Boss defends Dunne |
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'Manchester City boss Mark Hughes backs beleaguered captain Richard Dunne'
Mark Hughes leapt to the defence of Richard Dunne after the Manchester City skipper's latest gaffe plunged the club into crisis.
City are reeling from a third straight Premier League defeat.
And Dunne, who has already scored two own goals this season, was at fault for Tottenham's equaliser as Harry Redknapp's side came from behind to beat the Blues 2-1 at Eastlands on Sunday.
It was the latest in a series of poor performances from Dunne, who has become something of a liability for City this term - despite being named their player of the year for the past four campaigns.
Boss Hughes is himself under pressure after just one win in seven matches, a horror run which has plunged City to within a point of the relegation zone.
But the Welshman insisted Dunne's first-team place is safe - for now at least.
"People will highlight all the recent situations and the goals we've conceded in which Richard has been involved," said Hughes.
"But people forget how many times he has saved this team - not just this season but in the past. He's still in credit in respect of the times he has saved us.
"It's just a spell he's going through, he'll come through it. He's a strong character and I have no worries in that particular respect.
"It was a poor goal from our point of view, but the conditions played a part. The ball went straight under Richard's foot and we weren't able to recover. It was one of those things."
Despite Hughes' faith in Dunne, City have one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League this season, with only West Ham, Blackburn and Newcastle having conceded more.
And although City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak yesterday reiterated his faith in Hughes, the patience of City's new mega-rich Arab owners - who have a grand vision for the club - is being tested by the current poor run of results.
While Hughes' job is not understood to be under immediate threat, failure to reverse the current malaise would see his position come under serious scrutiny in the new year, with City's owners possessing the financial clout able to recruit any boss in the world.
"We are calm and under control and we on the board have the highest regard for Mark," said Al Mubarak. "I am personally committed to him as I am committed to the partnership between executive chairman Garry Cook, Mark and myself.
"This is a winning team that's going through a learning curve right now.
"While January is going to be an interesting opportunity for Mark to improve the team, this is an exciting 10-year dynasty that we are building and we are only in the first two months.
"I'm committed to Mark and his team and I think people will see in January that we have good foundations in place in the team, we have a good coach and that we will be upgrading in terms of players. Hopefully, the results will come."
The Daily Express tell us...
'HUGHES BOOSTED BY NEW BACKING'
MARK HUGHES flies to Abu Dhabi today reassured by a vote of confidence from Manchester City’s new owners that he could be their manager for the next decade.
Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has rubbished suggestions the Abu Dhabi United Group are unhappy with City’s progress under Hughes and are looking at potential replacements.
He insisted Hughes is a key figure in their long-term plans, saying: “We are building a 10-year dynasty – and we are only in the first two months.”
Al Mubarak also dismissed suggestions that he and owner Sheikh Mansour are reluctant to give Hughes money to spend in the January transfer window and could interfere with his list of targets.
Hughes and executive chairman Garry Cook will meet Mansour in Abu Dhabi tomorrow to discuss transfer strategy with names like Roque Santa Cruz, Wayne Bridge and Torsten Frings believed to be on the hitlist.
One victory in their last seven Premier League games has prompted speculation Mansour is losing patience with Hughes.
But Al Mubarak, who dined at Hughes’ house on Saturday night, said: “We have the highest regard for Mark.
“January is going to be an interesting opportunity for him to improve the team and he is the man who makes the football decisions. We are here to support and make financial decisions.”
Hughes knows results must improve, but also that the new owners will give him time to turn things around.
He said: “I’ve had some great meetings over the weekend. The chairman understands where we are at the moment.
We’ve been hampered by injuries and suspensions. The key is to make sure we are stronger in the future.”
The Independent claim...
'City aim to sell Elano in January clear-out'
Mark Hughes will make a flying visit to Abu Dhabi today to tell Manchester City's owner, Sheikh Mansour al-Nahyan, that he is planning a mass clear-out of players, which may see the Brazilian Elano leaving the club in January and Wayne Bridge arriving, if Chelsea can be persuaded to part with the left-back.
Hughes is believed to be hopeful of securing the services of Bridge, who has started only four league games this season with Ashley Cole for company at Chelsea. Defensive reinforcements are a prime target for City, who have conceded twice in six out of the last seven matches and look desperately vulnerable to counter-attacks. Other defensive buys look likely for Hughes, but those heading out of the club may include the Academy graduate Nedum Onouha, midfield anchor Dietmar Hamann and Darius Vassell as well as Javier Garrido – who has looked out of his depth since Sven Goran Eriksson signed him – and Michael Ball.
The prospect of Elano departing will surprise most. Though he has never recaptured the form which made him seem like Eriksson's best summer buy, he has returned to form recently and has been influential in helping his compatriot Robinho to settle. But Hughes is understood to feel that Elano is not a positive dressing-room influence and not a player who can enable City to make the leap to elite football that the Arabs are looking for.
Surprisingly for a side with huge attacking resources, City remain intent on making a major play for Roque Santa Cruz in January, having failed with a £15m bid this summer, and may offer Blackburn Rovers a player plus cash to secure his services. The dire defensive error by City's captain, Richard Dunne, which gifted Tottenham Hotspur a goal on Sunday has given rise to a feeling that he may not be long for City but, despite Eriksson's reluctance to offer him a new contract, it is understood that Hughes has resolved to persist with him. The same goes for Micah Richards, a player who is going backwards at the moment and who has not impressed Hughes in training.
Though Hughes goes into his first encounter with Sheikh Mansour on the back of a ringing endorsement from the club's chairman, Khaldoon al-Mubarak, there is a view among some sources in the Middle East that the absence of superstar names from his shopping list is at odds with the Arabs' belief that players such as Robinho represent the way ahead. Though City's poor form has not in itself put Hughes' future in any doubt, he has never been comfortable with the idea of superstar signings – preferring, it seems, Wayne Bridge to Barcelona's Eric Abidal, Santa Cruz to Kaka – and this might be a stumbling block. Some in Abu Dhabi say a new manager is being sought already, though Mubarak categorically denied that yesterday.
The policy of hiring big names was espoused by Sulaiman al-Fahim, the initial figurehead for the United Abu Dhabi Group, who seemed to have been moved from the spotlight when, to ridicule in some quarters, he declared players of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres ilk could be brought to City. Though his current influence is unclear, it is understood that he has put together a new report suggesting five names are needed for January.
Fahim could not be reached last night, but the prevailing view from the Middle East points to some soul-searching about the extent to which City can be developed the Hughes way. The statement which the purchase of Robinho represented and the way it made City the talk of the planet helped Sheikh Mansour realise what has always been the overriding aim of his £200m purchase of City – to bring global recognition to Abu Dhabi.
Hughes will miss only one day's training to make his trip, which sees him fly out tonight and return in the early hours of Friday. He seems to have an ally in Mubarak, who dined with the manager's family on Saturday. Mubarak rubbished reports Sir Alex Ferguson's son Darren, who manages Peterborough, or Jose Mourinho might be targets for the manager's chair at Eastlands. "This is a 10-year dynasty we are building and we are only in the first two months," Mubarak said. "We are calm and under control and we [the board] have the highest regard for Mark."
Both bosses blast red cards |
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'Spurs and Manchester City bosses blast ref for red card madness'
Mark Hughes blasted referee Mike Dean for showing three red cards as Manchester City's dreadful run continued with a third straight League defeat.
City pair Richard Dunne and Gelson Fernandes, along with Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto, received their marching orders as Dean came under fire from Hughes and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.
And Hughes, whose City side are now just a point off the relegation zone after this latest defeat, criticised Dean for not taking into account the wet conditions.
"The first booking for Fernandes was valid," said Hughes.
"But for the second one the ref didn't take the conditions into account. We had a big crowd here, who wanted to see a great game.
"It's difficult enough to win games with a full complement of players, and even harder when you're playing good opposition and you're a man down.
"Everybody was enjoying it until the first sending-off. There was not a great deal of contact and I thought the decision to book him for a second time was harsh.
"As a consequence it hurt us, because up until the first sending-off we were leading 1-0 and playing well. With Dunne's sending-off, it was just a tangle of bodies and legs between him and Darren Bent."
Two goals from Bent – taking his season's tally to 11 – cancelled out Robinho's opener and continued Spurs' revival under new boss Redknapp as victory lifted them off the foot of the table.
Redknapp backed Hughes and was critical of referee Dean over the dismissal of Assou-Ekotto.
"There wasn't really a bad tackle in the game," said Redknapp.
"When you see there were three red cards you'd think the game was a bit of a kick-up, but that wasn't the case.
"If Dunne did bring Bent down when he was through on goal, then I suppose he had to go. But it wasn't a dirty game at all."
The Daily Mail look towards January...
'Manchester City keeping tabs on Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel'
Manchester City are the latest Barclays Premier League club to show an interest in Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel.
Standard Liege's Witsel, 19, has been linked with Middlesbrough and Arsenal.
City scouts were at Thursday's UEFA Cup clash against Sevilla to see him.
Sheikhs offer Jose £15m The sun
MANCHESTER CITY will offer Jose Mourinho an astonishing £15million a year to take over as boss.
City’s billionaire Arab owners have made Mourinho their first choice to replace Mark Hughes.
And SunSport can reveal that third parties have already taken soundings about the move and have received a positive response.
We reported yesterday how Hughes is on the brink of being sacked.
But discussions within the City hierarchy about bringing in Mourinho began FIVE weeks ago.
The Portuguese coach has led Inter to the top of Serie A but he is unhappy with certain aspects of the Italian game.
Mourinho regards media hostility towards him as disrespectful and has been shocked by the lack of passion from the fans.
He has made no secret of his desire to manage again in the Premier League and recently said he would do so after his stint with Inter.
The termination agreement Mourinho signed on leaving Chelsea banned him from managing another club in England for a calendar year.
But he received the final compensation instalment on September 21, leaving him free to return here.
However, it is highly unlikely Mourinho will consider leaving Inter until the end of the season.
That means owners Abu Dhabi United Group must decide if they can afford to wait seven months to get their man.
Hughes received a flimsy vote of confidence from club chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak yesterday.
In a statement the chairman claimed he had the ‘highest regard’ for Hughes but did not make any guarantee about his future.?
(Do you actually think this story is true. Why would anybody really offer some one 15 million a YEAR!!! to manage a football team i cant believe it i will only believe it when its on sky sports.)
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