Hughes: I’ve learned from my City mistakes
QUEENS PARK RANGERS manager Mark Hughes insists he has no apprehension about working in conjunction with the club’s charismatic owner Tony Fernandes, despite having a been a victim of a similarly ambitious and inexperienced regime at Manchester City.
Hughes, unveiled in front of the media yesterday having signed a two-and-a-half year deal to succeed Neil Warnock as manager of the struggling Premier League club on Tuesday, was sacked by City just over two years ago, despite the club being well placed to qualify for the Champions League.
Fernandes displayed his own ruthless streak by dispensing with the services of Warnock on Sunday and although his financial might not compare with the wealth of Sheikh Mansour, who has bankrolled City’s rise to the summit to the tune of over £800m, his plans are, comparatively, no less grand.
The Malaysian entrepreneur, who has used Twitter to ask fans to submit suggestions for transfer targets in the past, is still relatively new to the nuances of football in England, but Hughes is sure he can make their relationship work, having learned from the mistakes he admits he made during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
“I’ve been in this situation before so maybe that experience will help me,” said Hughes. “In fairness I probably made mistakes when I worked with new owners in the past and I fully understand that now.
“At City I probably found the lines of communication and the different levels of management a little bit difficult to navigate.
“But I’m very happy with the structure here and I think it will be more beneficial for me. The owners are very accessible, you only have to pick up the phone or look at Twitter.
“That’s important and I’ve got to build that relationship and make sure it’s a strong one because at times it can sustain you. It’s great that Tony engages with the fans and it shows the passion he has for this club.”