Stoke boss Hughes has European dreams

The competition for European football is fiercer than ever before in the Premier League, but Stoke City boss Mark Hughes believes the Potters have the ability to become Europa League regulars.

Stoke reached the last-32 of the competition in 2011-12, after their run to the FA Cup final the previous year saw them qualify, before being knocked out by Spanish giants Valencia.

Tony Pulis was in charge that year and Hughes has yet to come close to matching his fellow Welshman’s achievement – despite finishing ninth in the league three years in a row.

But, with increased spending power which has seen the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Joe Allen join the club in recent seasons, Hughes believes they will kick on in the next couple of years.

Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

“We are trying to make ourselves better, more competitive, and that challenge is there on a daily basis,” he said.

“The hope is that maybe in a hundred games – it might take a bit longer, or it might take less – we will hopefully be able to push this club to levels it hasn’t been to for quite some time.

“I think clubs at our level that [European football and silverware] is the immediate aim.

“There’s a number of clubs, not least Southampton, that prove with good management and structure you can get to the top end of the Premier League and get into Europe by virtue of your league position.

“I’ve done that before at Blackburn and I’d like to do it again here as well.”