Sunday 22 March 2009

New deal for Hughes?

Very surprising news from today's papers:

"I've got two years left on my contract, but there have been talks about a new one," Hughes told the Sunday Express. "But you will have to speak to the owners about that.

"I hope something comes of this and if a new contract is a possibility then obviously I've be very pleased.

This is very surprising news. It's not like his achievements this season will have got Chelsea and Manchester United trying to bring this former player back to manage. I suppose it's possible that because Hughes, Bowen, Niedzwiecki etc were signed under Thaksin that they're not on as much money as they feel entitled to, and so they're trying to get a pay rise. But I think too much of Hughes to suspect that.

Could this actually be what I've been hoping for - the statement from the board that Hughes has their full support for next season? It's worth bearing in mind that a manager signing a new contract is not so much about ensuring that they will be at the club up to a certain point (managers almost never see out their contract and then leave), but a symbolic statement of commitment from both the manager to the club and vice-versa. So if Hughes gets this new deal it will not be so much about ensuring that he is here until, say, 2013, but a clear statement of intent from the board that he has their full support.

1 comment:

jackblue said...

If you see how they do business (our owners), they never do impatient business. That is a British football mentality trait. I suspect that MH will be here for a long, long time.