He authored the FA's official coaching manual and was an early developer of long ball tactics.
[5][6][7][8] Hughes presented his ideas in the magazine Match Analysis and concluded most goals were scored from three passes or fewer, therefore it was important to get the ball quickly forward as soon as possible.
[9] From his statistical analysis, Hughes emphasised the importance of particular areas of the field from where goals were most often scored.
He called these areas the 'POMO' – Positions Of Maximum Opportunity – and asserted that players would score if the ball was played into the 'POMO' enough times.
[11][1] Many coaches and managers in England advocated his long-ball philosophy but some critics have derided his philosophy for encouraging a generation of players who lack basic technical skills and understanding of different tactical playing strategies.