Chelsea look at Hughes as Mourinho's successor
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Mark Hughes has been identified by senior figures at Chelsea as a leading candidate to take over as their manager in the summer if, as expected, Jose Mourinho leaves Stamford Bridge.
The Blackburn Rovers manager, who had a productive three-year spell with Chelsea towards the end of his playing career, has transformed Rovers since taking over from Graeme Souness in September 2004 and will send his side out against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final this month. The Premiership champions admire the job the 43-year-old has done at Ewood Park with Rovers comfortably avoiding relegation in his first season and finishing sixth last term to qualify for the Uefa Cup.
Mourinho has a contract until 2010 but there is an acceptance at Chelsea, rarely expressed publicly, that the breakdown in his relationship with Roman Abramovich will see him leave in the summer, regardless of whether he steers the team to an unprecedented quadruple. They have won the Carling Cup and could add the Champions League, the Premiership and the FA Cup before the end of the season.
While Chelsea have offered no comment on Mourinho's future, a number of high- profile potential successors have been mentioned, including the Barcelona coach, Frank Rijkaard, and Marcello Lippi, who won the World Cup with Italy last summer. The Russia coach, Guus Hiddink, would also be in contention, although Hughes' credentials are also viewed favourably within the upper echelons at Chelsea.
With Abramovich reluctant to maintain the lavish level of spending Mourinho has enjoyed, there is a sense that the summer would provide a timely opportunity for a shift in emphasis towards a British-style set-up. That will have an impact on transfer policy - the Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell, a free agent in the summer, has attracted interest - but also their managerial approach.
Hughes is one of the strongest British contenders given his relative success during a five-year spell in charge of Wales, with whom he narrowly failed to qualify for Euro 2004. He has made further strides this season, with Blackburn revived in the league after a sluggish start and reaching the knock-out stages of the Uefa Cup and a second FA Cup semi-final in three years. -
If he is offered a job to replace the retiring SAF.
U think he would still go to stamford beach?
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Stamford Beach, that's a new one. Ha ha.Originally posted by Pitot:If he is offered a job to replace the retiring SAF.
U think he would still go to stamford beach? -
there's still lawrie sanchez if want british style.....
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Seeing how Blackburn plays under him now, I would sadly say that Chelsea won't be a great team to watch in the future.
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anyway if he ends up there, chelsea's manager will be SAF's disciple..
can the fans take it?
well can the anti man utd fans take it? -
this is a very odd choices of manager
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ghimpeng will die of a heart attackOriginally posted by Pitot:anyway if he ends up there, chelsea's manager will be SAF's disciple..
can the fans take it?
well can the anti man utd fans take it? 
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no mourinho, no chelski
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That is the problem with most of the chelsea fans... They are more of a mourinho's fan rather than a true blue fan... Anyway he seems too young to get a heart attack...Originally posted by ErikaChioBu:ghimpeng will die of a heart attack 
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Stamford beach? ...... Blueburn Lovers?Originally posted by Pitot:If he is offered a job to replace the retiring SAF.
U think he would still go to stamford beach? .... maybe got new EPL team. -
sorri.. its 'no Roman...no chelskis..'Originally posted by gigabyte14:no mourinho, no chelski -
actually...does man u really consider as chelsea rival? i mean in the past yrs...chelsea n man u..onli start recent yrs....so i think they dun really consider as BIG rivals...n roman manager list...most of them r defensive minded 1 lor..not much diff wit jose...juz tt they dun attract media more...but..once u r chelsea manager..i m sure...tt u will under the media highlight
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he is also a ex chelsea player..Originally posted by Pitot:anyway if he ends up there, chelsea's manager will be SAF's disciple..
can the fans take it?
well can the anti man utd fans take it? -
Yes... I was told he played his "retired" football at Chelsea. Back then Chelsea were the Bolton of the EPL, employing older players that other top clubs discarded... Zola, Ruud Gullit, Vialli, Mancini... and of course Mark Hughes as well...Originally posted by tarcki:he is also a ex chelsea player.. -
I am surprised with the emergence of Hughes as a candidate. I mean, given the sea of managers with better credentials, I am sure Chelski can find someone else.
Thus I feel, this is only a rumor. -
Well, he is only a possibility and not a necessary. To be fair, he is quite a promising young coach... Anyway, what was Frank Rijkaard before he took over Barce...?
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Robben talks stall as Hughes is linked with Chelsea
Jose Mourinho's future at Chelsea was called into question again on Wednesday as it emerged the club are stalling on a new contract for another key player. Arjen Robben is still waiting for a firm proposal five months after initial talks started and joins a handful of players who would have expected things to move faster under normal circumstances.
Frank Lampard and John Terry have not concluded improved deals despite negotiations starting around the beginning of the season and Claude Makelele's future at the club remains in doubt as he moves towards the final year of his Chelsea deal.
Chief executive Peter Kenyon prefers to complete contract business in the summer but the number of players kept waiting to make a fresh commitment reflects the uncertainty surrounding Mourinho.
The head coach may have three years left on his deal but he is expected to be jettisoned by owner Roman Abramovich in the summer after a falling out over transfer funds and interference.
There was speculation on Wednesday that Blackburn manager Mark Hughes - a former Chelsea player - is being considered as the successor to Mourinho and there is a growing belief the club want to consult whoever is confirmed in charge for next season before agreeing lucrative new long-term player contracts.
Mourinho and Robben do not get on well and the Dutchman is also keen to see what happens in the summer before extending his commitment beyond the two years he has left. -
hughes has not been proven at the top level. i dont think he has managed a ucl match.
hughes style of play does not suit chelsea. everyone wants to see entertainment at chelsea but you cant bring that with hughes style of play. the brand of football demanded at chelsea is at a very high level.
maybe get mancini or even call back viali -
The thing is he may not have the money and the players to play the style that Roman wants at Blackburn... But maybe if he had the money to buy or have better top quality players we may see a different style to his team. Afterall, he was a striker during his playing days so probably won't like to play a defensive style if he had a choice.
To be fair, he is one of the better young UK managers around at the moment... -
i still tink the chelski players prefer jose than hughes
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I don't think it really matters who the players prefer but rather who Roman prefers. No point having a manager no matter how good he is if he continue to shows disrespect to his Boss...Originally posted by gigabyte14:i still tink the chelski players prefer jose than hughes
If you were the boss, would you still want to pay someone who behave so arrogantly towards you? No amount of winning can justify such behaviour. Its like biting the hands that fed him...