Could Savage emulate his former Wales boss by one day managing in the Premier League or internationally?
Wrexham-born Savage, who earned 39 caps as a player, says he is currently “a million miles away” from managing Wales or any Football League team, but would like to take charge of his country one day.
Savage certainly has a useful mentor at Forest Green in fellow Welshman Mark Bowen, who used to coach him with Wales and Blackburn as Hughes’ No 2, and is now director of football at the Gloucestershire club.
“Robbie is a very motivated person and a true student of the game,” said Bowen, who played a key role in Savage’s appointment as manager of The New Lawn.
“He doesn’t have many outside interests apart from football. He watches it, reads it, studies it.
“The chairman (Dale Vince) was convinced from the start that Robbie could and should be the man for Forest Green Rovers. “We’ve brought in a lot of new players, around 15, and we thought it would take a while before he settled in.”
Winning eight and drawing five of their first thirteen games before losing for the first time against Rochdale last weekend was a pleasant surprise.
“We certainly didn’t expect to hit the ground running like we have,” Bowen added.
“I look at people who have had opportunities in higher leagues and better clubs and ask, ‘Are they any different to a Robbie Savage?’ In the end you have to win football games and he is doing it.
“There is nothing that prevents him from reaching a higher level, hopefully with Forest Green Rovers.”
Having spent most of his coaching career working alongside Hughes, Bowen believes the former Wales and Manchester United striker did not receive the credit he deserved for managing six top-flight clubs over a 14-year period.
Hughes was denied his best chance of winning the Premier League and Champions League when City, enriched by their initial purchase in the Middle East, sacked him in 2009 after 18 months in charge and replaced him with Roberto Mancini.
“I always feel that Mark suffered a lot. The day Mark was sacked by Manchester City, they were (sixth) in the Premier League and in the semi-finals of the League Cup,” Bowen said.
“We used to compare ourselves to people like David Moyes and Big Sam (Allardyce). For a long period, Mark’s record was arguably better than those two.
“If you look at Mark Hughes’ career in the Premier League, most people do. I certainly feel he deserves more credit.”