Inspirational punts verses steady hands.

Patrick_Vieira (1)Interesting events seem to be popping up around the new head coach position at Newcastle United. It would seem we are due to hold talks with a certain Patrick Vieira for his possible services!, yes you read right, I did say Patrick Vieira. Quite how he has come into the frame is anyones guess. They may well of been monitoring his progress at City with the reserves or just realised he could be an option what with his contract up in the summer. How ever you slice it, if true, it’s a bold move by the Newcastle board, but is it smart or foolhardy?

So let’s weigh up the pro’s and con’s of unknown quantities verses steady hands. When you employ a Maclaren, Pulis, Moyes or Allardyce you know exactly what you are getting; namely a guy to steady the ship with a possible decent cup run . That’s all fine and good but what if you want more than that? I mean can these guys gain regular top 6 or 5th finishes or better? well, probably not in truth, if they could do better they’d already be at the likes of Chelsea. In the case of Moyes, he had a shot at Man utd after steady work at Everton yet failed once in charge with apparently more talent and cash at his disposal . So is there a case for saying that younger untested managers in waiting or at lower division clubs are worth a punt. Apparently yes there is and the evidence is right in front of us.

Take a look at the final 6 placed teams in the championship this season and the top 5 are all young managers with the first 3 gaining their clubs promotion to the promise land of the Premier League. Bournemouths Eddie Howe at 37 years old and who’s only real top flight football as a player was two appearences for Portsmouth under Redknapp, has done an amazing job there. Then we have Watfords Slavisa Jokanovic at 46 years old and who played for Partizan Belgrade and Chelsea in the top flight and managed Partizan and Levski Sofia amongst others. Then of course there is Alex Neil of Norwich who is just 32 years old and come seemingly from no where. Actually he came down from Hamilton academical after great success getting them promoted to the Scottish Premier League last season. The day he left his players were in tears such was his standing as not just a coach but former player for them. The

Accies loss is Norwiches gain as he’s guided them via the playoffs to the Premier League.

Talking of playoffs, let’s look at Boro’s manager Aitor Karanka, ok his team fell at the final hurdle but what a marvalous job he’s done at the Boro. At 41 years old another up and coming manager who played most of his career at Bilbao and Real madrid. He did manage the Spanish u16 side and learn his trade next to Jose Mourinho at R. Madrid though to be fair. All the same these clubs have taken a punt or a brave decision on their new head coaches when the easy option would of been a steady Eddie.

So the question is do Newcastle go with a tried and trusted pair of hands or opt to go down the untried route like the afore mentioned clubs?

Derby have just sacked Steve Maclaren who has been heavily linked to the Newcastle post for months now in favour of an untried manager in Paul Clement, yet to be confirmed. Clement has a lot of experience, coaching at Chelsea Academy, Fulham Academy and was ROI U21 coach, Blackburn Rovers assistant coach ,PSG assistant coach and Real Madrid assistant coach alongside Ancelotti. Yet the guy never played beyond non league as a player! Should we infact be looking to employ someone like Clement rather than Steve Maclaren?

With Villa taking a chance on Tim Sherwood with some early success and Everton doing steady under Roberto Martinez, Swansea doing ok under Garry Monk and relegated QPR seemingly happy to show faith in Chris Ramsey to guide them back to the PL , shouldn’t we be giving a young progressive coach a chance?

I can understand a lot of fans wanting an established name, a safe pair of hands if you like but sometimes the unknown quantity can spring a pleasent surprise. Remember Kevin Keegan had no experience in management and look what happened there.

Thoughts?

KIMTOON

526 thoughts on “Inspirational punts verses steady hands.

  1. McClaren will end up resigning and it will be Carver all over again! He won’t be able to take the fan’s criticism.

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  2. I bet the Clueless Crew are excited at the prospect of McLaren taking over.

    The man who rejected us whilst he had a contract at Derby. But now he’s been sacked, well, ok I will consider it now.

    You all wanted Pardew sacked and you now have your choice. McLaren or Carver.

    Oh dear. YCMITTP (You Couldn’t Make It Tup Tup Palace)

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  3. I dread Psychos rants if either are appointed. McLaren won’t be given 90 mins to settle in before he cuts and pastes all his previous rants, replacing Pardew and Carver with McLaren. 🙄

    Dear me.

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  4. Has McClaren rejected us in the past?. Did we ever actually officially go in for him offering Derby a compo package?.

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  5. I can’t see how Carver could be any part of the first team coaching team if another manager gets it.

    He’s slated many of the players. You can’t just creep back onto the training pitch and say it was a wind up lads. The real Jonny C is back. Willo get the cones out. 😯

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  6. Semantics Sharpy

    He ruled himself out when all the press were linking him with us. Other than that. Who knows what went on behind the scenes.

    I’m not naive enough to think there wasn’t a phone call. What do you think?

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  7. Troy – this is NUFC, of course there was a phone call enquiry – we seem to make loads of them. But without an official approach what else was McClaren supposed to say?. He probably knew (like all of us) that as there would be compo to pay, that enq would never materialise into an official approach. It can’t be a rejection if there was no approach, so when the press have been pestering him, his response was as it should be.

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  8. Chronicle saying McLaren will inherit the current coaching staff, who will not be asked to leave. There is no change at this club. Don’t be fooled by a bit of spending this summer. They have to spend to avoid the drop, but they won’t keep it up every season and we won’t be a top 8 team on a consistent basis. It will be business as usual for Ashley.I have tried to get excited about McLaren, but I can’t. He has been a consistent failure since his first job at Twente.

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  9. He’ll probably be a step up from percy and hopefully we won’t get so much blather from him in pressers. Not my first choice by any means but I will back who ever we hire until it’s obvious they can’t hack it.

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  10. I agree with most McClaren for me is just another lack lustre very average manager, so I really cant see us kicking on and doing anything different from the last few years.

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  11. Shamrock, I’m inclined to agree, it’s a bit underwhelming and a bit of a waste of time if he can’t bring in his own coaching team imo. I don’t know how JC can go back to being a number two after running the side, it’s just awkward all round.

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  12. So as suspected that interview was a PR stunt as clearly there is NO real reform going on. Also Lee was supposed to bring forward the fans forum meeting before the end of the season which didn’t materialise so that’s yet another blow to his credibility too. Liars and kings of deceit the lot of them.

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  13. Dave 😆 Can’t wait, was joking about that the other day. I would love to be a fly on the wall when he talks to the French lads in an allo allo accent 😉

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  14. Hitman I think after the chron ran the poll on who the fans wanted to be the next head coach and he didnt recieve any votes meant he was doomed.
    I just cant understand why the club would appoint him if he has zero support from the start.

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  15. Kim

    That’s an awful thing to do to anybody what Cisse did.

    Absolutely terrible morals. Poor lass.

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  16. sharpy17@382 have you seen joel matip play mate ?
    he’s slow and a weak link in a poor schalke 04 defence mate.

    he’ll be cheap, but he’s not a leader, he’s a follower….

    not for me…

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  17. carver to act as advisor to the wally with the brolly wow what an insult

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  18. if the toonarmy ganna be acepting this then we deserve everything we get

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  19. when are we going to unveil plans for our multi million pound new academy been in the planning for yonks, but absolutely nothing mentioned.
    more blather from the mickey mouse club perhaps ?

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  20. It is bad craic what Cisse done like. He could have at least got Carver to put a call into the girlfriend 😆

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  21. <<<<<<<<<<<< would be takeing a claw hammer to mr cisse knees if i was the girls dad would not give 2 hoots who he is

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  22. Personally think Cisse gave a good account of his morals when refusing to wear Wonga on religious grounds all the while visiting Casinos.
    As and when it suits himself, clearly.

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  23. Sounds from the stories that the one he was cheating on was his new bride. Him and Miss Newcastle had split up last year but she said they had been seeing more of each recently. So Cisse got horny while in Newcastle and got a bit on the side. Obviously the weeding was not out of the blue and Cisse was just stringing Miss Newcastle along for sex.

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  24. Kimtoon @469 a witty person on the comments posted :

    actrapid, newcastle upon tyne, United Kingdom, about an hour ago

    Scores twice but one ruled out for offside.

    LMAO 😆

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  25. obviously there is something in the make-up of certain african players which allows them to have several wives and partners etc etc. in tiote and cisse we have 2 of them.
    at least at the moment we do.

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  26. Still a bit deflated at the new manager appointment but looking at the list since Sir Bobby it doesn’t seem quite so bad. Still, hardly inspirational.

    And Mr Carr – please please sign some forwards who can actually control a football. Carrol and Ba weren’t great but I’m sick to death of Best, Shola, Cisse, LDJ, Riviere chasing their first touch all over the pitch.

    What happened with the Sandro rumour a few weeks back. Done deal apparently 😆

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  27. I think the popular opinion of Cisse as a footballer is that he is great! I couldn’t disagree more. I think he is a sh.t player and always have. Can’t sell him fast enough for me. I only associate his name followed by ‘Offside’. The first season when he scored all the amazing goals seemed more like total miskicks that just had the luck to end up in the net! I’d love to see us get him out and another few strikers in. Also, as I seem to be in a controversial mood, I must say, I also think Riviere should stay and will become an amazing player. When we were in the relegation battle it was too much for him too soon, but I have faith he will come good in a very short time.

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  28. toonarmyelite

    you have always stood up for cisse but now you think he is c****t.

    since you obviously know him and his private sphere and lifestyle intimately could you share some of your juicy bits with the blog ? Your among friends here mate, your secrets are safe with us. 😆

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  29. People…. Cisse is innocent and you are all to blame… it’s not his fault, when you all said”:he should score more often” he mistook what you meant.. 😆

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  30. Saying Cisse is **** is ridiculous, he makes the most of his main quality:score goals. Riviere may come good if he plays the Best/Shola role, shouldering the main striker.

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  31. I personally think Riviere has the talent to do a job for us. He gets into good goalscoring positions but whether it’s bad luck or nerves – he fluffs his chances. If he keeps getting into those positions, he will score – and when he does, his confidence will increase. Besides that, his hold up at is actually not bad at all. Think he will be a solid squad player.

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  32. As for Cisse, never been a massive fan and think his attitude stinks – but he’s our top scorer so it’s not an option to consider him going . Even if we bring a top striker in, that still only leaves us with the minimum 4 you would expect in a squad.

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  33. Jill:
    Totally agree regarding his offside nonsense. Everyone will be offside once or twice for every 10 runs made. He makes one or two runs for every 10 offside decisions. So frustrating. How many more goals would we score if all those decent through balls were able to be pounced upon.

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  34. Jill:
    Totally agree regarding his offside nonsense. Everyone will be offside once or twice for every 10 runs made. He makes one or two runs for every 10 offside decisions. So frustrating. How many more goals would we score if all those decent through balls were able to be pounced upon?

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  35. Have you played football UU?
    If you make a run and your mids are too slow to release or pick up on it you will be offside.. not always the strikers fault mate!

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  36. Wow! Riviere will come good. 😯

    Now there’s a one I didn’t expect. 😯

    Dear me.

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  37. Not sure about Riv.He has lots of qualities, not least tireless channel running and decent laying off of the ball. Certainly better than many have suggested. But he still seems to lack the physical presence to be a ‘take the load’ striker and the pace and certainly the composure to be a ‘run-off’ striker – mebbe he’ll bulk up this off-season. I’d like to see his evident effort pay off, but its a big step up to the PL.

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  38. I once posted some stats re- Cisse’s offsides last season I think and he certainly wasn’t top of the list in the PL. There were many ahead of him, big names too as I recall. I think when it’s your own player you tend to notice it more. As for Rivi ,his hold up play is pretty good, he has the strength for the PL there is no doubt of that, but he has to score more. It could be that he is indeed over thinking and trying too hard. All I know is we need a top notch forward who we can rely on to provide the goals. More pressing is the need for a couple of commanding CB so as not to ship more than we score.

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  39. I almost cryed last night reading up about the Keegan years. He was very hard on himself for a manager that finished 2nd and now look where we are today! No hope, No ambition, joke of a club. At least Jabba’s happy making money.

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  40. Ashley probably thought Keegan was to good for his own good and appointed Wise to slow him down a bit.

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  41. I won’t say that Riviere wil come good but as other said with a better MF and or front line I wouldn’t be surprised by it. He does have some quality

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  42. You guys rating Riveire at all are amazing me. He’s had at least 5 wonderful chances (that I’ve definitely seen) and for each one he’s just fallen down. Not even connected with the ball. He is utterly useless. Over thinking? Laughable Aussie. On loan to France for me I’ve seen enough.

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  43. I was Rivieres most vocal supporter last season I reckon, but he didn’t do as well as hoped (about 14 goals worse off to be precise). The lad missed some real sitters and should have done so much better, but I agree with Shamrock – the fact he keeps getting into those positions is really promising and I’m sure if he keeps doing that and starts converting more of those chances, we could see a very different player.

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  44. we aint seen anywere near Rivieres best he had a nightmare last season but his hold up is ok

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  45. MUNICH MAG 496
    <<<<<<<<<< has never claimed to know cisse were you geting that 1 from bud

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  46. Kim/Dave – as you both know, I’ve said for a while Pap is like the rest, he talked the talk about humility but it’s all lies really. At least it’s not just English footballers who are poisoned eh! 🙂

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  47. tae@522, just cos the way you were jumping all over him with your doc martins on mate. i thought maybe you had inside information. maybe his geordie lemon wasn’t keen on him blagging her ?

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  48. MUNICH MAG
    <<<<<<<<<< dos not wear doc martins not since the 80s anyway 😯 wears me adidas jet heels over here 😆 😆 😆

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