Nigel Pearson / Will Hughes

[Ram8]

So, now Pearson is in charge at Watford (think they’ll regret that), I’m pretty sure that’s the end for Will Hughes, which might, just might, mean a return to Derby for the player that Pearson effectively drove out of the club along with Chris Martin ! 

[Ibby]

Time will tell.

[Bubbles]

Why would it mean the end of Hughes at watford?

[Ramslad1992]

If absolutely love this but I can't see it personally

[Ram8]

Squid .. do you not remember that Pearson was such an idiot that he didn’t have the sense to realise that Hughes and Martin were our most creative players, and so he didn’t play them, thus triggering Hughes’ departure and Martin’s effective banishment on loan for two seasons ? 

And of course Hughes will be well aware that he won’t be flavour of the month, or season, at Watford any more ! 

[Millenniumram]

6 minutes ago, Ram8 said:

Squid .. do you not remember that Pearson was such an idiot that he didn’t have the sense to realise that Hughes and Martin were our most creative players, and so he didn’t play them, thus triggering Hughes’ departure and Martin’s effective banishment on loan for two seasons ? 

And of course Hughes will be well aware that he won’t be flavour of the month, or season, at Watford any more ! 

I mean Hughes didn’t leave for another year and signed a new contract in that time, but yeah, sure

[Ambitious]

Hughes did start the majority of games under Pearson, but he was really quite poor under him when he was manager. Although, I think the majority of the team were hence why he was sacked. 

I can definitely see Hughes having less game time now, but I can also see a team like Sheff Utd taking the chance on him. I'd imagine he would fall into the £5-10m bracket. I don't think he's proven himself in the Premier League to date, unless he finally adds goals to his game there will always be question marks - 18 career goals in 259 games. It's not good for a player who likes to occupy the more advanced midfield positions. 

[Philmycock]

I thought it was Rowett that bombed super Will out?

[Ramos]

Hughes left after mcclaren (mark 2) and rowett had managed him. Pearson was long gone. 

[Ram8]

That’s a revealing stat, I wonder why, too unselfish ? 

[Ram8]

Rowett may have sold him, but I’m sure Pearson had already dropped him by then .. 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

Pearson did start the demise of Will Hughes.

He was the first manager to insist on Will Hughes playing as a defensive midfielder.

I think what Pearson was trying to do was get rid of Egos, he tried to show the fans/Mel etc that we were not reliant on the likes of Chris Martin and Hughes.

Bloody shame he was a barn pot and it didn't work out.

Every manager we have had since Clough has been insistent on playing defensive midfielders which has hindered any attacking midfielder we have signed, Bryson/Butterfield/Hughes.

[Ram8]

And now we have a manager whose philosophy is based on playing TWO defensive mids and ONE up front ..

This is NOT the ‘Dutch Total Football’ that many of us envisaged when he was appointed ! 

In fact, as some have noticed, it’s little better than ‘Rowettball’ !

The only positive to have surfaced is that (at last) so many forum members have become aware of the value of Chris Martin, having written him off either as a result of not having the courage of their own convictions, or subscribing to the view that just because three of our managers (Pearson, Rowett and Cocu) don’t have the common (footballing) sense or intelligence to see his (glaringly obvious) value to the team, then they too must slavishly believe that (much) lesser talents such as Waghorn deserve to start in front of him ! 

[Ram8]

MackworthRamisGod is correct, Pearson’s deluded philosophy of dispensing with what he viewed as our ‘big egos’ (actually our most talented players) has cost this club dear over the past couple of seasons ! 

It is not however without recent precedent; remember when Billy Davies similarly dispensed with the services of Inigo Idiakez and Tommy Smith (our best midfielder of the past decade and the last winger we had who could waltz past a full back and float over a decent cross) ! If I remember rightly he replaced them with infinitely inferior talents, with the predictable result of the worst points total in Premiership history ! 

 

[Mick Brolly]

Why would he want to come back to a mid table championship club when he's become a decent prem player, I'm sure if he were to leave Watford it would be a move to progress his career.

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

4 minutes ago, Mick Brolly said:

Why would he want to come back to a mid table championship club when he's become a decent prem player, I'm sure if he were to leave Watford it would be a move to progress his career.

If we were playing well and to a style that would suit him...plus showing the ability to get potentially promoted,then maybe it would be an attractive proposition to will 

Bit we aren't so it isn't.

[Tyler Durden]

Yawn. Let it go. 

[May Contain Nuts]

9 hours ago, Ram8 said:

Rowett may have sold him, but I’m sure Pearson had already dropped him by then .. 

Played him in every game of his tenure.

[cannable]

I look at Grealish and think that’s what Hughes should be. 

In the Championship, everything went through Grealish for Villa. He’d constantly back-up play and carry the ball through the thirds. Hughes has never really had that licence. 

Clough had him dictating games from deep. McClaren had him playing in the channel and knitting it all together. Wassall gave him freedom and Brighton away and Hull away were the outcomes, Grealish-like. 

Hughes can dribble but he’s always just played to his role. He’d use his good feet to keep the ball in tight situations and take a couple of players out of the game rather than having the licence to go on lazy dribbles. 

The thing is though, if we did somehow manage to get Hughes back, I’d still make his job in the team to tick play over because that’s what we’re dying for. 

[BramcoteRam84]

He was an unused sub yesterday. We can dream! He would transform this team, would need an aggressive box to box mid alongside him, sadly Jeff is playing every week for Burnley....