That’s the Grim end for Hughes
IT WAS this weekend 28 years ago that Mark Hughes set up Mark Robins to score the goal that saved Sir Alex Ferguson’ s skin at Manchester United.
Another FA Cup third-round tie brought these two back together — but this time the match resulted in the manager under pressure losing his job.
Stoke announced last night that Hughes has been sacked.
‘Stoke City can confirm that the contract of manager Mark Hughes has been terminated,’ the club said on their official Twitter feed.
This victory was not really an unmitigated triumph for Coventry, a club so deprived of reasons to be cheerful in recent years.
In fact it was an indictment of Hughes and Stoke. But at least Robins can look forward to a fourthround encounter while Hughes gets used to a spell off the managerial treadmill.
On a quagmire of a pitch to bring to mind Ronnie Radford’s goal for Hereford against Newcastle 45 years ago, came another FA Cup moment that will be remembered long into the future.
Jordan Willis opened the scoring and though Charlie Adam equalised from the penalty spot, Jack Grimmer produced a fine winner to spark an atmosphere rarely heard at a stadium that has seldom felt like home. This is why the FA Cup still retains the capacity to bring joy.
Coventry’s s upporters have suffered long under the ownership of hedgefund SISU but here was an opportunity to momentarily forget all that and savour a Premier League team being beaten. ‘I’m proud,’ said Robins. ‘Regardless of the current troubles at Stoke we equipped ourselves really well. We went toe-to-toe with them.’
Hughes understood perfectly the wider importance of this game and picked a side with comfortable victory in mind.
At other junctures of his Stoke reign he might have used the FA Cup third-round to rest limbs but in the eye of a storm he battened down the hatches and started close to his best available team.
There was still room to give Stephen Ireland an emotional return after 20 months out and the 31-year-old began as if making up for lost time following his lengthy absence through a broken leg. His deft chip to Mame Diouf in the 11th minute created Stoke’s first chance and Willis had to be alert to clear off the line. Ireland then tried himself when set up by Diouf’s knockback but shot wide.
Stoke, though, were failing to exert the control expected given the gap of 53 places in the football ladder and midway through the half Coventry went even further.
Jordan Maguire-Drew only joined on loan from Brighton this week but his deep corner triggered a routine that looked age-old. Grimmer nodded back and Willis beat Diouf in the air to head down and in.
The Coventry fans erupted and Hughes rose from the dugout to survey the scene in a bid to work out what on earth was going on.
Not much to favour Stoke, it transpired. They created only two more openings in the half and both times Diouf put his header over.
In fact Coventry could well have gone in further ahead. Tom Bayliss, playing won possession high up the pitch and threaded a pass to Marc McNulty, who rounded Jack Butland but cut his finish too fine.
Max Biamou then sent McNulty through again and this time his shot required Butland to save and Geoff Cameron to clear off the line. Boos from the away section sent Stoke down the tunnel at half-time and soon into the second period Hughes broke the emergency glass to send on Peter Crouch.
In the 54th minute the Premier League side were level, Ramadan Sobhi reaching top speed and proving too quick for Willis in the area. Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot and Adam fired home the penalty to provide a sense that Stoke could yet escape a nightmare scenario.
Crouch went close, but then Grimmer emerged to the fore. The right-back advanced to the point where the crowd were encouraging a shot and he acquiesced, taking Butland by surprise and beating the goalkeeper at his near post.
Stoke threw everything at their hosts in response and Diouf spurned two excellent chances. But by the final whistle Robins could shake his old team-mate’s hand knowing his side had earned their win.