30 Jan 2026 07:21:44
Who introduced this STC narrative about Hughes, and based on what? I missed its inception, obviously being asleep at the wheel while the ball was moving around the backline.
30 Jan 2026 08:33:16
Can't remember who, but a poster (or more) have met him and confirmed the diagnosis!
30 Jan 2026 08:35:50
Think it was coined by the fields, his contact has dealings with Hughes and isn't his biggest fan, referring to him as the silver tongued charlatan, or something similar.
30 Jan 2026 08:36:32
It was Thefields on 8th December, their mate used STC as a nickname for Hughes. I had to use the search function to find it.
30 Jan 2026 08:41:56
@Delvecs - I recall it was one of the Ed's or ITK's, I don't remember who.
STC - Silver Tongued Charlatan. Whoever it was said he'd met him a few times and that he has a questionable character and is p… poor at the job.
30 Jan 2026 09:10:49
Of course, based on knowing someone who met him a couple of times and not knowing the character and / or why the ITK met him, it must be a highly trustworthy critique.
30 Jan 2026 09:12:11
I know he had his formative years in Italy so I wouldn't expect him to be classically English in his character. I wonder if this has got anything to do with it. Italians are a lot more "figurative".
30 Jan 2026 09:14:08
Thanks @WtW. I dodged a RTFP bullet.
30 Jan 2026 09:28:05
I like some of the business we've done since Hughes has been in charge, and I'm not convinced by other deals we've done. It's been a mixed bag so far.
I wouldn't say there's much if any evidence he's a complete charlatan, but I also would say we've spent a lot in the last twelve months and not seen a return on it yet. The players are in long contracts so there's time for them to prove their worth, but this season has been a major frustration on all sorts of levels. So on the transfer front the jury is out. The lack of a rust choice centre half has been the major downside for me.
On the other side of the role I think he also appoints and oversees the medical side, although that's not completely clear. If he is, that would be an area I'd be less confident about as we've suffered so many injuries this season and the team fitness looks poor. Be good to know who actually is the boss of the medics as that's more disappointing than our transfer business.
My general feeling is that our failings this season are due to a mix of things, partly tactics and that's why Arne is rightly in the spotlight, but also fitness and injuries which is Richard's domain, and a few question marks on transfer business or lack of in the case of a CB which is also Richard.
30 Jan 2026 09:31:48
Willo ?.
Guilty as charged. My mate worked with him at Bournemouth and that's where it came from. Didn't expect it to take on a life of its own tho ?.
30 Jan 2026 09:32:55
STC? I think I've got one of them. Didn't catch it off Hughes though ?.
30 Jan 2026 10:16:57
Excellent LFC8 ??.
30 Jan 2026 11:01:57
Surely we wouldn't want someone in his position to be a stuttering nervous mess would we?
30 Jan 2026 11:34:47
Fitness and injuries isn't Hughes' domain. Fitness is on the coaches so it falls under Slot. Injuries is a bit mixed I feel. Recovery is under the medical side while prevention is mostly under fitness. So partially under Slot as well.
30 Jan 2026 19:10:46
I don't get it though…
Silver-tongued? What does that mean?
{Ed025's Note - it means he has a very persuasive nature Ron..