Mark Hughes is named as the new Stoke boss

Mark Hughes has been named as Stoke’s new boss

Stoke City have named Mark Hughes as their new boss. The former-Wales boss replaces Tony Pulis, who recently left the club last week after seven years in charge at the Britannia Stadium.

Hughes was unveiled as the new Stoke boss at an 11 am press conference.

Sacked

Mark Hughes returns to football for the first time since November, when the Welshman was sacked by bottom of the Premier League table QPR.

The Hoops had also struggled the previous season and only survived relegation on the last day of the season.

Hughes also failed to achieve his objectives at Manchester City, only for Roberto Mancini to come in and within a few years win the Premier League title with the Citizens.

Unpopular

Mark Hughes appointment seems to have gone down like a lead balloon with the Stoke fans. Reading the messages boards not many Potters supporters are in favour of Hughes’ appointment. In fact, some even said they would have anybody but Hughes.

Change

Stoke chairman Peter Coates promised a change of direction from the direct style of Tony Pulis with the next boss. Mark Hughes’s style may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but he will offer a bit more variety in the way the team plays next season.

The likes of Roberto Martinez and Roberto Di Matteo, who have been linked with the post both like to play an expansive, passing football. Their styles of play could take the current Stoke team awhile to get used to, considering they have been playing in a direct style for so long.

Hughes’ style of play may be a happy median between the two styles, even if Stoke fans do not appreciate the appointment of the former-Manchester United striker.

Decent

Mark Hughes did a decent job as the manager of his national team Wales. The 49-year-old also did well at both Blackburn and Fulham. Both clubs did not have a fortune to spend and Hughes had to spend wisely.

It seemed that the Welshman thrived on picking up bargains. At Manchester City and QPR, he was given money to spend and he made a real hash of both jobs. At City and Rangers, he brought in lots of players on big wages and sometimes-big fees.

QPR are still trying to pick up the pieces of Mark Hughes’ reign at Loftus Road. The club are now saddled with a host of players that they cannot sell and cannot afford to keep paying. The moral of the story is do not give Mark Hughes money to spend.

Relegation

The Potters came close to the drop zone this season under Pulis. People have suggested that they will be in the relegation dogfight next season. However, I think it is far too easy to suggest that the Potters will struggle next season.

Mark Hughes may not be the most glamorous choice for Stoke fans, but they will need to get behind him now he has been appointed, otherwise the team could struggle next season.

Verbal agreement

Hughes’ old club Manchester City could soon have a new boss, after Malaga boss Manuel Pellegrini revealed that he has a verbal agreement with the Citizens to become the clubs new boss. Pellegrini is a highly-respected boss in European football.

The Chilean boss did a fantastic job at Malaga, despite the financial meltdown at the Spanish club. Pellegrini guided Malaga to 4^th place in La Liga last season and to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in this campaign.

Pellegrini has been linked with City for a while and it now looks like the move is closer than ever before. All these managerial changes should make next season a very interesting one.

Is Mark Hughes the right choice of boss for Stoke?