Source: Telegraph
Manchester City's woes are in the dressing room not the dugout
Once again people have to realise that City must build around the committed Hughes – not the half-hearted Robinho.
City need to toughen up, a reality confirmed by a chastening trip to Hamburg in the Uefa Cup last week. After the 3-1 defeat, Stephen Ireland told BBC Radio 5 Live that "at times some people were hiding and when we had our backs against the wall they were not brave enough to come out and fight''.
Who could he have been talking about? Regular attendees of City away games may point the finger at a certain Brazilian. Robinho made Ireland's early goal but then disappointed. Again.
What might have made a difference against Hamburg was having Nigel de Jong available, enjoying "some battles'', as he described it, with his old colleagues.
Hughes knew De Jong would be ineligible for City's European campaign when he bought him but saw much-needed qualities. Hughes has long worried that City had a soft centre which is why he recruited De Jong and Vincent Kompany, unfortunately injured for the Hamburg tie.
City's trillionaire owners crave a touch of flair, so explaining their rushed record-breaking swoop for Robinho on transfer deadline day as the season opened. Sadly, the move now looks a very expensive mistake, a pity because in the mood Robinho is a bewitching performer. He may shine
at home against Fulham today but has rarely produced in more demanding
settings.
Combined with the failed bid for Kaka, the men from Abu Dhabi must surely now place their Brazilian projects on hold and leave team construction to Hughes. Blackburn Rovers trusted Hughes with their far smaller budget and he brought them such gems as Roque Santa Cruz.
With the arrival of Brian Marwood, a sensible football man who understands the dynamics of dressing-room and boardroom, and a well-regarded manager in Hughes, Sheikh Mansour has good people in place at Eastlands capable of leading City forward.
Even if they go out of Europe on Thursday, City must resist panic measures. Any clear-out should be focused on certain dressing-room under-achievers.
