Bombadil 0 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 From the BBC's chief football editor Phil McNulty, who has taken a break from wanking over Liverpool, to come out with this: Newcastle United is the club that has made calamity its middle name - the long-running joke that still raises belly-laughs around the football world. Sympathy will be in short supply for Sam Allardyce, whose heady combination of bluster and concrete-hard self-belief convinced him his feats at Bolton made him the perfect fit for an impossible job. Newcastle can change managers, which they do with alarming regularity, or even change owners as they have done with Mike Ashley replacing Freddy Shepherd. One thing, however, remains consistent. Namely the fault-line of shambolic self-destruction that runs straight through the middle of St James' Park and has contributed to almost 40 years without a major trophy. And it has cracked the club wide open again with the departure of Allardyce after only 24 games and eight months, no time to prove a case for or against any manager. But this is Newcastle and only the rules of the madhouse apply. Newcastle is the club that loves to parade itself as big time. You can hear it now. Look at all those fans. Look at the beautiful stadium. The trouble is that the finest shop window in the world is no use when the goods at the back are shoddy and almost beyond repair. In terms of football success, Newcastle are strictly small-time and there is no sign of that changing any time soon. Allardyce's appointment was ill-fated and unpopular, but that was never going to be enough to stop Shepherd signing the man who saw himself as Tyneside's "People's Champion". The people never wanted Allardyce and his basic brand of football. Just like they never really wanted Glenn Roeder before him, a nightwatchman manager badly out of his depth if ever there was one. And Allardyce was almost instantly undermined when Shepherd, the man who lured him, was ousted out of the Newcastle boardroom by Ashley. The credits were rolling for Big Sam. Unloved by the Toon Army and unappointed by his owner, he was history almost from day one. Typical Newcastle. But when the laughing stops, Newcastle is left as club that could be great, but never will be until it starts acting in a manner that its fans deserve. The trail of destruction that led to the leaving of Allardyce stretches back a long way. Newcastle almost cracked it with Kevin Keegan. A decent and dignified man backed by an ambitious and wealthy chairman in Sir John Hall, providing superstars and stylish football in equal measure, he almost brought the title to Tyneside. Sadly, once Keegan left, Newcastle never quite regained balance other than a spell under Sir Bobby Robson. Kenny Dalglish was hastily shown the door having committed the crime of not being Keegan, Ruud Gullit's sexy football swiftly floundered and Graeme Souness was another unpopular appointment after Robson. Managers were backed with cash, but there was an almost scattergun approach to management and recruitment. There was no clarity of thinking on or off the pitch and it has produced chaos. It was a fault that lasted to the end, with Allardyce's backroom staff resembling a large commune rather than a tightly-knit team assisting the manager. The constant managerial changes and turn-over of playing staff is no recipe for success at any level, least of all in the increasingly competitive Premier League environment. And the sight of owner Ashley basking behind the goal with fans in his Newcastle shirt does little to fill anyone with confidence for the future. It may make him look like the man of the people - but it is not the behaviour of a real football chairman. He must make hard-headed decisions, not indulge in policy on the hoof shaped by the shouts of a baying mob. Ashley must get himself back to the directors' box, get a new manager, and give Newcastle United some continuity. Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. This would still be a gamble, even if Shearer can be persuaded. He has no managerial experience, although you would not bet against him succeeding. Newcastle now needs something it has not had in a generation. Namely a period of calm and stability to allow the club to grow and then flourish. Is Ashley the man for this? The jury is very much out and his credentials are on the line with this appointment. Until then, Newcastle will remain the Premiership's finest old music hall act, giving laughs and entertainment a-plenty to everyone but their own suffering supporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16896 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Cock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Cock Aye, thing is though we do play to this sort of journalism. We are such journalisms wet dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. All in all its shite, but this line in particular is one being spouted more and more to me it utter garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16896 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. All in all its shite, but this line in particular is one being spouted more and more to me it utter garbage. Thats all that is getting spouted by the Media 98% of us dont want Shearer FFS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophyshy 6441 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. All in all its shite, but this line in particular is one being spouted more and more to me it utter garbage. Thats all that is getting spouted by the Media 98% of us dont want Shearer FFS!!!! 97.75 tbf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. All in all its shite, but this line in particular is one being spouted more and more to me it utter garbage. What is true (whether it be media or fan driven or a bit of both) is that any manager (even frankly a successful one - to a much lesser extent) is going to have that dangling above his head until it does happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13885 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor According to who? And to be honest that article wasn't as bad as you are making out. It was more a go at the club than the fans (who a lot of are totally deluded and fickle tbh) and who are a 'baying mob', sometimes i think some people only go to the match to heckle a scapegoat or two. And normally when we sack a manager the soopafans come out and say nobody is allowed an opinion but them etc etc The reason why we change manager regularly is because we never appoint the right one, and to be honest is was a hell of a digg at Shepherds regime, branding the entire thing as a failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16896 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Alan Shearer is the popular choice as Allardyce's successor - and the brutal truth is Newcastle's fans will not be satisfied with anyone until their hero has had a crack. All in all its shite, but this line in particular is one being spouted more and more to me it utter garbage. Thats all that is getting spouted by the Media 98% of us dont want Shearer FFS!!!! 97.75 tbf. Doh! Sorry marra, forgot to carry the 2 and the decimal point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima 0 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Only thing wrong with it is the guff about Shearer being the fan's choice. Other than that it's pretty much spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14117 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Newcastle United is the club that has made calamity its middle name - the long-running joke that still raises belly-laughs around the football world. As if we're that bloody relevant to the wider world. That's part of our problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Personally I think the bit about Shearer is spot on. You have to remember that most of our support isn't based around message boards like this but by the masses that believe every word Anal Oliver writes. These people who enjoy but know sod all about football all think Shearer is a god who can do no wrong and him being manager is the only thing that will pacify them. I've already had several people say to me that we should get him in (some suggesting along with Keegan) so no one is going to tell me that 98% of our fans don't want him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Personally I think the bit about Shearer is spot on. You have to remember that most of our support isn't based around message boards like this but by the masses that believe every word Anal Oliver writes. These people who enjoy but know sod all about football all think Shearer is a god who can do no wrong and him being manager is the only thing that will pacify them. I've already had several people say to me that we should get him in (some suggesting along with Keegan) so no one is going to tell me that 98% of our fans don't want him. This is true. A few people I worked with back then thought Souness was ideal to sort out Dyer, Bellamy et al. You just have to bite your tongue sometimes like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 6009 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather have shearer than one or two others. And for those that dont want him. I bet you still chanted his name home and away over the last 4 weeks haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Id rather have shearer than one or two others. And for those that dont want him. I bet you still chanted his name home and away over the last 4 weeks haha! You're joking aren't you? I fucking cringe when I hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 6009 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 And the sight of owner Ashley basking behind the goal with fans in his Newcastle shirt does little to fill anyone with confidence for the future. It may make him look like the man of the people - but it is not the behaviour of a real football chairman. He must make hard-headed decisions, not indulge in policy on the hoof shaped by the shouts of a baying mob. Lazy journalism. He isnt the chairman fuckface. Hes the owner and a fan. He can sit wherever he wants to fucking sit and he doesnt need your permission for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Personally I think the bit about Shearer is spot on. You have to remember that most of our support isn't based around message boards like this but by the masses that believe every word Anal Oliver writes. These people who enjoy but know sod all about football all think Shearer is a god who can do no wrong and him being manager is the only thing that will pacify them. I've already had several people say to me that we should get him in (some suggesting along with Keegan) so no one is going to tell me that 98% of our fans don't want him. This is true. A few people I worked with back then thought Souness was ideal to sort out Dyer, Bellamy et al. You just have to bite your tongue sometimes like. Exactly. We all heard the 'Souness is just the hard man to sort out those overpaid premadonnas' shite. It's no good believing that all football fans have the sense to consider managers from across Eurpoe with glittering cv's. The fact is that there is a very large vocal section of supporters who are thick as shit. While we would all like to believe thet retarded charvas that Sky find outside the ground at times like these have been searched out just to make us look bad, the fact is there is always plenty of them about. And we're not alone in this by any means, if you ever listen to the Legends most of the callers are fucking retarded and Talk Sport and Five Live isn't much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12495 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I remember the journalists handing out "souness out" banners to the kids and that after one of our games, then filming them, it's all fabricated bullshit. I want to know why they give such a damn about us all these 'liverpool' and 'chelsea' fans texting into sky and bbc saying we're not a big club, why do they care then? I wouldn't waste my time and money texting in about any of their clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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