Or so I thought anyway…
The big talking point has been the appointment of Joe Kinnear as our new Director of Football. Now I don’t know if this is “old ground” or whether I’ve missed the boat regarding having a say on this appointment but all the same I’m going to carry on writing anyway, mainly so I can get some things off my chest and think aloud if you like.
I want to look at if things can work out with Kinnear at the helm. It’s a big leap of faith and I find myself not believing that it can before I’ve even got my teeth into the article but I’ll give it a try and see what I come up with.
The big problem is that we have very fresh first-hand knowledge of how catastrophically wrong appointing someone in such a role can be. You only have to go back to the whole Keegan/Wise affair to see how quickly and perilously things can turn sour.
This is not to say that a Director of Football can never be a success. They can. They are successful in varying degrees throughout Europe but for whatever reason they don’t seem to be the done thing here in England.
Kinnear’s task is to get the best team we can get, which sounds simple, but it’s not. Have a look around at successful Director’s of Football at some of the biggest clubs and you’ll see that a lot of them have a pedigree from within the game built up in their playing career that has given them a status, some clout if you like, that they have then carried into retirement and into their new roles. Look at German clubs such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as indicators of that. If I was going to search for a similar United friendly figure the names would probably be something like Alan Shearer (even though that would never happen), Peter Beardsley, David Ginola etc etc. Players who have had a status within the game and an affiliation with United. Surely they would be better choices to promote our club to players?
The way this whole structure has been implemented is also a disaster. Success with a DoF depends on all parties buying into it with defined roles that all parties are clear about. All Mike Ashley has done is dropped the bomb and given people a choice to accept it or not like like it but accept it anyway and you have to think about the possibilities of why Joe Kinnear is actually here. To put pressure on Pardew? To undermine him? To make him up his game? To replace him? A DoF should have no designs on the job of manager or interfering in the team, but with Kinnear at the training ground and travelling with the team to matches could this be too close for comfort for Pardew.
I’ve tried and tried to come up with a reason for this but I simply can’t. I’m still as baffled now as I was when I first heard about the appointment and even a meeting between the club and fans and Joe’s now famous radio and interview ramblings have failed to clarify things. It can only end in disaster really can’t it?
The one positive thing I can think of is that Kinnear seems to have the ear of Mike Ashley. For whatever reason, Kinnear is the one who has been trusted with this role and ultimately the success of both the job and Kinnear hinges on how we recruit players going the forward. I tend to believe (or hope perhaps) that Ashley would be more willing to back Kinnear with him being his own man and all that, but then I though the same about Hughton, Llambias, Carr and Pardew at first…
So basically, after all this, I still don’t know is the answer to my original question…
Spot on Mr. Grey @299.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Mr Grey, “challenge for a Champions League place”…somewhat optimistic I would say old bean… 😯 Have you forgotten last seasons debacle so quickly ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
That sounds about right Munich mate. 😆 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Does anyone actually think we’ll all be happy if we manage to finish 10th with 47 points? I’m still expecting us to challenge for a Champions League place. It’s the least we should expect at this club.
MR GREY(Quote)
@ Munich Mag – 302
I thought the fact that we didn’t challenge for Champions League was why we wanted Alan Pardew gone? Otherwise had we managed 2 more wins we would have finished 9th.
MR GREY(Quote)
@i’d be very happy if we finished 12th given the state of play we find ourselves in..
mark(Quote)
Despite what Pardew and the rest of the management think, finishing 10th or 9th is NOT OKAY.
I’m expecting a minimum of 60 points this season. Hopefully we could get a few points more and really challenge for a top 4 finish. Didn’t Alan Pardew start a mini table after the January transfer window to see if we could get enough points per game to qualify for Champions League.
Otherwise I’m one of those delusional fans so feel free to correct me.
MR GREY(Quote)
This is what i expect from Alan Pardew/Joe Kinnear:
00 – 58 pts = The both need to go.
59 – 62 pts = If a better manager/DoF available, lets make a change.
63 – 67 pts = Good job, we should stick with the current management.
68 – 73 pts = We were all wrong, lets stick with this dream team.
MR GREY(Quote)
http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_GB/uk/industries/sportsbusinessgroup/sports/football/deloitte-football-money-league/5aa11261e7c5c310VgnVCM3000003456f70aRCRD.htm
given our position as 7th in the EPL Richlist and the size of the gap between us and those above us especially the top 4 getting an Europa league place is a major achievement. getting 6th implies that one of those has underperformed, expecting 3 to be worse than us is as you say delusional. 6th to 9th is par. Anything less is underachieving anything better overachieving.
Premandup(Quote)
MR GREY
Pardews says a lot m8. it doesnt mean a thing.
I think he’s learned from the amount of egg he tasted last year, its best to say nowt with these clowns running the show..
mark(Quote)
Premandup-exactly. And people wondered why I banged my head on the wall when after finishing 5th some around here said anything less again would be mean we were in real decline.
5th was an overachievement, last year was appalling. Let’s sort it out and smash the best of the rest and then either build up or try and take advantage of sides that weaken. (The opportunity was there to do that last year, we should have done more HOWEVER Chelski, Arsenal and Spurs and liverpool to an extent all proved to be excellent during their transition.
Newkie(Quote)
**And we wouldn’t have been able to do much about that whether we had invested further or not**
Newkie(Quote)
I’ve always supported the idea we should be a top 8 club every season. Top 6 would be a tremendous achievement, 7th or 8th would still be reasonable. Once you slip below 8th then things need to change. That is the only way to keep the club going in the right direction. When Liverpool and Spurs slipped up they took immediate action and they are now both doing quite well. What about us? We went from 5th to 16th and what have we done? Retained Pardew and hired Kinnear! We don’t have the right approach at all at the club and that is Ashley’s fault. He is clueless as far as football is concerned but won’t admit it and get advice from modern football men instead of mates. Until that changes we will continue to stagger on without real direction which makes me very angry and frustrated but there it is.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
more bad news,even the Arabs don’t want shola now,dam
icedog(Quote)
so we are after the Lyon striker now then,fairy storeys never stop
icedog(Quote)
anelka signs for the baggies 😛
mark(Quote)
Gomis again? Weren’t we supposed to be after him a couple of seasons ago? We’ll probably offer 5M and Shola for him. Lyon I’m sure will jump at it.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Historically 50pts gets you a top 10 finish, but you need 70pts for a top 4.
Premandup(Quote)
I have no idea where we will finish next season. I would say an accurate prediction is impossible with Kinnear running loose. If Pardew didn’t want Perch to go how many more of his favourites would have to leave before he resigns? Does Kinnear see Anita as the player who will take Perch’s minutes? Certainly Anita has more skill so that’s not a bad swap. It would be wise to bring in a player like Haidara but on the right side to understudy Debuchy but will we do it? The only way we don’t need another winger is if Ben Arfa stays healthy (along with Gouffran) and we use them both as wingers. But injuries are going to come. Who will stand in for them? Is any of this being considered at the club in addition to the absolutely essential need for another top striker?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
i would take Gomis above Bent or Kone and their could be some truth in this rumor . Apparently his club are struggling financially and want too shift him ,he only has one year left on his contract .
Axel(Quote)
G2 @ 319 I found that we snippet of Perch’s interview quite interesting, where he said Pards wanted to keep him, so that basically confirms to me that JFK is calling the shots and I really can’t see how a Manager can stay in the job if he gets over ruled by the DOF who is supposed to be pulling in the same direction as him.
I do think a lot of people that wanted shot of Pards will get their wish, I just wonder how many will be happy with JFK as his replacement ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
I should say there is no such thing as an accurate prediction anyway, just lucky predictions now and then. Axel you could be right. This time it may be true but we’ve been linked with just about every striker in Europe by now so it’s anybody’s guess mate.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Aye Big Dave it would seem we get to choose the frying pan or the fire mate. I don’t want Kinnear as manager but perhaps if he took over and we were a disaster Ashley would get rid of him as well and start over. Anything is possible at the club now but it usually leads to tears for us. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 they will sneaking behind pardews back mate,watch for poyet come galloping in,that’s my thoughts on it
icedog(Quote)
Poyet…hmmm…anyone who calls Dennis Wise his mate has got to be a dodgy geezer… Probably only a matter of time before he turns up at the toon then 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Welcome to the house of tossers – otherwise aka NUFC
Stuart79(Quote)
MM what have you been up to mate ? or are you still giving me the cold ear 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
MM off all these great signing,can you remember the Millburn sea food shop in Newgate st,where you could sit and have a plate of shrimps,mussels,cockels,sect before the game?
icedog(Quote)
Cheque cheque cheque sha KONE
mother lovers
Rodzilla(Quote)
Big D@327, of course not mate. Just keeping a low profile cos last season pissed me off, and I hate all this pre-season transfer shoyt…so am just enjoying a bit of peace and quiet before the madness starts again 🙂
Icedog, no I cannot remember that mate. We used to rely more on a liquid diet before going to the match. Can you remember them hot dogs they used to sell at the old entrance to the Gallowgate End, in the days before all the Sky Sport toon fans jumped on the bandwagon. Anemic and tastless onions, with red ketchup sauce… a culinary delight after 4 pints 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
This fucking mobile
Rodzilla(Quote)
👿 This fucking mobile site is *****
Rodzilla(Quote)
MM I know how you feel, I can’t remember ever feeling so low about the Toon.
Ice I see you have been threw of the laptop and onto the tablet, you would easily know the boss was back 😆 😆
Rod sort that mobile out lad
Big Dave(Quote)
MM,aye remember those. hot dog bike pushers,did I eat them no bloody way I was not that drunk lol,two dickman pies and shot of j/d ready for the world
icedog(Quote)
I ordered a pizza 2 hours ago 👿
Rodzilla(Quote)
DAVE aye mate anything for a quiet life,this toon **** is enough to put up with
icedog(Quote)
Guess I better drag myself out of the plant pot in the back yard and get indoors.
Just as I was getting comfortable 👿
Rodzilla(Quote)
Aye lads, a bit despondent with how things are going at the moment 🙁 It seems as if we are being overpowered by everyone now, even Norwich are leaving us standing, bringing in new signings.
Let’s hope we stick to the quality over quantity plan, and bring in 2 good players who could go straight into the team. That would give everyone a lift.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Well I just got home to see we’re doing the hokey cokey with Kone ,in out ,in out . 😆 Nice one Joe ****.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Nicorette, fair enough. Divnt think much of that Weedol like.
Rodzilla(Quote)
We’re doomed I tell thee.
KIMTOON(Quote)
1,2,3…
…back in the room! 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
..still don’t quite get all the fucking doom and gloom floating around the fans. For me, **** all has happened yet.
We get rid of Perch, OK, boo fucking hoo.
We need a clear out. The only reason fans like Perch is cos he’s all we had to cover up squad deficiencies.
An anti-hero.
Thank you James, you served us well when we should’ve had better.
Let the fire sale continue, I say.
JFK will do us more good than fucking Owl-Heed would’ve.
…and while I’m at it. That Ed boils my fucking ****. The ****-stirring imbecile.
Message to anyone who actually cares about progress:
Look before you leap eh?
Rodzilla(Quote)
Wavey Davey, what’s your view on the current situation anyway?
I’m sure you’re no stranger to coping under pressure. Calm head and all that. Personally, I think the deal with NUFC has been blown WAY out of proportion and we’re set up for a far better season next year.
Call me an optimist.
Rodzilla(Quote)
…I like Kinnear. I honestly think he has sufficient passion to give Fatboy a kick when he needs one. I also think Fatboy hired him because he calls a spade a spade. Fatty likely got bored with Owlheed’s ‘yes sir, two bags full sir’ *****.
…maybe.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Been off for a bit. I see Rodz is still trying to cheer us up. Good luck mate. I think we need some proper news from the club to do that job. No more, we’ve bid for Kone, no wait we’ve pulled out bollocks. The fact is we’ve been left far behind by the likes of Liverpool, Swansea, Norwich, and yes even Aston Villa this summer. I won’t comment on Sunderland but we don’t need to. Icedog @324 anything is possible mate. If Kinnear takes a liking to Poyet he would be here in a second. Sorry about your mobile site Rodz. Why doesn’t Ashley put the club back up for sale on the website again? He got some brilliant offers from the mackems.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Haha, G2…
…”fact is we’ve been left far behind by the likes of Liverpool, Swansea, Norwich, and yes even Aston Villa”
Sorry, but I’m struggling to work out what ‘fact’ you’re referring to there. 😆
Rodzilla(Quote)
….Rodz. Why doesn’t Ashley put the club back up for sale on the website again?
Listen. Fatboy didn’t become a billionaire from chucking assets away.
He knows which side his bread is buttered, and we’ve just progressed to Utterly Butterly. 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
You … you … optimist, you!
brisvegas(Quote)
I mean that a lot of teams have already conducted meaningful business this summer and we’ve done nowt except release a couple of fringe players and sell a squad player Rodz. I understand you’re trying to look on the positive and that’s a very good thing. I think I would trade Kinnear for Llambias as well but I don’t see him leading us forward very effectively. If he was younger, and more in touch with the modern game that would be different but then it wouldn’t be Joe and he wouldn’t be mates with Ashley. I hope you’re right though and that we’re getting worried over nothing. It’s all just blog chatter anyway. I like you’re fighting spirit though. 😀
GeordieTwo(Quote)
You’re right about the utterly butterly Rodz. We’ve gotten to the good part for Ashley where he hears the TV money rolling into his cash register. What I’m optimistic about is that even though I’m an old un I’ll outlast Ashley as owner and see us get to a better place with the club. I’m determined to do it. More dieting and working out if necessary! Good comment Bris @349. You Aussies never give up either. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Rod I think it is another fuk up Jabba has made and I expect JFK to cause us a lot more **** before long, he is a blatent liar and a complete fuking tool IMO off course 😀 and after seeing that Perch said Pards wanted him to stay, tells me that he was over ruled by JFK so I expect that Pards will eventually get fuked off and walk, and we’ll be left with JFK, or maybe thats just me being optimistic 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
G2, cut the patronising ***** 😆
…Dave, never trust a ‘blatent liar’ 😉
Rodzilla(Quote)
Perch was a good player but lets see who the greatest director of football replaces him with…
mark(Quote)
…vast difference between lying and memory recollection.
Rodzilla(Quote)
(or was there?)
😕
Rodzilla(Quote)
i go away for nearly 24 hours and ashley still hasn’t signed anyone ? i’m not surprised, maybe i’m getting used to disappointment.
stem(Quote)
http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/newcastle-united/news/04-07-2013/selling-perch-was-the-correct-decision/836629
canny
mark(Quote)
Not patronizing at all Rodz @353. I admire your fighting attitude. You’re stirring things up nicely. Joe doesn’t get his facts straight often (if ever). NUFC.com have been keeping track of his statements and they are a hilarious load of bollocks. His recollections always seem pointed in his favour in terms of length of time with various clubs and what he has won. Anyway we’ll see. He still has plenty of time to improve the club.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Must say I’m getting really excited about our new player arriving tomorrow 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
unless ashleys waiting till the last minute to try and save a few penny’s i don’t know ? ambition there is none. i can’t take our club seriously anymore and it’s because of these retards incharge of our club.
terry(Quote)
Rodz you’re not that blogger named Joe Kinnear on here are you? 😆 I doubt it because you seem very upfront with your views. All the Newcastle blogs are like hornets nest someone has stirred up with a stick right now. It would be interesting to see Kinnear walk around in the Toon gathering people’s opinions. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Rod im sure even JFK would remember if he won either 1 or 3 manager of the yr awards, or if he bought Krul etc yeah there is stupid comments like Perch still being here from his last stint is just bad memory but I have no doubts he is a lying c@nt and not just forgetful 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
pardew finishes 16th and to make everything okay we get joe. newcastle should close the club and become a circus?
terry(Quote)
ashley is destroying us
terry(Quote)
I blame it on Metal Mickey and Pipkins.
Stainless steel
Velveteen
…destined for disaster. 🙄
Rodzilla(Quote)
G2 @ 362 I think your right Rod is not the Joe Kinnear that posts on here, I think you might find that the Joe your talking about was maybe even the same cretin that posted as Toonsy a few days ago 😳 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
@351 “You Aussies never give up either.” Not like the Geordie surrender monkeys, eh? 😉
“Boo hoo. The nasty man isn’t running the club the way I want him to. [Stamps foot] well, I’m not going to go to the match anymore. So there! And I’m going to call him names. That’ll learn him.”
brisvegas(Quote)
Terry, you just carry on enjoying being destroyed there mate 😆
Rodzilla(Quote)
Bris, I remain perplexed by your sudden preference for brackets over parentheses 😯
Rodzilla(Quote)
**** in a bucket
Rodzilla(Quote)
Not surrender monkeys Vegas @368 just maybe reality monitors. I like to look at available information and decide which way I think we’re going. Right now there is really no information that leads me to believe we’ve learned our lesson from last season. If anything this is starting to look more unstable than last summer was. The pot is boiling and Ashley is whacking away at the handle. It should be interesting anyway. Yep I suspect you’re right Big Dave @367. Probably a mackem WUM.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, if there’s one thing you can rely on.
I only ever post as ‘Rodzilla’.
😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
…nee **** like. 👿
Rodzilla(Quote)
…JKF’s gora canny brush-on in the ferter like. 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)