Thursday 14 December 2017 17:49, UK
Mark Hughes is not worried about his future at Stoke City despite overseeing the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season.
After Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Burnley, the Potters have 16 points from 17 games, putting them 15th in the table and two points away from the relegation zone.
But the 54-year-old, who has been in charge since 2013, remains confident he has the full backing of chairman Peter Coates.
"The owners are fans, they are the biggest fans if you judge by what they've done for the club," Hughes said.
"If they see a committed performance, if they see players working hard and running as much as they possibly can, which is what they saw on Tuesday night, they will be happy.
"Because they know, if you work that hard over a period, you will get results. They have been in the game a long time, they know it's not always a smooth path."
Hughes speaks to either Coates or chief executive Tony Scholes almost every day and the current travails will not stop them all celebrating together at Thursday's staff Christmas dinner.
Asked if club chiefs were offering the support Hughes wants, he said: "Why wouldn't they? They are good football people, they've been around football a long time and they understand what it is about.
"They know they have got good people working for them and one of their constants is that they allow people who can get the job done to get on with their job and do the job that they're paid to do. And that is what they're doing with me."
Saturday's home clash with second-bottom West Ham, has been billed as a potentially crucial match for Hughes' job prospects.
But, they will have to do without defender Kurt Zouma, who limped off in their defeat to Burnley with Hughes confirming they do not think he will be out for a lengthy period.
It was claimed this week that Hughes was offered the Crystal Palace job in the summer but turned it down to stay at Stoke.
He denied the story, saying: "I'm not aware of that. Why would I leave Stoke City, it doesn't make sense. I've got fantastic support from the chairman and the (Coates) family and I enjoy working here.
"I enjoy working with the group of players I've got. They're a committed group and an honest group that are working exceptionally hard to turn things around."
