I played for Man Utd legend and ex-Premier League manager – he taught me absolutely nothing

MARK HUGHES was a immense disappointment arsenic Bradford brag and lacked radical skills.

That is the damning presumption of Bantams midfielder Richie Smallwood, who has revealed however underwhelmed helium was by the Manchester United legend’s spell astatine the club.

Hughes had an illustrious playing vocation which besides took successful Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn.

He besides managed Rovers, Manchester City, Southampton, Stoke, Fulham and QPR successful the Premier League arsenic good arsenic his location nation, Wales.

But helium had 19 months successful complaint astatine Valley Parade earlier helium was sacked successful October 2023 with the nine sitting 18th successful League Two.

Smallwood, 33, took a two-division driblet successful 2022 having conscionable racked up 42 Championship appearances arsenic Hull skipper due to the fact that of the lure of Hughes.

But Sparky could lone pb the Bantams to play-off semi-final agony successful his lone afloat play successful charge.

Asked if helium enjoyed moving for the erstwhile prima striker, Smallwood said: “To beryllium honest, no. We didn’t get the occupation done contempt having a bully capable team.

“I didn’t larn thing from him. I was expecting a batch more. That’s however it is successful shot sometimes.

“Hughes was the large gully for radical to travel here.

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“Because of the subordinate helium was and the capabilities helium had you deliberation that’s going to transportation implicit arsenic a manager.

“But sometimes it didn’t and that led to america not getting the occupation done. That was the mode it was. I didn’t larn excessively overmuch from him.”

Smallwood adjacent deed retired astatine his deficiency of man-management and connection skills.

He added: “That wasn’t 1 of his strengths. That’s my honorable opinion.”

Bradford beryllium ninth, 2 points down the play-offs and 5 disconnected the automatic places up of entertaining Accrington connected Saturday.

And Smallwood believes the squad are heading successful a amended absorption nether Hughes’ successor Graham Alexander.

The erstwhile Salford, Scunthorpe, Fleetwood and MK Dons brag whitethorn not person had the glittering vocation of Hughes but helium has played astatine each levels from League Two to the Premier League.

Smallwood, who played for Alexander astatine Scunny, said: “He’s aggravated and gets to work. He’s ever aboriginal doing his analysis, probe and getting his stats together.

“Graham got to cognize the players erstwhile helium replaced Hughes and has enactment his stamp connected things during the summer. It has paid off.

“The large happening is our location form, that’s improved hugely this season. We each respect him greatly.”

Bradford has been a pugnacious occupation to ace successful caller years.

The Bantams get astir 17,000 fans astatine location and yet this is their 5th play stuck successful League Two — and it has been 20 years since they were successful the 2nd tier and 24 since the Prem.

Smallwood said: “People look from the extracurricular and spot we get large crowds and person a large  stadium.

“There is simply a large anticipation that comes from that but we’ve not been capable to woody with it.

“We’ve had a batch of players present who haven’t played successful beforehand of those sorts of crowds before. That mightiness beryllium a factor.

“Also opposing teams acceptable up to support the assemblage quiescent and frustrate america — and they tin get edgy if we don’t score.

“But things are changing. And determination is simply a large stat that is accordant present — erstwhile we people first, we spell connected to triumph the game. We’re scoring the archetypal extremity much often.”

Smallwood’s driblet into the 4th tier from being a Championship skipper did look a unusual 1 from the extracurricular — adjacent with the lure of  Hughes.

Yet Smallwood said: “Hull went done a takeover and you find caller owners privation to get their ain radical in.

“Often the skipper bears the brunt of that.

“But I was excited by the task here. The caput of recruitment, Stephen Gent, is simply a comparative of my missus and helium sold it to me.

“My spouse was besides expecting astatine the clip and portion immoderate players who near Hull were diligent to hold for an offer, I wasn’t.

"I don’t regret it and, hopefully, we tin beryllium promoted this season.”