UK Football

Mark Hughes is set to abandon his post as Manchester City manager, as the controversy around owner Thaksin Shinawatra was brought to the boiling point yesterday. The Thai manager is out £800million in frozen assets, from his refusal to return to Thailand and face corruption charges, meaning City have little money to pay the teams wages, let alone buy new players. Leading to such a financial crisis that Shinawatra attempted to sell a few of City’s star players under Hughes’ nose, the likes of Ireland and Corluka, just to try and iron out the club’s debt a bit.

So you can understand why Hughes is upset in the first place, and rightfully so. But I can’t believe Shinawatra was stupid enough to ditch City’s best manager in years in Sven Goran Eriksson, but they was lucky enough to land the future legendary manager Mark Hughes, only to piss him off a few months before the season.

Reportedly another reason Hughes is upset, is the absolute lack of financial stability in terms of the club’s future. As Shinawatra in the past had to take out a £2million loan from former chairman John Wardle, just to pay the players wages. The loan has since been paid back, but caused John Wardle to forfeit his position as club chairman in protest of Shinawatra’s ownership. Now the club is being run on short term bank loans, as a means of keeping City afloat long enough to start the Premiership.

So why shouldn’t Mark Hughes leave? I can’t believe with City so tangled financially, and the security of his job disappearing very quickly, that Hughes has even taken this much time to consider his future with City. But I suppose all this is great for Manchester United fans, as now Hughes will be less apt to refuse an offer from United should the time come for Sir Alex Ferguson’s replacement. And more than making Hughes look dishonorable, I think leaving City because of the owners horrible decision making and financial stability, would only be a warning to owners in the future, saying that you have to take care of your club. Not just go out and buy a football organization without having the slightest idea about running it.

It’s Abramovich and Mourinho all over again, only with much less money involved.

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