"It's nonsense" - Alan Shearer accuses Newcastle's owners of two big mistakes

Last September, it was announced that the search for Darren Eales' replacement was underway as our CEO was sadly battling blood cancer.

Fast forward to May, Paul Mitchell then confirmed he was stepping down as our sporting director, leaving Newcastle with two major roles to fill.

In that wait for two much-needed replacements, we've seen a chaotic summer full of rejections, no stadium update, next to no communication, an unwanted Alexander Isak saga, few signings and far too much work for an exhausted Eddie Howe.

It reflects very badly on our owners that neither position has been addressed in what was meant to be a transformative summer for the club, and Alan Shearer isn't a happy man.

Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast this week, he described the lack of appointments as "nonsense", summarising our pre-season and summer as an "absolute disaster" so far:

"Disaster pre-season. Absolute disaster. Where do I start? All of the talk has been about Isak. It has been a disaster for them, it really has."

“For whatever reason, I’ve said about the chief executive and the sporting director, I think it’s nonsense they haven’t had those in. Whether that’s hampered them or not, I guess it has."

"After what should have been, I thought, a time for Newcastle to kick on, after winning a trophy, after getting into the Champions League."

"I thought it was the time to go out and bring in three or four big players and I thought that was going to happen."

Things MIGHT be saved to a certain degree if we follow Malick Thiaw's arrival with Yoane Wissa and at least one midfielder, but the big question that's dictating our next steps is Alexander Isak's future.

Shearer wants the Isak saga sorted as "quick as possible." He's unsure if Howe can convince him to stay, but points out that we already needed a striker this summer, adding to the mammoth task facing the club over the next three weeks:

“They need to sort the situation out as quick as possible with Isak. I guess he stays until they get someone in. Eddie can maybe talk him around.

"They needed a forward anyway, so they need two centre-forwards now.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASh4_neOEEM