Good Riddance To Dennis Wise
Poor little Dennis Wise , poisoned little dwarf, that he is. The first casualty of the Alan Shearer era at Newcastle United and the first indication that the club's former skipper intends to manage the club without any interference.
Wise has been heading out of the St James's Park exit door for weeks if not months, so it was strange to hear managing director Derek Llambias defend him publicly back in February.
The pair have rarely spoken since December and nobody will have mourned his departure on Wednesday, probably not even Dennis who has earned plenty of money during his 13 months on Tyneside.
However, it is a firm good riddance from the rest of us. At least his mate Tony Jimenez had the decency to quit without being pushed after the Kevin Keegan fiasco.
Of all the mistakes Mike Ashley has made since he took control of the club, the appointment of Wise was the single biggest and most damaging blunder imaginable.
To appoint someone so unpopular into a key position at the club he has no understanding or feel for was a horrendous error of judgement he has paid for ever since.
Quite how Wise has managed to cling on for so long is amazing, but it didn't take Shearer long to kick him into touch did it?! If only Ashley and Llambias had never been persuaded - I understand former Tottenham director Paul Kelmsley was the man who recommended Wise and Jimenez to a remarkably naive Ashley - to appoint him in the first place!
I hope this Kelmsley character, who is also understood to have been responsible for several leaks to national newspapers over the last few months, no longer has any sort of influence over events in NE1.
As for Shearer's first steps as a manager, they have been typically bold ones. Ian Dowie is in as his right hand man and will be the wise (no pun intended) head along side the rookie manager.
As tempting as it must have been for Alan to call up one of his mates - Rob Lee or Gary Speed perhaps - he has gone for someone who will be able to guide him behind the scenes rather than just go out with him on the town. However, don't be the least bit surprised if Lee ends up on the staff at some point in the future.
As for today's press conference, expect to be told repeatedly that Shearer is only here for eight games, that he is not thinking about anything beyond those eight games and that those eight games are all anyone else should think about. He is right to an extent, safety first and all that.
But I cannot see how, if Shearer keeps Newcastle up, he can then just wander quietly back into the background as Joe Kinnear retakes control of the side. It just ain't gonna happen is it. No, surely, it isn't, right?
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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.
Hi Luke,
word on some of the other channels is that Rob Lee is on his way to SJP.
Great news our own Rolls Royce is coming back to play (saw he had his boots on the dashboard of his Range Rover).
Fantastic article on the London dwarf.
Hope John Terry does not spoil the party this weekend.
From a warm and sunny Durban, good luck lads this weekend and now I can wear my Shearer shirt wihht pride again this week.
It was enevitable Wise would go after what has happended. I agree Luke he should of just resigned after the whole KK affair or at least MA should of asked him to leave knowing he could not afford to lose KK then none of this would of happend..
What is very surprizing is the fact that it turns out they (directors) really do not know what they have been doing.!? I've been listening to what people have said but just thought it was the same old crowd having ago!? I really wanted to give MA the benefit-of-the-doubt..
However If its correct that MA took advice from some random Director from Spurs to hire a couple of cockneys one of which, as far as I'm aware has no experience at all in football and the other one (Wise) epitomizes everything that geordies dislike about southerners. Its seems that they really don't know where to go next?! I would also like to know who put DL forward? -who i can't stop thinking every time i see him is increasingly starting to look like Libarachy/ a ventriloquists dummy!?
Brilliant show from Shearer said all that was neccessary, pity Ashley had'nt shown to help the united fault to the nations sceptical media.
Llambias wasn't here when Wise was hired, that falls on the shoulders of Chris Mort.
As for everything about Wise and Jimenez, I'm not sure what happened behind the scenes with Keegan so I'll leave that to you to push rumours as fact.
Good luck to Alan and a good move bringing in someone like Dowie rather than giving Speed or Rob Lee jobs when it would be a clear 'jobs for the boys' move, Speed already slopped as a coach at Bolton and Lee's only qualification is being a mate.
It was that attitude that left us with Terry Mac for years.
No, Luke, it was not strange for Llambias to support Dennis Wise in February. In fact that motley crew were all singing from the same hymn sheet selected by Mr Ashley who has decimated our club in his short time here.
I, like all fans, fully support our current manager but unhappily for us a step down to the Championship justifies this abysmal crowd's behaviour over recent months, and maybe a better future for the club.
The same mismanagement continues. An appointment for 8 games and then what? If Shearer is successful in avoiding relegation then what happens to the 2 year contract we are told is already waiting for Joe Kinnear to sign. If he is not successful then how can any sensible management judge a man over just 8 games?
It just goes on, does n't it?