How much longer can we wait for a new manager?

It’s been nearly three weeks since the takeover became official, and we’re still waiting for a new permanent manager to be appointed.

We knew Bruce was going to get the sack eventually, and I think we also know it should have been done sooner. Jones as caretaker was always preferable for me, but the international break was prime time to be looking at new candidates.

There are quite a few hats in the ring by the looks of it, and it seems our new owners are taking it seriously and approaching it pragmatically and diligently.

But how much longer can we hang on?

Jones as caretaker is a good stop-gap solution, but it’s an interim one. While there were definite improvements on Saturday, there were still a lot of issues hanging over us from the previous coach.

We need a win on the board, and the ensuing momentum, ASAP. Our run in for the first two months of the season has been gentle. We’ve only played two “top” sides so far (although I’m not really sure if we can call Man U a top side after Sunday’s hilarious drubbing). We haven’t played Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester City, Everton or even Brighton so far. And let’s be honest, Spurs are there for the taking these days.

We’ve played a Watford side under a coach that’s now been sacked. A Wolves team still finding its feet under a new manager that hasn’t quite set the team alight. We played a winless Burnley in the cup and lost on penalties. An Aston Villa side that looks weak without Grealish. Leeds are suffering from second-season syndrome, it would appear. A Southampton side who’ve looked like absolutely nothing this season.

If we can’t pick up points in these games, how are we going to against these much, much better sides?

We’ve made the rest of the season a lot harder for ourselves by not picking up a few early wins, and although we’re not quite adrift yet, Christmas will be here before you know it. In the entirety of the Premier League’s history, 50% of the teams who were 19th at Christmas got relegated.

In that run up, we have Chelsea, Brighton, tricky Brentford, Leicester City, Liverpool, and Manchester City to play. It makes the need for a permanent new manager all the more pressing.

There are more people involved in the running of the club than ever before. And while Amanda Staveley, the Rueben brothers and Ghodoussi have got us stoked and reassured us that they’re doing their best to find the right man, I hope bureaucracy doesn’t get in the way. Perhaps too many cooks may be spoiling the broth in this instance?

What I will say is that I have confidence that the new owners are prepared to invest in the club. They do seem genuinely committed to making us competitive once again. I hope the time it’s taking to find a new, permanent manager is down to due diligence instead of too many people in the hierarchy to sign off on it.

Because if we don’t get that first win soon, we’ll end up having to pull off a truly great escape.

6 thoughts on “How much longer can we wait for a new manager?

  1. I didnt see any improvement on Sunday. It was our joint worst game of the season along with Spurs and shows Jones is not a Manager and I am not even sure he is even a good coach. If not for Benteke it would have been a slaughter.

    I held off on an opinion on Jones but the ex-Luton Manager doesnt look up for the job, any job at NUFC. I fully expect him to be let go at the end of the season.

    As I said on anothere thread, the new Manager will want his own people in. The Steves will be gone and Jones will be ball boy or throw-in coach and that is only coz they promised him he would keep his job.

    Remember Jones was selected by Charnley and perhaps Bruce, so do you really have any faith in him.

    I know it is only 1 game, but I am done with him. He talks a good game but the team does not play a good game. I think the players just see him as yet another dead man walking including the remaining Steves.

    I said this before on a different thread but it needs repeating if anybody thinks there was any improvement on Sunday.

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  2. PIF are dithering too much –
    are we going to be cut adrift by the time they appoint people?
    Time is not on our side!

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  3. Natasha – what’s your thoughts or preferences on those who have been mentioned?.

    Are you satisfied with them taking so long or do you feel they should have had more in place considering how long the takeover process was rumbling along?.

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  4. Good piece Natasha BUT I think we’re going to have to be a bit more patient yet. The new owners are clearly doing due diligence and also making sure they feel they have the man not only to save us this season but to take us forward. Personally, and I may be wrong, it wouldn’t surprise me if the appointment doesn’t come until the international break.

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  5. The facts are Ashley has left a pile of you know what in every department to deal with!
    Perhaps too much for the new owners to ensure we escape relegation this season.
    We require a manager with the loyalty and passion and a vision that Benitez showed when stayed with us after relegation, but not Benitez.
    That type of manager will be hard to find as there are a lot out there who are useless with big egos, and won’t like a relegation on their C.V.
    You can only wish the new owners well in their unenviable task!

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  6. I’m going to have to stop reading this, are you all encouraged just to write negative blogs !!! It’s boils my **** ?

    Surely we want the right manager and not a panic appointment, if we can’t get the right man now, then appoint someone on an interim basis until they are available.

    The rebuild job at Newcastle is huge it may take more than one manager to get us there ??

    But in the meantime please do us a favour and stop being so negative about everything, it’s no wonder pundits and press call us deluded at times !!

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