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Newcastle united is a big club. No doubt about it. It has a huge fan base, a tremendous stadium, and has always aspired to be towards the top of the table. It’s not exactly as if the managers have had a lack of money to spend, or that bad appointments have always been made…In fact, Dalglish and Robson were probably two of the best managers a team could ask for…So why is the Newcastle trophy cabinet as empty as my latest PDSA charity bag?
When Keegan was manager, Newcastle were on the brink of greatness. No one would have expected them to drop so many points, or concede as many goals as they did, but I guess that’s what happens when you hire Lawro as your defensive coach. Both ex Liverpool legends were briskly offloaded, and after that, things slowly began to slide downhill.
The relatively recent appointment of Souness, and a massive £50million transfer kitty, still wasn’t enough to rekindle the ambitious clubs deteriorating status. The high profile signing of Michael Owen from real Madrid provided a small glimmer of hope for the Geordies, but unfortunately injuries have hindered what could have been an excellent move on the clubs part.
After pulling the team down the table even further, Souness was also abandoned, and many great managers such as O’Neill, Curbishley, and Jewell were touted to take his place. While the Newspapers relished in stories about Graeme’s successor, Glenn Roeder was doing a sound job acting as caretaker. Many Geordies wanted him to stay on, as he seemingly dragged Newcastle back into the top half of the table. The chairman agreed, and Roeder was given the job full time.
After a promising start to his campaign, things have again started going downhill for Roeder and Newcastle. They’re lingering near the bottom of the table, only two points clear of the relegation zone, and the Geordies new saviour isn’t looking all he’s cracked up to be.
Now, something must be causing Newcastle’s dire form, and consistent failure to win anything, and I have a theory. Aside from an obvious lack of confidence and winning mentality on Tyneside, I think there has always been someone behind Newcastle’s inequalities. Keegan didn’t know how to defend. Dalglish was losing it slightly after many illustrious years with Liverpool, Robson clashed with Shearer, along with others in the dressing room, and was too much of his own man, Souness was just rubbish, and Mr. Roeder doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
There seems, to me, to be always one person who should share the blame for the teams crap morale, or substandard activities on the pitch. There doesn’t seem to be a strong group mentality. Maybe the chairman should be blamed, maybe the managers, but it seems obvious to me that if Newcastle United honestly want to achieve something spectacular, then the right appointment needs to be made. O’Neill would have been fabulous for the team – he would have improved the moral, and technical ability of the team as a whole. Curbishley or Jewell would also have been excellent appointments, as they’ve proved that they can build something, but have both been hindered by there respective clubs / ex clubs monetary status, or low fan base.
Surely if they had any real aspirations, they would only settle for the BEST choice, not what seems right at the time.
I seriously think they need to stop, and rebuild the whole thing. Get rid of useless Roeder, and players who obviously lack the motivation and winning mentality on and off the pitch for Newcastle, and bring in a manager who can really do a job, and build something, on the pitch, and off it.
Newcastle have always had the potential to be a big ambitious, winning side on the pitch. So why aren’t they?
Crouching Tiger, 2nd November 2006
P.S that took me ages. Hope it hasn’t been done before
When Keegan was manager, Newcastle were on the brink of greatness. No one would have expected them to drop so many points, or concede as many goals as they did, but I guess that’s what happens when you hire Lawro as your defensive coach. Both ex Liverpool legends were briskly offloaded, and after that, things slowly began to slide downhill.
The relatively recent appointment of Souness, and a massive £50million transfer kitty, still wasn’t enough to rekindle the ambitious clubs deteriorating status. The high profile signing of Michael Owen from real Madrid provided a small glimmer of hope for the Geordies, but unfortunately injuries have hindered what could have been an excellent move on the clubs part.
After pulling the team down the table even further, Souness was also abandoned, and many great managers such as O’Neill, Curbishley, and Jewell were touted to take his place. While the Newspapers relished in stories about Graeme’s successor, Glenn Roeder was doing a sound job acting as caretaker. Many Geordies wanted him to stay on, as he seemingly dragged Newcastle back into the top half of the table. The chairman agreed, and Roeder was given the job full time.
After a promising start to his campaign, things have again started going downhill for Roeder and Newcastle. They’re lingering near the bottom of the table, only two points clear of the relegation zone, and the Geordies new saviour isn’t looking all he’s cracked up to be.
Now, something must be causing Newcastle’s dire form, and consistent failure to win anything, and I have a theory. Aside from an obvious lack of confidence and winning mentality on Tyneside, I think there has always been someone behind Newcastle’s inequalities. Keegan didn’t know how to defend. Dalglish was losing it slightly after many illustrious years with Liverpool, Robson clashed with Shearer, along with others in the dressing room, and was too much of his own man, Souness was just rubbish, and Mr. Roeder doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
There seems, to me, to be always one person who should share the blame for the teams crap morale, or substandard activities on the pitch. There doesn’t seem to be a strong group mentality. Maybe the chairman should be blamed, maybe the managers, but it seems obvious to me that if Newcastle United honestly want to achieve something spectacular, then the right appointment needs to be made. O’Neill would have been fabulous for the team – he would have improved the moral, and technical ability of the team as a whole. Curbishley or Jewell would also have been excellent appointments, as they’ve proved that they can build something, but have both been hindered by there respective clubs / ex clubs monetary status, or low fan base.
Surely if they had any real aspirations, they would only settle for the BEST choice, not what seems right at the time.
I seriously think they need to stop, and rebuild the whole thing. Get rid of useless Roeder, and players who obviously lack the motivation and winning mentality on and off the pitch for Newcastle, and bring in a manager who can really do a job, and build something, on the pitch, and off it.
Newcastle have always had the potential to be a big ambitious, winning side on the pitch. So why aren’t they?
Crouching Tiger, 2nd November 2006
P.S that took me ages. Hope it hasn’t been done before
Last edited by on Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:25 pm; edited 2 times in total
That'll do! 
