STOKE, England (AP) — Mark Hughes returned to management on Thursday after being hired by Premier League club Stoke.
The 49-year-old Hughes, a former Manchester United and Chelsea striker, was fired by Queens Park Rangers in November. Now he is replacing fellow Welshman Tony Pulis, who left Stoke earlier this month after seven seasons following a 13th-place finish.
Hughes, who also played for Barcelona and Bayern Munich, will be hoping to revive his managerial fortunes, which have been spotty since making his debut with Wales. After playing 72 matches for Wales, Hughes took charge of his country in 1999 and the team came close to reaching a first major tournament since 1958.
He left in 2004 to move into club management at Blackburn, transforming the northern English club from relegation candidates into a side that twice qualified for the UEFA Cup through top-six finishes.
