Why? Firstly because it gives us something to talk about and secondly because it gives me something to carry on writing about as I have a sneaking suspicion that the summer will be very quiet at St James’ Park.
I can’t wait till the competition starts if I’m being honest. That’s why I’ve previewed some of the favourites for the competition. At this current moment in time the host nation are the favourites. If you check http://static.williamhill.com/world-cup-2014/betting/winner-odds/, odds for Brazil are currently 10/3 to win the whole thing.
Germany and Argentina are joint second favourites at 9/2 with defending champions Spain ranked at 11/2. Belgium are 14/1, Holland 16/1, England are 18/1 with Italy placed at 20/1. I personally think the winners will come any of those mentioned so let’s take a look at what they are about.
Brazil
The hype started when they beat Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup and with a squad packed with quality playing on home soil you can see why they are being tagged as favourites. A lot of their key players ply their trade in Europe so there is an understanding of how the stronger teams from Europe are likely to play and they face the physical side of things more often than perhaps they have done previously.
Neymar has the potential to be one of the best players on the planet but things haven’t got off to a good start for him at Barcelona and he looks a little bit lightweight for the European game. However his Brazil record speaks for itself with 30 goals in 47 appearances so he’s likely to be the guy they rely on for the bulk of their goals.
Argentina
The Argies are always in with a shout at major tournaments and they have one of the best players in the world at their disposal. Lionel Messi has been outstanding over the years for Barcelona but he has never hit those heights for Argentina scoring 37 times in his 83 caps. Not too shabby from the Captain but still a far cry from the 243 goals in 275 appearances he’s managed for Barca.
Spain
The strength of Spain is in the team itself and the way they play although being blessed with superb talent always helps. The defending champions have been a dominant force in recent years although there is a feeling that their star is on the wane. Their midfield engine room of Xavi and Iniesta isn’t getting any younger but they do still have some sublime options in the middle of the park like Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas to name just two.
Up front they may struggle. Fernando Torres has been named in their provisional 30-man squad which is a surprise while their record scorer, David Villa, will probably make his last appearance at a World Cup if he impresses enough. The other options are Alvaro Negredo, Fernando Llorente and Chelsea-bound Diego Costa, none of whom have been prolific at international level.
Belgium
They could go far in this tournament given the players at their disposal. In goal they have a choice of Simon Mingolet or Thibaut Cortois, both of who have had excellent seasons. In defence they have high quality with the likes of Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderwiereld, a strong midfield with the strength of Marouane Fellaini mixed with the flair and pace of Eden Hazard and Kevin Mirallas and power up front with Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke. If Marc Wilmots gets it right they could be a feature in the later rounds of the competition.
Holland
Runners up last time out, if Holland are to go anywhere near emulating that feat they’ll need big performances from their big players. Robin van Persie, as Captain and top scorer at international level, will need to find his shooting boots while Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will need to be at the top of their game. However at the back they look weak.
England
First things first are getting out of the group. Roy Hodgson raised a few eyebrows with his decision not to take Ashley Cole to Brazil but Leighton Baines has had the better season. However, should anything happen to Baines then it will be up to Luke Shaw to deputise at a very young age.
Up front Wayne Rooney has rarely produced at a World Cup and is yet to register a goal in the competition which ratchets up the pressure on Daniel Sturridge, who has had a great season to be fair. I can’t see the Three Lions going much further than the Quarter Final with either Ivory Coast, Greece, Japan or Colombia lined up as second round opponents should they progress.
Italy
The Azzurri are in the same group as England and indeed eliminated them in the last European Championships. A spine made up of Buffon, Chiellini, Pirlo and Balotelli is not too shabby but it’s the gaps around them than should concern the Italians. Marco Verratti has been excellent for PSG this term allaying some fears about taking a player so young to such a big tournament but it will once again be how that domestic form can translate on the international stage.
So that is my quick round up of the favourites for the World Cup. There will always be a surprise package or two thrown in (anyone remember Greece, or Croatia?) so it’s important to remember that, but it’s also worth remembering that these sides are ranked more favourably for a reason.
Maybe Arma could do a stint at gateshead first, i mean they did have to sub on a 38 year old striker yesterday! Just a shame they couldn’t get promoted. Half a season in league 2 then league 1 would have been ideal for him I reckon.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – yeah that’s a real pity about Gateshead. Closest they’ve been for decades. Personally I’d keep Arma close to the first team. All Vuckic and Cambell have got from their loans is sore bench bums.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio-it’s a difficult business isn’t it? You can’t force their manager to play your player, especially if you don’t know how hard they are applying themselves in training. But you need to ensure they get the right amount of game time-and if they don’t you need to be able to recall them immediately so you can maybe send them somewhere else in January. Gateshead would have been ideal, they were punching above their weight in the conference as it was, so in league two they would have been desperate for a few more bodies in.
It didn’t work for Vuckic at rothers but it has worked for Tavernier there, so I expect they just aren’t all that impressed with Harris. Saying that, he had a good month at Cardiff last year, but then he picked up another injury I think and came back to us? This is why they are introducing B teams, but I would rather we just struck up a relationship with a league side in league 1/championship or even scotland where we can guarantee games.
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy,
Carroll is still a monster in the air and Pardew’s only plan B is to go long ball. So Carroll would be a good signing for his ***** football.
De Guzman was the most accurate crosser in the league and good with set pieces. We have nobody who is good at set pieces now.
So remember, its who I’d want WITH Pardew as manager. Ideally he’d be gone and I’d want none of them.
JJ(Quote)
Newkie,
A choice between Cisse and Shola, it’d be Cisse every single time for me. Not that he’d be anywhere near at his best under Pardew.
I don’t want Shola near the playing surface. He’s had two decent games and one decent half. That is in a season where he’s played regularly.
I don’t think he’s been better than Cisse, they’ve both been turd this season. But people expect Shola to be useless so he has zero expectation.
Even in his poor run of form, people expect more of Cisse.
If we could get a couple quality strikers in, I wouldn’t mind losing both. But don’t see that happening.
Lambert would do well under Pardew. But he’s out of our price range.
JJ(Quote)
Richie,
Its officially my opinion 😉
Dalglish will always win worst manager for me. He took a potentially league winning squad and turned it into a poker night squad with his old Liverpool pals.
JJ(Quote)
JJ-Aye, but I didn’t ask that did I? If it was straight up then everyone would pick Cisse. My point is would you rather it be Cisse and Shola or just Cisse? Is anyone at the club confident new faces will come in? We were just about ok for strikers when we had Ba, Best and Cisse with Shola making a very rare appearance. Then the club sold Best and Ba and Cisse and Shola are only getting worse. We need two strikers minimum, but I’m not confident we’ll get them, so if it’s a choice between a currently crocked Cisse as our only centre forward or adding Shola to that list then surely he has to be there?
He’s been **** and yet still better than Cisse so that’s enough for me.
Newkie(Quote)
While we playing football manager.
I’d want:
Markel Susaeta, Cabella, Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Caulker, Neil Taylor, Roberto Firmino,
Unfortunately, for them, or any decent quality players we’d need to spend around 50million.
Personally, anticipating the players we’re going to lose and the fact Pardew is the manager. We’d need to spend around 60million to challenge for top eight.
For me, we’ll finish between 12th and 18th next year.
JJ(Quote)
Newkie,
Still rather just Cisse.
Its a point I’ve made in the past and I’ll make it again.
Shola being the in the squad has slow the progress of young strikers coming through.
Even Carroll would probably had been sold off had it not been for our relegation and then Shola’s subsequent injury. In fact they tried to sell him. Shola was starting ahead of him.
When Carroll was given the chance through Shola’s injury. He was brilliant.
I’m not saying that will happen again. But its never going to happen until Shola moves on and we give the youngsters some more game time in their right positions!
Who knows, Sammy could end up being a star for us. He certainly has more talent than his brother. Just needs to get some strength.
JJ(Quote)
JJ
You could argue that Pardew has halted the slide – we got progressively worse under each manager leading to relegation.
Pardew’s 65/41/49 is an improvement on those that came before him.. All hail Pardew ❓ 😯
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
You know what annoys me about Pardew?
We’re Newcastle United, we’re supposed to bloody score goals.
He’s the most negative manager we’ve had in the Premier League era by miles.
SBR’s last season:
03/04 – 52 goals
I mean, after Sir Bobby we scored:
04/05 – 47 goals
05/06 – 47
06/07 – 38
07/08 – 45
08/09 – 40
But under Pardew we’ve scored
10/11 – 31 (in 22 games, so 54 over a season)
11/12 – 56
12/13 – 45
13/14 – 43
Logic be damned ❗ ❗
We are Newcastle United and we are the entertainers.
Pardew has gone and ruined that 👿
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Just saw this on the Brisbane Roar fan blog:
– Mulvey (head coach) has enquired about Shola Ameobi and has potentially offered him a contract.
– And is there actually a source for this or should we just take your word for it?
– Tony Rallis; one of the leading player agents in Australia. Frequently talks to Mulvey… Watch this space.
I’m not so sure I’d be too enthused by this, especially when the GM of the club said they were looking for a player that would be of Alessandro Del Piero proportions. 😆 🙄 I hardly think Shola falls into that category – although Shola might be faster.
**** gets spoken by club officials all over the world.
brisvegas(Quote)
JJ-I’m not saying I’d start him ahead of anyone, like I said earlier, Campbell should be brought back and played ahead of Shola in the pecking order. But knowing our injury record and knowing our transfer record I would prefer to keep him on. I do get your point though that Pardew will probably be too worried about playing Campbell and will more than likely use Shola ahead of him, which would be wrong. So here’s hoping Brisbane do go for him
Newkie(Quote)
Solano,
I believe Pardew has had a better squad to work with and a lot more time than those before him. His record still isn’t that great and its rapidly getting worse.
Although there will be some argument that if the players reported to be leaving are not replaced, that he will have a very poor squad.
At the moment I still think our squad is good. And the one we started the season with was very good.
However, if Ben Arfa, Marvaeux, Debuchy, Remy (as expected) all leave. That takes just about every ounce of flair we have out of the team. Which I find very side.
My arguement with Ben Arfa is one many have with Shola.
I don’t think Ben Arfa is a great player. He is selfish and lazy. But he is the best flair player we have and therefore he needs to play. If he isn’t Marvaeux certainly has to. He isn’t. That leaves just Remy who is leaving.
Then Debuchy because his overlapping runs give us our width. So with those players not being played we are very narrow and direct with zero creativity and flair to break defenses down. Then we don’t have a decent target man, so Pardew’s diagnal crosses are completely ineffective.
For me its simply a case of our manager having too many limitations to put a system in place which suits the players we have at our disposal.
Solution: (A) fire the manager or (B) sell half the squad and replace them with Pardew type players.
I’d choose to fire Pardew and replace him with a technically minded manager.
But, I don’t see that happening. I don’t see us replacing half the squad either. So basically we’re destined for a ***** season.
JJ(Quote)
Newkie @538
Exactly mate. You answered yourself.
Pardew would not play Campbell or Armstrong or any youngster ahead of Shola.
He won’t play Ben Arfa, he won’t play Marvaeux, he won’t play more than three attacking players at any given time.
So if Pardew stays we desperately need a quality target man and someone who is deadly from set pieces and crossing for us to have a decent season. We also need someone with a ferocious long range shot because we simply have no creativity to break the defense.
If we get them, and a defender who is powerful in the air, and quite pacey and (Caulker), then Pardew will do ok.
I’d also play Gouff on the right and get a naturally left footed player on the left. At the moment our first choice fullback and left mid are both right footed. That narrows us even further and slows us down on a counter attack.
JJ(Quote)
@solanostrumpet
Lol, you’ve done exactly the same thing that Pardew did.
You do realise all of the managers that got the team scoring less were also sacked, right?
And for a defensive minded coach his defensive record is appaling.
But i suppose Pardew is a special case…
KK(Quote)
Solano @356
Exactly. I want to be entertained. Its a huge part of the reason I started supporting the club. We didn’t win anything by my god we were incredible to watch.
Just pure passion and entertainment.
Look at our goal difference under Pardew. Its shocking. Even the year we finished 5th our goal difference was only +5.
Its the negativity that gets me too. That and his atrocious record in cups. If we have to play youngsters than at least set them up to have a go.
But we get outplayed by Morecombe, Brighton, Stevenage, Cardiff.
Then in the derby games we’ve been destroyed. At St James Park.
It just tells me that he has no big match temperament.
His negativity transmits to the squad.
He is so focused on countering the opposition strengths that he neglects to play to our own. He has no belief in the team. All this transmits.
We go one up, he parks the bus. Its ok away from home but at home we need goals. Get that goal difference up.
Then if we go one behind, he’s lost. He’s game plan is out the window. He doesn’t have a clue what to do.
JJ(Quote)
@JJ
Last time i checked we scored the least amount of goals inside the box in the entire league.
Man City scored the most.
One manager doesn’t even name HBA & Marveaux in the match day squad.
The other manager always tries to include Nasri & Silva.
Which team is lacking creativity in the final 3rd?
KK(Quote)
KK
That’s another good point.
For someone who plays two or three defensive midfielders in front of a back four, WITH defensive minded wide players who are asked to protect the full backs. Our defense is constantly split open. Only to be saved by Krul.
So we can’t defend, we struggle to score because at any one time we NEVER have more than three players forward. (Can anyone challenge me on that?)
Yet some people want this man to remain in charge. It baffles me.
JJ(Quote)
He definitely didn’t have a better squad mate. The one that we scored the least number of goals in (under our saviour Roeder, 06/07) included Martins/Sibierski/Rossi/Dyer/Milner/Owen/Duff/Solano/Emre/Luque/nZogbia/Parker/Ameobi.
You can’t honestly believe there is less attacking threat in that team.
We can all agree that Pardew has his limitations and favours hard-workers. I can even agree that he likely won’t rouse the team anymore so should probably leave.
It’s just things like “worst/second-worse manager we’ve ever had” or painting him as the least attacking manager we’ve ever had really have no basis in our pretty **** history.
It’s not even fans just ignoring the pre PL era. Even during the PL for the best part we’ve been woeful.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
JJ
It’s not that people want him to remain in charge, it’s just that even when we had a director that wanted to win things we can’t get the managerial appointment right. Pardew is still the best of those that we’ve had other than SBR and Keegan.
Mind-numbingly depressing yes, but true.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Isn’t it strange how many bloggers accuse KK of making up lies and misquoting. I’ve been thinking about it. I think there might be something in it you know. 😛
Dear me. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
By far the worst defensive record in the top 10 and by far the worst in terms of goals scored.
Its sad that Stoke play more exciting football than us these days.
Horrible at set pieces. Can defend for ****. If our striker is off form we have nobody else in the team that can score because they are not allowed to get forward.
No width, no flair, unfit. Absolutely no fluidity in passing. Terrible at defending set pieces.
No, assuming Pardew does not get involved in transfers. What part of his coaching job is he doing well?
Troy, Stuart, and the pro Pardew crowd. Tell me what part of his coaching job (given that is all he does) is he doing well?
Man management? He was decent, but he’s falling apart there too.
Media handling? The media can’t stand him. The man has lied so many times. Ben Arfa injury? Blamed the bloody wind for god’s sake.
He’s even blamed the fans. Yet those same fans support him.
JJ(Quote)
Troy @547,
Don’t think its strange at all given the number of personas you have on this blog. You always have yourself to back yourself up 😉
JJ(Quote)
And on the GD point – we bemoan the +5 goal difference
Please tell me how many times in our 20/30/40 years we have bettered it other than under Sir Bobby and King Kev 😐
Hell, in Sir Bobby’s last season it was only +12 and we head Shearer banging in 20+ goals!!
Pardew has only had one season where he has been in vaguely backed (and even then we had the Barton pre-season, Willo/Raylor playing in defence) and he delivered one of our best season finishes in our history.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
in the last 20/30/40 years*
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano @546
Can’t argue with that. We’ve had some shockers.
Biggest mistake was not moving SBR onto the board. He’d have found the right man for us.
Then it was appointing Roeder because he had a decent intial spell.
How many clubs make that mistake? Too many.
JJ(Quote)
Hope these Cabella links are true. Would be nice to get a player like him in early
MDS(Quote)
Well if this is true, that’s our first low ball offer of the pre window shenanigans 😉
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/exclusive-france-newcastle-offer-8m-euros-remy-cabella/
kIMTOON(Quote)
Those fans hoping that Shola is on the way out of SJP are in for huge disappointment.
I posted a year ago , when fans were excited about a Remy /Cisse strikeforce , that Pardew was going to give Shola a lot of playing time this season. .
Pardew has got Ashley to give Shola a one year extension with a coaching role.. Shola has turned it down only because he is expecting to get a two year deal with guaranteed more playing time than he had this season.. I believe it is Pardew pushing for the two year deal because Imo Shola would have snapped Ashleys hand off for the one year deal.
What happened to the policy of not signing any player over 27 years of age?
For those who think Pardew is a good manager I would point out that not only has he signed Shola once, he is now signing him for a second time.
With this calibre of signings we will have an awful season coming up.
Got to feel sorry for those who renewed their season tickets.
sidekick(Quote)
MDS, We’ll go back with another low ball offer and meanwhile another club will nip in with a more realistic offer and nab him.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Sidekick, If he really thinks shola can do another two seasons for us, then I truly despair. That also tells me he expects 2 in at the most, so we best hold onto our seats for a very bumpy season.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim,
My thoughts exactly,
Why would he offer Shola a contract at all unless he knew we were not going to sign the players we need.
Its going to be a tough season.
JJ(Quote)
I actually think this one will get done soon Kim. We’re the perfect place for him really
MDS(Quote)
JJ
Yep – it’s the constant cycle of initial honey moon period followed by mediocrity and sacking etc etc.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I can’t be the only one who thinks Cabella isn’t as good as Benny. He’s similar but very slight. Doesn’t seem a Pardew type at all. Grenier would be a much better bet. £6.5m? Wonder who’s doing the haggling.
georgio(Quote)
JJ,MDS, I’m assuming they will sell the club to him in much the same way as they likely did with Cabs . As in come to us get a good reputation then move on to a better club in say 2 seasons time 😕
kIMTOON(Quote)
Georgio , I hardly know a thing about how good he is, you just have to put your faith in Carr I suppose. I know a lot on here rate Grenier more though.
kIMTOON(Quote)
I wonder if Shola has or will speak to Harper about moving to Hull?.
If the reports are true that we offered Shola an extra year, then that confirms everything I thought about Charnleys appointment and how much we are likely to spend this summer.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agreed Kim that’s what I was referring to. If his goal is improve his profile with the national team it makes a lot more sense than staying where he is or riding the bench on. CL club. He’ll walk into our first team at his preferred position, play in the best league in the world on a club with some of his fellow countrymen while probably doubling his wages. He couldn’t ask for much more
MDS(Quote)
Sharpy
More inclined to believe the journal/chron on Shola, Pardew proposing a new deal for Shola and the club giving him the thumbs down
CC(Quote)
MDS
If he thinks he will get to play his preferred position he obviously hasn’t done his homework with Pardew in charge. Probably be turned into a defensive wide man like the rest.
If he doesn’t like it he’ll be benched.
JJ(Quote)
CC – yeah I think that sounds about right mate. I’d love to know what Shola has?. Not one of the managers he’s played under have sold him or tried to sell him – that’s ever been reported anyway.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy,
Apart from Keegan.
JJ(Quote)
Sharpy , Shola seems well liked by all the players too. He must be one hell of a good influence around the dressing room and on the training ground like. To be fair I like him as a person and on his day he can give defenders a proper nightmare but he’s just not consistent enough and runs out of steam, more importantly he doesn’t score anywhere near enough goals.
kIMTOON(Quote)
JJ – KK got rid of Andy Cole! What did he know about CFs? 😆
Kim – I would like to see him stay with the club in some other capacity than player. I agree, he seems to be a character in the squad and his love for NUFC could never be questioned to be fair. Maybe add him to the coaching team or have him as a player liaison buffer between Pardew and the squad.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There’s an emotional link with Shola as well. He’s been here through everything, the good times, the really good times, and the **** times. He never reached the level that Bobby expected he would but I will be sad to see him go. He and Harps are the only ones in recent years I can be sure actually gave a **** about us.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie@572, Totally agree mate but sadly as this regime has showed on numerous occasions there is no room for sentiment in football.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Apparently Cabellas agent is his Dad, don’t know if that’s a help or a hindrance but at least he’ll have his best interest at heart.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Well Van Gaal appointed Man u manager and he has taken the dutch goal keeper coach with him , Frans Hoek who turned Van der Sar into one of the best keepers in the world .My prediction ,if Krul is picked as Hollands number 1 in Brazil then he will be playing for Man Utd next season .
AXEL(Quote)
Kim-aye, unless it qualifies to a spreadsheet then it’s useless. What’s sad is Charnley isn’t even one of Ashley’s boys-he’s been here for yonks. But he’s a faithful hound who won’t bite the hand that feeds, dark days ahead methinks.
@574-you mean like how Colo’s dad had him at heart when he was telling everyone how he was going to sign him for san lorenzo 😉 all agents are c*nts i’m afraid.
Newkie(Quote)
So no Bent for us then apparently. Does anybody have a friend that plays football as a striker who we could sign on the cheap? Nothing too expensive mind mates.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I suppose this means no Shefki Kuqi either? Sigh. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Newkie, ****, I hadn’t thought about Colo’s old man 🙁 ,hopefully not a similar type of fellow.
kIMTOON(Quote)
With Pards 37.7 % winning percentage with us it’s a bright future indeed. I could see us getting to 40 points next season in fact. Well, probably not. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Cisse’s goal scoring record with us has gone from 13 (in 14 appearances) to 8 to 2 in the league over 1 part season and 2 full seasons. Clearly Pards has been using him well then. HIs confidence is soaring. Let’s see, what is 1/4th of 2? That would be 1/2 a goal next season then. Hmmm. Use it wisely Pards.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Tim Sherwood had a winning percentage of 50% with Spurs and didn’t get a sniff. We would kill for that kind of winning percentage surely. He got them going when it looked like AVB had destroyed them.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Shearer replied when answering the question “Did he agree with Stuart and Troy?”
“I’m pleased for Alan that they have come out and said that, and that will give him peace of mind and hopefully they can go and they can go and sign some players, good players.”
“Newcastle haven’t signed any players, permanent signings, for eighteen months now, and they have to go into the transfer market and hopefully they can do that on a few occasions and get some players in.
“Because that’s what they need, and make a good start to the season, and settle everything down, and it all depends on what the owner is going to spend,.”
“I think that’s the key and that’s why there were a lot of unhappy fans towards the end of the season – yes – performances have been poor from January onwards, because they need players.”
“You can’t sell your best player and not replace him and I think that;s why everybody was so unhappy – I hope the owner gives the manager some money to spend.”
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu , It’s a shame shearer didn’t mention the god awful football too, perhaps he needs to talk to a few more fans;-).
kIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – I think the fact that we have sold players like Ba and Cabaye may be the thing that helps us land players like Cabella.
Let’s be honest, players like Cabella will see Newcastle as an opportunity to play regular football at a stepping stone Premier League club.
They will look at what Remy has achieved for himself this season – ie QPR to Arsenal (more than likely) via Newcastle, or Cabayes Lille to PSG via Newcastle.
As long as we are prepared to write buy out clauses into contracts, then I think there is as good a chance of signing decent players as another else ….. providing we stump up the transfer fee that is – but that’s a whole different post 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
13/14 – 16 GD
12/13 -23 GD
11/12 +5 GD
10/11-1 GD
08/09 -19 GD
07/08-20 GD
06/07-9 GD
05/06 + 5 GD
04/05 – 10 GD
What a **** ten years 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Only 10 Newkie ?
Premandup(Quote)
Newkie – Kind of puts Pardews performance in perspective doesn’t it…
Stuart79(Quote)
Newks, Cheers for that mate, more depressed than ever now 🙁
Sharpy@585, Yep agree that’s most likely exactly how it is tbh. Sad that we are a stepping stone club, with a bit more ambition we could be so much more.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Prem-well we had some happy times with Bobby didn’t we 😉 God knows we don’t want to start going back further than that…actually our goal differences under Bobby aren’t superb either – usually well below the other top 4, and it’s not just our defence that let us down either, we were regularly outscored..
Stuart-it’s interesting with the range of opinion isn’t it? For some he is the second worst manager in the last 20 years and for others he’s the third “best” behind KK and Bobby. I think he has had the least backing of everyone bar Hughton, and has done what can be expected results wise. The “footballing” argument is a different matter, I know lots of people hate it. Although personally I was very happy with our Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester United games and results. I think the quick passing and breaking from deep deserves a little more credit than the “Nick a goal, park the bus” theory.
Newkie(Quote)
Stuart,
Shearer was a quality footballer, but he showed us how much he knows about management when he had his little spell. Which is very little.
JJ(Quote)
What keeps going through my mind is the statement that was made by the regime when they gave Hoots the boot and installed Pards. That it was done as they believed Pards would take us to the next level . What is the next level exactly?, Is it top 6 ?, ok he’s done that once but not consistently . Is it cup success?, clearly not or Europa spots, cup runs?, well, done that and that’s clearly not desired again. So please can someone enlighten, me what is this next level ?
kIMTOON(Quote)
JJ – I know that’s the general opinion on Shearer but it could be he’d be much better than that. 8 games with an almost relegated team? Guess we’ll never know . . .
See we’re farting around with low bids again. I suppose it’s Charnley doing the negotiations/Ashley biddings. Anyone thinking of signing should be aware that a few early defeats and the bedsheets will be out again.
georgio(Quote)
Kim – the next level is making more money for Ashley than Hughton did. Remember it’s Newcastle Untited Finance Corporation!
georgio(Quote)
Shearer also had a disruptive force in the dressing room in Barton who really disliked Big Al and rubbished his tactics, not to mention some really under performing tossers like Duff for instance.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Georgio, yep, @594 sounds about right. 🙄
kIMTOON(Quote)
Georgio/JJ – history is a cruel beast. Shearer was ONE goal away from being a managerial hero for us and achieving PL survival. Has we drawn against Villa, Hull would have been relegated on GD and how poorly Shearer had done as a manager would have been forgot. That said, I actually think that relegation at that time was the best thing for us, as it got rid of alot of players who needed to leave.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy,
I don’t think you could call him a hero, when even if we survived he would have won 2 games from eight, but I do agree with Georgio when he says he doesn’t think it will be that bad.
JJ(Quote)
Sharpy-agreed, I don’t think Shearer has much to say on MOTD but I do think judging him on those 8 games is a bit harsh. That being said, if he wanted to be taken seriously he should have done what Clark did and gone to the lower leagues. If he goes soon he might be facing off against Clark soon enough 😆
I think he’s too comfy on his motd sofa though, which is a shame.
Newkie(Quote)
To come into a demoralised team on a steep downward curve with 8 games left was asking a lot of anybody let alone a rookie manager imo.
kIMTOON(Quote)