Post-Kinnear Appointment

[fredbob]

i think mowbray plays fantasy/fm football - ignorant to the situation he is in that is.

 

with a squad like the one he has (and the one he'd get here) you need to be able to adapt your style, so as to battle your way through many matches. from what i've seen of wba this season, there is much too much "we want to play attractive football" about them....

 

Ask the Scots if they thought he played 'Fantasy Football' up there....

You will soon find NUFC fans complaining if they DON'T get so-called Fantasy Football - look what happened when Dalglish was manager(and he inherited a tighter budget than KK), he was slated for playing 'unattractive football', but got us to 2nd place and a Cup Final..he was fired after the second game of a season because of the mortal sin of drawing the first 2 games, one away at Chelsea, because of 'Unattractive football'...what happened when Gullit got the job ? A load of idiots wearing curly wigs and chanting 'Sexy football'....what happened after that? Ask Shearer & Rob Lee.....

And then, there was Allardyce......and then, Kinnear.....

 

Mowbray got Albion promoted playing decent football - you can't get the players who have those strengths to play a different way in the Prem - its hardly his fault if he hasn't been given the dosh to get the players necessary to change the system ; and don't forget, he was a tough CH himself, so he knows all about defending...

 

NUFC have tried getting so-called 'proven' managers, incl a foreign one in Gullit who did well at Chelsea...none of it has worked.

The club's only option is to get a younger manager with potential and let him run the club on a proper footing without interference.

 

Erm, Robson?

 

Erm - he was 66 when he joined the club and although he did a good job, he turned it down when SJH asked him after KK left in 97....he also wasted quite a bit of money on bad buys and lost control of some of the wasters in the Dressing Room - that's why we need a younger manager who will REBUILD THE CLUB.

 

The simple fact is NUFC have tried "so-called proven managers" and at least one of them has worked, which is why I picked you up on your claim that none of them had. Choosing a young manager is not the club's only option, it's simply your preferred option, let's not confuse the two. I'm all for giving the job to a younger manager, but that manager must (in my opinion) have some experience (ie not like Shearer), but if they pull a good older manager out of the hat then I'll be satisfied. The important thing for me is that the decision is taken based upon logic, that we get someone who is likely to be good and not simply because they will appeal to the emotional side of our fans. We've seen where that leads us and it's not a place I want to end up again.

 

And who among the older managers is likely;-

a) To take the job

b) Be acceptable to the supporters ?

 

Robson was for 2 reasons - he was a NE man and he had been successful not only in England, but abroad too...

Look at the discontent when Redknapp was approached for the job, mainly because he was a Cockney and that he hadn't had the success Robson had.

 

George Graham was mentioned as a temp manager after KK left, but this board had plenty of posters who thought it was sacrilege...likewise Venables, and these were men who had won things BUT - they were older managers. As it happens, I don't think EITHER of them would have performed as badly as Kinnear....

 

'My preference', as you put it, for a younger manager is because the club needs someone who wants to be a success, NOT someone who is on their last pay day ; Houllier would be a reasonable stop gap, but ONLY with a younger man alongside him, and anyone who has faith in their own ability would NOT want someone looking over their shoulder or interfering in team affairs.

 

I agree with those who say that its a gamble with Shearer because he has NO proper managerial experience, but as I said on another thread, that doesn't mean he might not be a success if given the chance ; we have had TOO MANY managers & false starts, and the next one has to be a stable guy who can grow with the club as Shankly did at Liverpool and Revie with Leeds.

NUFC has been a joke club, staggering from crisis to crisis for too long - we need someone who will bring stability, progress and longevity to the manager's office - whether we can achieve this under the current regime is doubtful to say the least.

 

And there we have the primary reason why this club is an almost impossible task. Every single fan out there is a football expert and the majority of fans havent the open mind to consider an appointment purely on its merit or potential, if they dont get want they want, or we do struggle a little then the pressure gets turned on pretty quick, that is of course unless the appointment has appeased the fans in which case they are afforded a little more time.

 

There are only 3 options for the fickle fans, local lad, world class appointment or flavour of the month. No Wenger, no Houllier no Jol, even Grant would of struggled if he was appointed here before his stints at pompey and chelsea, I remember people turning their noses up at Sven and O'Neill when they were touted for the job.

 

Newcastle fans need a reality check, and they need to decide what they want, becasue one day its beautiful football the other days its just winning football, the next its just gradual improvement (with 22 games gone).

 

Either way they need to get fully behind whatever appointment is made if the merits warrant it.

 

 

 

 

[beardsleymagic]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be shite).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows fuck all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

[ikri]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be shite).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows fuck all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

 

Sounds very plausible to me, at least I believe that Given thought JFK is/was a fuckwit, that was pretty obvious from Given's reaction to the Liverpool game.

 

With JFK having no understanding of tactics, it should fall to Houghton to fill in the gaps in the game plan, but Houghton's all over the place tactically too.  JFK + clever assistant might work, or at least paper over the more obvious cracks, but JFK + Houghton doesn't work at all.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be s****).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows f*** all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

 

Sadly I've heard similar (not that Shay was in Blyth) that the players regard Kinnear as somewhat a joke.

[Shearergol]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be s****).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows f*** all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

 

Sadly I've heard similar (not that Shay was in Blyth) that the players regard Kinnear as somewhat a joke.

 

It's hardly an exclusive. The players will hate the fact that we're in the position we're in.

 

I'd LOVE it if we got Steve Bruce. That's how much my hopes have dropped.

[Fatwax]

I've heard that the players call Kinnear 'Mike Bassett'.

 

 

Seriously.

[TRon]

Zog was slating him in the press which was to be expected, the fact that Given didn't want to hang around is a far more telling story. I also noticed Coloccini referring to how surprised he was at how things had nose-dived since Keegan left. Kinnear was a stop-gap choice and he was a good choice at the time. If we get through this season though, there has to be a change otherwise the damage done could be devastating.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be s****).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows f*** all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

 

Sadly I've heard similar (not that Shay was in Blyth) that the players regard Kinnear as somewhat a joke.

 

It's hardly an exclusive. The players will hate the fact that we're in the position we're in.

 

I'd LOVE it if we got Steve Bruce. That's how much my hopes have dropped.

 

From what I've heard (I know, I know) Shay wanted out because of Kinnear more than anything else, not because he dislikes the man, but because he thinks he's totally out of his depth and taking the team down and rather than standing by to watch it happen or to play a part in it, he's bailed out. I've also heard Martins has no real desire to play for him either.

 

Regardless, he's the manager and has a very tough job and if those players had any self respect they would put personal differences to one side and go out there and make damn sure they pick up enough points to keep us up.

 

Kinnear may be tactically clueless and out of his depth but when those players cross that white line, what happens on the pitch is mostly down to them and not the manager, whoever it is.

 

This is why I'd be against sacking Kinnear because I don't think a new manager will get them performing much better or ease things fully if I'm being honest, if anything a new face could only confuse matters further.

 

It is up to the players as much as anyone else now. A good number of them have to ask themselves if they can do more and play better irrespective of Kinnear and I personally think yes they can and yes they should. Indeed they better.

 

We can still stay up with Kinnear in charge if the players work harder and start performing better individually and more importantly collectively.

 

I actually feel sorry for Kinnear in a way because he cares and wants the club to stay up. With a few of the players you get the impression they aren't really arsed as they will still get their end and more than likely get a move to somewhere better if not exactly in stature then environmentally anyway and that's the worrying thing.

 

Take Shay for example...

 

 

[Guest BooBoo]

I never thought I'd be pro Steve Bruce but I'd be delighted that if come the summer Ashley bins Kinnear and Wise and gives control of the team and signings to Brucie baby.

 

Difficult to fault what he's done at Wigan, its amazing really. He's said he regrets snubbing the job once before and i think he would like the idea of taking on the project of rejuvanating the club.

 

If we go down though, there's no chance of it happening.

[Syrette]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football. I had a lot of time for him as a player when I was a kid and he seems fairly down to earth as well.

[Wullie]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

[Guest BooBoo]

Don't shoot me down because i'm just repeating what i've been told (i could be true, it could be s****).

 

Shay Given was supposed to be in a pub in Blyth (yeh i know) on the night Spartans were playing Blackburn watching the match (don't worry i asked what was Given doing in Blyth as well), and he was supposed to have said that nearly all the squad hates JFK and think he knows f*** all tactically.

 

This was supposed to be one of the main reasons for him wanting out.

 

As i said before don't shoot me down as i could not tell you how accurate this story is.

 

Sadly I've heard similar (not that Shay was in Blyth) that the players regard Kinnear as somewhat a joke.

 

It's hardly an exclusive. The players will hate the fact that we're in the position we're in.

 

I'd LOVE it if we got Steve Bruce. That's how much my hopes have dropped.

 

From what I've heard (I know, I know) Shay wanted out because of Kinnear more than anything else, not because he dislikes the man, but because he thinks he's totally out of his depth and taking the team down and rather than standing by to watch it happen or to play a part in it, he's bailed out. I've also heard Martins has no real desire to play for him either.

 

Regardless, he's the manager and has a very tough job and if those players had any self respect they would put personal differences to one side and go out there and make damn sure they pick up enough points to keep us up.

 

Kinnear may be tactically clueless and out of his depth but when those players cross that white line, what happens on the pitch is mostly down to them and not the manager, whoever it is.

 

This is why I'd be against sacking Kinnear because I don't think a new manager will get them performing much better or ease things fully if I'm being honest, if anything a new face could only confuse matters further.

 

It is up to the players as much as anyone else now. A good number of them have to ask themselves if they can do more and play better irrespective of Kinnear and I personally think yes they can and yes they should. Indeed they better.

 

We can still stay up with Kinnear in charge if the players work harder and start performing better individually and more importantly collectively.

 

I actually feel sorry for Kinnear in a way because he cares and wants the club to stay up. With a few of the players you get the impression they aren't really arsed as they will still get their end and more than likely get a move to somewhere better if not exactly in stature then environmentally anyway and that's the worrying thing.

 

Take Shay for example...

 

 

 

Some good points there HTT. Some of the players this year have been a disgrace and deserve more flack than they're getting. I can only think of a few that have given it 100% AND produced the goods this year- Given (before he bottled it), Bassong and maybe Guttierez.

 

Our club captain is the worst of the lot.

[Syrette]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

I'm aware of that, and I wasn't supporting the idea as such as it would be a huge gamble.

[johnnypd]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

[Syrette]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

 

Well done for completely missing me mentioning him in the first sentence of my post.

[gdm]

the players arnt gonna give 100% effort if they dont believe in the manager or the club for that matter and the way things are going a lot of them will probably see us go down then bugger off to clubs for a handsome signing on fee

[johnnypd]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

 

Well done for completely missing me mentioning him in the first sentence of my post.

 

well done for putting forward di matteo's name.

[Syrette]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

 

Well done for completely missing me mentioning him in the first sentence of my post.

 

well done for putting forward di matteo's name.

 

Feel free to come back to me when you have a point.

[johnnypd]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

 

Well done for completely missing me mentioning him in the first sentence of my post.

 

well done for putting forward di matteo's name.

 

Feel free to come back to me when you have a point.

 

my point is, why do you think DI Matteo would be any different? I'd say going for a championship manager would be a risk, going for anyone below that is daft, the levels of talent, the tactics, the egos, the intensity of the training and the competition you are up against are completely different.

[Syrette]

I know he's only partly proved himself at a lower level - and that his predecessor at his club took the step up to this league and failed -  but would anyone consider Roberto Di Matteo (if we manage to stay up, and indeed, if we go down)?

 

Doing extremely well in his first managerial job and by all accounts has MK Dons playing good football.

 

Why not Nigel Pearson whose Leicester are ten points clear of them?

 

Paul Ince did well with MK Dons and is currently available

 

Well done for completely missing me mentioning him in the first sentence of my post.

 

well done for putting forward di matteo's name.

 

Feel free to come back to me when you have a point.

 

my point is, why do you think DI Matteo would be any different? I'd say going for a championship manager would be a risk, going for anyone below that is daft, the levels of talent, the tactics, the egos, the intensity of the training and the competition you are up against are completely different.

 

I agree it'd be a risk, a huge gamble any time soon, but I wasn't supporting the idea. I was just putting his name forward. I should have emphasised that I would lean more to going for him if we get relegated (which to me is a real possibility and I would hope would rid us of Kinnear). I'm preparing myself for a season in the Championship, it's as simple as that.

[TRon]

I don't think the players have lacked effort, I just think they need better direction. Kinnear's use of substitutions is a case in point. Mourinho would make three substitutions in the first half if he wasn't seeing results, Kinnear waits until the game's gone down the pan before introducing anyone. Considering he's such a complete bullshitter I'm surprised to see them putting in the effort that they do tbh.

[indi]

i think mowbray plays fantasy/fm football - ignorant to the situation he is in that is.

 

with a squad like the one he has (and the one he'd get here) you need to be able to adapt your style, so as to battle your way through many matches. from what i've seen of wba this season, there is much too much "we want to play attractive football" about them....

 

Ask the Scots if they thought he played 'Fantasy Football' up there....

You will soon find NUFC fans complaining if they DON'T get so-called Fantasy Football - look what happened when Dalglish was manager(and he inherited a tighter budget than KK), he was slated for playing 'unattractive football', but got us to 2nd place and a Cup Final..he was fired after the second game of a season because of the mortal sin of drawing the first 2 games, one away at Chelsea, because of 'Unattractive football'...what happened when Gullit got the job ? A load of idiots wearing curly wigs and chanting 'Sexy football'....what happened after that? Ask Shearer & Rob Lee.....

And then, there was Allardyce......and then, Kinnear.....

 

Mowbray got Albion promoted playing decent football - you can't get the players who have those strengths to play a different way in the Prem - its hardly his fault if he hasn't been given the dosh to get the players necessary to change the system ; and don't forget, he was a tough CH himself, so he knows all about defending...

 

NUFC have tried getting so-called 'proven' managers, incl a foreign one in Gullit who did well at Chelsea...none of it has worked.

The club's only option is to get a younger manager with potential and let him run the club on a proper footing without interference.

 

Erm, Robson?

 

Erm - he was 66 when he joined the club and although he did a good job, he turned it down when SJH asked him after KK left in 97....he also wasted quite a bit of money on bad buys and lost control of some of the wasters in the Dressing Room - that's why we need a younger manager who will REBUILD THE CLUB.

 

The simple fact is NUFC have tried "so-called proven managers" and at least one of them has worked, which is why I picked you up on your claim that none of them had. Choosing a young manager is not the club's only option, it's simply your preferred option, let's not confuse the two. I'm all for giving the job to a younger manager, but that manager must (in my opinion) have some experience (ie not like Shearer), but if they pull a good older manager out of the hat then I'll be satisfied. The important thing for me is that the decision is taken based upon logic, that we get someone who is likely to be good and not simply because they will appeal to the emotional side of our fans. We've seen where that leads us and it's not a place I want to end up again.

 

And who among the older managers is likely;-

a) To take the job

b) Be acceptable to the supporters ?

 

Robson was for 2 reasons - he was a NE man and he had been successful not only in England, but abroad too...

Look at the discontent when Redknapp was approached for the job, mainly because he was a Cockney and that he hadn't had the success Robson had.

 

George Graham was mentioned as a temp manager after KK left, but this board had plenty of posters who thought it was sacrilege...likewise Venables, and these were men who had won things BUT - they were older managers. As it happens, I don't think EITHER of them would have performed as badly as Kinnear....

 

'My preference', as you put it, for a younger manager is because the club needs someone who wants to be a success, NOT someone who is on their last pay day ; Houllier would be a reasonable stop gap, but ONLY with a younger man alongside him, and anyone who has faith in their own ability would NOT want someone looking over their shoulder or interfering in team affairs.

 

I agree with those who say that its a gamble with Shearer because he has NO proper managerial experience, but as I said on another thread, that doesn't mean he might not be a success if given the chance ; we have had TOO MANY managers & false starts, and the next one has to be a stable guy who can grow with the club as Shankly did at Liverpool and Revie with Leeds.

NUFC has been a joke club, staggering from crisis to crisis for too long - we need someone who will bring stability, progress and longevity to the manager's office - whether we can achieve this under the current regime is doubtful to say the least.

 

My initial post was simply intended to point out that your claim that bringing in an experienced manager had never worked was incorrect - it was - I was not wanting to get into some discussion about who the next manager should be, especially as your response to my criticisms seems to be to talk about something entirely different, rather than respond. Anyway, like I said I don't want to get into a discussion/argument with you about this, so I'm not going to.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I'd rather take a gamble on a Shearer/Ketsbaia type manager than Bruce myself, despite regarding Bruce as a decent enough manager.

 

For me the unknown is more alluring than the known or rather the knowledge of what you'd get with a Bruce which would be consolidation, a mini-revival and then a slow slide backwards, and that's only if he's lucky, fans are patient and he can successfully transfer his Wigan system to an altogether different club physically and culturally.

 

He'd be more likely to do a Big Sam than a Sir Bobby Robson and even if he done a Wigan type job on us I ask, will that suffice? Right now of course in our position that obviously appeals hence the support of his name and this discussion but if we have learned one thing in recent years then trying to tie up a loose end  doesn't necessarily change things.

 

Dalglish was dour and outdated so we appointed the cosmopolitan Gullit. He was aloof, foreign and well, just a bit too inexperienced so in come the affable, local born experienced statesman Bobby Robson. By the end of his tenure discipline, injuries and ego was an issue so in came the drill seargent bully to whip the lads into shape. Then we went for that nice man Roeder after the foul nature of Souness for the sensitive touch. During all those appointments the structure of the club had been ignored and left to rot so after Roeder inevitably bombed in come the new age modern Big Sam. What a contradiction he turned out to be.

 

Keegan and Kinnear are one-offs, KK was a gimmick appointment and Kinnear isn't here to tie up any loose ends or to be the opposite of what went before, he's here by chance and not design. His job a simple one - to keep us up by hook or crook. There is no strategy with Kinnear, no game plan, no grande plans to transform the club like under Big Sam or to bring about the long lost glory days as Sir Bobby was charged with doing.

 

When Kinnear goes which we all hope will be at the end of the season and on the back of keeping us up, a Steve Bruce will represent a huge step-up from him and a decent appointment on paper no doubt. The kind of manager whose skills and CV fit the bill perfectly. Remember our history with loose ends though?

 

9 points at current is the difference between high flying Wigan and the free falling Newcastle United. Is 9 points enough reason to appoint Bruce who would still represent a gamble anyway?

 

I'm not so sure and as we're gambling here, why not a flutter on Shearer or someone like him such as Ketsbaia for example?

 

NUFC at current could do with some stabilising, consolidating and built back up slowly which Bruce has shown himself capable of doing at his previous clubs but there is another way.

 

Back in '92 the club needed the very same things and I imagine every single fan would have accepted that there and then if offered. Just as well they never though and the club didn't get that consolidation because we would have missed out on the promotion year, finishing 3rd in our debut Premier League season, 6th the season after and then a genuine title challenge before rounding it off with qualifying for the European Cup the season after and that amazing 3-2 win over Barcelona among other treats.

 

That all happened because the club broke with tradition (appointing steady eddies and sticking rigidly to a business model) and appointed Kevin Keegan whose mandate wasn't written in stone, who rather than work to what the club needed or demanded (consolidation more than anything), worked to what he wanted, what he demanded, which was what he had been used to all his career - success and in style.

 

That time has come once again for Newcastle United. For a fresh, young, energetic manager with no pre-conceived ideas and methods to breathe new life into this rotten corpse of a football club like KK did back in '92.

 

Yes some consolidation and gradual improvement would be most welcome and exactly what the club needs right now which I'm sure if given the time and backing Steve Bruce would achieve. I'd accept that right now and I'm sure most of you would too. Yes please.

 

But then I cast my mind back to '92 and for once I'm glad this club said f*** off to common sense. Lets not forget this club has made a mockery of common sense throughout its history and while the laws of averages say one day common sense will prevail at this mad club of ours, I'm not so sure that one day is now or close on the horizon.

 

We've put up with so many false dawns, had so many chances to consolidate and gradually improve and have constantly contrived to blow it I don't think fans have the will to fight another day on that front any longer. Bruce right now would be greeted with joy but I'd give it six months before we are all feeling good old deja-vu again.

 

What is needed is action, inspiration and new wave of energy to course through the veins of our club and our hearts which only a Shearer or alternatively a Kestbaia can bring in my opinion or a world-class appointment which lets be honest isn't going to happen is it.

 

We can't replicate the KK era of course, Shearer or not, there is no new old KK out there, not even the man himself. We have to move on, but that doesn't mean we should look away from your Shearers or young inexperienced managers because there is actually a club out there which we can actually look to emulate, a club that has went through its own downsized KK at NUFC style transformation we so crave.

 

Everton Football Club

 

They went down to the Championship and brought in the inexperienced and young David Moyes from Preston which at the time was a big gamble for a club that had experienced regular fights with the drop and were actually in such a fight at the time of his appointment.

 

Under this inexperienced manager Everton have improved significantly where only finances now hold them back which is more about the confines of the "system" that exists in football than Moyes' abilities as a manager.

 

Wigan or Everton? Consolidation or going for it?

 

I know which I'd rather happen to my club, which club I'd like us to become.

 

And in my humble opinion we'd stand more of a chance with Shearer or someone like him in charge than a Bruce. For me a Shearer could do for us what Moyes has done for Everton, grown the club in his own image, spirit and with his own ideas not transferred from a previous club but from his own aspirations and standards, from his own needs rather than that of his club's which at the time of his appointment was to simply stay up and consolidate. Top 4? Champions League qualifications? European football? Top 6 material? That's a hell of a lot more than Everton asked from Moyes and Evertonians expected and would have settled for.

 

That can be us under the right manager.

 

Not Steve Bruce.

 

Not necessarily Alan Shearer either, although I'd regard him as less of a gamble than a Martinez, a Ketsbaia or some other young and up and coming name.

 

Much like with Keegan, Shearer would unite fans and bring a certain buzz to St. James' Park which at this club is half the battle, ask all those managers from Jackie Charlton to Sam Allardyce about how important Newcastle fans are to this club of ours. If fans don't like you or don't agree with your methods you have to be ultra successful to be deserving of the title manager of our club. Some will argue that's our downfall, that we are our worst enemy at times, but people like Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby our two most successful managers since Joe Harvey will tell you different, that we are they key to it all and who am I to argue with them, or any of us regardless of our feeling on this issue.

 

Its all about what you want and while I want all that consolidation malarky as much as the next fan, I'm a dreamer, a believer. What I really want is what Kevin Keegan and Sir John Hall showed us is possible if we just allowed ourselves to dream and believe.

 

And no matter who owns my club, manages it or plays for it I will never stop dreaming and believing. That for me is what NUFC and football is all about.

 

Any old manager with a bit of luck, patience and backing can achieve stability, Glenn Roeder done it in half a season.

 

Not anyone can deliver dreams though.

 

I'd back Shearer over Bruce in that department. After all he's already delivered a few over his time here as a player. That brace at Old Trafford to send us to Wembley, those amazing reflexes to beat the Sheff Utd player to the ball to again send us to Wembley. His brace at the San Siro. Those goals against Everton and Villa, his heroics week in week out. His signing.

 

There is everything to suggest he will fail as a manager of course, but there is everything to suggest the opposite too... or there could be.

 

What have we to lose, really?

 

 

[Pilko]

Can safely say tl;dr

[Syrette]

Do you want to sum that up in a sentence or two for the lazy amongst us?