MICHAEL INGHAM is delighted “great mate” Bryan Hughes has been given a chance in management - and tipped him to be a success with Wrexham.

The two former Reds have been working together at the i2i International Soccer Academy in York for two-and-a-half years, meaning that Ingham has seen Hughes’ coaching work at close quarters.

And, given time, Ingham feels Hughes, who is three quarters of his way through his A licence, will make a success of his first role in football management.

“Yozzer loves football and studying games,” said Ingham, who is playing part-time for Tadcaster Albion.

“He’s always watching and talking about the game in the office, and he knows about all of the leagues inside and out.

“He does punditry work for Birmingham and Hull and he’s had success in coaching already with results and three of the players here going on to sign for professional clubs.

“Football is a crazy world where you’ve got to win games quickly, but he’s been given a three-and-a-half-year deal, so hopefully he’s got time to implement his philosophy and beliefs.”

Pressed on what type of boss Hughes will be, Ingham continued: “He’s a great man-manager.

“He’s methodical in his approach as well. With the academy we play games against the likes of Harrogate and Gainsborough, and he’s always watching clips of matches and studying the opposition.

“He will try and play football the right way, although everything would have been different if he’d have had a full pre-season to get his ideas across.

“Yozzer has 15 games to hopefully get Wrexham promoted and it’s a great chance for him.

“People will say ‘why him?’ They will say that because he has no experience, but look at the likes of Sean Dyche, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, who all had to start somewhere.”