Premier League Betting: Money isn't the answer to everything

Premier League / Frank Gregan / 29 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

After a turbulent few weeks Manchester City have won two in a row. So are things finally looking up at Eastlands? Frank Gregan certainly hopes so...

As you're wandering down the aisles of the supermarket with the Missus this week, surreptitiously switching the top of the range stuff that she's put in the trolley with the budget brand and worrying about falling house prices, repossessions and unemployment, don't be lulled into thinking that money is the answer to everything.

One Premier League manager with problems at the moment is the man with the most money. January was always going to be the most important month in Mark Hughes's managerial career and it has been a roller coaster ride.

He's been dumped out of the FA Cup in a humiliating manner by Nottingham Forest, snubbed by Kaka and seen Robinho go AWOL. On his return, Britain's most expensive footballer has been interviewed by the police in relation to an alleged sex assault and released on bail. A shadow has been cast over Eastlands.

They were frozen off at Pompey before managing to pick up two home wins against Wigan and Newcastle. Those wins were vital because every other piece of news emanating from Eastlands these days is doom and gloom. Should they beat Stoke on Saturday they will have picked up nine points in eight days - the type of momentum that can change the course of a club's season.

The amounts of money said to be involved in the Kaka deal were ridiculous. David Bernstein, who was the Chairman at City when I worked there, said in an interview that he had calculated the entire package to be worth £250 million. To put that in perspective he also stated that the entire annual income when he was in charge of the club was just £13 million.

Kaka wanted none of it and you have to wonder what it would have taken to entice him to the North West. The only weapon that Hughes had in his armoury was money and he can't be blamed for using what was at his disposal to try and entice arguably the world's best player to his club.

Kaka wanted more than money, he wanted trophies and a glitzy lifestyle, it is difficult to argue his logic that he has more chance of success on the field with AC Milan and that the climate in Milan is more conducive to well being than the grey skies of Manchester.

There is a theory that Kaka may have signed had the manager had a higher profile. Although he played in Spain and Germany, Hughes's reputation as a manager in Continental Europe is not great. Two things establish a manager's reputation - a legendary playing career or an accumulation of trophies won as a manager. Hughes was a great player, but being Welsh meant that he was unable to prove it during the finals of an international tournament which is the acid test.

He can prove himself to be a great manager by winning trophies and he has hardly been sitting on his hands this month. He has spent close to £50 million so far on Nigel De Jong, Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy. He is still courting Shay Given and the Brazilian Diego who is currently at Werder Bremen and is likely to cost in the region of £25 million.

Diego is currently serving a four match ban for trying to strangle an opponent and was last week stopped by the police for drink driving so he is hardly low maintenance. Mark Hughes is showing that he will tolerate whatever it takes to get that extra bit of quality on the park.

It would be great to see him succeed and prove to the world that young British managers can handle high expectation levels. From a neutral perspective, it would be a travesty if the reins (and the gold) were handed over to a foreign coach. City are [2.32] to win at Stoke, a win that will hopefully propel them onwards and upwards.

Finally, a lot has been made about City paying way over the odds for players. Before pointing the finger at Mark Hughes ask yourself this: you're back in the supermarket with the Missus but it's not your money that you are spending but the dosh of the new Arab owner of your company. Now then, chocolate digestives or the buy one - get one free offer on rich tea?