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Steve McClaren


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FWIW:

 

Was told through work a while ago that Charnley asked around a lot before the game against Liverpool, one of those he asked for advice was Wendy Taylor (which tells its own story). After we won that game they cooled things and decided to buy in January. So they've been close to axe him before.

 

Keith Bishop is still heavily involved behind the scenes. Suggestion is Ashley has no intention whatsoever to sell but, according to Bishop, "could wake up one day and decide its time".

 

:lol: :lol:

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FWIW:

 

Was told through work a while ago that Charnley asked around a lot before the game against Liverpool, one of those he asked for advice was Wendy Taylor (which tells its own story). After we won that game they cooled things and decided to buy in January. So they've been close to axe him before.

 

Keith Bishop is still heavily involved behind the scenes. Suggestion is Ashley has no intention whatsoever to sell but, according to Bishop, "could wake up one day and decide its time".

 

Who is Wendy Taylor?

 

Head of Media, I think. At least that was her former role.

 

May be a stupid question, but why would he need her advice to change manager?

 

That's why I wrote "tells its own story". I'd say that part is very likely to be true, and it says something about the level of competence within the club. No wonder they involve the likes of Moncur.

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http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-news-live-bournemouth-10988649

 

With a 75% loss ratio Newcastle United have been failing for a year - but so is McClaren

 

12:25, 4 MAR 2016

OPINION BY MARKDOUGLAS

 

Steve McClaren is failing as Newcastle United head coach - he may not survive a damaging defeat to Bournemouth

   

Steve McClaren is not responsible for the structural and management failings that have led Newcastle United to the Premier League precipice for the second time in two seasons – the third relegation fight of the last four years and fifth of the Mike Ashley decade.

 

Despite the froth of last week’s Fans Forum, the stark reality is that Newcastle United have been failing on the pitch for a year now. Across all competitions, they have won seven, drawn six and lost 29 of 39 games since March 4, 2015. That’s a staggering loss ratio of 75% – which speaks of deep problems at the heart of the club.

 

Those failings are matched off-the-field where there are structural flaws and prevailing attitudes that have been allowed to go unchecked and unaddressed for much longer.

 

McClaren cannot be held to account for the ill-will that many Newcastle fans feel towards the leadership or the mistrust of the decision-makers that is deep-rooted among the support. Nor can he be fully blamed for a recruitment process that has not supplied the team with the balance or quality that it requires – or an Academy system that has not produced back-up for the first team in sufficient numbers of late.

 

He is not accountable for Lee Charnley’s judgement over the last 23 months either. When Charnley took control of Newcastle on April 4, 2014, the club were ninth in the Premier League. No Newcastle United MD has ever had more to spend than over a six-month period. The unique chance to change course that presented itself with the managerial vacancy in the summer has been wasted. He has tried, but too many calls have sent United backwards.

 

McClaren is not responsible for the sorry state that United find themselves in as they paddle furiously towards a Premier League life-raft. But he has barely improved it one iota either, which is why defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend would surely remove any serious debate about whether he is the man best equipped to take United forward.

 

Tactically, McClaren was found wanting yet again at Stoke. Away from home – where United have scored fewer than any other team in the entire football league – Newcastle have neither a plan nor a system to win matches. That goes for games against the best – Chelsea and Manchester City have thrashed Newcastle this season – and the lesser lights – where caution against West Brom and Stoke has been punished.

 

McClaren says it is a process but there is no evidence of progression. He is still experimenting; still getting things wrong. Yoan Gouffran has not been the answer to any sane Newcastle question for 15 months, yet he returned to the side in place of Andros Townsend – hardly a like-for-like swap.

 

Players look as puzzled as the supporters. Talk of squeezing more from less – the reliance on McClaren’s coaching ability – has been exposed by results that show a side managing to look far less than the sum of their parts.

 

In an era where his message matters, McClaren’s platitudes speak of a man who has lost touch with the stark reality of the situation. Mention of character, progress and deserving more after anaemic displays is woefully inadequate. The positivity mantra that has been encouraged by some of those in McClaren’s backroom staff does not stand up to scrutiny.

 

And neither does McClaren’s record, unfortunately. United’s insistence of keeping him in charge despite several junctures where they might have made a change – most notably in December – may end up costing them dear. It has already cost them a season.

 

Bringing in someone new would not solve the long list of issues that have left McClaren hamstrung, players feeling fatalistic and supporters despairing about the direction of the club. But it might prevent the most avoidable relegation.

 

Those long-standing issues will only be removed with real, significant change – in attitudes and personnel. Realistically, everything about the decade that has passed tells us that it will require Mike Ashley to leave for Newcastle to move beyond some of those road blocks.

 

But even a United with the problems that Ashley’s leadership bring should not be 19th in the Premier League. For that, McClaren must carry the can.

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Guest Roger Kint

'Despite the froth of last week’s Fans Forum, the stark reality is that Newcastle United have been failing on the pitch for a year now'

 

Been failing a lot longer than that to be honest.

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Guest Roger Kint

Benitez, Pellegrini, Rodgers, Moyes, Rudi Garcia.... some big names being linked, I hope there's some truth in there.

 

It went well in January when so many good managers were linked :thup:

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FWIW:

 

Was told through work a while ago that Charnley asked around a lot before the game against Liverpool, one of those he asked for advice was Wendy Taylor (which tells its own story). After we won that game they cooled things and decided to buy in January. So they've been close to axe him before.

 

Keith Bishop is still heavily involved behind the scenes. Suggestion is Ashley has no intention whatsoever to sell but, according to Bishop, "could wake up one day and decide its time".

 

Who is Wendy Taylor?

 

Head of Media, I think. At least that was her former role.

 

May be a stupid question, but why would he need her advice to change manager?

 

Let's face it, it's a fair bet she probably knows more about football than him.

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The general consensus is that McClaren will take us down if he stays, we all know this. The club have to realise this too, Ashley was obviously concerned enough to spend in January, how can the club not be utterly shitting it right now?

 

Every day that passes is us closer to the drop, and for Mike.. missing out on all that tv cash

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The general consensus is that McClaren will take us down if he stays, we all know this. The club have to realise this too, Ashley was obviously concerned enough to spend in January, how can the club not be utterly shitting it right now?

 

Every day that passes is us closer to the drop, and for Mike.. missing out on all that tv cash

 

History repeating itself again, Ashley authorised the spending when Pardew began his melt and we just avoided relegation then.  Stuck with carver when we were in a total nose dive but didn't spend money, just survived.  There is one common link, shit managers, not sure when Ashley is going to twigg that a decent manager is worth their weight in gold.

 

If we replace Stevie wonder it will be with another turd.

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The players are bigger c***s than McClaren, f***ing ridiculous how many mercenaries exist in our squad.

 

It's as if they know the club has no ambition and has been selling itself as a stepping stone...

 

Exactly.  They know they won't be here for more than a couple of years at most so why should they care.  If we get relegated, they will be off anyway.

 

 

Why should they care? Because it's their job, career, life? And if they act like they don't care, we as fans have the right to criticise them for it, the same as we do for Pardew/Carver/McClaren. 

 

There's a narrative peddled by some that the players are complete victims of shit management and have every right to turn in the usual basement level of performance.

 

All parties need to be held responsible from board level through to the coaching staff and through to the pitch. They've all contributed to a culture of unambition and balance sheet lead mediocrity. We are barely any better than Villa.

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It's telling from that article that many of the senior players are shocked that McClaren hasn't been sacked already. Players clearly are wondering about the ambition of the club, regardless of the gutless performances they put in (which are indisputably linked to the lack of ambition from the very top).

 

As the wonderful, eloquent question put forward in the Fans Forum asked: why is failure constantly being rewarded at NUFC? The manager can do absolutely anything without the fear of getting the sack. In the Shepherd days the mere thought of losing 0-3 at home to Sunderland and 0-6 (!) at home to Liverpool would've seen Pardew strung out by the fat man and the fans would've been in revolt.

 

Now there's just heads-in-the-sand behaviour from the club and stockholm syndrome from the fans who're remaining.

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Desperate. That's the keyword that makes this season different from all the other previous seasons. Forget about all the shit decisions Ashley and co. have made when we were in a similar position previously. January is a perfect example of how desperate and worried they were that McClaren was dragging us down. They splashed the cash in hope that it would pay off. It hasn't. Now it's getting even more desperate.

 

They have 1 more roll of the dice and they have to make it count by removing McClaren and getting a reputable, successful replacement. Not a cheap, has-been used up piece of turd. Not Kinnear, Pardew, Carver nor dare I say it Shearer type of manager. Get that manager that might cost you money now but that would just be peanuts with the new tv cash coming.

 

10 games is enough amount of games to get us away from the drop. The run in is kind to us more than our rivals. The players we have are more than capable of securing safety and finishing outside the bottom 3. We're only in it right now on goal difference. Keep McClaren and we'll stay there until May.

 

A win against Bournemouth won't be good enough. We know what will happen in the next game and we've got the derby in two weeks time. How desperate Ashley & co. are will determine which league we play in next season.

 

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The fact is NUFC don't even need to appoint a full time replacement. Just offer Benítez (or whoever) the job until the end of the season with a nice big bonus if they keep NUFC in the Premiership. NUFC have little to lose and everything to gain by doing this now. If they save us and then fancy the job full time then discuss a longer contract then.

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Anyone actively hoping for a defeat tomorrow to see what might happen?

 

Yes I am. I told my mate that, and he was giving it " oh you can't want us to lose" why the f*** not! McClaren sets up to lose every f***ing week what's the difference.

 

Hope the 9 day gap from our next fixture gives fatty the chance to slap penfold and go get Moyes or Rafa in.

 

I'll give up watching for the rest of this season if he's not dismissed after another defeat though.

 

Seen some stats somewhere, and he's now officially our worst manager of all time. Behind Kinnear,Souness,Carver etc

 

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If it's true that Benitez is genuinely interested in replacing Mclaren I wouldn't wait until we lose to Bournemouth to appoint him.  Bin Mclaren today and get Rafa in.  I'd bin Mclaren even if we beat Bournemouth because it probably won't be a convincing win.

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Benitez, Pellegrini, Rodgers, Moyes, Rudi Garcia.... some big names being linked, I hope there's some truth in there.

 

It went well in January when so many good managers were linked :thup:

 

You're forgetting the erection-inducing summer recruitment drive spanning 80+ candidates.

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If it's true that Benitez is genuinely interested in replacing Mclaren I wouldn't wait until we lose to Bournemouth to appoint him.  Bin Mclaren today and get Rafa in.  I'd bin Mclaren even if we beat Bournemouth because it probably won't be a convincing win.

I agree with this one hundred percent. This whole "lose and you're gone, win and you still have a job" thing is crazy. If it's gotten to that point, one win won't change anything. Just get rid of him now or regardless of the result and go get someone who can do the job while there's still time.

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