Alex Ferguson thinks we are all nuts

[Rich]

He's good mates with Allardyce though, much like Phil Brown is (who has also made comments defending him.)

[Thespence]

He's good mates with Allardyce though, much like Phil Brown is (who has also made comments defending him.)

 

Found this one which has them all Sir Alex,Phil Brown & Steve Bruce.

 

Newcastle supporters have been told to "take a reality check" by Sam Allardyce's former assistant Phil Brown.

 

Magpies manager Allardyce, who only took over at St James' Park in the summer is coming under increasing pressure from fans after a disappointing run of results.

 

But Hull boss Brown, who worked under Allardyce at Bolton, told BBC Radio Five Live: "The sooner all parties - including supporters, including the media - take a reality check (the better).

 

"Newcastle have only won one trophy in the last 50 years.

 

"All of a sudden, a new man comes to the helm and everyone expects immediate success. It's ridiculous to expect it.

 

"Unless you get a £100million purse, as in Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, or a lot of money such as Sven-Goran Eriksson at Man City, I think it's ridiculous to expect immediate success."

 

Allardyce arrived at St James' Park with a reputation for playing less attractive football than that which the supporters usually demand.

 

But Brown insisted such a tag was unfair, pointing out the number of "world-class" players he brought to the Reebok Stadium.

 

"The list is endless of world-class players. Do you expect them to play long football?" Brown said, before urging the Newcastle board to back Allardyce in the January transfer window.

 

"He needs to get to the transfer window.

 

"He needs to bring in players that he wants to bring into the football club."

 

Brown said he has no doubt Allardyce will transform the club's fortunes.

 

He said: "The guy needs time. It's back to the old Sir Alex Ferguson adage where, three years into the job he was staring at the sack, 21 years later he's won everything."

 

Ferguson himself echoed Brown's comments.

 

He said: "It seems to me as soon as Newcastle lose a game, the manager's career is threatened.

 

"I would be astounded if they got rid of Sam. I am convinced that of all the managers they have had, he is capable of doing better than most.

 

"They have to say to themselves 'Look, we need to give this time'."

 

Ferguson still cannot believe the decision to dispense with Sir Bobby Robson's services in 2004, a move he felt defied all logic.

 

And, to an extent, the United boss feels a club who have not won a major trophy in over half a century are suffering from unrealistic expectations raised by a five-goal hammering of his own team on Tyneside 11 years ago.

 

"The worst thing that happened to Newcastle was when they beat us 5-0," Ferguson added.

 

"How many years ago was that? But since then, they seem to think they should win every game 5-0.

 

"I am not sure the Newcastle job is one you would want to take.

 

"I will certainly never understand why they got rid of Bobby Robson given his experience and enthusiasm, plus the fact he is a Geordie."

 

Wigan boss Steve Bruce has also leapt to Allardyce's defence.

 

Bruce cannot understand why Newcastle would ditch someone with such an impressive track record quite so quickly.

 

"Being under pressure is part and parcel of the job now - but it is bordering on the ludicrous now," he said.

 

"If you don't get an instant impact now, you can find yourself out of a job after eight or 10 games. What heart does that give anybody?

 

"I spoke to Sam yesterday. It was typical of him to ring and congratulate us on our performance.

 

"As I keep stressing, the job he did at Bolton proves he is a good manager. Who could have done a better job than that? What has changed?"

 

Bruce feels the trigger-happy clubs are sending out totally the wrong message to aspiring coaches.

 

"It takes the best part of five years to get your coaching badges to try and manage at the top level," he said.

 

"You can do all that hard work and be in a job for three months before you get shown the door."

[garth]

As I have said in other threads if we sack him now we will be the laughing stock of the football world. Sam I have to say wasn't my choice in the first place, but when i think about it now I think it was the right one and given time and the players he would like to have he could turn things around for us and "time is the key here" it's not going to happen overnight and it'll probably take at least a season just get things happening at the club, you have to remember this club was in dire straits and if you think we can get a quick fix, you need a reality check!.

[PM]

As I have said in other threads if we sack him now we will be the laughing stock of the football world.

 

To be honest, we already are, but you're right in that this will only compound things.

[hallihg]

Lets just give Allardyce the rest of the season, maybe hes a bad manager, maybe hes a good one, but hell never get us relegated. So lets give him a chance until next summer..

[Mick]

Would Ferguson want us to have a good manager or a poor manager?

[merlin]

He says it is becoming a job no one will ever want, especially if we sack Sam. He thinks if anyone can turn us around it will be Allardyce. Allardyce also has a bit to say too and it does seem sensible, but my goodness it is hard to take what we have been served up recently.

 

Interesting stuff ...

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3105861.ece

 

They are mates aren't they.

 

I'm sure he's got our best interests at heart...Like f*** he has.

 

Yeah there mates & have been seen sitting next to each other at LMA do's & at a Labour party pow-wow. To be fair to Sir Alex he has talked about the number of managers we have had in his time at Man Utd before.  He sometimes mentions us when he does his after dinner speaking says something about Newcastle being the only place the local paper can  sell a extra 20'000 copies on the back of headline left back injured & it turns out it is a reserve player.

 

Deep down Sir Alex has soft spot for us

 

Deep down he has an unreasoning phobia about us, you mean - he knows that we almost toppled them in 96, and that if we had, they would have had a club battling them for the next 5-10 years with almost as much support potential as them...

See my comments about this on the 'If not Sam then Who?' thread.

[merlin]

Regardless of how you rate Big Sam, the point that Ferguson is making about the expectations of the majority of fans is right. A lot of people were talking like we should go to Wigan and win comfortably. Sorry, but Wigan aren't that bad and we're not that good. Only a top four club can look at Wigan away like that. Some people still have their heads in the Keegan era.

 

Howay man. Did you see the Wigan game or what? Or the Derby game? Fulham? Derby away? sunderland?

 

These are teams that get humiliated on a regular basis and we huffed and puffed in an attempt to get a point against all of them.

 

Once is fine, twice is tolerable, but every bloody week?

 

Wullie, lower your expectations, you're expecting too much.

 

For the last three seasons we've been a mid-table side that has had the occaisonal flirtation with the relegation zone. That's the reality and that's not going to be turned around quickly.

 

Of the sides mentioned, Derby are the only ones who are really poor. An away game against the others isn't a cakewalk for a midtable side.

 

I'm not saying Big Sam hasn't made mistakes. He's finding out about the players and has probably made too many changes. But he's got to be given more than half a season.

 

A cakewalk? We had one shot and it was exactly the same at Fulham, Derby and the SoS. Four games and the best chance in any was our centre half against Derby. That is not acceptable, I don't care how you dress it up.

 

You're exaggerating, and ignoring some of the better performances.

 

I'm frustrated as well. I expected things to be better. But Ferguson's underlying point is that the pressure exerted by the fans is doing more harm than good, and he's right on that one. Moyes at Everton, Hughes at Blackburn, Redknapp at Portsmouth have all been through difficult times, but look at them now.

 

I'm not exaggerating actually. Rozehnal vs Derby was our best chance in those games. We went for a point in every game and were dreadful each time.

 

Well I seem to remember that we did well in the first half against Fulham, but we're getting bogged down in details which I'm too pissed to remember well at the moment.

 

The bigger picture is that Big Sam is on a learning curve. He is in a new job, with new players, trying to make sense of the aftermath of what's been left over from three previous managers who were operating under an interfering chairman. In that situation, you're not going to get everything right first time. Give him a chance to learn his lessons, get the players in that he needs, and then judge him.

 

A Learning Curve, for heavens' sake !??

He's supposed to be an EXPERIENCED manager - that is why he gets 3m a year, he's not Alan Shearer dropped in at the deep end ...Oh wait, maybe that's NEXT week !

Seriously, this is no excuse - if he doesn't know that players should be played in the best positions, or that

6m is a lot to spend on a fullback you don't have any confidence in, OR that most of your signings are going off to the African Nations' Cup halfway through a season, he shouldn'r either have the job, OR be getting such an outrageous salary.

[Ericz]

Ferguson has made a very valid point.

 

If anybody thinks that he's that good with managing a game (not football manager (that's just a game, not reality), choosing the right players and tactics, managing the players, why not try out the newcastle job?

 

 

Regards,

Ericz

[eaststar]

just read the whole article.

 

Sam's comments are spot on and he provides the exact reasons why I'll stick by him.

 

[Zero]

Sounds like the Newcastle Manager job is actually notorious within the industry rather than attractive.

 

I do wonder if we sack Sam now, who are willing to come, may be the best prospect is Jol, which is a nightmare for us.

The problem is that the fans are so impatient that even the players have given up their patience for the manager and refuse to work under his system.

Wasn't Sam saying a lot of times that the team doesn't suppose to play like that?

 

[Guest Dr. Richard Kimble]

The worst thing that happened to Newcastle was when they beat us 5-0

 

What an egomaniac.

 

How many years ago was that?

 

I bet he's still sticking pins into his Phillipe Albert devil doll.

 

I agree with him about Sir Bobby though - Shep's one man Pearl Harbor.

[Guest saintscoobz]

Come on it would be abolutely ridiculous to sack Big Sam now.  I cant believe there are people even contemplating the idea!  Fair enough we have been woeful at times this season, (i think the only performance i was pleased with was the draw against arsenal) but we aren't going to get relegated.

 

Sam is respected throughout the footballing world, he is a 'proven' good coach, imagine sacking him after half a season!  To replace him with who?  Sam has to stay. 

 

However he does have to start to play a certain way to completely win my confidence.  I dont actually mind losing to the likes of derby and wigan, but i do expect to see my team play football with a bit of heart, i need to see them actually battle and try to win the games.

 

Playing N'zgobia at left back and Milner on the left of Attack/Midfield is just baffling, in those two we have two of the most promising players in the league and they are repeatedly being asked to do a job that doesnt suit them.

 

We have to stick with Sam, but Sams got to sort it out.  Quick.

[Guest iliketoonarmy]

Come on it would be abolutely ridiculous to sack Big Sam now.  I cant believe there are people even contemplating the idea!  Fair enough we have been woeful at times this season, (i think the only performance i was pleased with was the draw against arsenal) but we aren't going to get relegated.

 

Sam is respected throughout the footballing world, he is a 'proven' good coach, imagine sacking him after half a season!  To replace him with who?  Sam has to stay. 

 

However he does have to start to play a certain way to completely win my confidence.  I dont actually mind losing to the likes of derby and wigan, but i do expect to see my team play football with a bit of heart, i need to see them actually battle and try to win the games.

 

Playing N'zgobia at left back and Milner on the left of Attack/Midfield is just baffling, in those two we have two of the most promising players in the league and they are repeatedly being asked to do a job that doesnt suit them.

 

We have to stick with Sam, but Sams got to sort it out.  Quick.

 

"proven" a good coach,but you miss the most important point that he is not proven a "trophy" coach.

[Tsunami]

Managers are judged on results & performances; after over 6 months in the job our's are going backwards not forwards & his major signing is in custody.

 

Of course he should be under pressure; we shouldn't be served up shit after 6 months. I'd like to think he can turn it around but he is making it bloody hard for people to support him. Our displays are rank & the players clearly do not like or can perform to the tactics.

[Jaehyun]

Honestly, I don't think any of this would be happening if Sam would simply give a reasonable explanation for the negative away tactics and sometimes baffling team selection. Why purchase Enrique if N'zogbia is going to be first choice despite not being a defender? The in game performances and general silence from the manager is what leads to such acrimony

 

This is quite honestly the most sensible post I have ever seen on any NUFC board. If Mr Allardyce could explain his reasoning behind such negative away tactics and team selections - and it made any sense - then yes - we would give him time. At the moment we make it easy for every single team we play - they know exactly how we are going to play. The way it looks at the moment ain't nice - we are without doubt the worst footballing side in the Premiership. And it really does hurt me to say that. We go out not to lose and the problem is we do lose - and against very very poor teams.

But a manager who always has to defend his decisions when things go wrong, loses authority and loses face infront of his players. Managers need to have a bit of stubbornness, they should acknowledge their faults to themselves, but not to the press. I think we all need to f**k off, get a grip and stick by Big Sam for a few seasons.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

I wouldn't say its the fans that much tbf.  If you havn't gone to your local newsagents yet this morning, I honestly suggest you do, or go on the websites of all the newspapers.  Fucking hell, nearly every single one is reporting about the situation at our club.  They're baying for blood!

 

Honestly, I think I've heard more on the TV/radio about Allardyce facing the sack than I have of the killing of Benazir Bhutto!

[Guest Brewcastle]

Honestly, I don't think any of this would be happening if Sam would simply give a reasonable explanation for the negative away tactics and sometimes baffling team selection. Why purchase Enrique if N'zogbia is going to be first choice despite not being a defender? The in game performances and general silence from the manager is what leads to such acrimony

 

This is quite honestly the most sensible post I have ever seen on any NUFC board. If Mr Allardyce could explain his reasoning behind such negative away tactics and team selections - and it made any sense - then yes - we would give him time. At the moment we make it easy for every single team we play - they know exactly how we are going to play. The way it looks at the moment ain't nice - we are without doubt the worst footballing side in the Premiership. And it really does hurt me to say that. We go out not to lose and the problem is we do lose - and against very very poor teams.

100% agree !

 

[Lloydie]

Ferguson's right, and Allardyce should stay. And WarrenBarton's got a point, the media do a lot to stoke this and they do it because it's Newcastle. People do buy papers when they see stories about us, not just in the North East, but further south as well. Write a 'Crisis on the Tyne' headline, stick on a picture of fat bloke in tears and a toon shirt, throw in a dash of player misbehaviour and you've got a decent 'lets all laugh at the Geordies story' right there. It's all Keegan's bloody fault... ;-)

 

(Incidentally, this makes interesting reading, we all expected to finish 7-8 this season http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=40144.0 )

 

This season hasn't been pretty, and the football could have been better but I do think Allardyce is making progress on a few fronts. First the squad looks a lot healthier, I can't see the likes of Pattison or Ramage getting a game again, and buying players like Tozer seems like a sensible thing to be doing. Personally I'm still annoyed that we sold Parker and brought in Barton who I said would end up in jail (I know, it's only temporary, but he's working on it isn't he?) but other than that the buying and selling's been good. I mean he sold Kieron Dyer for good money!

 

Discipline seems a bit better as well. It's Christmas and so far only one players been in the papers for being an idiot! This is a serious point though, both Souness and Roeder were done in by the squad - clearly there were a bunch of players who once they'd decided they didn't like the manager started whispering to the chairman and then it was over. I get the feeling Mort and Allardyce won't be going that way and we're probably only a couple of sales (Carr?) from clearing out that particular kind of cancer.

 

What I'm hoping for in January is that he'll be able to bring in the player or players he needs to get the team into a decent shape on the pitch. Sooner or later Enrique's got to step into the first team, that frees up N'zogbia, Milner can go somewhere more useful, Barton can stay inside and really we just need to work out what we're supposed to be doing with our front 3 or 2 or however many they are.

 

I can see us finishing the season somewhere between 8th and 12th  which isn't great, but it's not firing time either. Next season I'd be looking for a definite top 10, probably top 8. For me the model is probably Moyes at Everton, steady stable progress off the pitch and (mostly) progress on it.

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

Ferguson's wrong. The worst thing Newcastle ever did was not managing to beat Man U to the title in 95/96.

 

We aren't in any immediate danger of going down. We are mid-table so all the media and other managers wonder what we the fans are moaning about. The reason is because we are awful to watch. Losing to crap like Wigan and Derby. Scraping draws against Sunderland, Derby, Fulham, etc. I don't expect us to beat the top teams but I do expect us to play to win against the bottom teams. Allardyce would buy himself time if he'd send the team out to win. The square pegs in round holes team selection doesn't help him either. He doesn't seem to be able to motivate the players. When is the last time we started each half by flying out of the blocks?

 

Spending £6 Million on the none goal scoring striker Alan Smith was a s*** idea as was the £5.8 Million on Barton by the looks of things.

 

I'm happy with what Allardyce is supposedly doing behind the scenes at the club (Scouting network, Youth Development, Fitness, Medical, etc) but he needs to do 'ok' on the match days to buy the time in order to finish that job.

[NE6]

He says it is becoming a job no one will ever want, especially if we sack Sam. He thinks if anyone can turn us around it will be Allardyce. Allardyce also has a bit to say too and it does seem sensible, but my goodness it is hard to take what we have been served up recently.

 

Interesting stuff ...

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3105861.ece

 

They are mates aren't they.

 

I'm sure he's got our best interests at heart...Like fuck he has.

 

He just looks at it as an easy six points as long as fatty is at the helm, taking him one step closer to the title

[Cronky]

Honestly, I don't think any of this would be happening if Sam would simply give a reasonable explanation for the negative away tactics and sometimes baffling team selection. Why purchase Enrique if N'zogbia is going to be first choice despite not being a defender? The in game performances and general silence from the manager is what leads to such acrimony

 

This is quite honestly the most sensible post I have ever seen on any NUFC board. If Mr Allardyce could explain his reasoning behind such negative away tactics and team selections - and it made any sense - then yes - we would give him time. At the moment we make it easy for every single team we play - they know exactly how we are going to play. The way it looks at the moment ain't nice - we are without doubt the worst footballing side in the Premiership. And it really does hurt me to say that. We go out not to lose and the problem is we do lose - and against very very poor teams.

100% agree !

 

 

Hang on hang on. Big Sam does explain his team selections and his tactics and is more open about that than the majority of managers. A lot of people disagree with him but he can't be accused of being silent.

 

For example - he has said that Enrique is still not used to Premiership football, and he sees Zoggy as a more effective weapon from left back as he then has space to run into. He's more difficult to mark out of the game, if you like. As I say, disagree if you want, but he's made his reasoning clear.

[Cronky]

He says it is becoming a job no one will ever want, especially if we sack Sam. He thinks if anyone can turn us around it will be Allardyce. Allardyce also has a bit to say too and it does seem sensible, but my goodness it is hard to take what we have been served up recently.

 

Interesting stuff ...

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3105861.ece

 

They are mates aren't they.

 

I'm sure he's got our best interests at heart...Like fuck he has.

 

He just looks at it as an easy six points as long as fatty is at the helm, taking him one step closer to the title

 

Now come on, guys. In your hearts of hearts do you really, really believe that? Ferguson thinks Allardyce is a crap manager and he wants to keep him here in order to keep the threat of Newcastle at bay?

 

If so, Fergie should have added 'paranoia' on to 'impatience'.

[Big Geordie]

Taggart has made some good points, but managers will always stick up for their kinsmen, especially when they happen to be pals. Perhaps folk would have more patience for Allardyce if he wasn't playing players out of position and playing so negatively away from home. Some of his sides have been sent out not to lose a game, instead of trying to win it. When you do that, you are asking for trouble.

 

I feel he'll be given until the summer and then replaced.  Newcastle isn't an unmanagable club, it just needs the right man to take us forward. This arguement about the expectations of fans is complete arse - all the majority of us want to see is the club making some progress and trying to play good football. At present the side has regressed and the buck has to stop with the manager for that.

[Teasy]

Ferguson is a brilliant manager, but like everyone else looking at this from outside he hasn't got a f****** clue what he's talking about here and should shut his mouth.

 

You know, I almost hope Allardyce doesn't get sacked just so all these ignorant fuckwits can be proven wrong, almost....