This is Staffordshire --WHEN I look at this summer's managerial merry-go-round I see genuine comparisons between David Moyes at Manchester United and Mark Hughes at Stoke City.
Moyes is following a near impossible act by following in the footsteps of Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
I think we all know that.
But let's not under-estimate the task awaiting Hughes as he tries to not only emulate Tony Pulis and his record, but improve on it.
I've never had so many disagreements with Stoke fans as I have this summer ahead of the new season.
In my opinion, many of them have not only quickly forgotten exactly what the previous manager achieved, but they have also pre-judged what's going to happen this coming season.
People seem to be convinced there's a new way forward coming, one full of fantastic football that will have Stoke shooting up the Premier League.
But let's calm things down a bit and see precisely what the new season brings.
If Mark Hughes can keep Stoke in the Premier League over the next five years – and maybe throw in a cup final appearance and a trip into Europe – then he will have emulated his predecessor and maybe justified the change of manager this summer.
It's not much use playing good football, but only finishing 14th or 15th... or worse.
If that were to happen, then I'm afraid the argument for a change of manager just doesn't stand up.
So given what their predecessors achieved in their own way and with differing budgets, it's difficult to decide whether Moyes or Hughes has the tougher task ahead of them.
What both men will need is time.
Time from their owners, but also time from their fans.
No manager can come into Old Trafford and get something special up and running within a couple of months, especially after so long under Sir Alex.
And at Stoke, meanwhile, Mark will need time and patience as he tries to do things his way.
We all know he is trying to change the playing style and you hope, for his sake, that will buy him more time with supporters should he need it.
But he will also need time and support from the sidelines if he is to pull off the results that Tony Pulis, below, managed over such a long period.
Knowing Stoke fans, however, I am confident they will be fair minded enough to give him that support.
Just as long as they appreciate what a tough act he is following.
The difficulty of his job is evident when you consider who he might try to sign if he is going for an established striker to boost his forward line.
I needed help to come up with any kind of viable list of names from this country.
You can forget the likes of Jermain Defoe for a start.
It might be nice for Stoke fans to pick up their morning paper and read that Stoke are chasing the Tottenham and England striker.
But for so many reasons, not least the fact he's on something like 70 or 80 grand-a-week, I just don't see that being a starter.
The same might be said of Aston Villa's Darren Bent, then after that you are looking at people like West Brom's Peter Odemwingie, Fulham's Hugo Rodallega and maybe QPR's Bobby Zamora in a swap if Hughes fancies him from his time at Loftus Road.
After that, there aren't too many realistic and affordable targets going. Which is why he is going to be linked to strikers abroad, another potential minefield for any manager starting a new job.
Mark kicks off his Stoke career at Liverpool in just under a fortnight when BT Sport will also be kicking off their live coverage with the Anfield game.
And they announced a few days ago that their studio guest that day will be none other than one Tony Pulis.
It's easy to say the wrong thing on live telly, or have something you say taken out of context, but I'm confident Tony will be watching what he says. There's no way he will want to undo all his good work at Stoke, not to mention the goodwill he's built up with what he said on leaving, by coming out with something controversial.
I can only assume he took up the invitation because he has been urged to keep himself in the shop window.
Well, for me, the best way of selling himself is to simply let people scrutinise his track record at Stoke City.
I say that as a neutral, incidentally, not someone in a pro-Pulis or anti-Pulis camp.
It's a record Mark Hughes will be proud to have in five years from now.
Here's hoping. Reported by This is 1 hour ago.