Mark Hughes - NEW POLL

What exactly does Daly actually bring to this team?
Seen nothing from.him to suggest that he warranted signing.
Again I forgot that he was even playing until he was subbed.
Very disappointed in him so far.

 

Not totally sure, to be honest.

It speaks volumes that his biggest impact at Hartlepool, and most of his goals, were scored in the nonsense JPT cup.

I've still been very disappointed in him, why he's getting picked ahead of Cooke I've no idea. Callum hasn't had a good season by any means, but he's better on the ball than Daly, who looks lost in our current set up.

 

Similar to Watt, Cooke is good when he has better quality around him and intelligent moment in front of him, both up top and out wide. Sadly there has been neither of that all season therefore they have been largely ineffective.

Perhaps Daly is similar in that sense, however has done nothing to demonstrate what more he brings or that Cooke, who we know can be very effective given the chance.

 

I think Mark Hugh’s should be having a word with Sunderland in the closed season and get Jack Diamond here for a season loan next year, he is the best winger I’ve seen all year in this devision and if anyone can pull it off Mark Hugh’s can.
I’m so looking forward to next season after the clear out.

 

So am I as long as we are still in the Football League which is by no means a gimme based on current form, although there were a few promising signs yesterday. Not many, but a few, but what can you expect after just 2 days with this current has beans

 

To be fair, he said post match that he didn't want to change too much because it would have brought in a lot of confusion but he tweaked a few things in the second half to see how they responded. He then said he was looking forward to a full week of training to start a few new things.

 

Hopefully after a weeks training he sends that Daly back to the dogs he's absolutely gash!! Hate seeing his name on the team sheet eveey week, he looks so weak and shys away from the game. Thought Evans looked ok when he came on and probably has a role to play for the remainder of the seasons.

 

He's got a tough job with this lot.
There's an old saying "You can't polish a turd"

 

You are right about Daly. The team I fully expected so that was no surprise but there was a lot more passion on show for sure.

 

The sooner Vernam is back on that left hand side the better. At least the lad has pace, runs at defenders and creates panic.
Add the skill and shooting power of Walker and things should look a bit better under Hughes.

 

Yes Vernham was always an outlet that occupied two defenders. Now we are wide open on our left hand side of defence because the opposition can roam up and down our left at will with no need whatsoever to consider a threat we may offer. There just isn’t one!

 

The more I think about Hughes appointment, the more bizarre it seems.

Hes our highest ever profile manager. Only 7 other managers have managed in more premiership games. And he's joining us at our lowest ever ebb. It makes no sense. Surely there'd have been championship jobs he'd be in the running for? Or at the very least, L1 jobs with powerful, ambitious clubs.

So why come here? There more i think about it, the more I think its a precursor to fresh investment or new ownership. More whispers circling about the same this weekend....

I may be wrong. It may be exactly what it says on the tin. But the logic doesn't stack up and a couple of Hughes comments point the way of further changes coming too....

 

Hope your right about new investment, we’ve been crying out for new investment for decades now.
Oh to dream of someone with the balls that Geoffrey Richmond had.

 

Huw knows?

 

Yes I have thought the same at times and Gary Jones said something weird after the game as well. I’m paraphrasing a bit but it was along the lines of when the players saw him for the first time they must have thought he was here for someone else to help them out. I have no idea what that means but seems a strange comment to make for a big standard managerial appointment, regardless of his stature in the game. Maybe it’s just our imaginations in overdrive due to years of underinvestment while village teams leave us behind. But it is a strange appointment, suppose we have to just sit back and watch this space.

 

There are a couple of comments Hughes has made which are intriguing too. Might be just wishful thinking, and it probably is, but there’s the comment he made to Sky Sports when he was unveiled:

‘People might think its strange that I’ve arrived here, but maybe they don’t realise what’s about to happen here and what I’m going to do’

And then after the game yesterday:

‘Once everybody sees the road we’re going down with the work we do then they’ll be encouraged by that’.

Could all be just his own confidence and belief about what he expects to achieve, but I keep coming back to why a manager at his level chooses this club, at this time, when its fairly well known that beyond our league position and squad capability, we’re a bit of a basket case and something of a poisoned chalice for managers. He’s taking a hell of a risk - think about it; if he comes here an fails, where else is there for him to go? And he’s joining a club that on the face of it doesn’t have great budgets, is known for continually hiring and firing managers and has a reputation of ‘think twice before going there’ in the game.

Genuinely, I think there’s something else going on behind the scenes. Hughes has great business and footballing contacts, and it could be that his arrival is a precursor to something/someone else.

 

Have we got a deal with Town that the lad starts when fit because as you say he's show little to suggest he is better than Cooke.

It possibly looked like a Trueman team because I believe it was, Hughes didn't sign until Thursday I'd expect Trueman to be involved with giving Hughes as much information he could with regards players strength and weaknesess etc so not a suprise it looked like a Trueman team.
Hughes has a clear week to see for himself at training how players react and which players will be best suited to the formation he wants to start with against Swindon, although in his post match interview he mentioned the situation at Rawdon Meadows with regards the pitches and the 4G not being the best way of training as one of the things with regards 4G is its not a full size pitch.

 

I think it was a desperate attempt to get more goals in the team. He got 7 for Hartlepool, although 5 were in the JPT.
Adams went off Cooke as in a 4-2-3-1 you need the No.10 to get some goals and Cooke doesn't do that.
The three behind Cook haven't contributed enough from the start.

 

They did some pre-season work at Horsfall,I imagine that facility will still be available.

 

Hughes did say that he didn't want too much input in team selection and tactics yesterday as it was too short notice to implement changes in training.

Definitely Trueman's team selection yesterday. Hughes needs to thank Trueman for his efforts but make sure he is not involved in first team duties going forward. Hopefully there is a position for Trueman with the kids again