David Ginola

[LooneyToonArmy]

Golden era in Toon ended by Kenny

 

DAVID GINOLA has pointed the finger at Kenny Dalglish for dismantling the legendary Entertainers.

 

The Frenchman was one of the sparkling gems of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United side that came within a whisker of winning the Premier League in 1996.

 

However, just one year later, after somehow squandering a seemingly unassailable lead at the top, Keegan had left Toon and Dalglish sold Ginola, Peter Beardsley and Les Ferdinand, with Tino Asprilla shown the exit door shortly after.

 

As a result, United tumbled from two consecutive second-placed finishes, one achieved by Keegan and one by Dalglish with KK’s team, to 13th position.

 

And although Dalglish delivered Champions League football for the first time, his second season coincided with a series of sterile displays.

 

Toon fans will never forget just how magical the football on offer was from the class of 95/96, with the all-out attacking style setting high standards which teams that followed could just never live up to.

 

Reflecting on being moved on by Dalglish, Ginola told the Chronicle in a refreshingly honest interview: “It was an amazing two years for me, and it didn’t take me long to realise that I was playing in front of the best fans in the world.

 

“Kevin Keegan brought me over and I loved every minute of it. But it quickly turned bitter for me when Kenny Dalglish arrived.

 

“I soon realised that he wanted to recruit his own team and break up the Entertainers.

 

“I wasn’t in the plans of Dalglish. So to move away was difficult because I honestly didn’t want to leave the city or stop playing for the team. But what can you do? If you are not wanted by the manager you have to move on, you don’t really have a choice.”

 

Ginola now feels that it would be almost impossible to recreate such a magical era.

 

He went on: “I couldn’t believe how good Newcastle was when I arrived from Paris. Not just the brilliant supporters but the city and the feeling on the streets, you could tell that everybody thought it was our time to win something.

 

“Coming to Newcastle was fresh and we just knew every time we went out we were going to score lots of goals.

 

“When I first signed I was a bit concerned about what we were aiming to do but it was apparent early on that this club was ambitious, it wanted to win the league and it wanted to rule Europe.

 

“Sir John Hall was a great chairman, he was focused and he was up for the challenge of making Newcastle the best.

 

“It was a brand new experience for me and I loved the magic of it.

 

“The Geordies are passionate people, they live the game, they breathe the game and they dream it too.”

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2010/05/27/golden-era-in-toon-ended-by-kenny-72703-26532806/

[Stu]

another thread about this?

[2sheds]

The wierd thing is that Keegan was not a particularly skillfull player but he was a hard worker.

 

Dalglish on the other hand had bags of flair and skill.

 

Yet their respective teams were the exact opposite of their playing styles.

[LooneyToonArmy]

another thread about this?

 

I did a search but no Ginola thread titles came up related to this(?).... delete if needed

[Yorkie]

Why didn't it actually work for Dalglish? Too much too soon typething?

[NG32]

Why didn't it actually work for Dalglish? Too much too soon typething?

 

Wasn't given enough time.

 

What got him sacked was we went from entertainers, playing flowing football to playing defensive football.

 

KD allowed us to finish the season that way when KK left but had plans for the new season.

 

Ginola can fuck off, he made some shyte remarks about the club, the city and its fans when he joined spurs.

[madras]

Why didn't it actually work for Dalglish? Too much too soon typething?

 

Wasn't given enough time.

 

What got him sacked was we went from entertainers, playing flowing football to playing defensive football.

 

KD allowed us to finish the season that way when KK left but had plans for the new season.

 

Ginola can f*** off, he made some shyte remarks about the club, the city and its fans when he joined spurs.

not to mentio long term injuries to shearer and asprilla. also beardsley, albert and ferdinand rolling quickly down the wrong side of the hill.

 

also anyone who saw the differenc ein ginola almost from the moment nigel winterburn stayed on when he was already walking off at highbury will know his version above is a skewed bit of historical re-writing.

[Guest palnese]

Dalglish brought in Psycho, Barnes and Rush, did he not?

 

Says it all really.

[madras]

Dalglish brought in Psycho, Barnes and Rush, did he not?

 

Says it all really.

no it doesn't.

[Guest]

Dalglish brought in Psycho, Barnes and Rush, did he not?

 

Says it all really.

 

As well as Hamann, Given, Speed & Solano.

[Guest BooBoo]

Another one about 96 and all that? Yawn.

[Yorkie]

Shit, yeah. Quick - someone hurry and start another potential transfer thread.

[merlin]

Ginola was part of a great side, but the fact was that the side was NOT built for long-term success.

 

Ginola was 28 when he arrived at SJP, and by the time he was sold, he was over 30 as was Sir Les.

Beardsley was 36. Dalglish was right to want to rebuild the side and he was very unlucky with the injury to Shearer at Everton in pre-season 97-98. We can all speculate, but I would bet that Tomasson would have been great alongside Big Al - he was NOT a target man, and because the club were a PLC by this time, Sir Les had to go to balance the books, which proved a disaster after Shearer's injury.

 

Dalglish re-started the Reserves and Juniors and recruited players like Hamman. Given and Solano - yes, there were failures as well, but I still reckon it would have worked out if Shearer had not been injured.

 

The media hated KD because he was non-committal with them and they had had it easy with KK, but the players DID like Dalglish - even a top NE journalist told me that, although he personally didn't get on with Kenny. He was fired 2 games into the 98/99 season after we hadn't even lost a match, and the so-called 'Sexy Football' of his successor got off to the worst possible start when we got hammered at home by Liverpool......

 

Ginola was a cracking winger at his best - I remember him tormenting Boro to distraction at SJP early in 95/96 ; that great strike at Liverpool to put us 2-1 in front in April 96 ; that thunderbolt strike at SJP which was our second in the 5-0 over Man U, and an amazing shot into Arsenal's top corner early in a game at SJP which left Seaman grasping at thin air.....great memories, but whilst he was right in some of his comments, he was wrong to blame KD totally for what happened - the club had changed, SJH had gone, and it wasn't going to be easy for any manager.

 

There is a long way to go before anything LIKE these times return to SJP - if they EVER do, although the current financial problems in football may just help in the long run because of the great support NUFC attract.

[Guest]

Also seemed very bitter against KK in that programme on Sky Sports when he said he wanted to go to Barcelona, Keegan said stay because he was building something special here, Ginola agreed, and 4 months later, Keegan left.

[macca888]

Ginola was part of a great side, but the fact was that the side was NOT built for long-term success.

 

Ginola was 28 when he arrived at SJP, and by the time he was sold, he was over 30 as was Sir Les.

Beardsley was 36. Dalglish was right to want to rebuild the side and he was very unlucky with the injury to Shearer at Everton in pre-season 97-98. We can all speculate, but I would bet that Tomasson would have been great alongside Big Al - he was NOT a target man, and because the club were a PLC by this time, Sir Les had to go to balance the books, which proved a disaster after Shearer's injury.

 

Dalglish re-started the Reserves and Juniors and recruited players like Hamman. Given and Solano - yes, there were failures as well, but I still reckon it would have worked out if Shearer had not been injured.

 

The media hated KD because he was non-committal with them and they had had it easy with KK, but the players DID like Dalglish - even a top NE journalist told me that, although he personally didn't get on with Kenny. He was fired 2 games into the 98/99 season after we hadn't even lost a match, and the so-called 'Sexy Football' of his successor got off to the worst possible start when we got hammered at home by Liverpool......

 

Ginola was a cracking winger at his best - I remember him tormenting Boro to distraction at SJP early in 95/96 ; that great strike at Liverpool to put us 2-1 in front in April 96 ; that thunderbolt strike at SJP which was our second in the 5-0 over Man U, and an amazing shot into Arsenal's top corner early in a game at SJP which left Seaman grasping at thin air.....great memories, but whilst he was right in some of his comments, he was wrong to blame KD totally for what happened - the club had changed, SJH had gone, and it wasn't going to be easy for any manager.

 

There is a long way to go before anything LIKE these times return to SJP - if they EVER do, although the current financial problems in football may just help in the long run because of the great support NUFC attract.

You have hit the nail on the head here. Circumstances were to blame for KDs situation here but hindsight is a great thing. If Shearer hadnt got injured. If we hadnt agreed to sell Ferdinand, etc etc etc.

 

The facts remain that Dalglish was very unluicky. I doubt any club would have passsed up the oppoertunity to sell a 31 year old striker for 6 million pound. I also thought Tino had gone right off the boil as well and to almost get back what we paid for him was good business.

 

Dalglish bought some great players who were to serve us so well over the years such as Speed, Given and Nobby but I felt that he, as well as Keegan, failed to address the most critical part of the team in buying a couple of quality defenders which would have taken us to the next level.

 

I remember Keegan admitting the year he left the club that the only out and out defender we had at the club was Darren Peacock., You dont win titles or cups with that.

 

Keegan's biggest mistake was buying Tino. We didnt need him. Batty was a good buy but we needed a strong defender for the money spent on Tino. If either KK or KD had bought a qyuality defender or two, we would have won the league in 95 and 96 by a landslide,

[Guest firetotheworks]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

[Guest Roger Kint]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

[hakka]

I think your both correct.  He did dismantle a decent side and also was unlucky with injuries.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

 

Yeh, losing a 20+ goal a season striker is unlucky. Selling one wasn't. Selling a player that then went on to win the PFA player of the year isn't unlucky. Bringing in Rush, Barnes, and Pearce isnt unlucky. The only position he improved was goalkeeper. That's half the story too. We didn't turn from into an attacking team, into a defensive team. We turned from an attacking team into one that couldn't attack or defend.

[Guest Roger Kint]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

 

Yeh, losing a 20+ goal a season striker is unlucky. Selling one wasn't. Selling a player that then went on to win the PFA player of the year isn't unlucky. Bringing in Rush, Barnes, and Pearce isnt unlucky. The only position he improved was goalkeeper. That's half the story too. We didn't turn from into an attacking team, into a defensive team. We turned from an attacking team into one that couldn't attack or defend.

 

We still dont know if it was his choice to sell Ferdinand or whether his injury nightmare wouldnt have happened if he stayed.

 

Ginola wanted out 12 months earlier, we played better when KD didnt pick him the second half of the season, Ginola was barely interested what choice did he have ffs?

 

Ever considered that if Shearer played that season we may not have had to rely on a more defensive approach?

[Guest firetotheworks]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

 

Yeh, losing a 20+ goal a season striker is unlucky. Selling one wasn't. Selling a player that then went on to win the PFA player of the year isn't unlucky. Bringing in Rush, Barnes, and Pearce isnt unlucky. The only position he improved was goalkeeper. That's half the story too. We didn't turn from into an attacking team, into a defensive team. We turned from an attacking team into one that couldn't attack or defend.

 

We still dont know if it was his choice to sell Ferdinand or whether his injury nightmare wouldnt have happened if he stayed.

 

Ginola wanted out 12 months earlier, we played better when KD didnt pick him the second half of the season, Ginola was barely interested what choice did he have ffs?

 

Ever considered that if Shearer played that season we may not have had to rely on a more defensive approach?

 

There's too many 'if's is my point. If Shearer had played then we wouldnt have been defensive, but then if he hadn't sold Ferdinand then maybe we wouldn't have either. If Dalglish hadn't been such a reported twat to Ginola then he might have put everything into it, we knew what type of player Ginola was, but we put up with it because when he was good he was incredible. Also, Ginola didn't want out, he told Keegan that Barca had contacted his agent, but that he wanted to stay so long as Keegan wanted him, and then Keegan left. Like I said, there's too many ifs, and Dalglish was involved in a lot of them.

[ikri]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

 

Yeh, losing a 20+ goal a season striker is unlucky. Selling one wasn't. Selling a player that then went on to win the PFA player of the year isn't unlucky. Bringing in Rush, Barnes, and Pearce isnt unlucky. The only position he improved was goalkeeper. That's half the story too. We didn't turn from into an attacking team, into a defensive team. We turned from an attacking team into one that couldn't attack or defend.

 

We still dont know if it was his choice to sell Ferdinand or whether his injury nightmare wouldnt have happened if he stayed.

 

Ginola wanted out 12 months earlier, we played better when KD didnt pick him the second half of the season, Ginola was barely interested what choice did he have ffs?

 

Ever considered that if Shearer played that season we may not have had to rely on a more defensive approach?

 

Wasn't he told by the board at the time that he needed to sell one of either Ferdinand or Asprilla?  There was an offer for Ferdinand on the table that was decent money for a striker his age and Asprilla offered different skills to Ferdinand and Shearer that would allow the team to play differently should the need arise.  Within 36 hours of that decision, Ferdinand had agreed to move and Shearer got injured. 

 

Dalglish did ask Ferdinand to stay once Shearer's injury had been confirmed as serious but Ferdinand didn't want to go back on his word having only agreed to move a few hours earlier.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Love your biggest problem with KD was a 'reported' story as opposed to fact

 

A few people knew this pointless thread would end up in a pointless arguement on nothing, suppose we didnt disappoint  

 

All i know is we went from about 6th in Jan to 2nd under KD mainly WITHOUT Ginola losing only away to Soton & Liverpool in the final 15 league games. Ginola scored just 1 domestic goal that season, Robbie Elliott scored 7 from March onwards. Personally i think he was right to ignore Ginola.

[afar]

I dont see how Dalglish was unlucky. He dismantled a side, rather than adding to it. He might have had his own methods, but the best managers can work with what they have, and build from it, and he didn't.

 

He lost a 20+ goal a season striker the same(?) day he sold Ferdinand causing Tomasson who had a bright start in pre season to completely change his game on the eve of a season to fill in for him. Some may say luck was a factor

 

Yeh, losing a 20+ goal a season striker is unlucky. Selling one wasn't. Selling a player that then went on to win the PFA player of the year isn't unlucky. Bringing in Rush, Barnes, and Pearce isnt unlucky. The only position he improved was goalkeeper. That's half the story too. We didn't turn from into an attacking team, into a defensive team. We turned from an attacking team into one that couldn't attack or defend.

 

Ferdinand suffered horribly from injuries in his time with Spuds, just after the move, he barely played, he'll certainly not go down in history as one of Spud's all time greats, getting 6 million quid for hiom at his age was great business. Ginola had no interest at all in playing for Dalglish, that was clear, the two just didn't get along, he had to sell him, Ginola did win the player of the year at Spuds, but still didn't turn that team into contenders.

 

As for the Rush, Barnes, Pearce thing that always gets thrown about here. We needed to replace the players that had gone or were injured, these were stop gap signings nothing more. Rush didn't cost us a lot, and I could understand the logic in bringing him in, someone KD knew and someone who could maybe fill a hole while we wait for Shearer to return. It didn't work out, but we hadn't spent much. Pearce was still a decent left back even at his age, but above all he was a leader that the defence needed, he did not do too bad in his time with us. Barnes was actually one of our better players that year, anyone who suggests that was a bad signing is way off base, he played well and scored some very important goals.

 

I'm not suggesting that KD's failure was purely down to bad luck, there were still some problems of course, as someone else said, he really didn't address the backline, some of his signings were very poor G'uivarch, Andersson, Des Hamilton, etc but he also had some notable successes in the market with Solano , Speed, Hamman and Given. I just think he should have been given more time to get it right, perhaps he would have still failed but shephard was way too quick on the trigger and the crowd were too impatient to, certainly his succesor was no upgrade that's for sure.

[LooneyToonArmy]

the football played under Dogliesh was atrocious....horribly boring and negative from what I remember.