Hughes is desperate to prevent this week's trip to Portugal being branded "a jolly". The Cottagers boss took his side on a four-day mid-season training camp in a bid to kick-start a late surge up the Premier League table. The trip was also designed as a bonding exercise and players were allowed to play golf and go fishing when they were not working. Hughes is confident the camp will ultimately pay dividends but knows another heavy defeat against his former club will raise questions about its value. "You go for a break and the reasons for doing it are correct," he said. "But if you get beaten then people think you've been on a jolly. That's always the danger. "We are hoping to get the right reactions. "It was good for the guys to get together. "They have never been taken away and, as a consequence, they really enjoyed it. "I think the staff had a few beers. I don't know about the players! "Some of the guys had games of golf. Others went on boat trips and caught squid and other different types of fish. "That wasn't something that appealed to me, I have to say, bobbing up and down on the Atlantic. "But it was a good break. I really enjoyed it." However, the trip ended on an alarming note when the plane carrying the squad back to London was forced to turn back and land shortly after take-off due to a malfunctioning undercarriage. The players then had to wait several hours before boarding another aircraft and returning home. Hughes said: "In fairness to the people on the aircraft, they were very calm. "Any anxiety there was - which we were made aware of after - didn't show thankfully because we've got a few nervous fliers. "The problem was with the undercarriage. It came down but it wouldn't go back up. "We got over it thankfully but it was a bit scary for some of the guys who are a bit nervous." Those players will quickly need to shake off any nerves as they have been booked on another flight after Sunday's game, which is Hughes' first visit to Eastlands since he was sacked as Blues boss just over a year ago. He said: "I know I can walk through the doors with my head held high and look everyone in the eye, because of the job I did there. "Whether or not that can be said of some people there, that is for you to decide."
