Don't panic!!!

[jumbo]

I thought about giving my season ticket up last night. So much so that I couldn't sleep.

Now, some of you may think this is an excessive reaction to an admittedly woeful 3rd round FA cup defeat at the hands of struggling Championship opposition. But, oh no, let me explain. My thoughts had nothing to do with the result or the manner of the performance it was the fans' reaction that once again amazed, stunned and saddened me that made me think the unthinkable.

The team were rightly booed off after a dismal display. But the 'anti-Hughes' reaction that has engulfed the club almost since the guy walked through the door was just just unbelievable.

Those who think he should never have even been appointed because he played the majority of his football for you know who, well, I am not even going to respond to such pig ignorant one-eyed views. Oh, maybe I just have but you get the gist of what I am, or rather, am not saying to those people who believe this is a genuine reason not to appoint one of the best managers around for the last 3-4 years. Why are people, willing Hughes to fail? If he fails, we fail. Simple. But, as I said enough about these fans.

Not one person I heard on the after match phone-ins or on the TV straight after the game gave a bonefide reason as to why Hughes should not be allowed the time to build his own team. 'That was utter garbage', 'that's not good enough' and the best yet 'I just don't like the guy' were all labelled as all being down to Hughes personally. Well, that's it then, lets do what we've been doing for the last 30 years and start all over again!

You see, that's the whole point. We are an average mid-table side (and have been for long before Hughes arrived – if you don't believe me look at the History books as to our best ever Premier league finish) because managers over the past 30 years or so have not been given the time to mould and build a side to call his own. You could argue there have been exceptions but I'll leave you to think about that.

The only way to build a side, and this is true regardless of the amount of money available, is to build from the bottom up or 'from the back' to use football terminology. Of the side who started yesterdays cup game, I predict that if Hughes is given anything like the length of his contract, only three or four will even be at the club in 12-18 months time. Anybody who knows anything about City will not need me to spell out who I mean by this.

You see, the alternative is for another manager to come in and start again, just like Hughes has being doing for the past 6 months. So the likes of Ball, Hamann, Vassell, Jo et al (sorry boys I could have chosen others) will still be at the club in 6 - 12 months months time because another manager is still not sure about them whilst Hughes will have rid of these plus others by next summer. The least we can do is give the guy a couple of transfer windows to see what he is capable of.

From what I hear this is exactly what the hierarchy at the club plan to do (but football being football who knows). Their decision however, will be made easier or more difficult by the fans. My view is we can either get behind the manager and the team now or we can call for his head and get somebody else who also wants time to build a team fit for this great club of ours. Getting rid now will mean at least another season or so after this one of mid-table mediocrity.

People of Manchester the choice is yours but I for one am convinced that we will get nowhere by calling for every manager who is not winning cups and trophies within 6 months of being appointed to be booted out.

[Bluemoon18]

Well Done Geezer, I agree completely. But still to me Mark is ex Barcelona rather than you know who. But i cant agree more that time is what Mark Hughes needs, you can see he has the clubs best intentions at heart.

Take the Hull game for example, we were three goals up before half time and cruising and Hughes was still not happy stomping around with a face like thunder.

It just goes to show that he believes we can be doing much better than that. And as for the FA Cup game, That is just City all over we manage to batter Pompey and Arsenal at home yet get knocked out of competitions to Brighton and forest. I don't however think that game was Hughes' fault he had what must have been his best team out (that almost completely aren't the players of his choice!) yet the players showed no real desire or co ordination to win the game - We played like the away team in front of our fans.

I think that after this window and the summer window we will see alot of fresh and needed new players that are the type of player Hughes thinks will make the club stronger and more resiliant, He has already showed great promise by signing Kompany (was that his or Svens signing?), Robinho and lately Wayne Bridge which i for one am ecstatic about as i hate Ball.

On a brighter note im enjoying this month its so weird to see our club linked with these players we would of laughed about signing two years ago unless they were around the age of Gary Speed. I would like to see a replacement for Richard Dunne if im being honest his loyalty is superb but i think hes had his day with us, I would also love to see a left winger of a decent standard as Petrov is out for some time and then when he is back if anything should happen again we have good cover as Elano keeps saying he wants to leave. Also i think personally a keeper is needed, Joe Hart is a great keeper however when im at the ground and i sit wuite near the goal, I cant hear him he doesnt shout much to his defenders to organize them or tell them were they are going wrong at least when we had James he bollocked the defenders. Either that or get Schmeichel in the sticks.

Bluemoon 1990