Alan Shearer contract latest: long gone

[Pilko]

From todays chronicle:

 

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer takes part in a charity golf day today having expected to be unable to play due to developments at the club.

 

Events have not progressed as anticipated, however, with Chris Hughton as the Chronicle revealed on June 11 ready to take charge of pre-season training as the shambolic Mike Ashley era limps on.

 

And I understand that Colin Calderwood, who left Uniteds coaching staff following the end of the season, has been asked to return and lend Hughton a hand.

 

 

Who can honestly say they didn't expect Chrissy Hughton in charge on July 1st?

[TRon]

From todays chronicle:

 

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer takes part in a charity golf day today having expected to be unable to play due to developments at the club.

 

Events have not progressed as anticipated, however, with Chris Hughton as the Chronicle revealed on June 11 ready to take charge of pre-season training as the shambolic Mike Ashley era limps on.

 

And I understand that Colin Calderwood, who left Uniteds coaching staff following the end of the season, has been asked to return and lend Hughton a hand.

 

 

Does that mean players can bring their flip-flops and beach towels to training again?

[Guest dover]

From todays chronicle:

 

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer takes part in a charity golf day today having expected to be unable to play due to developments at the club.

 

Events have not progressed as anticipated, however, with Chris Hughton – as the Chronicle revealed on June 11 – ready to take charge of pre-season training as the shambolic Mike Ashley era limps on.

 

And I understand that Colin Calderwood, who left United’s coaching staff following the end of the season, has been asked to return and lend Hughton a hand.

 

 

Does that mean players can bring their flip-flops and beach towels to training again?

 

No mate swimming trunks and a life jacket are standard issue on a sinking ship

[Dave]

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/06/26/nufc-fans-launch-campaign-to-make-shearer-boss-61634-23993652/

NUFC fans launch campaign to make Shearer boss

 

Jun 26 2009 By Matt McKenzie

 

NEWCASTLE United supporters have launched a campaign to call for the immediate appointment of Alan Shearer as club boss.

 

With time running out before pre-season training begins, they hope to break the deadlock over the new manager’s appointment by showing their support for the former Newcastle number 9.

 

They said giving Shearer the job would send the right message to supporters and potential buyers of the club.

 

Supporters’ Trust the Newcastle United Supporters Club has recruited Magpies’ fanzine the Mag, unofficial club website NUFC.com, contributors from True Faith fanzine, and the spokesman from the official Newcastle United Supporters Panel to urge the club into action.

 

It is the first time fans of the club - relegated from the Premiership with Shearer taking charge near the end of the season on a temporary basis - have come together to launch a single campaign.

 

NUSC spokesman Colin Whittle said: "The time has come to show the outside world that the supporters of Newcastle United are ready to move on and get behind the club.

 

"We believe that the appointment of Alan Shearer would send out a massive signal to potential buyers and, most importantly, the fans, who have so far been ignored."

 

Mr Whittle said the Trust would look into the possibility of eventually buying a stake in the club, naming Bundesliga giants Hamburg FC as an example for Newcastle to follow.

 

He said: "We all want the club to progress and the idea behind the Trust is that we be a representative body for the supporters that can work with the club for the future benefit of the club and the supporters.

 

"At the moment, a fans’ buyout is not a realistic possibility, but in the medium term we would like to be able to create substantial funding to buy into the club. We have been approached by a number of individuals who are looking to invest - individuals who can’t buy the club outright but who have sufficient funds to buy into it - with the very long term aim of fan ownership of the club."

[ToonTastic]

Appears a waste of time, I'm interested to know what they have planned though to get him signed.

[Guest]

It would be absolutely stupid to appoint anyone before the club's taken over. What happens if he's appointed and within a month the new owners say "Shearer wasn't our appointment", etc?

 

 

[Guest Thomo]

Robbie Elliot and the fitness coach Mark Wolfe have walked out on Newcastle, after Ashley would not give them reasurances of there futures, Wolfe has gone to Liverpool and Robbie has gone to a unamed club, so we are left with Hughton and Calderwood and training starts on Wednesday, what a state we are in, no fitness coach !!!!!!

[Skirge]

IF all the potential owners want Shearer then why not take him on short term at least he can start to get to work, of course he will have to sort out a deal woth the potential buyers for his long term future but Ashley taking him on now can do no harm.

[Guest Phil K]

so we are left with Hughton and Calderwood and training starts on Wednesday, what a state we are in, no fitness coach !!!!!!

Hughton and Calderwood are only here because no-one else would touch them with a bargepole.

Story of NUFC appointments for the last 5 years....

[Skirge]

Double blow for United

Jun 27 2009 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

 

 

NEWCASTLE United’s pre-season plans have been plunged further into disarray following the departures of two high-ranked members of the Toon backroom team.

 

The Chronicle can reveal that head of strength and conditioning Mark Hulse and his deputy, former United star Robbie Elliott, have left St James’s Park just days before the start of pre-season training.

 

And with Alan Shearer and Iain Dowie in limbo right now, this has to be deemed as a big blow for the already decimated Toon backroom team.

 

As it stands, United are on course to have Chris Hughton in charge as caretaker manager on July 1, assisted by goalkeeping guru Paul Barron, with Academy coach Richard Money and second-string chief Alan Thompson the only other senior figures around at the club’s Benton HQ.

 

Hughton is already preparing the Magpies’ pre-season training schedule with Shearer still waiting on the sidelines to get the nod to take over as boss.

 

All of this has caused fury among the Toon Army in a week that has seen nothing in the way of real progress regarding the sale of the Magpies.

 

However, the departure of highly-rated Hulse to Premier League title contenders Liverpool and Elliott, who has now moved on to pastures new, leaves the black-and-whites looking exceedingly bare when it comes to the important factor of strength and conditioning.

 

Just two years ago, owner Mike Ashley bankrolled Sam Allardyce’s army of backroom staff when the ex-Bolton boss took over at United. But with Hulse and Elliott unable to obtain any guarantees from Ashley regarding their future roles at St James’s Park, the pair have opted to leave.

 

And with a marathon 46-game Championship schedule lying in wait for the Mags next season, plus a minimum of a Carling Cup and an FA Cup tie, United’s pre-season preparations are set to be a vital factor in the battle ahead.

 

A United insider told the Chronicle: “Both Mark and Robbie have moved on.

 

“All of it adds to the confusion at what is happening at the club at the moment and it will certainly be interesting to see how this changes the schedule.

 

“Mark and Robbie were highly respected by the players and it will be interesting to see what the reaction is when they return next week.

 

“With no manager in place either this is just another blow for them.

 

“These days everybody knows that strength and conditioning is extremely important in football.

 

“Not only to help prevent injuries but water intake and nutrition for each player comes into play.

 

“Every player has their own personal plan of action and it’s not just a case of a few laps round the pitch and games of five-a-side these days.

 

“We’ve moved on, so while managers and players are still the ones who get the limelight, people like Mark and Robbie are probably the unsung heroes.”

 

Hulse, who will be Newcastle’s loss and Liverpool’s gain, was a Kevin Keegan appointment last summer and previously worked with England and Crystal Palace.

 

Elliott played with United during the Entertainers era and went on to play for Bolton Wanderers, United again and then had spells at Sunderland, Leeds and Hartlepool.

 

He was recently commended by FA Vase winners Whitley Bay for his work in the build-up to their Wembley win over Glossop North End after calculating players’ fluid intake on their run to the final.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/06/27/double-blow-for-united-72703-23999708/

[Dave]

Surely a resolution is close if we're letting people leave. Shirley?

[Skirge]

Surely a resolution is close if we're letting people leave. Shirley?

 

Well that would be the logical conclusion Dave but nothing that has happened so far has any logic to it at all.

[Wallace]

If we had a manager, I would not have been surprised to see changes amongst the backroom staff if certain things I have heard are true.  Whether this is a sign of imminent changes or staff getting fed up of the uncertainty who knows.

[biggs]

It would be absolutely stupid to appoint anyone before the club's taken over. What happens if he's appointed and within a month the new owners say "Shearer wasn't our appointment", etc?

 

 

Agree 100% remember fat Sam and what happened ,but the blame is obviously down to Ashley in the first place for allowing this situation to happen in the first place and we all know that .

[biggs]

so we are left with Hughton and Calderwood and training starts on Wednesday, what a state we are in, no fitness coach !!!!!!

Hughton and Calderwood are only here because no-one else would touch them with a bargepole.

Story of NUFC appointments for the last 5 years....

Random observation does that mean Keegan and Shearer 

[biggs]

If we had a manager, I would not have been surprised to see changes amongst the backroom staff if certain things I have heard are true.  Whether this is a sign of imminent changes or staff getting fed up of the uncertainty who knows.

I would say the second scenario if Hulse and Elliot had knowledge of Shearer coming in i reckon they would stay but in Hulse case Liverpool knocking on your door is too good to say no too even if Sheare was appointed looking at it logically for him ,so is this a message we should take as a warning or just one of those things and we read too much into it .

[Mr Logic]

FFS! I just got back from a week in Scotland where I had zero internet, never looked at a newspaper or saw a TV - was hoping to come back to loads of good news and celebrations. 

 

Ashley is the worst thing that ever happened to this football club, and I'm a normally sensible poster that doesn't make kneejerk posts. This decision to NOT appoint a manager during this relegation and subsequent chaos and confusion is the biggest mistake in a long line of mistakes. About the only thing I can think he's done well in hindsight is getting some promising youths in - something any club of our size should have always been doing anyway. 

[Raconteur]

If we had a manager, I would not have been surprised to see changes amongst the backroom staff if certain things I have heard are true.  Whether this is a sign of imminent changes or staff getting fed up of the uncertainty who knows.

I would say the second scenario if Hulse and Elliot had knowledge of Shearer coming in i reckon they would stay but in Hulse case Liverpool knocking on your door is too good to say no too even if Sheare was appointed looking at it logically for him ,so is this a message we should take as a warning or just one of those things and we read too much into it .

 

The third scenario, of course, is that they both decided that with no immediate prospect of stability they (very reasonably) chose to look after their own interests...?

 

Hulse leaving for 'Pool seems a clear case of moving to (much) greener pastures, but the Robbie Elliott situation gives me chills - he's a black and white man who would have been very happy to work under Shearer.

 

I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but that's the way the tea leaves look to me...

 

[Guest habibbeye]

Understand Elliot has gone to Nike. If he wants out then.....................................

[Kimbo]

We had fitness coaches???

[Skirge]

Hughton tells Toon players to block our turmoil

Jun 29 2009 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

 

NEWCASTLE United caretaker boss Chris Hughton has revealed United’s players must attempt to block out the uncertainty surrounding the future of the club when they return to work this week.

 

The Chronicle were the first to reveal on June 11 that Hughton would be the man handed the reins for pre-season training, with Mike Ashley so far refusing to appoint Alan Shearer as boss with the Magpies up for sale.

 

And Hughton confirmed today he had been appointed caretaker boss, with Colin Calderwood – as also revealed by the Chronicle – coming in as his assistant on a week-to-week contract.

 

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur favourite Hughton goes into his third spell as caretaker and still has two years left of his current contract.

 

However, Hughton says the uncertainty surrounding St James’s Park at the moment must not seep on to the training ground.

 

He told the Chronicle today: “Everything will be done properly with the group of players that is there.

 

“Everything going on outside of that has to stay outside of it.

 

“Whatever the situation will be, when it comes to the first day of pre-season training, the players will go through a good and correct programme for however long it is until someone takes over.

 

“The most important thing is that the players get a pre-season under their belts.

 

“Everything has to be done properly by the staff and players.

 

“Colin’s here in the short term until we know what’s going to happen.”

 

Newcastle’s internationals have been handed an extra week off after being involved with their respective countries during the domestic summer break, so Sebastien Bassong, Geremi, Jonas Gutierrez, Damien Duff and Xisco will all be absent.

 

We revealed on Saturday night that fitness coaching duo Mark Hulse and Robbie Elliott had left the club, which leaves a threadbare backroom team of Hughton, Calderwood and goalkeeping coach Paul Barron.

 

Academy chief Richard Money is also still at United, while Alan Thompson will look after the reserves.

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/06/29/hughton-tells-toon-players-to-block-our-turmoil-72703-24011273/

[jimmymag]

Hughton can say what he likes, but the fact is that without a manager in place the players will take the piss, just like they did before Shearer arrived last season. For every day that Hughton is in charge the chances of us having a good season diminish.

[2sheds]

^Yeah that's right - they took the piss 'before Shearer arrived.

 

They were mega professional for those last 8 games weren't they?

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

http://www.blogonthetyne.co.uk/2009/06/flip-flops-and-towels-at-the-r.html

 

Flip flops and towels at the ready?

By Lee Ryder on Jun 28, 09 04:24 PM

 

Newcastle United players will return to their Benton HQ this week - but they will be walking back into a different environment to the one they left back in May under the guidance of Alan Shearer.

 

In my humble opinion, the training ground was transformed last season from a millionaires health club to an army boot camp within a week from April 1 when Big Al was appointed as boss in our last gasp bid to avoid the drop.

 

That wasn't Chris Hughton's fault as he was brought in amidst an emergency situation to look after other people's players but he now has another big job on his hands.

 

For Mike Ashley bringing Shearer in was the last desperate act from a desperate man as things started to crumble at St James's Park due to a string of decisions, which have almost killed us as a club.

 

Make no mistake, Chris Hughton is one of the most likeable blokes in football and in a sport that is often dominated by people on ego trips, the Londoner is different because he is a total gentleman.

 

However, one thing he's not, again in my opinion, is management material.

 

And when Hughton took training last season for long periods and Joe Kinnear watched on, the training ground did for me represent a bit of a joke and not a very funny one at that.

 

Indeed, watching players like Cacapa wander in with flip flops and towels at the ready for another long session on the treatment table was enough to make my blood boil, especially with the position Newcastle United found themselves in.

 

It was well documented at the time that Big Al introduced a system in which players were punished for being late and the treatment room quickly emptied when players were told they would have to stay in their until teatime rather than knock off just after lunch.

 

The reserve team also changed with first team members being told they had to play rather than a bunch of kids.

 

It's understood that Xisco didn't fancy the idea of playing in places like Warrington, Widnes or North Ferriby under Kinnear but that also changed when Shearer was appointed.

 

Yes, Newcastle's bid to beat the drop ultimately failed under Shearer but with just eight games to go it was always going to be tough.

 

For me we went down by virtue of one goal but it's safe to say that if Shearer had not have been appointed, we'd have been down much earlier than the final day, well it is in light of just what Newcastle's training ground had turned into.

 

Again Hughton is regarded as an excellent coach and the players clearly enjoy working under him.

 

But are they scared of him?

 

Does he send the fear of God into the players?

 

Certainly Shearer did.

 

For example one of Shearer's managerial successes was to get Mark Viduka on the pitch and playing in the way we all know he can when he can be bothered.

 

He collared Viduka and asked him if he was up for the battle and if he wasn't to pack his bags and leave early.

 

It worked to an extent, Viduka was one of the better players during the run-in and what if that "goal" against Fulham had stood?

 

Football is a game about emotion, passion and most importantly controlled aggression.

 

But I just can't imagine Hughton picking a teapot up and smashing it off the wall if he felt he wasn't getting his point across.

 

My memory takes me back to an incident not long after Christmas when the winter sun was blinding.

 

As I walked to an interview room I heard a bellowing voice.

 

"Oi I wanna word with you", he said.

 

As I tried to look up I couldn't see exactly who it was but soon as his frame blocked out the sunlight it was Alan Smith.

 

"Why you been writing **** in the paper about me having an effin setback!"

 

I promptly replied, that not only was the article not written by me but it was in a different paper all together.

 

Smith then exploded into another rant about why journalists couldn't check things with the club.

 

I didn't mind Smith's honesty one little bit, I didn't mind him kicking off - it was refreshing to see he gave a **** and he instantly went up in my estimation in five minutes flat.

 

I replied we were often kept in the dark about injuries with physios often touchy about the subject for obvious reasons.

 

A few minutes later Smith calmed down but rather than hauling his player away from a sticky situation, Hughton watched on and let the situation peter out.

 

Whether other managers would have done the same is a good question.

 

The point Smith also made was that everybody should have been "together" back then, but was clear that there split camps in that dressing room and cliques.

 

A professional has pointed out to me on several occasions that a team that drinks together, wins together.

 

But that clearly isn't the case in Newcastle, team spirit didn't exist.

 

So where am I going with this.

 

Well basically, if you needed me to point out that Newcastle weren't already in deep trouble, I'm doing it now.

 

Under the supervision of Hughton and Colin Calderwood, things don't look good.

 

I could actually understand it more if Calderwood was handed the job as boss until Ashley sells the club.

 

I'm not saying he would be a success but he is a manager and Hughton is pigeon holed as a coach.

 

There aren't too many options at Newcastle but even Richard Money would be a better bet than a confusing system like the Hughton/Calderwood system, which yielded just one win in 10 games last season.

 

Money actually does scare some of the reserve team players - he might just be a better bet if Ashley is going to continue to dig his heels in on Shearer.

 

Many will say that Shearer also won once last season.

 

But after witnessing the transformation of the training ground in just a few days last season, the scary prospect of going back to of this bling boys millionaires health club, it has to be said Newcastle fans are on course for more pain, more grief and more agony.

[thomas]

I'd cry if I could.