Then and now: Hughes patrols the touchline at
Craven Cottage (left) and appeals during his Bayern pomp
Mark Hughes has emerged as a target for Bayern Munich
after being included on their shortlist of contenders to replace
the outgoing Louis van Gaal.
Hughes forged a close relationship with Bayern president
Uli Hoeness during his stint there as a player in 1987-88 and has
caught the eye with the way he has the steadied the ship at Fulham
this season in the Barclays Premier League.
As an added attraction for Bayern, Hughes is out of
contract at the end of the season and could be lured away as a free
agent.
Hughes signed a one-year deal when he replaced Roy Hodgson
at the helm at Craven Cottage last summer.
And Bayern are said to be exploring the possibility that
Hughes can can depart at the end of this season without
compensation being paid.
All change: Bayern, who crashed out of the
Champions League last week at home to Inter Milan, are looking for
a new boss
Hughes, 47, has long been mooted as one of the
potential successors to hiss former Manchester United boss Sir Alex
Ferguson at Old Trafford when he retires.
He began his managerial career brightly and during a
five-year spell in charge of Wales in what was his first job as
boss, he came close to leading his country to Euro 2004 - only to
lose in a play-off to Russia.
Hughes then moved onto Blackburn, consolidating them as a
Premier League club and guiding Rovers to three semi-finals before
he quit for Manchester City in 2008.
Going places: Hughes is highly admired across
Europe for his coaching work
But after just over one year in charge at
Eastlands, having arrived when the club was taken over by oil-rich
Abu Dhabi United Group and granted him millions to spend on new
players including Robinho and Carlos Tevez, Hughes was sacked and
replaced in December 2009 by Roberto Mancini.
He has since rebuilt his reputation despite a rocky patch
before the New Year and has lead Fulham to 11th in the Barclays
Premier League and in with a chance of Europa League football next
season.
Bayern are keeping a close eye on the situation ahead of
what could be a bold move to appoint him at the Allianz Arena this
summer.