UEFA Cup - Hughes proud despite loss

Eurosport - Fri, 01 May 00:03:00 2009

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes was proud after giving the club's fans and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak a performance to savour in the UEFA Cup.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 UEFA Cup Manchester City Man City-Hamburg Mark Hughes - 0

It was stirring stuff as Eastlands especially as Hamburg extended their aggregate lead in the quarter-final to 4-1 through Paolo Guerrero after just 11 minutes.

However City battled back and goals from Elano (penalty) and Felipe Caicedo in the 16th and 50th minutes gave them hope.

But they were left cursing their luck as Elano twice saw superb free-kicks come back off the woodwork.

And Micah Richards and substitute Daniel Sturridge both came close near the end but the tie ended in frustration for City.

Al Mubarak, however, led the applause at the end after a spirited display.

Hughes said: "It was big night for everyone at the club for obvious reasons. We needed to make a statement and I think we did that with the level of our performance.

"It was important we came out and showed people there are things happening here and we have ability.

"When in the future we are able to produce it on a regular basis we will be a very difficult side to overcome. It is the beginning of long journey."

On his meeting with Al Mubarak before the second leg, Hughes said: "It was fine, I am still here."

Hughes was proud of his players' performance.

He said: "It was a really poor start but we did not let that affect us. We picked ourselves up and got back on level terms very quickly.

"There was a real sense that we were trying to make something special happen and we almost achieved that goal. But unfortunately we did not get that break when we needed it."

Hamburg coach Martin Jol was delighted to clinch a semi-final against Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen.

"We started off very well and the goal helped a lot," said the former Tottenham boss. "Then we had a penalty given against us, which was a bit harsh.

"We knew if they got another goal it would be exciting again and that is what happened.

"But they did not score a third and that was great. I think over two legs we were the better side."

TeamTalk / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 16 of 16

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. I have to agree with comments 1 and 4, the tactics are­ woeful, the manager should be replaced and the City of­ Manchester stadium "should" look like a­ "new years" sale at "NEXT" come the­ summer... However.. give City a gun and they always­ shoot themselves in the foot, and in my heart i think­ they will do the same this time by keeping the current­ manager.

    From karl s, on Wed 22 Apr 10:02AM

  2. 2 questions about Hughes;

    1) in the summer why didnt­ Chelsea go for Hughes?
    2) if man united offered Hughes­ the managers job, would he go?

    Those two answers are­ why Hughes is not for manchester city

    From paul g, on Sat 18 Apr 10:42AM

  3. He stated before the first leg that city cant win the­ tie that evening. Well, Hamburg did. Hughes is out of­ his depth and should go.
    His attitude stinks and­ spreads throughout the club.
    Hughes is not the man for­ the job. The team is not a team. They are a bunch of­ capable individuals.
    He WILL bring in half-rates to­ suit himself.

    From paul g, on Sat 18 Apr 10:41AM

  4. KEEP HUGHES FOR F$£*S SAKE !!! WHAT'S THE MATTER­ WITH ALL THE SHORT-SIGHTED DOOM-MONGERS OUT THERE????­ CALL YOURSELVES CITY SUPPORTERS???? HUGHES WILL BE A­ HERO LONG-TERM!!! A QUICK TURNOVER OF MANAGERS IS­ SUICIDE!!! HUGHES IS PROVEN WITH NO MONEY!!! GIVE HIM A­ CHANCE NOW HE HAS SOME!!!

    RICHARDS, SHAKY ALL SEASON!!­ DUNNE, GOOD ONCE, BUT??? THE DOOM-MONGERS ARE­ KNOCKING ON THEIR DOORS AND I THINK SADLY THEY'RE­ RIGHT!

    From G G, on Fri 17 Apr 6:00PM

  5. SCOLARI is agood coach for M o C you think­ that??!!
    KAKA & MESSI : midfilder
    AGUERO­ & ETO & VILLA : forward
    DIARA & YAYA­ TOURE : DMT
    DANI ALVES : right wing
    MARCHENNA : ­ center defender

    AMAZING TEAM !!!

    From romanpavlyuchenko12, on Fri 17 Apr 12:22PM

  6. you re right homie this stupid coach must be alittle­ smart and repalce the another stupid captain­ "DUNNE "
    before he was sack from the green­ regtangular , i knew it .. i knew he will set off ,he­ was playing like a ZEBRA or monster.

    From romanpavlyuchenko12, on Fri 17 Apr 12:00PM

  7. i,m not prophy coach but from beigening knows that­ Elano is great player and never could not found out­ whyyyyyyyy he seatt. on the bench , together with him­ Robinho looks totally different and City looks totally­ different, but last night i seen that Mark is totally­ blind vhen he didn't replace that his stupid­ captain before he was sent off, for me that was key­ moment,,,and also that Company and Caicedo they're­ terrible players,,,,

    From lion, on Fri 17 Apr 11:25AM

  8. Wonder why d coach keeps benching Elano? What a­ brillant display from d creative midfielder. Connects­ well with Robiho. Hughes needs more of Elano if he ants­ to get d best out of Robinho and d rest of d team. A­ word is enough for a wise man.

    From Allen, on Fri 17 Apr 9:45AM

  9. Oh and keep hughes away from the toon we have enough­ problems without his name being mentioned as wor (woe)­ next manager.

    From ben, on Fri 17 Apr 9:38AM

  10. all they did was to go from bad to moderate, not much­ of an improvement when you see the price tag on the Man­ city squad and that of the Germans. The squandered far­ to many chances to anything be other than­ moderate...Sorry city season now over for your super­ stars (traveling wallets)

    From ben, on Fri 17 Apr 9:33AM

  11. Great performance by City on the night. I hoped they­ would make it through. Thats from a Utd fan.

    From andyprice17, on Fri 17 Apr 9:05AM

  12. Yes, not a bad effort in this match although (as usual)­ defensively poor again. Let's now scrape through­ this season and hopefully not slide down the league­ anymore. And then it's time for a clear out at the­ end of the season. I would ONLY keep Bellamy, SWP,­ Ireland, Given, Hart and Johnson. The rest simply­ aren't good enough !

    From Dave Wells, on Fri 17 Apr 8:58AM

  13. I agree woeful tactis swp in midfield, bellamy on the­ right, then we are 3-1 down in the first leg, he­ brought on 4 touches to control the ball, next touch­ tackle fernades, as if he would score, what is it with­ this 2 defence midfield players, its rubbish 4 4 2, i­ am a very passionate loyal supporter for 41 years and i­ am sick of 2nd rate tactics and players like vassel,­ benjani, fernades and caciedo, they are not good enough­ and should be sold.

    From thumper38, on Fri 17 Apr 8:28AM

  14. 4-3 on agg

    From Dan, on Fri 17 Apr 7:31AM

  15. At least they all got stuck in this time

    From Grumpe Oldman, on Fri 17 Apr 12:33AM

  16. If City had a different manager they would be in the­ Semi Final now, Hughes time will be at an end come the­ end of the season because of his woeful tactics and­ formation throughout the season.

    From youknowtheydidit, on Fri 17 Apr 12:27AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account