Hughes slams City slackers

Pemberton revels in Forest triumph

Last updated: 3rd January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Hughes slams City slackers

Hughes: Unimpressed

They have to be brave enough to perform in matches. Today some were guilty of not doing that.

Mark Hughes on his City players
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Manchester City boss Mark Hughes believes his players were not 'brave' enough in their FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest.

The Premier League outfit were stunned at home by Championship strugglers Forest with Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw and Joe Garner securing a deserved victory for the visitors.

Hughes insists he remains the man for the job at Eastlands, but the pressure is mounting with club owners the Abu Dhabi United Group having already laid out their ambitious plans for the future.

New signing Wayne Bridge was unveiled before the game, but he watched on in shock from the stands as his new team-mates were run ragged.

Hughes said: "I know exactly what is needed here.

"The work we do on a day-to-day basis makes players better. They have to be brave enough to perform in matches. Today some were guilty of not doing that.

"We know where we are in development terms and we know where we need to go.

"We know the areas of the squad we have to strengthen and we will try to do that. It is not going to happen in this window, or even two or three. We need more time."

Frailties

Hughes feared the worst when he lost Shaun Wright-Phillips after only 18 minutes with a hamstring injury that could keep him out for up to five weeks.

With Robinho and Stephen Ireland also sidelined, the hosts lacked any semblance of creativity and capitulated to what the City boss admitted was a deserved loss.

"We are bitterly disappointed with the level of performance that we produced today," he said. "Nottingham Forest fully deserved to win.

"They showed more desire and energy in their play. They forced us into errors and took their chances.

"I didn't expect the other team to show more desire but I am just being honest," he said. "I am not telling anyone anything they didn't see themselves. I have known the frailties in the team from day one."

The match proved a memorable cameo for Forest caretaker boss John Pemberton, who will return to his duties with the reserve team when new manager Billy Davies takes charge next week.

Highlight

"Billy spoke with the players this morning but he wanted to leave it today because it was such short notice," said Pemberton.

"I just wanted the lads to give a good account of themselves and get them ready to play.

"Winning is fantastic but on Monday morning I will be back to my normal job, getting the reserve team ready for a game against Lincoln City away on Wednesday.

"That is how things are in football. You get highs and lows. I have been at Nottingham Forest a long time and I am happy to work at the club.

"Today was probably the highlight of my career," he added. "To win 3-0 against a Manchester City side stuffed with talent - and deserve it - was fabulous."

Comments (8)

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Bernard Casey (Manchester City fan) says...

Mark Hughes needs to accept responsibility for the team's performance, he plans the tactics and motivates the side, both of which have been missing all season. I would not pay ¿18m for Santa Cruz or anyone else until we get a top class manager. Mourinho will be available in the summer, will Hughes last that long, I think not! At least a temporary manager until then can do no worse.

Posted 09:41 4th January 2009

Steve Connor (Manchester City fan) says...

We should have been more than capable of winning today. Im sick of this inconsistency. We are, once again being made to look like a joke because we have a manager who is out of his depth. We are supposed to have big money, get a big manager. The supporters who support this club through thick and thin deserve more because we would bleed to put that blue shirt on.

Posted 08:24 4th January 2009

Joey Seng (Liverpool fan) says...

Manchester City players clearly do not want to play under Mark Hughes. This is the same situation with Juande Ramos where he have lost his plot with the players. The players do not want Mark Hughes as their manager and thus play poorly to make Mark Hughes go. Mark Hughes will be Juande Ramos 2nd.

Posted 07:05 4th January 2009

Craig Ezenoah (Chelsea fan) says...

I'm happy for Forest and very happy Hughes maybe jump ship soon. The man has no managerial skills for a top team. He keeps on saying it's the players, it's the players; when will it me it's me; I'm sorry? He has to go! Billy Davis will be very happy with this win and the Forest fans who are disappointed with him should come around now. Hughes has a national team and playing League 1 football. He needs to go back to a smaller team and learn how to be a man manager.

Posted 21:54 3rd January 2009

Simon Hutchison (Arsenal fan) says...

Mark Hughes is a mid-table manager. He's simply not good enough to manage a club with this ambition. He has achieved nothing of note in his previous management roles whilst Ferguson,Wenger and Benitez have each won over 55% of matches at their respective clubs which equals silverware. Hughes achieved lower 40's at Blackburn and around 28% with Wales.

Posted 21:43 3rd January 2009

Ian Bell (Leeds United fan) says...

AGAIN Hughes blames the players. It is down to him to ensure that the players he puts on the pitch are ready to give their all for the shirt they're wearing. This is not the first time this season that City have not performed, they had more than enough talent on the pitch to cope with Forest, but were clearly 2nd best. Maybe he should get the club to buy another manager to work alongside him, so that when all the "players didn't play" type excuses run out, he could blame the other manager!

Posted 19:59 3rd January 2009

Andy Russell (Manchester City fan) says...

What an embarresment!.. never mind not being brave enough, the team didn't bother showing up not to be brave enough. Wayne Bridge is now wondering what on earth he has done joining City.

Posted 19:55 3rd January 2009

Andrew Johnson (Manchester City fan) says...

Manchester City have no guidance, leadership and accountability under the regime of Hughes. I appreciate we have had no consistency with management at the club but this is just not good enough. Hughes keeps stating it will take time.....taking time does not mean being in a relegation fight or losing to a team that is currently on the brink of going down from the Championship.

Posted 19:41 3rd January 2009
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