The Times: New "Continental" Setup at NUFC (Wise, Jimenez, Vetere)

[Dave]

What worries me most about this is that at the end of the day, football is still very basically a results business. Whatever work and structure is done off the pitch, if Keegan struggles to get it right his position will come under fire. Then what? I don't know, maybe I'd feel much more secure with someone like Mourinho (I know, I know) as manager whilst all this is going on. At least then we'd have a proven winner in the job, with experience (good and bad) of working under these kind of tiered management systems.

 

We've all been crying out for some kind of forward-thinking structure of this nature for years, so from that perspective this is all very exciting, but if results aren't good enough where they matter, on the pitch, will it all end in tears?

 

I really hope not. Being cynical is all too easy for me.

[Guest criminalz]

Looks good to me...but hey..what do i know.

[steve_69]

The benefit of this system is that if the manager is not performing he can be removed without having to restructure the entire system, we just have to replace one cog.

 

Keegan can focus solely on first team affairs with no distractions. We have a proper scouting network identifying players, a specialist in place to close the deals when the manager confirms he wants a player, and an up-and-coming manager overseeing academy developments.

 

As far as i can see he's more likely to succeed with this structure in place because he only has one job to concentrate on.

[Dave]

The benefit of this system is that if the manager is not performing he can be removed without having to restructure the entire system, we just have to replace one cog.

 

Keegan can focus solely on first team affairs with no distractions. We have a proper scouting network identifying players, a specialist in place to close the deals when the manager confirms he wants a player, and an up-and-coming manager overseeing academy developments.

 

As far as i can see he's more likely to succeed with this structure in place because he only has one job to concentrate on.

 

Fair comment, and a very sensible approach.

[Yorkie]

It's an exciting prospect and as people have said, we've been crying out for a forward-thinking structure for a good few years now. It's proven to be one of the most successful methods of, erm, success...

 

One thing that worries me though is the Dennis Wise thing. I know, we've been back and forth, but i'm still not sure about the position. It's not so much the man; if he was in as an assistant manager than i'd be quite happy because he's had years in top football and has done well as a lower tier manager. But a director of football? One thing that concerns me most is Keegan not making his own signings. That can cause ruptions...

 

Academy players, absolutely. But is that as far as it goes, has that been confirmed?

 

Intrigued and a still a little bit confused.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We wanted a new broom, a fresh start from the Shephard era - looks like that is exactly what we're getting. The Keegan appointment could be criticised for being sentimental and backward-looking, but this is anything but... so let's give it all a chance to work.

 

I always rated Wise as being much more astute and clever as a manager than he was thought of as a player, and Jimenez and Vetere also have good pedigree it seems.

 

And Dave, you're right about this being a results business... there's no getting away from that. But it's great that we seem to be building a long-term system in the background, that can continue even when a manager is replaced (agree with Steve).

[Doug]

All we can do is do our bit and get behind the set up. After all the staff want success whoever they are. We can give our support and help it along.

We can be the counterbalance to the scheming and malice of the press who want to undermine our club and bring it all down. (sells more papers). the Sun this morning is so overtly anti Newcastle without having a story to be almost laughable.

 

Doug.

[SUPERTOON]

I will support whoever comes in aslong as Keegan has agreed to it and is ok with it and has full control of the team

[Yorkie]

I believe that newcastle are wasting there time with wise. Nigel Pearson is in the set up, past england Under 21 coach and knows his stuff. Terry Mac, been at the club since the last keegan era, played for us, know the club inside out and knows the fans. where is wise goin to  fit in. he doesnt have the experience to be a DIRECTOR of FOOTBALL, especially at a club like ours.

 

Im worried that mike ashley is bringin in big names in the back room staff aswell , i heard a property developer from london and an ex-Real Madrid scout are now on the board in some form. i hope he knows what he is doing. Im worried that the boards support for keegan in gettin abit dry and i think that hell will break out with the clash or responsiblity at the club.

 

(From Tino, friend of Y-G)

[Martin Lol]

What worries me most about this is that at the end of the day, football is still very basically a results business. Whatever work and structure is done off the pitch, if Keegan struggles to get it right his position will come under fire. Then what? I don't know, maybe I'd feel much more secure with someone like Mourinho (I know, I know) as manager whilst all this is going on. At least then we'd have a proven winner in the job, with experience (good and bad) of working under these kind of tiered management systems.

 

We've all been crying out for some kind of forward-thinking structure of this nature for years, so from that perspective this is all very exciting, but if results aren't good enough where they matter, on the pitch, will it all end in tears?

 

I really hope not. Being cynical is all too easy for me.

 

You bring in someone who is more conversant with this style of management and is comfortable in the role.  That would almost certainly mean a continental coach.

[Martin Lol]

Tino,

 

I believe that newcastle are wasting there time with wise. Nigel Pearson is in the set up, past england Under 21 coach and knows his stuff. Terry Mac, been at the club since the last keegan era, played for us, know the club inside out and knows the fans. where is wise goin to  fit in. he doesnt have the experience to be a DIRECTOR of FOOTBALL, especially at a club like ours.

 

Im worried that mike ashley is bringin in big names in the back room staff aswell , i heard a property developer from london and an ex-Real Madrid scout are now on the board in some form. i hope he knows what he is doing. Im worried that the boards support for keegan in gettin abit dry and i think that hell will break out with the clash or responsiblity at the club.

 

As I said in one thread or other, Vetere was wanted by Arnesen to join Spurs when Vetere was still at Charlton.  He moved on to Real Madrid.  It seems to me that Ashley is getting himself surrounded with the right people who know each other and can work well together.  The only exception is Keegan.  I think he's the one who will have to adapt or depart. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The one thing Keegan has in his favour is his incredilble people skills and charisma... he will be supported by the new trio, and if he can accept this way of working I can see it being a success. But then I'm an optomist!

[madras]

What worries me most about this is that at the end of the day, football is still very basically a results business. Whatever work and structure is done off the pitch, if Keegan struggles to get it right his position will come under fire. Then what? I don't know, maybe I'd feel much more secure with someone like Mourinho (I know, I know) as manager whilst all this is going on. At least then we'd have a proven winner in the job, with experience (good and bad) of working under these kind of tiered management systems.

 

We've all been crying out for some kind of forward-thinking structure of this nature for years, so from that perspective this is all very exciting, but if results aren't good enough where they matter, on the pitch, will it all end in tears?

 

I really hope not. Being cynical is all too easy for me.

in the short term if we avoid relegation and the play gets better keegan will be safe. in the longer term,given the resources results will come more in to play.

 

as for mourinho,at porto he had arguably that nations biggest club at the time,at chelsea he could buy almost whomever he wanted. i'm still not convinced about his talent. if he takes the valencia job as rumoured and he doesn't have the world to spend we'll find out a lot more about him.

[KaKa]

Okay, so I  just have to ask ...

 

Did everyone just decide to completely disregard the bit about Wise being disillusioned with management and wanting to get involved in another aspect of football instead?

 

Wise obviously has some good contacts as he knows Jimenez, and has therefore got this position thanks to Jimenez who is pprobably looking to show him the ropes of this side of football. Wise's position will clearly be greatly influenced by both Jimenez and Vitere who are the ones with the real experience in this area.

 

Another important point is the fact that Jimenez and Vitere seemed to be already advising Ashley before Keegan came in, and by all accounts Jimenez was involved in bringing Keegan to the club. Therefore, Jimenez, who appears to be the real DoF if anyone is, was involved in selecting Keegan as manager, and so he obviously feels like he can work with him.

If these guys had become involved after a manager was already in place then we would have potentially had a problem.

 

I think this is all looking good . Surprised at the amount of fear in regards to the new setup.

[TRon]

I think Keegan is wise enough to realise that this should be seen as helping his chances of success rather than undermining him. Why wouldn't he want this sort of support and know-how?

 

 

[Slugsy]

There is a good chance this will end in tears with Keegan walking - I can't fathom a Director of Football without having some overlap on duties with the manager i.e. transfers - Keegan isn't exactly going to be happy if Wise brings in players that he doesn't want and Wise aint going to be happy if Keegan KB's Wise's suggestions.

 

It will be interesting to see what Wise's role exactly is, I do find it all bizarre, from the appointment itself and whether its over KK's head or not, to the actual filling of that appointment with a man of dubious character and no executive experience whatesoever!

[STM]

I prefer the chairman/dictatorship rule we had under freddy TBH.

 

Sure we didn't have any sort of structure at the club or imput on what was going on but at least the system was simpler and we knew who to blame when it all went tits up.

[TRon]

There is a good chance this will end in tears with Keegan walking - I can't fathom a Director of Football without having some overlap on duties with the manager i.e. transfers - Keegan isn't exactly going to be happy if Wise brings in players that he doesn't want and Wise aint going to be happy if Keegan KB's Wise's suggestions.

 

It will be interesting to see what Wise's role exactly is, I do find it all bizarre, from the appointment itself and whether its over KK's head or not, to the actual filling of that appointment with a man of dubious character and no executive experience whatesoever!

 

Yes - Keegan will be bound to run away, thereby proving the press scum right and giving them what they wanted. What a great move that would be.

[STM]

There is a good chance this will end in tears with Keegan walking - I can't fathom a Director of Football without having some overlap on duties with the manager i.e. transfers - Keegan isn't exactly going to be happy if Wise brings in players that he doesn't want and Wise aint going to be happy if Keegan KB's Wise's suggestions.

 

It will be interesting to see what Wise's role exactly is, I do find it all bizarre, from the appointment itself and whether its over KK's head or not, to the actual filling of that appointment with a man of dubious character and no executive experience whatesoever!

 

Mike Ashley is a billionaire. Therefore he probably knows how to run a business. However, i'm sure you are right and the roles within the club will be delegated willy nilly so that fracas occur and the club plummets into the abiss.

[KaKa]

Some of you guys are so bloody lazy and are the biggest freakin' drama queens ever.

 

Have you even read any of the articles?!!!

 

How people can still be refering to Wise as "the director of football who will bring in players over Keegans head" is all very worrying, and quite frankly disturbing.

 

Keegan has said he was aware first of all and secondly Wise is not the director of football for goodness sake.

 

Read the rest of the thread before spouting off this crap.

[dustynrg]

Very well said KAKA 

[NG32]

Some of you guys are so bloody lazy and are the biggest freakin' drama queens ever.

 

Have you even read any of the articles?!!!

 

How people can still be refering to Wise as "the director of football who will bring in players over Keegans head" is all very worrying, and quite frankly disturbing.

 

Keegan has said he was aware first of all and secondly Wise is not the director of football for goodness sake.

 

Read the rest of the thread before spouting off this crap.

 

[steve_69]

Also why is Keegan the best qualified person to decide who should take up an executive management role at board level?

[Slugsy]

There is a good chance this will end in tears with Keegan walking - I can't fathom a Director of Football without having some overlap on duties with the manager i.e. transfers - Keegan isn't exactly going to be happy if Wise brings in players that he doesn't want and Wise aint going to be happy if Keegan KB's Wise's suggestions.

 

It will be interesting to see what Wise's role exactly is, I do find it all bizarre, from the appointment itself and whether its over KK's head or not, to the actual filling of that appointment with a man of dubious character and no executive experience whatesoever!

 

Mike Ashley is a billionaire. Therefore he probably knows how to run a business. However, i'm sure you are right and the roles within the club will be delegated willy nilly so that fracas occur and the club plummets into the abiss.

 

Freddie Shepherd was a millionaire, not a billionaire did that make the difference?  What a stupid response, how old are you exactly?  Where did I say that Ashley didn't know how to run a business?  Although, I can show you evidence of perfectly sensible successful business people making hashes of football clubs, which wasn't my point.  Again, where did I say roles will be delegated willy nilly?  Where did I say fracas will occur, where did I say the club will plummet into abyss?  Either respond properly or don't at all.

[Keefaz]

It's hilarious how careful Keegan's had to be in his interview so as not to give off the wrong impression.