Opinion: Mark Hughes can do better at Man City than Sven Goran Eriksson

First half good, second half not so good. The stock phrase Sven Goran Eriksson frequently employed to describe England performances now forms his epitaph as Manchester City manager.

And though the Swede retains immense popularity among many fans, his departure will prove not half bad if City can haul in top target Mark Hughes.

The Swede, who trousered £4million from his failed reign as Three Lions boss, is once again crying all the way to the bank after picking up a reported £1million following his Monday morning ousting by Thaksin Shinawatra.

Now it seems Hughes is ready to sup from Shinawatra's Thai-style hot and sour poisoned chalice, with Blackburn Rovers "reluctantly" giving City permission to talk to their manager today amid rumours that he will be unveiled at Eastlands on Thursday.

Though regime change is hardly a revolutionary idea on the Blue half of Manchester - after all, the new man will be City's 17th gaffer since Alex Ferguson took up the reins at United - this is almost a whole new ballgame for supporters like myself.

Despite a horrific end to the last campaign, Eriksson remains hugely popular among many fans and with senior players like the under-rated central defender Richard Dunne, who seems determined to quit the club in protest.

Meanwhile Hughes, who has done a superb job at Ewood Park and is in terms of Premier League experience and managerial potential the best possible candidate around, is understandably tainted in many fans' eyes by his two long spells at Old Trafford.

Though supporters will groan at the old cliches appearing once again, it is another episode in the enduring soap opera of a club which former chairman Francis Lee said could win cups for cock-ups.

Yet after so many false starts, it could finally be the episode which turns out to have a happy ending for City.

Yes, Eriksson was a proper manager. Yes, he brought in Elano and Martin Petrov and a close-passing style which was at times a joy to behold. Yes, he helped City to their highest points haul in Premier League history, Yes, he helped ease gifted youngsters from Jim Cassell's Youth Cup-winning side into the first team. Yes - and, sad to say, most importantly - he beat Manchester United twice.

Yet he presided over relegation form and some horrendous football over the last quarter of the campaign - interestingly, City won more games before coach Kenny Jackett left for Millwall in early November than they did for the rest of the season - including the 8-1 final day disgrace at Middlesbrough.

Eriksson also made some bewildering personnel decisions, not least up front where the promising Rolando Bianchi and Ishmael Miller were shown the exit door and young Daniel Sturridge remained on the fringes while the likes of Emile Mpenza and deadline day signing Benjani toiled to no discernible effect. Meanwhile Michael Ball's return at left back added steel, but removed the attacking options that Javier Garrido offered. The appalling Sun Jihai was perservered with, while the excellent Vedran Corluka was played out of position.

And though Elano and Petrov stood out, particularly in the first half of the season, some signings - notably Felipe Caicedo and Gelson Fernandes - looked no better than existing options.

Of course Eriksson was unlucky with injuries, particularly to Elano, Michael Johnson and the highly influential Dietmar Hamman. But at times a supposedly great organiser sent out unbalanced sides with powder-puff central midfields and no penetration.

That would never happen under Hughes, whose sides at Premier League and international level have combined flair with direct play, possession passing with a desire to mix it. The result has been two top-six finishes in four seasons without the ability to call on the resources previous Rovers bosses enjoyed in the Jack Walker heyday.

I feel sorry for Sven, but I also feel Hughes has the potential and the tools to be a better manager than the Swede.

Whether he has the right chairman to achieve greatness at City is open to question - and few would be surprised if Shinawatra's bold move today simply makes up Chelsea's mind to bring him back to Stamford Bridge.

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