Craig

Probably got in the way of his zoooooooooooom lens too...

My fear is that he'll become to Newcastle what Venables did with England.... The former manager who in his stint in the hot seat, couldn't put a foot wrong, coming back as assistant and being a shadow of the effect he had first time around. Arthur Cox to lesser extent was the same when he came back as coach under KK. Those who remember back to when Willie McFaul was sacked, the crowd's favourite to get the job was Cox (pretty much in the same way people want to give it back to KK now).

Yes he is. I really hope he doesn't though, As the original Messiah (AD) I would hate to see him fall from grace, and it's a risk he doesn't need to take. You're Jesus Christ? It would certainly account for all the babbling bullshit

Must say I am well surprised at how non-commital he's being about it. Keegan is usually the kind of person who will immediately rule himself out of something if he has no interest at all. Up until now I'd considered that returning to NUFC is not even a possibility. Who knows, eh?

...text me to say he's just seen a helicopter land at the training ground. Replied asking who's getting out of it and he says..... "Fuck knaas im a mile away!" Can't get the fucking staff these days!

He mentioned speculation in general and never once referred to Newcastle United. IMO he was too focused on BRFC and what he wants from the season. If there was something in it, that snippet about NUFC would have developed more than it did. Don't think Hughes is that media-savvy to completely hood-wink them. He was plenty committed to Blackburn when he thought Redknapp had got the job ahead of him a few days ago. didn't sound quite so vocal about his great relations at Blackburn today did he? I thought he talked quite openly about his vision for the season with Blackburn particularly on qualifying for Europe again.

He mentioned speculation in general and never once referred to Newcastle United. IMO he was too focused on BRFC and what he wants from the season. If there was something in it, that snippet about NUFC would have developed more than it did. Don't think Hughes is that media-savvy to completely hood-wink them.

Not a problem apologies for the fuck off then I noticed someone else the other night mention the Shearer Haters. I for one idolise him as a player and I would fully support him if he was to get the job. Its the mass hysteria that surrounds him that I am questioning. I really think Tyneside would be up in arms if it was anyone else in the same position getting linked, but still cannot get my head round why its ok for Shearer then. I know some argue "he knows the club" whatever that means, but so do many other ex-players but i really do not think they would get the same acceptance. No probs Ritchie. It's not even aimed at 'if Shearer gets it' - I fear that whoever will get it, some quarters will prejudge any manager and that to me is totally wrong. FWIW I agree about the mass hysteria. But I am starting to believe he's our best option...

Not questioning your personal support at all Ritchie. Can see how you've read it as a personal retort though - sorry mate. Nope it was a general reply to all.

How many of Beresford, Albert, Peacock and Venison (at their peak) would get into the current side? Keegan's defenders were mainly bought for their attacking flair, of those you mentioned there, I'd say Venison was the best pure defender, and he left when we were promoted to be replaced by Barton who was fairly shit. I don't think there were many people who will argue that the main reason we didn't win anything under Keegan was that we lacked real class defenders. Not that they weren't good, they just weren't the best. No doubt there'll be glib types like LeazesMag who'll trot out statistics to back their argument for the sake of it, but that was the general consensus. Venison didn't leave until the end of the 94-95 season. Again, how many of them four would get in today's side? I don't know, it depends who is picking the side. Some managers rate defenders on their defending ability, others on their flair quality. I honestly think if we'd had a Woodgate at that time we'd have won the title. I'm going to make this simple for you. YOU are picking the side. How many of Beresford, Albert, Peacock and Venison would you pick over yesterdays back four of Enrique, Cacapa, Taylor and Carr? one? two? three? or four? Let me make it simple for you: Why did we blow a 12 point lead at the top and lose crucial games 4-3? a) The Attack The Midfield c) The Defence bear in mind, we could afford to buy the best in every department and spent heavily in all, if you want to talk in context. 9 points plus game in hand to be exact.... But I think the thing you're failing to take into account here is Man Utd's half season between January and May 1996. They hardly dropped a point and THAT is why we didn't win the title.

So would you be happy giving the job to Beardsley, Steve Watson, Steve Howey etc? I've always thought Beardsley holds the right characteristics to make a good manager. The other two I've not even thought about. My point is that some of the 'dream' names being mentioned could come here and totally flop - it's possible. I don't doubt that, in fact I do not even think we will get the chance to find out as I really do not think any of them will be coming in. There before the grace of god, goes us all... Whoever it is, they may succeed, they may fail. No-one, not one single person can say either way how events will transpire. What is paramount though is that whoever it may be, and however much they were or were not the person you may have wanted the club to appoint. As a supporter of Newcastle United, we are duty bound to do just that.... support without prejudice the club and all those employed within it. Those who choose to make judgements on a new manager before a ball is even kicked under his tenure cannot really class themselves as a 'supporter' Does this mean I stopped being a "supporter" when I said "oh no, not that useless cunt" when we appointed Souness ???? I don't think you did - I think you, along with the rest of us (even LM it seems) were prepared to give him a chance. Wasn't that the case? I'm not saying that we have to agree with the appointment, what i'm saying is whoever gets it is the manager of our football club and therefore we should support them in that role until they show just reason for feeling its the wrong man for our club.

Agreed. And that's a big difference between back then and now. The way Butt has managed to win the fans over in recent years is fairly rare. Perhaps I am getting old but the younger football fan these days seems a damned sight more fickle than in the past.

So would you be happy giving the job to Beardsley, Steve Watson, Steve Howey etc? I've always thought Beardsley holds the right characteristics to make a good manager. The other two I've not even thought about. My point is that some of the 'dream' names being mentioned could come here and totally flop - it's possible. I don't doubt that, in fact I do not even think we will get the chance to find out as I really do not think any of them will be coming in. There before the grace of god, goes us all... Whoever it is, they may succeed, they may fail. No-one, not one single person can say either way how events will transpire. What is paramount though is that whoever it may be, and however much they were or were not the person you may have wanted the club to appoint. As a supporter of Newcastle United, we are duty bound to do just that.... support without prejudice the club and all those employed within it. Those who choose to make judgements on a new manager before a ball is even kicked under his tenure cannot really class themselves as a 'supporter'

I don't care how the fans go, I just want to see us win matches. There was a good article recently (I forget by who) which pointed out that Newcastle is a real catch 22 situation. The players need the fans to get behind them in order that they play decent football and the fans need the players to play decent football so that they're motivated enough to get behind the team. Something has to play the first hand and perhaps the appointment of someone like Shearer will spur a good number of the crowd to get behind the team? The Liverpool game in November was the first competitive match I'd seen at SJP since the 7-1 demolition of Spurs towards the end of Keegan's reign. What was more noticable than the decline in quality on the pitch was the reaction of the crowd. Even in the dark days of 1988/89 and 1991/92, the crowd still supported the team to the hilt and never gave up singing or dared to turn on them before the final whistle went.

3-1, Ferdinand's goal doesn't count as he is a disease. The vile cunt. Great finish though. Shows the standard of their coaches when you get centre backs scoring goals like that. Isn't Rio a bit like Steve Howey was and started off life as a striker?? As for whether the goal should have stood or not - it's all pretty academic really, wasn't it?

Is it? I think you are going to be disappointed... Actually the longer this is going on, the more I think it IS going to be Shearer in some capacity. I think Hughes will see it in the same way that Redknapp did. He wouldn't come here as a player when we were considered the 3rd best club in the country and I very much doubt he'll come here now. I've noticed that Shearer is being very quiet about it this time. Before he's issued a line to say he's 'not ready' but this time its silence from him. Going by his comment before christmas, Allardyce obviously felt pressure from Shearer. I think it'll be him with someone who knows the management lark as his no.2. It might not be someone we particularly admire or want (Graham Taylor, Wilkinson, George Graham, Kenny Dalglish etc) but it'll be someone who can offer him valuable advice on the finer points of football management. Do I think it could be Keegan? Well that would be, in a lot of people's eyes, the dream ticket. But I think that is all it is.... a dream. Keegan's days of professional management are history. Thinking back on it, and given his recent praise-worthy comments about the privilege of managing Newcastle United, Kenny isn't a bad shout. Got on well with Shearer in his Blackburn days too. Only question mark I'd have is whether he feels his fingers are still burned from the John Barnes episode at Celtic.

So would you be happy giving the job to Beardsley, Steve Watson, Steve Howey etc? I've always thought Beardsley holds the right characteristics to make a good manager. The other two I've not even thought about. My point is that some of the 'dream' names being mentioned could come here and totally flop - it's possible.

Roy Keane didn't have experience. Neither did Keegan... I know it doesn't mean that he'd therefore be successful, but it doesn't mean he wouldn't be. If the last 3 appointments have proved anything its that whoever you appoint, you're taking a massive risk. Keegan could have failed but he didn't...

Whilst I think Redknapp should have kept his trap shut, given his recent connection with the club, I think he has a point that because Shearer doesn't have the experience, it doesn't mean that he wouldn't be able to do the job. Whether he is the right man or not is still questionable but lack of experience doesn't automatically render you incapable.

there's isn't really a need to is there?

No

Can you imagine him saying the club's name? Newcashell!

Keegan now favourite with the bookies...

My other positives were that I've got both Ronaldo & Tevez in my dream team and I managed to 'ship' Alan Smith...