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Fergie: Hughes firing unacceptable
Source: Agencies |
December 25, 2009, Friday
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Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has branded Manchester City's handling of Mark Hughes' dismissal last week as 'unacceptable', adding his voice to the widespread condemnation of the way he was treated.
Ferguson was the latest of Hughes' rivals to speak of their shock at the way he was forced to take control of his team in Saturday's 4-3 victory over Sunderland before being sacked and replaced by Italian Roberto Mancini immediately after the game.
"That is one thing I do not need to discuss, it is so obvious, that kind of behavior is unacceptable," Ferguson said yesterday when asked for his reaction to the treatment of Hughes.
"It doesn't matter whether you have lost 20 games or, as in the case of Mark Hughes, two games. There is a way to treat people, surely.
"But Christmas time seems to bring the worst out of directors. Sitting there throughout the game, knowing something was going on, must have been terrible.
"Mark had obviously realized it was his last game, it must have been a terrible position to be in. I think everyone was shocked, obviously. I spoke to Mark the next day and I could tell he was suffering."
Ferguson was confident, however, that Hughes, who played under him at Old Trafford, would recover from his turbulent 18-month spell at United's wealthy neighbors.
"Of course he will," said Ferguson. "He did a great job with Wales, which is not an easy job, a great job with Blackburn and he was the right man for Manchester City at the time."
Ferguson, meanwhile, has been concentrating on his first team squad and will welcome back Brazilian brothers Fabio and Rafael for Sunday's Premier League trip to 17th-placed Hull.
United is also clinging to the hope that Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic will be fit to add bodies to a depleted defence.
"Hull will be encouraged by the fact we have got defenders injured," said Ferguson, whose team has lost two of the last three games. "They will certainly have a go at us."
United officially welcomed the Senegal forward Mame Biram Diouf this week after his work permit came through following his move from Norwegian club Molde.
However, it will be well into next month before he is able to play with his international clearance not expected until after the third round FA Cup match against Leeds on January 3.
Mancini's first task will be to inject some Scrooge-like meanness.
Italian coaches are renowned for their devotion to miserly defending and the former Sampdoria striker will not tolerate donations to Stoke City on Boxing Day as he begins his reign at the world's richest club.
City has conceded three goals in each of its last three league games since beating leader Chelsea.
"You cannot win games without scoring goals and my teams in Italy never played for 0-0 draws but it is important to defend well too," said the 45-year-old Mancini, who won three consecutive Serie A titles as coach of Inter Milan.
Chelsea travels to in-form Birmingham City tomorrow before hosting local rival Fulham. Both matches will be awkward for Carlo Ancelotti's side which, like City, has been struggling to keep the ball out of its net.
Ferguson was the latest of Hughes' rivals to speak of their shock at the way he was forced to take control of his team in Saturday's 4-3 victory over Sunderland before being sacked and replaced by Italian Roberto Mancini immediately after the game.
"That is one thing I do not need to discuss, it is so obvious, that kind of behavior is unacceptable," Ferguson said yesterday when asked for his reaction to the treatment of Hughes.
"It doesn't matter whether you have lost 20 games or, as in the case of Mark Hughes, two games. There is a way to treat people, surely.
"But Christmas time seems to bring the worst out of directors. Sitting there throughout the game, knowing something was going on, must have been terrible.
"Mark had obviously realized it was his last game, it must have been a terrible position to be in. I think everyone was shocked, obviously. I spoke to Mark the next day and I could tell he was suffering."
Ferguson was confident, however, that Hughes, who played under him at Old Trafford, would recover from his turbulent 18-month spell at United's wealthy neighbors.
"Of course he will," said Ferguson. "He did a great job with Wales, which is not an easy job, a great job with Blackburn and he was the right man for Manchester City at the time."
Ferguson, meanwhile, has been concentrating on his first team squad and will welcome back Brazilian brothers Fabio and Rafael for Sunday's Premier League trip to 17th-placed Hull.
United is also clinging to the hope that Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic will be fit to add bodies to a depleted defence.
"Hull will be encouraged by the fact we have got defenders injured," said Ferguson, whose team has lost two of the last three games. "They will certainly have a go at us."
United officially welcomed the Senegal forward Mame Biram Diouf this week after his work permit came through following his move from Norwegian club Molde.
However, it will be well into next month before he is able to play with his international clearance not expected until after the third round FA Cup match against Leeds on January 3.
Mancini's first task will be to inject some Scrooge-like meanness.
Italian coaches are renowned for their devotion to miserly defending and the former Sampdoria striker will not tolerate donations to Stoke City on Boxing Day as he begins his reign at the world's richest club.
City has conceded three goals in each of its last three league games since beating leader Chelsea.
"You cannot win games without scoring goals and my teams in Italy never played for 0-0 draws but it is important to defend well too," said the 45-year-old Mancini, who won three consecutive Serie A titles as coach of Inter Milan.
Chelsea travels to in-form Birmingham City tomorrow before hosting local rival Fulham. Both matches will be awkward for Carlo Ancelotti's side which, like City, has been struggling to keep the ball out of its net.
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