sempuki

Fantastic stuff!

Could arrive by helicopter from Hampshire - although Mr. Oliver does say this "remains to be seen" in the Chronicle tonight.

Anyone seen this? Camacho Approached About Newcastle Post - Report José Antonio Camacho has held talks with Newcastle United about taking over from Sam Allardyce at St. James' Park after initial contact was made before Christmas. That is the incredible claim made by Spanish sports daily Marca who believe that the current Benfica boss' next destination will be the Premier League. According to the outlandish report, Newcastle made their interest known through Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes and unofficial talks began last month. Mendes represents some of the biggest names in football, including José Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, and has strong ties with clubs in England. Camacho is said to have stated his desire to train in the Premier League and has already been tipped to take over a club before the start of the 2008-09 campaign. Allardyce's departure has led to intense speculation about who the north east giants will approach and Camacho's name has not been mentioned until now. After plying his trade at Espanyol and Sevilla, Camacho was handed the Spanish national team job in 1998 and he led the country to two World Cup Finals and the European Championships. The 52-year-old is currently in his second stint in charge of Benfica after spending only a few weeks at the helm of Real Madrid, where he made 414 appearances as a player. Newcastle have confessed that they may look abroad for their next manager, but Camacho would have to impress at the interview stage if he is to fend off competition from the likes of Kevin Keegan, Didier Deschamps and Mark Hughes. In fact, Camacho's name does not feature in bookmakers William Hill's top 25 favourites to be given the job.

Think so too.

He played some real dross. They got results but a lot of the time they weren't entertaining. aye, that 2001 season when we won 5 trophies and banged in 122 goals was really bad Who do you prefer Houllier or Rafa?

That means you look like Houllier's child. Hopefully not!

I don't think too many will grumble with Houllier - especially if Shearer is his assistant. Off topic but he really is the spitting image of my Dad!

He's also hinting at Shearer today, but on SkySports News earlier, he said when asked who he thought would be the new manager: "To be honest, I haven't got a clue!" Says it all really. Covering all bases I suppose. What must the rest of the country think of Geordies when they see him on the telly?

Looks like Oliver is hinting it's him: Rovers issue a Hughes warning Jan 14 2008 by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle BLACKBURN Rovers have warned Newcastle United that they will seek “considerable” compensation should they try and lure Mark Hughes from Ewood Park. But Rovers chairman John Williams insisted today: “We have not received any approach from Newcastle United for Mark Hughes. “He is doing a great job here and we obviously want to keep him. “We are chasing a Champions League place so why would he want to leave?” Hughes said today: “I have support from the chairman and the board. That is something you do not give up lightly. “The fact is I have continuity here and a good situation. “All I am trying to do is my job to the best of my ability with the help of my staff. “I am still Blackburn manager and have a job to do here.” However, I took a call from someone close to Hughes on Thursday night saying that the Welshman was keen on taking over from Sam Allardyce. But I also understand there are at least three other managers in the Premier League who would ignore talk of a “poisoned chalice” and would be ready to take on the challenge at St James’s Park. ’The bookies have installed Hughes as favourite and most of the reports today suggest that the former Manchester United and Chelsea striker is past the post. But everything hinges on the return of club owner Mike Ashley from Hong Kong tomorrow.

Read the bit about Taggart! Manchester United 6 Newcastle United 0 Jan 14 2008 by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle IT breaks my heart to say it. But I will. Newcastle United have now become the biggest joke in football. My dear 83-year-old mum told me that United have become a laughing stock. And that was just before Saturday’s 6-0 humiliation by Manchester United at Old Trafford. Indeed I cannot remember when the spirit and morale of this football club was so low. The day started with Harry Redknapp catching out everybody, including yours truly. And it proceeded to get worse. Before the game the club released an official statement, no doubt under the instructions of their chairman Chris Mort, saying that Redknapp was only one of several candidates for their vacant managerial job, but I find that hard to believe. Then they said that they had pulled the plug on Harry because he wanted a jet to bring him up to Tyneside. Redknapp went on the record as saying that was simply not true. United could not even get Oba Martins on to the pitch after they thought they had an agreement with the Nigerian FA that he could play. There was no sign of Martins – and wasn’t he the lucky one? One player who did get on to the pitch was Steven Taylor and he was probably the only United man to stand up and be counted in the second half when United leaked six goals after the break for the first time since they could not handle Jimmy Greaves and Chelsea at St James’s Park on Grand National Day back in 1961. Yet while he has given new deals to Charles N’Zogbia, James Milner and Nicky Butt, the United chairman has not come up with a revised contract to satisfy the Taylor camp. Even after the game United could not get it right when they decided, before the players had trooped dejectedly into the dressing room, they would not be allowed to talk to the media. On the field it was just as bad. Obviously nobody expected United to win. But the fans had every right to expect that the players in black-and-white would not throw the towel in during the second half. In the first half they just hung on, thanks mainly to Shay Given and Manchester United’s casualness in front of goal. But the result was never going to be in doubt. And after the interval Newcastle just capitulated. Collapsed like the proverbial pack of cards. In the end they could easily have lost 10-0, although to be fair, Michael Owen had a goal wrongly chalked off for offside by hapless referee’s assistant Rob Martin. United would have done better with Dean Martin and he has been dead for 10 years. United themselves were dead and buried from the moment their defensive wall jumped into the air and let Ronaldo drive the first of his hat-trick underneath them for the first goal. Nobody is blaming Nigel Pearson, who has been handed the thankless task of taking over the ship following the sacking of Sam Allardyce on Wednesday. Sir Alex Ferguson is a big pal of Allardyce and they tell me he never stopped laughing in the home dressing room after the game. But Newcastle United fans are not laughing.

Go back and look at the league tables under KK, the season we were pipped for the title we only concedeed 9 goals at home all season! Away from home was another matter, but you would expect someone to learn from that. come on mate there's having a good defence and there's playing teams off the pitch...we won 17 games at home that season due to our attacking football that's the reason for conceding 9 to all intents and purposes Well attacking is the best form of defense! And all this bullshit about footballs changed! Has it f***! Fergies still got Man utd playing the same way from when keegan was last with us! If you're talking about the mentality of stop the other team scoring as opposed to just score more then maybe that applies to lower clubs where that's the only way they think thay can get a result. Football is only as complicated as you make it! Keep it simple and you'll win. if you think man u circa the one-nil win at SJP that more or less swung the title and the team he's putting out now are in any way similar then you need help man, seriously man u played a tight counter attacking game away from home in those days and were more expansive at home...think about how we lost that title, jesus, it writes itself...the won it on the road, if our away record had been nearly as good it was our title now they've spent so much money it doesn't matter a f***, they can go and attack 90% of teams with only hargreaves in DM and they'll still get a result those two teams aren't even close Bit harsh there especially as we should have beaten Man U about 5-1 that day were it not for Schmeichel. We got 78 points too if I recall correctly - heady times that seem like a lifetime away. Are you not just a little bit intrigued or even excited at the thought of Keegan and Shearer working in tandem - our most entertaining manager and highest scoring player?

Fantastic journalism there. Seriously - how is that man in a job?

Can't think of a better one.

What a load of crap! They know damn well who he is, it's all about getting the players to believe in themselves and that is one area Keegan excelled in! Would love to know who you think would be better than those 2 at this time realistically? As Shearer has been ear marked for the job anyway! Why not get them in now? Otherwise the next manager will have the same problem Big sam had with Shearer lurking in the shadows and seemingly making it an impossible job! look the point is why keegan? shearer no worries, seems nailed on at some point but why keegan? for us it'd be sentimental and everyone could have a tear in their eye...doesn't mean it's the right thing to do...surely shearer would be able to motivate? then what does keegan bring? explain to me 'cause i'm asking... Why Keegan is because why allot don't just want Shearer by himself! No expierience but under Keegan he'd gain that! I'm sure Keegan see's it as a great chance to turn us into a force again but ultimatly handing it over to Shearer when the time is right! That way we all win! We get the boost of having people who don't need to understand the mind set up here and Shearer gets the knowledge first hand instead of starting out at some s*** pot championship side. yeah, but erm, why keegan? all good reasons for shearer (arguable) but instead of keegan why not a good, experienced first team coach? it's a fair question - with shearer you get the sentimentalism so why keegan? get an actual good coach instead.... Some people do better at certain clubs and Keegan was a good coach. Yes was but he could be great again, we just don't know. All we know from fact is that he produced the best football team we've arguably ever had in 1995/1996. which was more than a decade ago, as you know man i think about how much football has changed in that decade and s*** myself at the thought of keegan...think i'm probably doing the man a disservice but i doubt it we masked having a shocking defence during that time by attacking everyone, i honestly don't think you can be that naive in football any more; not even arsenal play that way Pundits said the same thing then - teams weren't supposed to attack so much although as I recall not many of us were complaining. I didn't think our defence was that bad either - a myth perpetuated by the press at the time. Our defence now however..... Keegan's not thick - he's been in the game all his life and I'm sure he can adjust to the latest changes. I'm surprised more people aren't excited about this. Waiting for Uncle Alan to kybosh it pretty soon though. dude, we did not have a good defence during that period, we simply didn't...i don't need newspapers to tell me what i saw with my own eyes and be honest it was our inability to defend that cost us the title, not the inability to attack Got to disagree with you there. Didn't miss any home games and only a few away that year and what I saw didn't constitute a bad defence. Admittedly it was over a decade ago but I can't remember any defensive howlers off the top of my head. Care to help?

What a load of crap! They know damn well who he is, it's all about getting the players to believe in themselves and that is one area Keegan excelled in! Would love to know who you think would be better than those 2 at this time realistically? As Shearer has been ear marked for the job anyway! Why not get them in now? Otherwise the next manager will have the same problem Big sam had with Shearer lurking in the shadows and seemingly making it an impossible job! look the point is why keegan? shearer no worries, seems nailed on at some point but why keegan? for us it'd be sentimental and everyone could have a tear in their eye...doesn't mean it's the right thing to do...surely shearer would be able to motivate? then what does keegan bring? explain to me 'cause i'm asking... Why Keegan is because why allot don't just want Shearer by himself! No expierience but under Keegan he'd gain that! I'm sure Keegan see's it as a great chance to turn us into a force again but ultimatly handing it over to Shearer when the time is right! That way we all win! We get the boost of having people who don't need to understand the mind set up here and Shearer gets the knowledge first hand instead of starting out at some s*** pot championship side. yeah, but erm, why keegan? all good reasons for shearer (arguable) but instead of keegan why not a good, experienced first team coach? it's a fair question - with shearer you get the sentimentalism so why keegan? get an actual good coach instead.... Some people do better at certain clubs and Keegan was a good coach. Yes was but he could be great again, we just don't know. All we know from fact is that he produced the best football team we've arguably ever had in 1995/1996. which was more than a decade ago, as you know man i think about how much football has changed in that decade and s*** myself at the thought of keegan...think i'm probably doing the man a disservice but i doubt it we masked having a shocking defence during that time by attacking everyone, i honestly don't think you can be that naive in football any more; not even arsenal play that way Pundits said the same thing then - teams weren't supposed to attack so much although as I recall not many of us were complaining. I didn't think our defence was that bad either - a myth perpetuated by the press at the time. Our defence now however..... Keegan's not thick - he's been in the game all his life and I'm sure he can adjust to the latest changes. I'm surprised more people aren't excited about this. Waiting for Uncle Alan to kybosh it pretty soon though.

What a load of crap! They know damn well who he is, it's all about getting the players to believe in themselves and that is one area Keegan excelled in! Would love to know who you think would be better than those 2 at this time realistically? As Shearer has been ear marked for the job anyway! Why not get them in now? Otherwise the next manager will have the same problem Big sam had with Shearer lurking in the shadows and seemingly making it an impossible job! look the point is why keegan? shearer no worries, seems nailed on at some point but why keegan? for us it'd be sentimental and everyone could have a tear in their eye...doesn't mean it's the right thing to do...surely shearer would be able to motivate? then what does keegan bring? explain to me 'cause i'm asking... Why Keegan is because why allot don't just want Shearer by himself! No expierience but under Keegan he'd gain that! I'm sure Keegan see's it as a great chance to turn us into a force again but ultimatly handing it over to Shearer when the time is right! That way we all win! We get the boost of having people who don't need to understand the mind set up here and Shearer gets the knowledge first hand instead of starting out at some s*** pot championship side. yeah, but erm, why keegan? all good reasons for shearer (arguable) but instead of keegan why not a good, experienced first team coach? it's a fair question - with shearer you get the sentimentalism so why keegan? get an actual good coach instead.... Some people do better at certain clubs and Keegan was a good coach. Yes was but he could be great again, we just don't know. All we know from fact is that he produced the best football team we've arguably ever had in 1995/1996.

Relevant? I was replying to li3nz's point about the feel good factor before kick-off if Shearer & Keegan take over. Will mean very little if on their first game they're gubbed though won't it. I genuinely believe the atmosphere will be on a level we have never seen before at this ground. I don't think we will "get grubbed" and wouldn't be surprised to see the atmosphere reflected on the players performance... maybe in a typical Keegan'esque "entertainers" wave after wave of attack, but this is dreamland stuff.... my point is the way our supporters used to get behind the team back then really did make a huge difference, as much as it is an overused saying we really were the 12th man and I think it will take a figurehead such as keegan or shearer to bring this back. we'd not lose unless we come up against a profesionall football team who believe in ability and coaching rather than mythical atmosphere's for winning games This is the point though. f****** David Copperfield could manage us, never mind Mourinho - the way things are he wouldn't be able to get a decent performance out of that lot. We need more than one of these so called tactical genius phenonenon's (by the way, I think this label is as mythical as it gets) they can't do anything with our club, we are in an extremely depressed state. By the way re: the other point about players reporting to Keegan, discipline etc, if Shearer was ultimately in charge I am in no doubt they would do anthing he said. If he told them to run through the wall they would knock the whole building down doing it. sam allardyce had been widely regarded as the best english manager around for years, didn't stop our players ignoring him right away did it? but the point you make about shearers a good one - so if he's doing the motivating then what the fux keegan gonna do exactly? point repeated above but it needs answering Shearer would learn from Keegan, that's the way I see it and who's to say both of them working together wouldn't be more effective than just Shearer or whoever. They would command respect from the players and hopefully be able to attract the players we need to improve. I can see Shearer being the forceful one with Keegan encouraging, cajoling and motivating. Two very different personalities in my opinion.

The prices have gone up and there's more technology now but football is inherently a simple game is it not? Sam's technology really worked a treat! Incredibly simple. Our new manager needs to inspire. You could say the figurehead in this instance, is just as important as any other trait people babble on about on here such as the likes of Mourinho's experience, good as it may be, he is never going to join us and he would not be able to apply his skills well to the job without a massive transfer fund anyway. Football is incredibly simple, a player with such experience as Shearer knows enough about the game to manage a team! Especially alongside someone like Keegan. Anyway, what excites me is the thought of the first game at St James', if Keegan and Shearer were in the dugout. The atmosphere would be immense, makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck thinking about it. Nice avatar by the way! The atmosphere would be electric.

At least it wasn't in Newcastle: Intruder at United star's £5m mansion NEWCASTLE United and England footballer Michael Owen had a security scare at his £5m mansion. A drunken 21-year-old was arrested at the striker's home last Sunday. Owen and wife Louise are now stepping up security at Lower Soughton Hall, near Mold, north Wales where they live with their three children. A North Wales Police spokesman said: "A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being found on enclosed premises." The man has been bailed pending further enquiries. Owen's home life featured in a fly-on-the-wall Sky TV documentary last week.

The prices have gone up and there's more technology now but football is inherently a simple game is it not? Sam's technology really worked a treat! Look at Brian Clough towards the end at Nottingham Forest. Even in 10 years from the early 80s when he was winning European Cups to the early 90s, football had moved on dramatically and he couldn't keep up. I'd say football has moved on even further in the 10 years since Keegan was last here. Cloughy was all red and blotchy then due to the drink. I'm advocating Keegan as the assistant where he would primarily be taking the training, motivating the players and assisting Shearer.

The prices have gone up and there's more technology now but football is inherently a simple game is it not? Sam's technology really worked a treat!

Managerial stats Team From To Record G W L D Win % Newcastle United February 5, 1992 January 8, 1997 251 138 62 51 54.98 Fulham May 7, 1998 May 9, 1999 61 38 11 12 62.29 England February 1999 October 7, 2000 18 7 7 4 38.89 Manchester City May 24, 2001 March 11, 2005 176 77 60 39 43.75 I'd also have him as assistant to Shearer - surely between the pair of them they'd be able to motivate our sorry lot.

Maybe we can appeal! Butt's out for two as well.

He has unfinished business and along with us playing the best football I've ever seen his record wasn't bad either: Saved us from relegation, finished 3rd, 6th, 2nd and the team he built finished 2nd in the season he left. He's had ups and downs of course since then although I don't think he's the disaster people are making him out to be. It took something out of him when he finished 2nd, he lost the passion after that. Maybe he's a little wiser now, maybe this is the time for him to come back and finish what he started? We won't know unless we try and to get those days back would be incredible. I used to be excited all week about going to the match and even though we didn't win anything (although came so close) they were just fantastic times. Apart from a brief spell under SBR we've been subjected to dross on the whole - there's a chance Keegan (and Shearer) could change all that.

He knows us, we know him. If Ashley backs him in the transfer market you can be guaranteed we'll be signing world class players who excite the fans.