WhatTheFunk Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 How often does one hear the phrase "Only at Newcastle"? When it comes to anything related to the club? We are the club that has showcased some of the premiership's most scintillating and enigmatic players (Ginola, Asprilla, Robert). We have had some of the best goalscorers around for years (Cole, Ferdinand, Shearer). We have been tagged in the media as a club that doesn't know the meaning of defence, and have had some of the most shocking defenders the league has ever known (too many to mention). We clearly have a defined personality as a football club, which has always promised to deliver, yet always flattered to deceive. Only at Newcastle would you lead the premiership by 15 points, only to end up falling flat on our faces. Only at Newcastle would 100 million people turn out to welcome a sheet metal worker's son return home after top scoring at an international tournament. Only at Newcastle would you have sat there with your heart in your mouth until the 99th minute against Feyenoord only to win the game at the death and qualify to the next round of the champions' league having lost the first 3 games. Only at Newcastle would you lose a 3rd round Carling Cup match at home to Wigan's reserves. Only at Newcastle would you buy England's best goalscorer since Bobby Charlton and have him play as many games as the figure he was signed for before writing him off as a has-been. I have chosen the above events almost at random, and you could insert many many more that would make you think the same thing....Only at Newcastle. The point I'm trying to make is that we are a special club. We know it, and despite their apparent hatred for us, the media knows it. Opposing fans and managers know it. This is a club with a unique character, and its no use trying to pretend that we're conventional. We're not your Boro's, or Pompeys, or Villas, or even Arsenals and Chelseas for that matter. This club is as unpredictible as it can get. Success in football has always been built on a successful marriage between the fans, players, manager and ownership, regardless of who these individuals are. We have the enigmatic and unpredictible fanbase, and now the enigmatic Mike Ashley at the helm. Our playing staff possibly does not match our character, which is why they haven't performed. Sam Allardyce was conventional, which is why he has failed to perform. Now the question is, where do we go to find that one man, that one enigma who will come in, accept and understand us for what we are? Where do we go to find that one man who displays the same characteristics this city and this club possess, without even trying because he is just that way? I know it's certainly not the conventional man we're looking for. We don't need a Harry Redknapp, or a Mark Hughes. Maybe not even a Hitzfeld or a Lippi. We need a Kevin Keegan or a Bobby Robson. Someone who's charisma and charm will win you the game before it's been played. Where do we go to find the man who will stand in the dugout at the end of the game, and no matter the result, will have you shaking your head and thinking....Only at Newcastle. Jose is that you?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hoop Blah Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Someone who's charisma and charm will win you the game before it's been played. Where do we go to find the man who will stand in the dugout at the end of the game, and no matter the result, will have you shaking your head and thinking....Only at Newcastle. Jose is that you?? To be fair that sounds like your describing Redknapp there, or at least if you listen to his players talk about him it is. As for the media hating your club, I think thats just typical supporter paranoia. I do think you're spot on about a club having it's own personality though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I don't really agree that any of those things could have happened 'only at newcastle', I mean Man Utd won the champs league in the last minute... I'm sure every club's fans have stories like those. I was one of the people who said "Newcastle fan's don't need attractive football, we just want success"... but I'm changing my mind about that one. Although Sam didn't deliver either, so we don't really know the answer. I do know what you mean about the feeling that we are a special club, but the head says that every big club probably thinks the same... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 It's the 'only at Newcastle' thing that's a part of the problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 See, that's what I used to think as well. But it just seems to be part of the make-up of the club. It's just the way things have always been in all my 14 years as a supporter (I'm 28). Maybe we just have to accept it, and go along for the ride. For the record, I'm not saying we're the ONLY special club. All I'm saying is that we need someone who will match the club's character. We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Good performances, good accounts of ourselves against better sides, some progression, understanding, and winning football against the cloggers and I think that'd probably sort out a lot of the problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Logic Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 For the last 6 months, or more, we've been one of the cloggers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_69 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I totally agree about this being a special club - a one off. And I believe it needs a character in charge. Unfortunately there seems to be no place at the top of the modern game for characters. Other than Jose i struggle to think of anyone else. There are one or two in the lower leagues - Boothroyd, Holloway, Warnock and one that i can think of in the Scottish league - Strachan, but other than that the game is full of serious, dour, emotionless managers. Hughes, Grant, Wenger, Allardyce, Bruce, Benitez, Jewell, Hodgson, Ramos - barely a personality between them. Unfortunately i think the nearest you can get to a character in the Prem is Harry Redknapp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I totally agree about this being a special club - a one off. And I believe it needs a character in charge. Unfortunately there seems to be no place at the top of the modern game for characters. Other than Jose i struggle to think of anyone else. There are one or two in the lower leagues - Boothroyd, Holloway, Warnock and one that i can think of in the Scottish league - Strachan, but other than that the game is full of serious, dour, emotionless managers. Hughes, Grant, Wenger, Allardyce, Bruce, Benitez, Jewell, Hodgson, Ramos - barely a personality between them. Unfortunately i think the nearest you can get to a character in the Prem is Harry Redknapp. Exactly. Don't know about Redknapp. Not "special" enough for me. You're right in that he does have character.....just a bit too much of a southern man maybe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I totally agree about this being a special club - a one off. And I believe it needs a character in charge. Unfortunately there seems to be no place at the top of the modern game for characters. Other than Jose i struggle to think of anyone else. There are one or two in the lower leagues - Boothroyd, Holloway, Warnock and one that i can think of in the Scottish league - Strachan, but other than that the game is full of serious, dour, emotionless managers. Hughes, Grant, Wenger, Allardyce, Bruce, Benitez, Jewell, Hodgson, Ramos - barely a personality between them. Unfortunately i think the nearest you can get to a character in the Prem is Harry Redknapp. Exactly. Don't know about Redknapp. Not "special" enough for me. You're right in that he does have character.....just a bit too much of a southern man maybe? I always thought he hated us tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_69 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Don't get me wrong though I'm not championing Redknapp, and i certainly wouldn't turn down a Wenger, Ferguson or Benitez but i would at least like our new man to have a personality. Allardyce's post-match interviews (when he could be arsed to give them himself) were painful to watch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karjala Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Only at Newcastle would the supporters rightly want the best manager possible, only to be given one equally as good/bad as the last one, and be in the same position 18 months down the line. Only at Newcastle would we replace Bobby Robson with fuckin Graeme Souness! I agree with your post Toon4Life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzie1980 Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 See, that's what I used to think as well. But it just seems to be part of the make-up of the club. It's just the way things have always been in all my 14 years as a supporter (I'm 28). Maybe we just have to accept it, and go along for the ride. For the record, I'm not saying we're the ONLY special club. All I'm saying is that we need someone who will match the club's character. We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Only became a fan since the aged of 14?!? What the hell were you doing in the years previous?! Coinsided with the time we were back in the top flight and one of the better teams! I'm 27 and have been going to games since the 87/88 season. I have seen the shit! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzza Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Good article and perhaps that is just what we need. A jose, a vaan gal perhaps or even Klinsmann has that "feel good" aura about him... Sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle.... can't get better than NUFC! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Before the start of the season, most football supporters would have described SA as four of those five things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Parka Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Good article and perhaps that is just what we need. A jose, a vaan gal perhaps or even Klinsmann has that "feel good" aura about him... Sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle.... can't get better than NUFC! Is your sig a joke? Or do you really think Nesta would come here? We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Before the start of the season, most football supporters would have described SA as four of those five things. To be fair he was all of those things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Li3nZ Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Were we 15 points ahead of Manure? I thought it was "only" 12 or 13!? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzza Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 My sig is the "new dawn" about to rise at Newcastle United... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 See, that's what I used to think as well. But it just seems to be part of the make-up of the club. It's just the way things have always been in all my 14 years as a supporter (I'm 28). Maybe we just have to accept it, and go along for the ride. For the record, I'm not saying we're the ONLY special club. All I'm saying is that we need someone who will match the club's character. We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Only became a fan since the aged of 14?!? What the hell were you doing in the years previous?! Coinsided with the time we were back in the top flight and one of the better teams! I'm 27 and have been going to games since the 87/88 season. I have seen the s***! I'm not a Geordie and not from Newcastle. Does that give you a clue? Actually became a fan during the promotion season (admittedly it was the black and white stripes, and a female interest that swayed me at the time). Hey if I was a glory hunter, I would have walked long ago Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatTheFunk Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Good article and perhaps that is just what we need. A jose, a vaan gal perhaps or even Klinsmann has that "feel good" aura about him... Sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacle.... can't get better than NUFC! Is your sig a joke? Or do you really think Nesta would come here? We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Before the start of the season, most football supporters would have described SA as four of those five things. To be fair he was all of those things. Absolutely right. That was why I was thrilled when he first joined. However, his short tenure here was nothing but tame, which is why he ulitmately failed to impress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzie1980 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 See, that's what I used to think as well. But it just seems to be part of the make-up of the club. It's just the way things have always been in all my 14 years as a supporter (I'm 28). Maybe we just have to accept it, and go along for the ride. For the record, I'm not saying we're the ONLY special club. All I'm saying is that we need someone who will match the club's character. We're loud, abnoxious, entertaining, controversial, passionate, etc.etc... We need someone who is the same. Only became a fan since the aged of 14?!? What the hell were you doing in the years previous?! Coinsided with the time we were back in the top flight and one of the better teams! I'm 27 and have been going to games since the 87/88 season. I have seen the s***! I'm not a Geordie and not from Newcastle. Does that give you a clue? Actually became a fan during the promotion season (admittedly it was the black and white stripes, and a female interest that swayed me at the time). Hey if I was a glory hunter, I would have walked long ago Fair enough mate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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