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May 7 2007

 

By Alan Oliver, The Evening Chronicle

 

 

Freddy Shepherd faces several hurdles before he can install Sam Allardyce as manager of Newcastle United following the resignation of Glenn Roeder.

 

But Shepherd is determined to get the man who turned United down in the summer of 2004 - despite the fact that some fans are opposed to his appointment.

 

Even though Allardyce walked out on Bolton Wanderers last Sunday after eight years in charge of the Lancashire outfit he still had two years left on his contract and the question of compensation is bound to crop up.

 

So will the question of whether Gary Speed, who will have the dual role as player and coach next season at the Reebok Stadium, will be given the chance to return to Tyneside.

 

And two of big Sam's former coaches, Phil Brown and Neil McDonald, have North-East connections. Brown, the current manager of Hull City, is from South Shields, while McDonald, who is now cutting his managerial teeth with Carlisle is, of course, a former United player.

 

Allardyce's successor Sammy Lee has already urged any Bolton players tempted to follow Allardyce out of the door at the Reebok not to act in haste.

 

Allardyce, who also snubbed Sunderland 12 months ago, is one of the managers who spoke against Roeder taking over as United boss because he did not have the Pro-Licence - even though he himself does not have it.

 

But this would not stop him from replacing Roeder because his long service as a manager means that he has been granted exemption, along with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, until 2010.

 

Shepherd will know that he will not have 100% backing of the United supporters in his decision to bring in Allardyce in the wake of the Panorama bung allegations. Those claims were vehemently denied by Allardyce and no evidence was presented to prove any wrong-doing.

 

The Chronicle would never presume to speak for the supporters but those I have spoken to fall into three categories - those who would accept the appointment of Allardyce with reservations, those who are dead against it, and those who wanted to see the end of Roeder and are pleased that he has gone regardless of his replacement.

 

However, while Shepherd still has a lot to do to install Allardyce as his manager, he will not face competition from Manchester City regardless of any take-over at Eastlands.

 

One of the first phone calls I took yesterday afternoon, as the news started filtering through about the resignation, was from Ray Ranson, who wanted to pass on his good wishes to Roeder.

 

The former United full-back is confident that his £90m bid to take over Manchester City will be accepted. But after talking to him I got the distinct impression that if he did take over, he would not be installing Allardyce as his manager, leaving the way clear way for United.

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So instead of actually phoning Roeder himself, Ranson phoned Anal instead?

 

BTW is this the same Oliver who whenever Bolton came to Toon or we played them away, done nowt but snipe at him? If BS does get the job, can't see him being as pally with AO as Roeder.

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Ben Haim and Anelka would be excelent additions to the starting 11.

 

There's a good point there about Allardyce and Oliver. Like it or not, Oliver has the fans ear and can make life very uncomfortable for players/managers who wont grant him full access to the club. For fucks sake, the impartial local reporter has a column(paid for I assume) in the match programme. If he is paid by the club then he's technically an employee. Shambles.

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Would we play 433 then? I sort of lost track what Bolton have been playing over the last year or so. Did they have Diouf and Anelka just wide and behind of Kevin Davies?

 

Can Martins and Owen play in that setup? Dyer is more likely to be able to adjust to that tactic. Will he back to 442 instead? Can Owen and Martins even play together 442 in the first place? Will Emre finally fuck off? Will Shola? Will Owen stay to play in a 'hoof it at 'em' team? Will anyone care if we get £14+ mil for him? Will we hire a scout to be mates with our only scout? What will happen to Geordie Boy Clark under new management? Find out, in the next episode of How To Fuck You In The Bum staring Freeeeeeeeeeeeeedy Shepherd!!!1!

 

I'd certainly take Nolan over any of our central midfielders.

 

I suppose that'd be one of the positives of Allardyce, he won't be afraid to get rid of the shit we have in the back four (and everywhere else really).

 

I guess the summer should at least be interesting now with transfers going on...

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Will Bramble go? I think he knew he was on the way out, but he's possibly now thinking he has a 2nd chance.

 

I think Bolton play 4-4-2. Diouf plays out on the right, Davies and Anelka up front, with Davies dropiing out wide.

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Will Bramble go? I think he knew he was on the way out, but he's possibly now thinking he has a 2nd chance.

 

I think Bolton play 4-4-2. Diouf plays out on the right, Davies and Anelka up front, with Davies dropiing out wide.

 

The amount of people on here who have claimed if Bramble goes to Bolton, Allardyce will turn him into a good player :lol:

 

I'd take Nolan, Davies, Diouf, Anelka and Ben Haim from Bolton. Gary Speed too :o

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Big Sam will either have to change from his favoured 4-5-1 formation to accommodate Owen, or sell him.

 

I'd rather sell Owen, play boring 4-5-1 formation, not score a lot of goals but actually finish somewhere in the top six, than witness the shite served up this season again. Buying some actual defenders isn't a bad idea. Trying to keep clean sheets might help too.

 

Owen probably wouldn't do too well as lone striker. Does Big Sam always favour a 4-5-1?

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Van Nist did ok at the top in the 4-5-1/4-3-3 scenario and I think he's similar to Owen.

 

Van Nistelrooy's hold up play is far better than Owen's, Sven tried Owen at the head of a 4-5-1 for England in a friendly last year and he was shite.

 

EDIT - It was also one of the reasons why Rafa Benitez wasn't 100% behind the idea of taking him back to Anfield when we signed him, allegedly.

Edited by Baggio
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The Chronicle would never presume to speak for the supporters

 

So it wasn't the Chronicle who repeatedly told us that Roeder was the fan's choice? :lol:

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The Chronicle would never presume to speak for the supporters

 

I had to chuckle when they were interviewing him outside SJP on SSN. He said something like:

 

"I dunno what the fans think, unlike you David I've not been stopping them on the streets and asking..."

 

No, because you know damned well we'd tell you what we fucking think of you - twat!

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So instead of actually phoning Roeder himself, Ranson phoned Anal instead?

 

BTW is this the same Oliver who whenever Bolton came to Toon or we played them away, done nowt but snipe at him? If BS does get the job, can't see him being as pally with AO as Roeder.

 

Anal will be up Big Sams arse quicker than a gerbil at Richard Gere's house.

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So instead of actually phoning Roeder himself, Ranson phoned Anal instead?

 

BTW is this the same Oliver who whenever Bolton came to Toon or we played them away, done nowt but snipe at him? If BS does get the job, can't see him being as pally with AO as Roeder.

 

Anal will be up Big Sams arse quicker than a gerbil at Richard Gere's house.

 

Why has Big Sam been putting gerbils up his arse at Richard Gere's house? I'm not sure we want his sort here.

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