adminLONDON. — Mark Hughes has been sacked by Stoke City following their 2-1 FA Cup humiliation at the hands of League Two soccer side Coventry on Saturday.
Hughes’ terrible run has seen the Potters pick up just two victories from their past 13 games.
And the FA Cup giant-killing — Hughes’ 200th game in charge of the Potters — was finally enough for Stoke chiefs to pull the plug.
A Stoke statement read: “We would like to thank Mark for all he has achieved for the Club over the last four and a half years, notably in guiding us to three successive ninth places finishes in the Premier League, and we wish him every success for the future.
“The Club will look to appoint a new manager as soon as possible and will be making no further comment at this time.”
Keeping Stoke in the top half of the table for three successive campaigns was followed by a drop to 13th last season and an unsuccessful transfer window with new signings having made little impression.
This season they have fallen into the Premier League relegation places and have lost six of their last eight games in all competitions, having won only five league matches out of 22.
Hughes did not help himself by fielding a weakened team in a 5-0 defeat at Chelsea last weekend to save players for what he felt was a more winnable game at home to lowly Newcastle. — The Sun
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