Hughes happy to have Pep around

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes feels the appointment of former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola at Manchester City will enhance the Premier League.

City come to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday looking to build on their opening day win over Sunderland at the Etihad in their first competitive game under Guardiola.

Potters boss Hughes joined Barca from Manchester United in 1986 but struggled in his first season at the Camp Nou.

He subsequently joined Bayern on loan for the 1987/88 season and regained his form, netting six times in 18 Bundesliga starts for the Bavarian giants before sealing a return to Old Trafford.

(Stu Forster/Getty Images)

And Hughes believes the arrival of Guardiola in the Premier League – after winning 21 major honours in seven years with Barca and Bayern – is a positive for the league.

“He’s an accomplished manager who has been successful wherever he has been,” Hughes said.

“He’s had huge resources wherever he goes and they’ve been the top team in both countries he has been at.

“It’s about using those resources to the best advantage possible and he’s certainly done that, so I think it is good for the Premier League that he has come here.

“It shows he is willing to test himself in this league which everybody feels is the hardest league in world football, so we’ll have to wait and see how it goes.”