One of the Premier League's longest-serving managers has been sacked.
In his fifth season with Stoke City, Mark Hughes has been relieved of his position after a horrendous first half to the season.
CLUB STATEMENT: Stoke City can confirm that the contract of manager Mark Hughes has been terminated with immediate effect.#SCFC 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/pSaThNUO2H
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) January 6, 2018
After four years of consolidating Stoke's position as a mid-table Premier League club, the Potters sit 18th in the table.
Having been trounced 5-0 by Chelsea on Saturday, some solace was directed toward Hughes' intention to put his strongest foot forward for a crucial tie against Newcastle United - they lost 1-0.
However, it was only after today's FA Cup third-round exit to League Two's Coventry City that Hughes' fate was finally sealed; an eventuality that most suspected to be fair.
Mark Hughes getting ever closer to a golden handshake at Stoke - and we all know how much he loves a handshake
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) January 6, 2018
Stoke lose so United go to Dubai on Monday. They could return to beat Stoke and get Mark Hughes sacked the following week. Unless Hughes has gone by then.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) January 6, 2018
Another dreadful day for Mark Hughes but the Stoke players have to take a long hard look at themselves after that debacle. An embarrassment. #scfc #facup #StokeCity
— Martin Smith (@SolarSmudge) January 6, 2018
Although today's defeat will go down as something of a giant-killing, Stoke's recent downturn in form will temper the general reaction to Coventry's win.
That run of form had resulted in many suggesting Hughes was lucky to even still be in charge for today's cup tie - the Chelsea/Newcastle fiasco a damning indictment of his tenure.
Mark Hughes accepted after the Chelsea drubbing that there was huge pressure to beat Newcastle after resting key players. Losing today surely means the end of his time there.
— Gary Taphouse (@garytaphouse) January 1, 2018
When you tank a game as Mark Hughes did with Stoke at Chelsea with team selection, you better be damn sure you win the next game. It hasn't happened, and Hughes has serious questions to face over future.
— Duncan Wright (@dwright75) January 1, 2018
200 - Mark Hughes oversaw his 200th game in charge of Stoke (W71 D48 L81), losing six of the last eight (W1 D1). Strain. pic.twitter.com/CqKxeqmUUk
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 6, 2018
Despite spending big over the last number of transfer windows, it had been expected that Hughes' reign in charge would end sooner rather than later.
With many of the clubs around Stoke already opting to employ various relegation "specialists" in an attempt to beat the drop, the obvious improvements of West Ham, Crystal Palace and Everton will have given the Stoke board plenty of food for thought.
Hughes' fifth job in club management had appeared to be lagging at the tail end of last season, with Stoke dropping out of the top 10 for the first team in three seasons.
Yet, after appearing to invest smartly in an already capable squad, the omen of a long relegation battle was never supposed to be on the cards this season.
.@btsportfootball The Mark Hughes big gamble has backfired spectacularly...he has had a good run but Stoke have regressed badly in recent times.. He has to go..
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) January 1, 2018
Looks like the end is here for Mark Hughes at Stoke. Sad but that's the game. Funny thing is, if Tony Pulis was avaliable, he'd be on the list of managers Stoke would be considering to keep them up. Wonder who they'd hire now if Hughes is fired.
— Babanla (@biolakazeem) January 1, 2018
With many trigger-happy chairpersons more than happy to take a punt on someone of Hughes' extensive experience, it is unlikely that the former Manchester City, QPR and Blackburn Rovers manager will be out of work for long.
Needless to say, many Stoke City fans (and many more beyond) have embraced this decision warmly - to say the least.
Well in Newcastle. How’s that decision to drop your pants for the Chelsea game looking now Mark Hughes? (He’s a dead man walking surely)
— Br19n Durand (@BrianDurand56) January 1, 2018
That's Mark Hughes out the door now. Gamble didn't pay off. Can't defend that really.
— Kristian Sturt (@FootieWriter) January 1, 2018
Ten days ago, Mark Hughes said that his critics didn't watch Stoke matches and so didn't know what they were talking about. They knew what they were talking about.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) January 1, 2018
Mark Hughes has killed our club! #HughesOut #SCFC
— Proudy (@RProud89) January 1, 2018
If you leave a load of players out of one game to give yourself a better chance in another, best to win it. Tin hat time @stokecity again for Mark Hughes.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) January 1, 2018
There is not a single reason why Mark Hughes should still be in charge of that club tomorrow morning, not one. We’re only going one way at the moment and it’s painful to watch.
— Robin Evans (@robin1302) January 1, 2018
Initial reports as to who will replace the Welshman vary. While some are reporting that Burnley's Sean Dyche or Huddersfield Town's David Wagner are top of Stoke's wish list, a few recurring names have popped up also.
Two names I've heard so far in relation to the Stoke job: Michael O'Neill and Martin O'Neill.
— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) January 6, 2018
I know he's not the most glamorous manager but Martin O'Neill's Celtic were the team that made me fall in love with football. Part of me would love to see him in charge of Stoke.
— MJ (@mjselfridge) January 6, 2018
As for his replacement, I'd be fine with Martin O'Neill until the summer. We just need someone confident to bang some heads together and get them doing the basics again like, yer know, chasing after opposition players.
— Mark Holmes (@Homzy) January 6, 2018
