There have been lots of reasons put forward this season to explain why Newcastle United is in the mess it’s in, but where does the majority of the blame lie? You, the reader will establish that with a good old fashioned vote.
At the end of last season Mike Ashley stood in front of the Sky television cameras and promised to ‘bolt the horse to the cart’. He promised Cup runs, investment in the team and that he would not leave until we had won something or qualified for the Champion’s League. Well here we are 9 months later having spent £80 million in the transfer market and yet the club sits in the relegation zone having been dumped out of both Cups in the earliest rounds. He also chose to trust Lee Charnley with the running of his club – not to mention his long term neglect of the club and blatant use of the institution that is NUFC as a Sports Direct advertising tool (for free). He has to be included in the list of candidates for this vote, but maybe he does not deserve the blame this time – as he did invest and I’m sure he will be as shocked as the rest of us by our current situation?
From the board we have Lee Charnley, thrust into the controller’s chair despite no history in football other than being club secretary. He does not seem to be a bad transfer negotiator, but bypassed a lot of top managers to snare Steve McClaren in what must go down as one massive mistake.
Then there is Graham Carr. His position on the board is unusual for a scout and it can be argued that he has far too much influence on Charnley. He seems to decide who we sign and not the manager, at least up until the winter window just passed – and bizarrely for a football man he has constructed a lopsided squad lacking depth and quality in almost every area of the pitch. Why have we not signed enough quality defenders for so long?
Steve McClaren (now also known as the Grin Reaper) has managed to take £80 million pounds of investment and oversee a squad constantly languishing in the drop zone all season, getting smashed time and again away from home and having the 2nd worst goal difference in the league. He repeats the same old tired rubbish after every loss and continually extends his own time frames from which fans can judge him on. He displays very little tactical forethought and makes questionable team selections.
I don’t even know why Bob Moncur is on the board or what he brings to the club? Is he taking up a space that somebody could actually be useful in?
Then there is the playing staff itself. ‘Captain’ Fabricio Coloccini displays no leadership skills of any kind and is past it as a PL defender. Why the Grin Reaper awarded him with an extention and retained him as Captain is anybody’s guess, but by signing that contract when he knew he was a spent force, he has guaranteed that our club struggles on with an immobile and gutless figure at the heart of our defense and squad in general.
Florian Thauvin came with a big price tag and big wage increase. He had a responsibility to apply himself every day and instead turned into a shrinking violet at the first sign of hard work. Carr should have done a better job of scouting him, but that does not excuse his lack of heart and application. That money could have gone on another area of the pitch.
Several other players seem to be ‘fair weather’ players. Happy to turn it on at home with the crowd behind them but can’t be bothered to put their bodies on the line when on the road, rolling over and allowing opposition teams to tickle their belly while the goals fly in at the wrong end of the pitch. Sissoko has created the most chances for us and has the most assists. Wijnaldum has the most goals, but they go missing on away days. Why is that? Is it tactics, the players or both? I will call these players the ‘homers’.
Mitrovic came in with a heavy price tag and a lot of responsibility for one so young. But he also came in talking about being the next Alan Shearer. He has failed to deliver. Is he one the main reasons for our poor form this season or was it poor planning by our board to pin all our goalscoring hopes on a young man that had never played at this level before? Is he applying himself enough?
How about the back room staff? Ian Cathro came in with a growing reputation. Steve Black is supposed to be a genius motivator and Paul Simpson is the Grin Reapers right hand man. What have they actually brought to our game? The team seems to lack confidence and basic defending skills. What do our coaches do?
Then there is the medical staff. Why is it we seem to always be top of the injury list, from both recurring injuries to long term injuries? Is it training methods, treatment methods or no methods at all? What does our club not do that most other clubs do?
Pick your 3 main offenders below;
[poll id=”91″]
Troysta: I don’t think it is banter, I think you were serious when you suggested Lee Clark which shows how delusional you are.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I was serious when I said Lee Clark. Like I am with Stuart Pearce. No credible manager will jump on the sinking ship at this time but the likes of Clark or Pearce may.
It shows that a Scottish premier league club thought Clark was credible to be full time manager.
Clark or Pearce to the end of the season to instill some passion and fight is a very credible option.
Klinsmann. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Mitrovic being injured will save Steve the trouble of dropping him for Stoke. Someone was going to pay for the Chelsea debacle and it certainly wasn’t going to be Captain Curly.
Apart from Mitrovic we will have virtually a full squad available for Stoke. Of course Krul is injured but I think Elliot is better any way.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You won’t see it cos you only read stats on Clark and clearly have no idea about the financial and off field restrictions and debacle that was going on around him at Brum and Blackpool. Clark will prove to be a very credible manager.
Klinsmann 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Ermm… is any Scottish Premier League team credible. It used to be a league of 2 teams but Rangers got into trouble. Remind me who has won the title for the last however many years – a one team league is not a league at all.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When I say credible, I mean one of the managers current tky out of work that have recently managed a premier league club, Rodgers, Moyes, Pearson etc
Though Clark is credible, he’s yet untested at the top.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Any new manager is in a bit of a catch 22, he will want to give assurances that he will keep us up but will want assurances that most of the players will not be sold if we go down. I still think Pearson would take the job with 10 games to go and Rodgers’ ego would mean he might take it.
I do agree with Troy’s obvious point that our options are more limited the fewer games there are to go but I do not agree with his suggestion of Little Jimmy Kranky for manager. He/she is Scottish though so maybe she will be next Manager of Kilmarnock.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Both Clark and Pearce have played for nufc. They know the passion of the fans. This club needs to see fight on the field and it’s a reasonable suggestion to appoint such an interim manager, with an option to extend if successful.
Clarky would have jumped at the chance and Pearce may fancy the short term challenge.
Klinsmann. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Clark would have jumped at the chance because look where he ended up. When was the last time you watched a SPL game that didn’t involve Celtic? I doubt Clark even knew where Kilmarnock is unless he played there in a friendly. They are not too far off safety though and if they achieve that then Troy will declare it the greatest escape by a manager ever, ever ever ever.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why do you think we ended up with Carver from January until the end of the season?
Few decent managers would risk their reputations.
That’s why you have to seek out the hungry managers. The ones you name have too much too lose. They will not be out of football long and will carefully select theit next job.
Moyes and Rodgers have stated they have turned down many jobs including premier league jobs. Get over this idea they will come here until they know which division we will be in.
Klinsmann 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I suggested Klinsmann when Pards quit, I have not said he would take the job now and also said it would be hard to get him away from Southern California but that he might want an exit from the US National team as he is on a hiding to nothing there. We are still in the top 20 richest teams in the world and top 20 best supported teams in Europe (at least for 12 more games).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Troy: whether the likes of Moyes or Rodgers would come or not does not make Clark any less of a dumb suggestion.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Because McClaren is now on the board and obviously had a say in who we signed in January I think that his title of head coach is just that, a title only. He now has the duties of a manager except he probably isn’t paid as such. The restrictions have been loosened, but to attract someone decent they would have to increase the wages, and probably fire Carr. That’s why Pearson should be favourite as he wouldn’t demand as much. And he knows NUFC, which seems to be Troy’s prime criterion for being the next manager.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shamrock: Troy has said he is serious and not on a wind up so I have to take him at his word. Not even he could keep this up for this long about Clark without believing what he said.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We ended up with Carver, McClaren, kinnear etc because we have a **** policy that employs **** mangers in last chance saloon..
Don’t be mentioning tripping over bottom lips troy 😆 I remember you storming out of here and heading for .com for a week or so. The blogs most epic hissy to date 😛 it was the most time I ever visted .com in those two weeks.. Painful viewing… 😳 😛
You’re luck Toonsy accepted your 24 page grovelling email of forgiveness 😳
Gashley(Quote)
I didn’t even know where Kilmarnock is. It is in East Ayreshire and has a population of 46,635. So if Clarkie gets the whole town to go they still wouldn’t fill SJP. Yep, he was a serious candidate for the NUFC job 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Here is an objective view of how Steve and his staff have done this season. They have no agenda and no axe to grind as far as NUFC are concerned.
http://www.football365.com/news/worst-premier-league-performances-of-season
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Hungry Manager suggestion: Steve Evans. 😯 🙄 😆
Stuart79(Quote)
I am looking forward to watching this morning’s training session on Periscope at 10am. I bet they are strolling about jumping on and off trampolines for an hour!
Stuart79(Quote)
Well I honestly do think Moyes is waiting for the toon job even if we drop to the ccc,if we do drop jabba will change tact and give him a bit of power and I think Moyes knows,most won’t agree with me,but Ime putting it out there
Icedog(Quote)
Eric
The length of time Mitrovic will be out depends on the severity of the damage. A grade 1 or even a grade 2 tear should only take three weeks to repair .
If McClaren is saying Mitrovic will be out for three weeks then the tear has been graded 1 or 2.
With a bit luck he might only be missing for 2 or 3 games.
sidekick(Quote)
We should have Cisse back for those games anyway.
sidekick(Quote)
Rudi Garcia is available 🙂
Not going to happen though. McClaren will manage our promotion charge next season.
Georgio(Quote)
Express report toon board have sounded out Rogers “in case” think it’s **** mesel
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – Firstly the ‘in case’ bit is rubbish as we know McClaren is a busted flush – it’s just the board who don’t!
However I was told at Christmas that Rogers was the one they were looking at if he didn’t start winning. Of course only our home form has improved since then.
Stuart79(Quote)
The board still have faith in The Grin Reaper. I still would like to know what single thing they have seen that means they still have faith in him?
Stuart79(Quote)
He’s calm in adversity Stuart, still smiling for the cameras 🙄
Georgio(Quote)
Sidekick: I have no idea about the severity of Mitro’s injury, I was more commenting on the usual way it goes with NUFC where they tell you a player will be out for so long, then there is no further news, then the timeframe gets extended, then the manager says he will be like a new signing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gashley @240: even though Shearer and Keegan were popular choices they were both not in Football Management when hired. I have always wondered how much of Shearer’s failure was down to Dowie. Am I missing anybody, because I think that is a 100% record of hiring people not currently employed as a manager?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dennis Wise was a manager when they hired him to undermine KK and set us on the path to relegation
CC(Quote)
I forgot Hughton who got the job by default because Shearer and Ashley fell out if I recall correctly.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I didn’t realise that Cisse had had a knee operation. Says so in The Chronicle today. They originally had him coming back after a few weeks and then extended it but I don’t remember seeing that he had an operation until today. It is Ryder though, so maybe he is referring to the operation he had more than a year ago. Anyway, since he is staying in Newcastle I doubt he will be ready for anything other than a sub’s role at Stoke. My guess for the team given the Chelsea pantomime is:
Elliot
Janmaat Coloccini Dummett Colback
Sissoko Saivet Shelvey Townsend
Wijnaldum Doumbia
Steve said he wants to shake it up and we all know he will not drop Colo.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gashley
😆 You identified I was late night fishing. You didn’t spot the early bird though dd you 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Klinsmann. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy: you have to make up your mind whether you are on the wind-up or not. Your defense of Clark’s record says you are not. You changed your tune now that he has gone to the mighty Kilmarnock (about his level).
I see Benitez has been linked in The Chronicle as he says he wants to manage in the Premier League. The best available jobs in order are: Chelsea, Man U and NUFC. I doubt if he would manage Chelsea again and the Scouse connection makes it hard to see him going to Man U. He is used to not having total control but would Fatty pay his wages?
There Troy, I brought up someone else so you can have a laugh. It was based upon quotes from Benitez although not directly about NUFC. Maybe you should be laughing at your own suggestions.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just watched highlights of the training from La Manga. looks like how we use to train in U 13’s.
Stuart79(Quote)
Actually, Eric, Benitez would jump at the chance to manage NUFC. What troy doesn’t take into account is the ego’s of these people. They all think they can be the one to break this trophy drought and get the adulation. It’s in their DNA. I would take him like a bleeding shot and if the Chonicle are to be believed his agent let it be known to NUFC when Pardew was under pressure thta he would be interested…
Stuart79(Quote)
Need some help lads and lasses
Season ticket renewal came last Saturday.
What do I do
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Stuart: Troy bases his suggestions for Manager on the fact he had a pint with his choices once in The Percy Arms. There is no other logic to it. ****, what am I talking about, I mentioned Troy and logic in the same sentence.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
STUART@262 what the hell is going with that report its says it’s a report from our “sister”paper the Mirror,I don’t think so
Icedog(Quote)
TLR
You need to cancel your direct debit.
sidekick(Quote)
Another consideration is whether 19 games in the premierhip is of equal value to 23 games in the championship.
sidekick(Quote)
If I could have any manager for the toon there’s no contest it’s Sampaio the manager of Chile,what a great team of grafters and skill,great to watch and 8 of his 11 players are in the ccc and below,what could he do with PL players,if Chelsea get him and there’s storeys they are looking at him we will see some shocks in the top four
Icedog(Quote)
TLR my suggestion would be keep your ticket, the club needs its fan base. However, boycott certain live TV games – either by walking out mid match, protesting outside and singing and displaying anti SD, Charnley, McClaren and Carr placards. Definitely dont applaud the team when they get hammered and show no effort in the pitch though!
Shamrock(Quote)
Ice: are you sure about Chile having lower league players? I watched the Concaf this year and saw – Bravo, Medal, Isla, Arturo Vidal, Sanchez and Vargas among others. All of these play for big teams. Still a good manager though and definitely a massive improvement now that Lee Clark is taken.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
toby
tell your lass that your not renewing & you intend taking her out with the money.
a good shagging or bored shitless every other week – the choice is yours!
roy cropper(Quote)
Stuart very true. If a manager win’s a trophy here, he’ll be a legend for the rest of his day’s. Many big names in the past have tried but failed. We aren’t called the poisonous chalice for nothing. It would defiantly do wonders to any managers ego to win something here and end the curse. The only trouble is our chief scout is a piece of **** and hired McClaren. He has employed so many expensive french rejects and not forgetting Anita and Siem De Jong. He probably had a part to play in Colocini signing an extension.
Terry(Quote)
Ice – it’s not long since Rudi Garcia won the french league with Lille. Roma sacked him not long ago (and are now probably regretting it!). Bloke’s on the dole. That Chile guy is very special though and he’s been mentioned for Chelsea
Georgio(Quote)
Chronicle are reporting that the club believe they are heading in the right direction under McClaren. Isn’t that just incredible! I really struggle to put into words how angry this makes me to be honest. This is based on two good results at home where we won both by 1 goal! If we continue our away form we will go down as we won’t win the home games required as it only needs a game where we are unlucky or get a bad decision and we lose to really mess it up.
Their rationale here is almost defying belief!
Stuart79(Quote)
ERIC aye mate I’ve watch them a number of times on my Kodi box,when he used a number of lower lge players,in the world up games he upped them a bit but still had four players from lower lge players four in a fair chunk,wish we could get four players to preform would be a change
Icedog(Quote)
you can only assume they want to be relegated.
roy cropper(Quote)
STUART@274 what beats me is jabba is no dummy,all I can think is Penfold and SM must feeding him some ****,in saying that he’s got bloody eyes maybe the fifty odd thousand keep turning up is keeping him happy.
He must also see clubs in Spain and Italy change their managers as often as their socks if results aren’t there wish would take a leaf out their book
Icedog(Quote)
He must have lost that much money recently that he can’t afford Sky TV…
Stuart79(Quote)
ice & Stu, It’s a staggeringly naive stance by the club
kimtoon(Quote)
It’s a hell of a big call from Charnley if you ask me. In one respect I admire his balls but Jesus, if he ***** up it’s going to cost him his livelyhood.
Stuart79(Quote)
So is this story confirmed or more chron BS?
Gashley(Quote)
New thread >>>>>>
Shamrock(Quote)