samag Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/04/alan-shearer-should-not-be-criticised-for-trying.html Alan Shearer should not be criticised for trying George Caulkin AT least he is trying things. Most of the protagonists at St James' Park this season have simply been trying, which is more than half of the problem confronting Alan Shearer. The manager's job has come to him desperately late and it is only as the days elapse and further corrosive evidence emerges of how far standards had slumped at Newcastle United, that the full extent of his task becomes clear. But at least he is trying. Shearer has prompted some debate with the switches he made to Newcastle's formation during the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, but there are two points to be made about that. Firstly (and you may be noticing a theme here), at least he is trying things. Secondly, he has been forced into trying things because of the ridiculously unbalanced, haphazard nature of his squad. As with so much of what has happened on Gallowgate this season, there is rich, bitter irony involved, although it is asking too much of supporters to embrace any notion of comedy; too dark, too raw. But a man who began the campaign out of the team and out of favour is now being yearned for. Step (or limp) forward Jose Enrique, Newcastle's only specialist left back. The season started with Kevin Keegan repeatedly stating his need for cover in that position. His employers did not take heed. When Keegan departed and with the January transfer window approaching, Joe Kinnear's public attitude towards Enrique verged on the dismissive. He wanted another left-back, he said. None came. By the onset of February, Newcastle had sold Charles N'Zogbia, who had, on occasion, (reluctantly) deputised there. In the meantime, Enrique got his head down and toiled. He is never going to be Stuart Pearce or Ashley Cole and he is still overly fond of the long pass, but flakiness is gradually being removed from his game. He is no longer such a liability. However, he has been missing with a knee injury since Shearer's first match in charge, thereby squaring a circle of witlessness; Newcastle have no cover at left back. There is no worse stage of the season than this for a manager to introduce new ideas (something previously discussed here). Players are fatigued, both mentally and physically, and in Newcastle's case there is the added problem of processing too much information from too many managerial figures (Keegan, Kinnear, Chris Hughton and now Shearer). But what choice does Shearer have? At least he is trying. And as Newcastle fans would tell you, the Enrique situation is not an isolated one. Habib Beye, the club's consistent right back, was absent for three months between December and March. It was left to the likes of Steven Taylor and David Edgar to fill in, both of whom are centre halves. Ryan Taylor, bought from Wigan Athletic in January, can also play there, although without much conviction. So when Shearer alternates between 3-5-2, 4-4-2 and 4-3-3, he is not being 4-4-too-clever-by-half, he is attempting to wrest the most from a limited group of players which has been utterly neglected by his employers. Having no Plan B in two defensive positions has nothing to do with bad luck with injuries and everything to do with miserable planning and a farcical acquisition policy. Shearer is trying. At the training ground, it has been a case of restoring basic principles. If you wonder why a professional football club should need a refresher course in such obvious issues as punctuality, discipline, team-bonding, fitness, injured players staying late for extra treatment, communication with those who have been out of the side (such as Mark Viduka last week), then you are not alone. One word: shambles. His first big decision on taking charge was to restore Michael Owen to Newcastle?s starting XI. Fitness permitting, I would bet my mortgage on Owen remaining in the team for the pivotal home match against Portsmouth on Monday night, in spite of his recent lack of goals. Again, fitness permitting, I would wager that Viduka and Obafemi Martins will play, too. Newcastle need attacking impetus. There will be a time for reckoning, for anger. Watching the Spurs match and seeing the lack of options at Shearer's disposal, the players who should not be there, the superannuated, overpaid superstars who contribute little, it was difficult to swallow those emotions. Over years and seasons and months and weeks and days, Newcastle's demise has been self-inflicted. Blame can be apportioned, but one man carries the responsibility. Hint: it is not Shearer. Shearer should not be criticised for trying. With the clock ticking and games running out, it is all he can do. He doesn't have the luxury of a pre-season in which to experiment with tactics against lower-league opponents, he doesn't have fixtures he can afford to write off in pursuit of perfection. If something is not working, he has to change it, now, and so what if that looks confusing on the touchline. Those who know say that he, Iain Dowie and Paul Ferris have been deeply impressive. They have authority and intellect, innovation and understanding. They talk and they listen. They have walked into the football club with ideas and a plan. They are no mugs. But even the most assiduous of builders need something to build with.. With what he has at his disposal, all Alan Shearer can do is try. He is making a decent fist of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Beat me to it. An excellent article. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Culkins articles are spot on tbh. Consistantly well written and intuitive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matta Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I love Shearer. Hope to god(im not religious) that he gets a longterm contract, ala ferguson in manutd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Shearers hand is forced at the minute. I think the team is generally picked on who is fit so that dictates the formation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayson Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Guthrie should have been fit to play. Taylor & duff shouldnt have been sitting to far back. He's showing far more promise than Kinnear/Hughton...he is reacting to performances well. But whilst trying, he is making a few cock ups......no point hiding from it. Whether much more could be expected from a man in his position is another thing... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Shearers hand is forced at the minute. I think the team is generally picked on who is fit so that dictates the formation. Well Enrique, Lovenkrands and possibly Barton should be back for the Pompey game. Lets see if that can make a difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil K Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 The only people criticizing Shearer are the rags. They want the fans to turn on him They've already come up with so-called anti-Shearer humour that is nothing but the figment of Manchestr/London journos imagination. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Superb piece, I hope some of those who are already doubting Shearer will accept the difficulty of the situation. I am just praying that Viduka and Martins availability will give us enough firepower to get a win against Portsmouth. If we win that game I think we will get enough momentum to pick up the points we need with Barton coming back soon as well. If somehow we can survive this season we'll be able to judge Shearer properly next season if he stays on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
beardsleymagic Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Even if we don't stay up, i hope Shearer stays and rebuilds the team from top to bottom. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobby_solano Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 The only people criticizing Shearer are the rags. They want the fans to turn on him They've already come up with so-called anti-Shearer humour that is nothing but the figment of Manchestr/London journos imagination. that sounds exactly right, build him up to knock him down like they usually do, and take a swipe at us if things go wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinho lad Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 much better than the little piece matt dickinson wrote in the same paper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistle17 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Absolutely super article!! Its so well written and such thought and research added in. So refreshing. Much better than this pathetic, bitter piece of bullshit!! : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0420/1224245022587.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jesus. ... as a person who has pledged his troth to Leeds United I am always vexed and bemused by the great affection offered to sad and pathetic old Newcastle, especially when I weigh it against the spite directed at Leeds. I write from a position of some smugness knowing that after Saturday’s demolition of Tranmere... Stopped reading at that point. I enjoy reading a good article, even if it's anti-Newcastle, so long as it's not written by deluded spackers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Leeds can match Newcastle stadium for stadium... Another corker from that piece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I love the way he starts off saying he likes Newcastle in some laughable attempt to make the rest of the article seem in some way unbiased. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
QBG Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Caulkin is a fantastic sports writer, The Times sports section is far better than any other British publication. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistle17 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I love the way he starts off saying he likes Newcastle in some laughable attempt to make the rest of the article seem in some way unbiased. I know. Muppet. Another gem: I am always vexed and bemused by the great affection offered to sad and pathetic old Newcastle Funny how despite our drought of silverware we've still won more than Leeds. Ever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jesus. ... as a person who has pledged his troth to Leeds United I am always vexed and bemused by the great affection offered to sad and pathetic old Newcastle, especially when I weigh it against the spite directed at Leeds. I write from a position of some smugness knowing that after Saturday’s demolition of Tranmere... Stopped reading at that point. I enjoy reading a good article, even if it's anti-Newcastle, so long as it's not written by deluded spackers. Snap! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveItIfWeBeatU Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Absolutely super article!! Its so well written and such thought and research added in. So refreshing. Much better than this pathetic, bitter piece of bullshit!! : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0420/1224245022587.html Who the hell are an Irish newspaper to talk about what the English Premiership needs? Do English papers talk about which clubs 'should' be in the Spanish, Italian, Etc. leagues? Talk about your own shitty league. Some of the worst plastic fans come from Ireland. Their league is shit so they support an English team (while possibly 'hating' the English). I wonder how many of the Irish Sunderland fans still exist now Keane is gone? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toonlass Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Absolutely super article!! Its so well written and such thought and research added in. So refreshing. Much better than this pathetic, bitter piece of bullshit!! : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0420/1224245022587.html Who the hell are an Irish newspaper to talk about what the English Premiership needs? Do English papers talk about which clubs 'should' be in the Spanish, Italian, Etc. leagues? Talk about your own shitty league. Some of the worst plastic fans come from Ireland. Their league is shit so they support an English team (while possibly 'hating' the English). I wonder how many of the Irish Sunderland fans still exist now Keane is gone? "You have to love Sunderland. You have to root for them. Even if Big Niall wasn’t there in his nice suit, the history alone is so appealing. Sunderland actually had coal. Newcastle never did. Sunderland used to use the Wear for exporting the coal they dug. So in 1610 the Royalists down the road at Newcastle got a royal charter to restrict the shipments of coal from many nearby ports, including Sunderland. At the time about 15,000 tonnes of coal was going from Sunderland to London every year. Now Sunderland’s coal revenue was going to royalist merchants in Newcastle. And so Sunderland never really warmed to being a Royalist town in quite the same way that Newcastle did." No, you don't have to love Sunderland. Why should you, just cos Niall, Keaner and some Irish money men spent some cash on them? Bullshit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil K Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Some of the worst plastic fans come from Ireland. Their league is s*** so they support an English team (while possibly 'hating' the English). I wonder how many of the Irish Sunderland fans still exist now Keane is gone? Don't tar them all with the same brush I mean we have some good Irish fans. Its like saying all national football journos love twisting the knife in us Oh wait...yes, they all DO, don't they ? Much better than this pathetic, bitter piece of bullshit!! : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0420/1224245022587.html Spiteful and pathetic Wonder if it's the same journo who keeps putting in 2 page pieces slagging off Newcastle - team, city and fans and doing it under different names (with exactly the same points, same rants and dubious statistics) mostly in the arch Newcastle hating rag, the Mirror. The style seems slightly different this time though. Normally the prick launches into nonsensically ludicrous spite. Happens here again, but not sure if it's the same turd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'm a right cunt, to be fair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'm a right cunt, to be fair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistle17 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Absolutely super article!! Its so well written and such thought and research added in. So refreshing. Much better than this pathetic, bitter piece of bullshit!! : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/0420/1224245022587.html Who the hell are an Irish newspaper to talk about what the English Premiership needs? Do English papers talk about which clubs 'should' be in the Spanish, Italian, Etc. leagues? Talk about your own shitty league. Some of the worst plastic fans come from Ireland. Their league is s*** so they support an English team (while possibly 'hating' the English). I wonder how many of the Irish Sunderland fans still exist now Keane is gone? I know mate. In Ireland the only teams that are spoken about are the "top 4" . At a push Villa, Man City and Spurs. Last year it was disgusting, tbh. All over the shops they were full with scum jerseys etc and all over the tele it was Keano, Quinny and the mackems (even tho they were doing shit). Everyone either supported the mackems or had them as their 2nd team, yet no one knew/knows what the word 'mackem' means. Pathetic. But this season no one ever talks about them- their just another club. No one wears the shirts anymore either. Its all because Keano ran away... As for the Irish League- well I follow it and go to games often and its not great but the hardcore fans are great supporters, imo. But people over here totally neglect the league and just go and support Man Utd or Liverpool. The highest attendance you we'd see is around 4-5k. Plus, all the teams are going bust. Financially there's little or no stability and in the last 4 or 5 consecutive seasons all the winners have gone into financial trouble and potential ruin.....one of them already relegated. Btw, there's 10 teams in the Premier Division! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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