve the last few weeks, but too little too late.

 

That said the players have to take their share of the blame, and whoever the new guy is has a very tough job on his hands.

 

.

In agreement with this,

I've never been a great fan of Hughes from his time playing for us, and wasn't excited by his track record as a manager, but credit where it's due, he did what we wanted last season and kept us up. He should also be credited with motivating and unlocking Tadic's ability to perform when needed, something which ahd been beyond his two predecessors, and even Koeman had hit a buffer with Tadic towards the end of his time here.

This season though has been poor, and Hughes has to take his sahre of the blame, along with Reed, the board, and the players.

Thank goodness we’ve got rid of the utterly horrendous Hughes. Giving him a 3 year deal in the summer was a debacle.

Really hoping new guy is youth positive and we can go back to seeing the effect of a progressive manager.

Oh god...SSN from ‘sources’ Nigel Pearson and Craig Shakespeare are interested.

 

Let’s hope that’s where it ends with t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶t̶w̶o̶ Shakespeare.

Corrected for you.

I didn't expect this if I'm honest, but fair enough. We didn't let this one drag out, we wanted to change it up quickly. Makes you wonder how much influence Les had last year in keeping MPoE for as long as we did (criminal).

 

I think he's a decent bloke, Hughes, and he did galvanise us a bit last year and did his job in that sense - but the record was just appalling and has been for a long time. I can't see him getting back into work anytime soon after his last couple of roles.

I don't think he's going to lose much sleep about it. After trousering an estimated £18 million for 4 sackings he's set for life. Nice (lack of) work if you can get it.

You could flog Austin, Long, Gabbiadini, Davis and Ward Prowse - then buy one to decent attacking player and you improve the team.

Until the striker gets injured/suspended.

Thank goodness we’ve got rid of the utterly horrendous Hughes. Giving him a 3 year deal in the summer was a debacle.

 

Really hoping new guy is youth positive and we can go back to seeing the effect of a progressive manager.

Noto bothered about Hughes leaving but was he particularly anti youth he did just start to academy lads against Man U (forced on him by injuries a bit but he could easily have stuck with Austin and a played Stephens at RB). Koeman wasn't very youth positive and no one was bothered as long as we where doing well.

The squad he inherited is ****, so he can only take so much blame. I struggle to see how the next fella will get a tune out of this lot.

It is a shame Harry is still in the Jungle. He can get something out of any fiddle.

He will win the jungle if the production team switch from searching for stars to searching for brown envelopes.

The squad he inherited is ****, so he can only take so much blame. I struggle to see how the next fella will get a tune out of this lot.

The next fella could give himself a chance of success if he puts an early line through Austin, Long, Ward-Prowse, Hoedt, Bednarek.

A lot of people talking about Long getting binned. Evidently missing the point of a high press system and that Long is one of the few players genuinely suited to that system! Also regarding ‘so and so is not good enough’ I think we saw enough before and after Poch to show that sometimes systems like this value the team more than the individual, plenty of players have played well for us and Spurs who before or after Poch were deemed not very good, his system brings out the best in them. Danny Rose and Schneiderlin are two cases that spring to mind.

A lot of people talking about Long getting binned. Evidently missing the point of a high press system and that Long is one of the few players genuinely suited to that system! Also regarding ‘so and so is not good enough’ I think we saw enough before and after Poch to show that sometimes systems like this value the team more than the individual, plenty of players have played well for us and Spurs who before or after Poch were deemed not very good, his system brings out the best in them. Danny Rose and Schneiderlin are two cases that spring to mind.

Trouble with Long, we win the ball back, square it to him, open goal, misses target.

or

Long does well wins ball back, turns man, gets into box, slips over.

That's the issue with Long, not his work ethic and not his closing.

He is the most frustrating player in the world.

Trouble with Long, we win the ball back, square it to him, open goal, misses target.

 

or

 

Long does well wins ball back, turns man, gets into box, slips over.

 

That's the issue with Long, not his work ethic and not his closing.

 

He is the most frustrating player in the world.

Don't forget being offside half the time.

I don't know, we have now gone through 3 managers in 2.5 seasons. That is not a model for success.

Should`nt this thread be closed now?