Big Sam leaves

Merry Krimbo wrote:This Alan Shearer stuff is mainly coming from the southern press, they've got preconceptions about how people up here think, and it makes for a good story. There was a vote on nufc-online about Shearer and out of 450 voters only 18% said they want him.

Who got that majority vote just out if inetrest

Ade Alves wrote:

Merry Krimbo wrote:This Alan Shearer stuff is mainly coming from the southern press, they've got preconceptions about how people up here think, and it makes for a good story. There was a vote on nufc-online about Shearer and out of 450 voters only 18% said they want him.

Who got that majority vote just out if inetrest

Well the vote was 'Do you want Shearer?', so there were no other names involved.

18% said yes
40% said someone else
42% said maybe in about 5 years

The problem is that out of the frontrunners opinion seems to be split. There was a vote between Hughes, Redknapp, and Jol. Hughes got 26%, Jol got 36.6%, and Harry got 37.4%. It seems though that everyone wants an experianced foreign coach, but none are being seriously linked so we're in limbo.

Kimbo is entirely right, in that the idea that the fans have been constantly clamouring for Shearer is something made up by the press, since it makes a nice story and it fits requirements in that it can be used to suggest Newcastle fans are small minded and somewhat ignorant, that the club is poorly run, and that we are overall just to be scorned and laughed at. I know and heard of few fans who, before Allardyce went or after his sacking was announced, wanted Shearer to succeed him - if anything, given Shearers popularity as a player and the number of players who have jumped straight into management, Id say its surprising how few fans have, up til now, really backed Shearer for the job.

However, I think this might be changing, or it has the potential to change - I think the fans might warm to the idea of Shearer taking over now. Unfortunately, Ashley and company have made a big mess of things in pushing so strongly for Redknapp. Whilst I can understand the desire to bring him in when considering the type of football he plays, still he didnt fit the bill in a lot of respects, he bears unfortunate similarities to Allardyce, and the fans didnt really want him at the club. We seem to have limited ourselves from the outset in looking for British candidates, and now most of those candidates have distanced themselves from the job, so we are in a difficult situation - and whatever we say, it seems clear that Redknapp was our number one choice, so whoever we do get has to deal with that also.

I think from the perspective of the fans, the fact that what we have been linked to hasnt been that inspiring has probably made a lot of people think twice, made people consider that Shearer would at least be someone we could really get behind, who would really give his all in the job. That we have dealt so poorly with the process so far perhaps also increases the desire for a manager who we could actually respect, and Shearer is somebody who we would respect, whereas Redknapp, like Allardyce, has been caught up in the dodgy transfer enquiries.

Certainly, Id be happier with Shearer now than I would have been initially - now that Ive seen and been unimpressed with the other names we have been linked to, and as it seems clear that we are looking for British names. I confess that I also get a little thrill of excitement when Keegans name is mentioned - though I think its hugely unlikely that he will manage us again, still it highlights if nothing else how nice it would be to have a manager who we could really support, who would bring some passion and personality to the club. I would still rather see an experienced foreign manager take over, a van Gaal ideally, but if not I would be happy with someone like Jol. Yet, if the options are between the likes of Hughes and McClaren or else Shearer, then Id go for Shearer without hesitation.

Bashmachkin wrote:
Certainly, Id be happier with Shearer now than I would have been initially - now that Ive seen and been unimpressed with the other names we have been linked to, and as it seems clear that we are looking for British names. I confess that I also get a little thrill of excitement when Keegans name is mentioned - though I think its hugely unlikely that he will manage us again, still it highlights if nothing else how nice it would be to have a manager who we could really support, who would bring some passion and personality to the club. I would still rather see an experienced foreign manager take over, a van Gaal ideally, but if not I would be happy with someone like Jol. Yet, if the options are between the likes of Hughes and McClaren or else Shearer, then Id go for Shearer without hesitation.

Same for me.

Yeh, the names currently being linked don't exactly get the imaginination flowing. Its not as though there aren't any continental coaches available either

Ashleys interview with the NOTW.

Mike Ashley dramatically broke his silence over the turmoil on the Toon and defiantly declared: "I had to act and now I'll do it MY way!"

Newcastle's' billionaire owner insists he is ready to step out of the background to run the club the way HE wants to from now on.

On Tuesday he will jet back from a Far East business trip to join forces with chairman Chris Mort as they strive to bring success to St James's Park.

And there will be times when he swaps his trademark Newcastle shirt and returns to civvies as he plots the way ahead in the wake of the departure of boss Sam Allardyce.

Today, in an exclusive News of the World interview, Ashley outlines his New Year vision for Newcastle including the qualities he's looking for in the club's next manager.

He said: "I want a team that will go all out to try to give Chelsea a walloping, that'll try to stuff Tottenham and that will be brave and bold enough to attack Man Utd.

"To date I have invested £250m to try and make it happen.

"And I'm not the only one who could see it wasn't working with things as they were.

"So when my chairman told me it was time for a change I knew it had to happen.

"I just knew it was time for me to become involved.

"After all I bought this club to make it a success and the harsh truth is there wasn't much prospect of that.

"I bought this club to have some fun and I wasn't having much fun at all. So I did what I should have done in the first place and decided it was time to run the club the way I wanted.

"I must admit that when I bought this club my gut instinct was to bring in my own team to run it straight away, including a new manager.

"That's no reflection on Sam, that's just the way I have always done things.

"But for once in my life I ignored my intuition and, looking back, that was a mistake.

"My instinct had never let me down in the past, in fact it's been one of my biggest strengths, one of the major reasons behind my success.

"Yet I went against that better judgement after buying Newcastle.

"Now is the time to put away my Newcastle shirt. I'm not saying I will never go back on the terraces but now I have to be in the boardroom — I have to be hands on."

Ashley was left desperately disappointed with the return on his massive investment.

A procession of poor performances, ropey results and off-field problems was a shocking reward for his massive outlay.

It was not Ashley's vision for the sleeping giants of English football.

Passion

He added: "I want a team that is going to be admired up and down the country because of our brilliant, attacking football.

"Like they did when Kevin Keegan was in charge here.

"In those days everyone in the land loved to watch Newcastle in action. I certainly did.

"And I am determined it will be like that again."

That sort of stylish, buccaneering football has only been rarely glimpsed at St James's Park this season and Ashley makes no apologies for demanding Newcastle play the way the loyal Toon Army desire.

He added:"People might mock me for that and reckon that's all pie in the sky.

"But this is a football club, remember — it's about passion, about dreams, about glory. If it's not, then why bother?

"Make no mistake I bother, I care and so I will try my hardest to make this club successful.

"And I know I don't stand alone — I stand at the head of the Toon Army.

"Remember this is a club with a real passion running through it — not least from all those Geordie fans.

"And I share that passion."

Yet Ashley has still taken a battering over events last week with Allardyce elbowed after just eight months in charge of the Magpies.

But those pundits who would have you believe Ashley's a mug punter who does not know what he is doing should beware.

After all this is a guy who built his Sports Direct business empire up from nothing.

A man who at just 41 years of age boasts a fortune of £1.6billion — put it another way that's one thousand six hundred million pounds.

Some mug, then!

Yet Ashley is big and brave enough to accept some of the blame, even though he sees positives in his controversial decision to take a back seat so far.

He explained: "My thinking was to come into Newcastle United and examine the club from every angle and from every aspect. I wanted to see how it ran, how it worked, what the staff could offer and what the supporters were all about.

"I wanted to understand what made this club tick, I wanted to find its soul.

"I have done that now and taken a lot of flak along the way.

"People have complained I have been in the background too much, not done enough. Are you sure?

"Let's get this straight. I paid £140million to buy this club.

"I've also paid off £100million worth of debt so today this club doesn't owe a buck to anyone.

"And I also gave Sam funds for new players.

"Yet I've been hammered by certain people and for what?

"Yes, wearing my Newcastle shirt and sitting with the fans.

"The critics were suggesting in some way that this was just a cheap trick that would boost sales of shirts in my own stores.

"But anyone who knows anything about Newcastle knows all the fans already have their shirts so it's all nonsense, just unbelievable.

"And do you know something? I don't regret those days with our supporters at all.

"I might own the club but they are the heartbeat and I had a lovely time with them.

"And I guarantee that you haven't seen the last of me out there with the lads and lasses.

"I will do it again from time to time. That's because among the fans he felt at home but when he sat in his own directors' box he was condemned as unconventional.

He explained: "I can't stand this self-imposed etiquette in the boardroom and directors' box.

"You're supposed to wear a suit, a shirt and tie and behave like a headmaster.

"Why? It's like one of those , snobby, snooty golf clubs where they have rules for this and that. It's nonsense and I won't go along with it.

"I want to go to football and enjoy it.

"I want to celebrate when my team scores, when my team wins.

"It's a game of drama and emotion — of highs and lows, of highlights and heartbreaks. And I want to live it.

"So from now on it's all down to me.

Dream

"I am here because I want to be here and because I want to win trophies.

"That's it — period — to get trophies in the cabinet and have a ball doing it. I can't see anything wrong with that at all.

"Buying a football club is something I've always wanted to do so it's living a dream.

"I always said I bought this club to become part of its passion.

"I'd like to think I've done that. Now I want to channel that passion into bringing success and I just can't wait until it happens"

I like the cut of his jib.

Sounds like a jolly decent fellow

Wish we had a similar owner at pool.

Newcastle United will reportedly ask
Kevin Keegan to become the club's new manager in a 'dream partnership'
with Alan Shearer after being snubbed by Harry Redknapp.
Speculation is rife in the north-east that Keegan, out of work
and out of sight since resigning as Manchester City in March 2005,
would agree to return to the club were he to be approached. The Mail on Sunday claims that the Toon will make 'a sensational
offer' to Keegan this week and 'plan to link the former England and
Newcastle boss in a dream partnership with Tyneside hero Alan Shearer
in a bid to erase the damage done to Mike Ashley's reputation by
Redknapp's shock about-turn.'
However, both Mark Hughes and Gerard Houllier remain prominent in the betting to replace Sam Allardyce.
It had been thought that owner Mike Ashley was determined to
employ a homegrown manager but Redknapp's withdrawal has altered that
thinking. According to the Sunday Mirror, the former Liverpool boss 'is
interested in the Newcastle job' and meets the criteria of boasting
Premiership 'managerial experience' and a 'proven track record'.