You Can Never Get A Taxi When You Need One
Bank Holiday weekends are always profitable for taxi drivers, so many revelers, so many places to go - but there were so many being called for at St James's Park on Saturday night they must have struggled to cope with the demand.
In fact, while taxis were being enthusiastically called for by fans for Freddie Shepherd, Glenn Roeder, Kieron Dyer, Titus Bramble and various others members of the Newcastle first team, I'm not sure how many turned up to get in them.
Mind you, it did not take long until Roeder was hopping into his and, as far as I'm concerned, it was the right decision at the right time. His managerial record always suggested he wasn't up to the job and so it proved.
After the events of Saturday when there were the first concerted calls for his sacking and given the performances and results of the last five months, it was always a case of when, rather than if, Shepherd sacked Roeder.
Roeder hoped he might hang on to his job, carry out the squad rebuilding he put off in January and go into a new season full of new hope and expectation. He was probably clinging by his fingertips, but he was possibly the only one.
He appears to have lost the faith of the dressing room and his team were disjointed and dispirited. Even the return of Michael Owen has done nothing to lift the mood.
The present discontent has been bubbling away under the surface all season. Remember Middlesbrough and Sheffield United? The reason for that discontent remains, perennial underachievement, but for the first time, Roeder was targeted as much as Shepherd.
When the same happened to Roeder's predecessor, Graeme Souness, after a Carling Cup defeat to Wigan Athletic he was infamously described as a "dead man walking." He lasted another four months. Roeder got 24 hours.
Performances have been poor all year. Players have come back from injury and haven't made any difference, while several of the supposed big name stars have looked totally disillusioned.
I wrote last month (Motivation Is The Name of The Game) that Roeder had to prove he could inspire the players. Not against Arsenal or Chelsea when the players are self-motivated to prove themselves against the best, but against the likes of Reading and Blackburn Rovers. I'm afraid he failed that test.
Nice guy or not, he had to go so cheerio Glenn. Having said that, perhaps he could have his old job back at the Academy. He seemed to be quite good with the kids, just not the seniors!
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
I just hope whoever takes over as manager reinstates Solano in his usual crossing position as he is what makes the winning difference. Maybe play Carroll up front with Owen. Link Dyer up with Solano, they are nearly telepathic with each other and a pleasure to watch. Sell Martins if you can get the 10million for him!
we should have never have lost Bobby, but that is in the past with the rest of Freedy's goodbyes! We need a big name to attract new players and Sam will not provide that. A Summer re-building is a major necessity
I agree! It was blatantly obvious on Saturday (and the last few months) that we need Solano delivering crosses. We need to sign at least two full-backs this summer but it shouldn't be too difficult as there were lots of quality full-backs at the World Cup.
Luke, you never gave Roeder a chance- you were questioning him as early as the summer when we didnt get the transfer targets we needed. I almost think whatever had happened this season, you would have found something to criticise, and when things go wrong, it plays into the hands of the media and people like yourself. Roeder deserved an (hopefully) injury free season - frequent mangerial changes dont tend to help anyway and I feel the problem lies with the attitude of a number of the players, not the manager.
Note From Luke
I did always have doubts about Roeder's ability as a manager and while I agree with your comments regarding the attitude of certain players, surely it is ultimately up to the manager to inspire the players.
As for the injuries, yes they have been a huge problem and would have tested any manager, but they are also part and parcel of the game. If the squad had been strengthened properly last summer, the injuries would not have been felt so acutely. Finally, results have actually been worse under Roeder when the injury list has shortened.
Roeder was never going to be the man, but key players have let him down massively since we got knocked out of Europe. In particular Kieron Dyer has shown absolute contempt for Roeder with some of his performances, and at the same time let down his team - mates and the fans.
If any club is stupid enough to make a bid for him this summer I'll drive him there myself, although only Dr Nick from the Simpsons would ever allow him to pass a medical.
I hope one day Glenn gets a chance at a championship team, with a bunch of young impressionable players that he can do something with.
One plea to Shepherd - take your time and think it through! This time last year, every man & his dog wanted Martin O'Neill. I argued at the time that, while he's a good guy, there was nothing in his CV to suggest he could take us forward in the way Mourinho, Wenger & Benitez have transformed their clubs. Subsequently, I don't see any evidence to contradict this given whats gone on at Villa Park this season. My point is, Allardyce is another O'Neill - lots of hype but little to suggest he could do the job. In fact, he's much worse as, unlike O'Neill, he also comes with a pretty tarnished reputation. Neither of them produce attractive teams who can live with the best. We need a top European manager - a Hitzfeld, Hiddink or a Ramos - in order to have a chance of competing with the top 4 or going a few steps further in the UEFA. Will Shepherd see this & do the right thing? On the evidence of a decade of total incompetence - no chance!
As unpleasant as it was, I have to admit I was happy when I found out Glenn Roeder had gone. I thought we were going to give him millions to spend in the summer and waste it.
Personally, I think Sam Allardyce will be a decent choice. His tactics and recruitment at Bolton were limited because of budgets and the inability to sign top international players. That shouldn't be the case at Newcastle.
Whoever comes in will also get the chance to look at the squad and get his ideas in place in pre season which is vital.
Luke, Fair comments on Roeder! I've got to say it's now time for a european manager, a hiddink or a hitzfeld or a cappello... Big names that can bring back the good times at the club.. But as far as im concerned untill Sheperd is gone.. We will be going round in circles. The bloke doesn't have a clue man! My take on the matter... SHEPHERD OUT NOW!
Spot on luke. Keep up the good work. its nice to have someone in the local press saying what most fans are and not just trotting out the party line.
Here we go again!
Luke you are a man of letters, type of person. Now I’ve looked it up in the dictionary without success, so how exactly do you spell aaaaaaaaaaggghh?
Note From Luke
Well my mum, a regular blog reader, thinks my spelling is atrocious but, I believe you have spelt aaaaaaaaaaagggghh rightly. The only thing is, you can add extra emphasis by adding an r like this, aaaaaaaaarggggghh
Even from 30,000 Km's away it was easy to see that the lack of signing a couple of defenders in the January window was the biggest factor in the demise of GR
aaaaaaaaarggggghhladyce!
Ta!
PLEASE STAY FREDDIE WHY UPSET 17,500 DIEHARD MACKEM REGULARS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF 29 MILLION QUID