Toon Amy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I can't see if anyone' s posted this already, apologies if they have City mantrap awaits Roeder as Newcastle hit nadir Michael Walker at St James' Park Monday November 6, 2006 The Guardian Where to begin? With Danny Webber's headed winner, with Scott Parker's alleged sarcastic gesture to Newcastle fans soon after, with the "Shepherd out" chants that followed, with Newcastle's decision to play the game less than 48 hours after being in Palermo, with the sponsors' public snub to Glenn Roeder? Or do you, as so many of the Newcastle United faithful do, go back further, to May 2004 when the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, had a gun in his hand, Sir Bobby Robson in front of him but refrained from pulling the trigger. "I didn't want to be known as the man who shot Bambi," Shepherd would later say. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Until then Shepherd was not considered sentimental. The trouble for him was that three months later, 24 hours before the closure of the August transfer window, Bambi had to be put down. The Hall family, the major shareholders, stood in the background and tutted that it was too late. Indeed, the timing was not clever. One delayed decision then begat a bad one: the appointment of Graeme Souness. That in turn begat more delay because when Newcastle lost at Wigan in the fourth round of the League Cup last November, Souness's position was untenable. He staggered on until a dismal defeat at Manchester City on February 1 begat Roeder as caretaker. Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. Roeder, meanwhile, did well. But something seems to happen when a caretaker becomes the manager and Webber's header, to many the culmination of 2½ years of downward spiralling, means Newcastle have lost seven of 11 Premiership matches this season and are second-bottom. Worryingly for Roeder, once Webber scored, Newcastle heads dropped. Keeper Steve Harper had this to say: "We are lacking character and mental strength." Not good, and all at St James' Park know relegation spells economic meltdown. This is a club that has announced a £12m annual loss and which took the £250,000 live TV fee when, as Sheffield United's manager Neil Warnock, confirmed: "We volunteered to move it to Sunday." The more important figure is £40m. That is the reward for staying in the Premiership this season and a club with Newcastle's debts and mountainous wage bill cannot ignore it. Who would want to manage or play for Newcastle should they go down? Michael Owen? It could be Leeds United all over again and that is why Roeder is vulnerable. Yet the message from the chairman's office is that neither he nor Roeder are going anywhere. The supporters will be unimpressed with such defiance because they think they know what happens next. Tomorrow night, eight months after Newcastle sacked Souness, Roeder takes the club to Watford in the fourth round of the League Cup. Newcastle's match after that is at Manchester City. An echo of instability has accompanied the club almost since Kevin Keegan walked out 10 years ago but the coming week has eerie Souness echoes. On Saturday the feelings were louder and more raw than at any time since the late 1980s. The fans who demonstrated outside the main entrance at St James' were very angry. To these fans, Shepherd, and the Halls, are now beyond the pale. Thousands of others walked away silently and Michael Martin, editor of the True Faith fanzine, and longstanding critic of Shepherd and Hall, said yesterday: "Apathy is the biggest enemy of the club. Socially, economically, Sunderland and Newcastle fans are similar and Sunderland lost 20,000 fans when they were relegated in the 19-points season [2002-03]. They haven't got them back." Countering that is the fact that Newcastle put their 6,000 allocation on sale for Arsenal away on Saturday week and sold out in double-quick time. Martin nevertheless detects "a sea-change" in the attitude of that hard core. "A while ago about 20% of Newcastle supporters agreed with me on how badly the club was run. Now I believe that's a mainstream view. Shepherd's position is untenable." The club recently confirmed it was in talks with the Jersey-based Belgravia Group but had not received a formal takeover proposal. With the transfer window 56 days and 13, possibly 14, games away, options are limited. "Limited" was how Warnock described his team but a first away win could have been won by more. Nicky Butt and Craig Moore were unrecognisable from Sicily while James Milner was taken off by Roeder. Milner, vital in Palermo, was then named man of the match by sponsors of some influence within St James'. The crossfire had begun. As Harper said: "It's tin hat time." The Guardian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Aye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Amy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Interesting that they seem to be listening to the fans point of view, and interviewing True Faith as well? There will probably be a lot in the papers this week, not all positive no doubt, but I thought this was a good article that summed everything up well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Once the vultures from Fleet Street get interested, then you KNOW it's terminal. They're rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of another Leeds United on the cards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 We won't get relegated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledDog Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 GREAT article. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledDog Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Once the vultures from Fleet Street get interested, then you KNOW it's terminal. They're rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of another Leeds United on the cards. Or are they are simply telling it like it is? Something that the local rags (well the Chronicle in the main) seem incapable of doing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Once the vultures from Fleet Street get interested, then you KNOW it's terminal. They're rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of another Leeds United on the cards. Or are they are simply telling it like it is? Something that the local rags (well the Chronicle in the main) seem incapable of doing. No no, don't get me wrong...it's a good article. Just gives me an overbearing sense of doom reading it in black and white in a "quality" broadsheet paper, that's all. If this, and any other articles from national papers, can give FFS the nudge we need to sort things out one way or the other, then fine. However if all it does in the end is exacerbate the misery of us fans, and give others (Mackems etc) a nice free dose of schadenfreude then I'd prefer not to see it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Invicta_Toon Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 O'Neill wasn't approached. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Amy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Voice of the people, Alan Oliver for one, said that Martin O'Neill was Shepherd's number one choice. O'Neill himself did not deny it when asked, but said he wouldn't comment on it. Do you seriously think that Shepherd did not even try to get O'Neill? If the answer is no, then why not? given that he didn't seem to try to get anyone else who was available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gemmill Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Voice of the people, Alan Oliver for one, said that Martin O'Neill was Shepherd's number one choice. O'Neill himself did not deny it when asked, but said he wouldn't comment on it. Do you seriously think that Shepherd did not even try to get O'Neill? If the answer is no, then why not? given that he didn't seem to try to get anyone else who was available. I think you'll find that Alan Oliver later changed his mind and claimed we never even spoke to O'Neill when he was spinning his propaganda about how all the fans wanted Roeder as the new boss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Amy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Voice of the people, Alan Oliver for one, said that Martin O'Neill was Shepherd's number one choice. O'Neill himself did not deny it when asked, but said he wouldn't comment on it. Do you seriously think that Shepherd did not even try to get O'Neill? If the answer is no, then why not? given that he didn't seem to try to get anyone else who was available. I think you'll find that Alan Oliver later changed his mind and claimed we never even spoke to O'Neill when he was spinning his propaganda about how all the fans wanted Roeder as the new boss. I know that, well he never can make his mind up about anything, can he? just spins the club propaganda to suit!! I don't know if Martin O'Neill was approached or not, no one does, but most of the papers all seem to think that he was. Maybe they are wrong about that but the fact is O'Neill was available, as was Hitzfeld. Ranieri practically begged for the job, Houlier was rumoured to be interested, yet we ended up with Roeder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Voice of the people, Alan Oliver for one, said that Martin O'Neill was Shepherd's number one choice. O'Neill himself did not deny it when asked, but said he wouldn't comment on it. Do you seriously think that Shepherd did not even try to get O'Neill? If the answer is no, then why not? given that he didn't seem to try to get anyone else who was available. I think you'll find that Alan Oliver later changed his mind and claimed we never even spoke to O'Neill when he was spinning his propaganda about how all the fans wanted Roeder as the new boss. I know that, well he never can make his mind up about anything, can he? just spins the club propaganda to suit!! I don't know if Martin O'Neill was approached or not, no one does, but most of the papers all seem to think that he was. Maybe they are wrong about that but the fact is O'Neill was available, as was Hitzfeld. Ranieri practically begged for the job, Houlier was rumoured to be interested, yet we ended up with Roeder. We ended up with someone who drives a Peugeot, you mean. Wonder what sealed the deal for FFS? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Amy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd set off on a process to get Martin O'Neill but failed. says who? Voice of the people, Alan Oliver for one, said that Martin O'Neill was Shepherd's number one choice. O'Neill himself did not deny it when asked, but said he wouldn't comment on it. Do you seriously think that Shepherd did not even try to get O'Neill? If the answer is no, then why not? given that he didn't seem to try to get anyone else who was available. I think you'll find that Alan Oliver later changed his mind and claimed we never even spoke to O'Neill when he was spinning his propaganda about how all the fans wanted Roeder as the new boss. I know that, well he never can make his mind up about anything, can he? just spins the club propaganda to suit!! I don't know if Martin O'Neill was approached or not, no one does, but most of the papers all seem to think that he was. Maybe they are wrong about that but the fact is O'Neill was available, as was Hitzfeld. Ranieri practically begged for the job, Houlier was rumoured to be interested, yet we ended up with Roeder. We ended up with someone who drives a Peugeot, you mean. Wonder what sealed the deal for FFS? Making a decision was too difficult, it meant getting off his fat arse and doing something ... so he decided not to make a decision at all? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The plan all along as I see it was for Roeder to hold the fort till Shearer was ready. This is unravelling as we speak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitman Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 The plan all along as I see it was for Roeder to hold the fort till Shearer was ready. This is unravelling as we speak. Plan? :confused: We don't do plans, top clubs don't need 'em you see Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd went to LIDL for a manager when he should have gone to Harrods (metaphorically speaking). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Lol Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd went to LIDL for a manager when he should have gone to Harrods (metaphorically speaking). ....... and he would have come out with Chris Coleman courtesy of the Egyptian! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd went to LIDL for a manager when he should have gone to Harrods (metaphorically speaking). ....... and he would have come out with Chris Coleman courtesy of the Egyptian! Precisely why I added the words "metaphorically speaking", my friend. blueyes.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Lol Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd went to LIDL for a manager when he should have gone to Harrods (metaphorically speaking). ....... and he would have come out with Chris Coleman courtesy of the Egyptian! Precisely why I added the words "metaphorically speaking", my friend. blueyes.gif But I didn't want your qualifying phrase to get in the way of my joke!! bluebiggrin.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Shepherd went to LIDL for a manager when he should have gone to Harrods (metaphorically speaking). ....... and he would have come out with Chris Coleman courtesy of the Egyptian! Precisely why I added the words "metaphorically speaking", my friend. blueyes.gif But I didn't want your qualifying phrase to get in the way of my joke!! bluebiggrin.gif Well clearly, I DID! tongue.gif tongue.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DazzaNufc1892 Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 we all know o'neill was approached after shearers balls up during the world cup. When he and martin were in the studio talking. O'neill said he was never offered the endlgnad job, and if he was, he wouldnt have turned it down, and if you remember, shearer turned to him and laughingly said "what, like you did with us" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now