Football Food For Thought / Frank Gregan / 18 December 2008 /

The arrival of Robinho and promises of more cash to spend were the best news Man City fans received in years but things haven't really gone to plan since. Is Mark Hughes the man to lead such an ambitious project, asks Frank Gregan.

Times are hard. The credit crunch is biting, the pound is dropping quicker than Santa abseiling down a chimney and Christmas with all its associated expense is only a week away. The financial doom and gloom is affecting just about everybody unless you happen to be called Mark Hughes.

The Manchester City manager has a wad of dosh but despite spending £32.5 million of it on just one player -the glove-wearing-samba-dancing Robinho - still sees his side languishing at the wrong end of the table. To date, there have not been a lot of dissenting voices emanating out of Eastlands but a return of only 5 points from the last 8 games must surely mean that if things do not get better quickly Hughes may well be joining his former Manchester United team mate Paul Ince on a beach in the Caribbean.

Mark Hughes has an opportunity that he is unlikely to ever have again. The club he is managing may not be a member of the 'big four' but have the financial muscle not only to break into it but to challenge for the Premiership title. January could be a huge month for him in the transfer market and it is vital that he is not reticent with the money and gives himself every chance of success by recruiting the best players in the world to the City of Manchester stadium. However, he has to get to January!

He finds himself in a job that just about every manager in the world is coveting and let's be honest, he's there due to a large slice of luck. The resources that he has available to him now are way beyond what he could have dreamed of when he agreed to work for the Thai former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

With the new found wealth comes new found expectation. Manchester City fans are traditionally phlegmatic, well aware that their remit is to spend life in the shadows of their neighbours in the red part of the city. Their faith in their team is respected and admired by the remainder of the English footballing public who are aware of the paradox; people who live within five miles of Old Trafford choose to shun it whilst millions travel to the 'Theatre of Dreams' from as far a field as Ipswich and Istanbul because they know their chances of following a winning team are dramatically increased!

But even the most pessimistic City fan realizes that this time around things are very different. This time it is not alcohol-induced pre-season bravado bigging up the chances of a mediocre side. Manchester City now have the resources to be able to take the Premier League by the scruff of the neck and establish a legacy that will last.

An organisation of this magnitude needs a leader with world class credentials and experience of the pressures that high expectations bring. Is Mark Hughes that man? The next couple of weeks could well tell us that he is not.

The next three matches for Manchester City are games that they would have targeted ante Robinho and believed they could pick up the lion's share of the points. Hull at home is sandwiched in between away games at West Brom and Blackburn before the end of the year.
Should they kick on from here and take 7 or even 9 points from these three games they will find themselves away from the bottom and Mark Hughes will be sleeping more easily.

Should they stumble and pick up 3 points or less then a change could be in the offing.
Manchester City have to win on Sunday against West Brom if they wish to relieve the pressure on their manager and I think their price of [2.34] is very big indeed.

Mark Hughes is well liked within the game and conducts himself with style and dignity. The question has to be asked, has he got the experience necessary to cope with the expectation that comes with wealth? Points not presents are what "Sparky" needs this Christmas.

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