Mark Bowen, (44) the former Wales defender who, along with Eddie Niedzwiecki and Kevin Hitchcock have joined Hughes’s management team at City from Blackburn Rovers.
Sparky’s trusted assistant spoke to the media following his Manchester City appointment and had nothing but praise for his fellow compatriot.
‘He’s (Hughes) not a manager who would walk into the dressing-room or wherever and spend a lot of time in and around the group. He’s willing to talk to the players – no problem – and he’s not aloof, but he does like to keep his distance.’
‘He wants to try and cover every single base, so if we lose a game and he comes in the dressing-room and starts throwing the odd teacup he doesn’t have one player who can put his hand up and say, ‘Yes, it’s not my fault we lost because I didn’t know this or we didn’t do that.’ It’s a simple philosophy, but one that requires bloody hard work to maintain.’
Bowen finished off by saying…
‘Mark uses Eric Cantona as an example at United. He was always open to new things, how he could improve and take his game forward. He never thought he was finished, that you couldn’t teach him anything, and if there are players at Man City who think we can’t tell them the same, they won’t be here long under this manager.’
Mark Bowen Profile
Playing career
Tottenham Hotspur – 1981 – ’87
Norwich City – 1987 – ’96
West Ham United – 1996 – ’97
Charlton Athletic – 1997 – ’99
Wigan Athletic & Reading – 1999
International Career
Wales – 1986 – ’97
41 appearances
Management (assistant)
Wales – 1999 – 2004
Blackburn Rovers – 2004 – ’08
