Lou Macari: "It will be tough for Mark Hughes"

Former Stoke City manager Lou Macari feels that new Potters boss Mark Hughes will have a lot of work to do to win the approval of the club's supporters.

Hughes was announced as Tony Pulis's replacement earlier this week as he signed a three-year contract at the Britannia Stadium.

Macari told the Daily Star: "Yes, it will be tough for [Mark] Hughes. At Queens Park Rangers it went horribly wrong. He brought in a load of players who didn't do the job and got the sack.

"It's an awkward one for him. I live in Stoke and I think it's fair to say he hasn't really been accepted. Rafa Benitez wasn't accepted [by Chelsea fans] but got them into the Champions League and won the Europa League."

"By the time he left, a lot of supporters had changed their minds and it looks like Mark will have to do the same."

Hughes had been out of work for seven months following his sacking in November 2012 by QPR.