Source: Telegraph
Manchester City players fighting for their futures admits Micah Richards
Heartbreaking elimination from the Uefa Cup on Thursday night at the hands of Hamburg cost Mark Hughes's side their last chance of lifting some silverware in their first season under Arab ownership, while, languishing in 11th place in the Premier League, City now need a miracle to qualify for Europe next year.[LNB]For most clubs, that would trigger a gentle stroll to the end of the campaign, but the prospect of a complete overhaul of the squad in the summer as Hughes, this week guaranteed at least one more year at the helm, tries to turn City into title contenders means his players are now fighting for their futures.[LNB] Related ArticlesCity give Hughes moments to savourCity give Hughes one year to deliver successMan City 2 Hamburg 1 (agg 3-4)Premier League and FA Cup newsManchester Citys Uefa Cup fightback at risk due to injury worries, says Mark HughesManchester Citys Mark Hughes insists he has full backing of clubs Arab ownersRichards said: "Knowing there are players coming in this summer will do some of us good and others not so good. But that's how it has to be if we want to move forward. Those who can't hack it will have to go.[LNB]"Hopefully we can bring some more players in this summer who are ready to fight for the team. We tend to lack a bit of aggression and commitment away from home, but that aggression is something you can't teach. Some are born with it, some aren't." [LNB]Hughes met chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak before the 2-1 win over Hamburg and was asked to provide his superiors with a list of players he feels are surplus to requirements, as well as the names of those replacements he would like to bring in. Thanks to the oil billions now available to the club, price is unlikely to be an object.[LNB]That can be taken as a guarantee Sheikh Mansour and his lieutenants are prepared to give the Welshman time, despite a rollercoaster season, ravaged by desperate away form, which seems likely to end in ultimate disappointment. Richards, though, believes the squad are united behind their manager and remain convinced he is the best man for what may soon be the biggest job in world football.[LNB]He said: "The performance against Hamburg proved we are playing for him, but that speculation and pressure will always happen. Modern managers can lose their jobs after 10 games, but we know he's the right man for the job. He just needs time. He's brought in a lot of players – it's a completely different team from last season.[LNB]"It won't happen overnight. We get criticised for not fulfilling our potential but the bigger teams have had longer together than us and we're not going to become a top four team in a season." [LNB]
