No Buyer And No Manager Means No Hope For Newcastle United
Isn't it tragic the Newcastle United Sir Bobby Robson leaves behind are a disgrace, a bad joke, a disaster waiting to happen. In other words a club totally unbefitting of a great man who did so much for them as a manager and cared so much for them as a supporter.
I was at a wedding in Holland - an interesting experience summed up by the strange ritual of a simulated rowing race in time to the music on the middle of the dance floor during the post-nuptial celebrations - when I heard the news about Bobby.
I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear for a man who was a hero of mine as a child and who I had the fantastic good fortune to work with and, eventually socialise with as well. A legend in every sense of the word, not just in Newcastle, but across the country. He will be sorely missed, but never forgotten I'm sure.
Even during his painful final days, you can bet Bobby spent a lot of time worrying about Newcastle United and the state they are in.
In his last interview he talked excitedly about Alan Shearer becoming manager and tipped him to haul the club off its knees. Like the rest of us he can only have been frustrated by the continued delay in that appointment being made.
We have to worry now that the club will not be sold before the close of the transfer window. In fact, you have to worry the club will not be sold at all, that Mike Ashley will be back in the director's box pleading for unity alongside sidekick Derek Llambias.
It is a prospect that will send a shiver down the spine and, should it become a reality, the stands at St James's Park will empty faster than you can say "Surely things can't get any worse...."
However, if Ashley can't sell the club, I suspect he will go cap in hand to Shearer pleading with him to become manager, even though he has not been able to deliver on any of the things the former Magpie skipper asked for immediately after relegation to the Championship.
Even though he has been completely cast aside during the sale process, and left to feed from scraps of information regarding the progress that has, or rather hasn't, been made over the last four months, Shearer will still be tempted to say yes.
Despite everything he still wants the job and, while there is obviously hostility towards the Ashley regime on his part, he may still accept the offer providing he finally receives the power and assurances about player retention he wants.
Some will say he is mad, but love does funny things to people and Shearer loves Newcastle United.
That may bring an end to the immediate pain, while at the same time accentuating it. If Shearer had been appointed in May, I would be feeling fairly confident about Newcastle making an immediate return to the top flight.
Not over-confident, just a genuine belief they had a good chance of competing for promotion.
I don't feel that at the moment, far from it in fact. They have a squad which still lacks pace and creativity, the major problems last term, while also losing firepower up front and, should as expected Sebastien - I'm on strike - Bassong and Habib - I'm throwing my toys out of the pram - Beye their two best defenders at the back.
Not much of a recipe for success is it?! More Oliver Twist than Jamie Oliver.
And if it isn't Shearer, who else? We can discount Joe Kinnear's cack-handed attempt to put himself in the running from what I've been told, but I still wouldn't rule him out entirely. That stupid office sign, "You don't have to be mad to work here but it helps" springs to mind.
What about another cockney manager looking for a job. Alan Curbishley perhaps?! I can't believe he'd be daft enough to take it, but who else is out there?!
Whoever it turns out to be, they will either be very brave or very foolish. Newcastle United with Mike Ashley at the helm is not an attractive proposition for the fans so why would it appeal to any managers out there?
Shearer remains the only realistic hope for peace and prosperity. I'd like to say there is an end in sight but there isn't.
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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.
It's all over the BBC's website that Kinnear has been offered a 2-year contract. If that's the case, then Ashley's taking the p1ss!
He still hasn't learned that you can't run a football club by employing your friends.
I listened to another of his cronies speak on Radio 5. Keith 'Where's Orville' Harris has been saying something should happen this month. That's a very bold statement. The only things that'll happen in august will be 1, more frustration and blind alley chasing for our local hacks; 2, more frustration for the fans; 3, our best players leaving for pastures new, leaving us with the mighty Linda Nolan and Joey Barton in midfield; 4, no players coming in; and 5, Mike Ashley re-acquainting himself with FULL control of the club and telling how he tried to sell but couldn't find a buyer......
As you rightly mention, Luke, none of last season's problems have been addressed and all 3 first choice strikers have left the club, meaning Shola will lead the line this season.
PaddyPower have odds of 5/1 to win the league and 22/1 for us to finish 13th..... I know where my money's going.
AND SORT THAT BLOODY CAPTCHA OUT, IT'S MORE ANNOYING THAN DEREK LLAMBIAS!!!
isnt it tragic that these morons can take the club into this mess and the cowards at thomson look on with no balls.
Gordon, the webchats are back next week and i know how much you enjoy those. I look forward to our next debate, although this latest whimper from you is boring, tiresome and oh so predictable. Can you ever make any comment without referring to our so-called failure to hang Ashley and Llambias from the Gallowgate?! Or how dreadful we are at our jobs? Interesting thing is, you keep coming back so we must be doing something right! Speak soon Gordy my boy!
The problem is if Shearer were to come back a lot of the players he wanted to keep will have already gone.
If he took over an empty dressing room with no time to buy what could he do? If I was confronted by such a situation I would tell Mike Ashley to find another mug to do the job.
Oh, I nearly forgot, he does have JFK waiting in the wings.
We are all hanging onto the hope that a new owner arrives asap, otherwise I dread to think of the consequences for Ashley and Newcastle United.
This time next year we will be looking forward to a league one campaign.
Agree Bobby’s death could not have been more poignant in the way it has highlighted all the qualities absent from the current regime. The only good thing is the fans are even closer together now. Wish I was as confident as you that Shearer will still return if Ashley carries on. You would think it would be the logical move, but there aren’t many reasons to trust Ashley will make the right decision. I’ve got a feeling he would have been stung by Shearer’s view on how the club should be run, and is obviously not putting any more money in. Despite Shearer’s undying love for the club, his motives and ambition couldn’t be more different from Ashleys’. Just can’t see them working together now, they have nothing in common. If Ashley had the bottle to back the original Shearer plan I’ve no doubt we would have been promoted within two years at most. Now that moment has passed, all his targets have moved on, and it feels like the club has probably been set back another couple of years. Despite Kinnear’s ramblings, would not be at all surprised if Ashley approaches someone of similar ilk, such as O’Leary. Anyway here’s hoping somehow a deal goes through, just about anything would be better.
Sir Bobby Robson died and my first child was born within the space of a few days. Both certainly help put things into perspective.
Newcastle United is now rotten to the core. The owner, his puppets on the board, and the vast majority of the mercenary-like charlatans on the playing staff - SCUM the lot of them.
They have systematically destroyed our club and broken the spirit of our City. What's even worse though, they have done it with a smug smile on their faces. They treat the fans with total contempt.
I am proud to be a Geordie. My newborn son is not a Geordie because I moved from Newcastle a long time ago. I was going to raise him as a Mag (at least until the age of about 7 I suppose, when I expect he would come to his senses and start supporting Chelsea like all of his mates).
You know what though? I think I'll hang fire on that one for a while. I don't want any child of mine developing an affiliation to something as so inherently corrupt as NUFC v.2010. On the other hand, I would love him to have just one ounce of the passion and integrity of Sir Bobby.
Oh, and the Dutch wedding rowing dance. Sure it wasn't just "Oops Upside You're Head" by Kool and the Gang? I remember my Aunties doing that dance at every family party we ever had.
I agree with "Nige" that there must be some overwhelming reason preventing Ashley appointing Shearer, or it would have happened long before now. My best guess is that Ashley can't cope with anyone else being "in charge". Like many self-made businessmen, Ashley seems to think has that he can make all of the important decisions based on his instinct. Shearer has the strength of personality to oppose decisions he thinks are wrong, and to set his own stall out. It seems to me that most successful chairman / manager relationships allow both to have their say, and to allow both to exercise their skills in the right arena: the chairman in the boardroom, the manager on the football side. Today's news about JFK (even if he's talked it up beyond what actually took place) suggests that Ashley has at least started to think about what to do if he can't get the club sold in the short term. Some reports say that this Friday represents some kind of a deadline or watershed for the sale process. If, and its a big if, the club isn't sold in the short term, then Ashley will need a "Plan B" to protect his dwindling asset until it can be sold. In order to do that, he needs a manager, a sustainable wage bill, a new striker, a left back, and a clear target for this coming season. If (as I suspect) its not Shearer, then whoever is appointed needs to appointed soon, and no way should it be Hughton, JFK, or O'Leary. Personally, i could cope with Curbishley, or another manager of experience. Either way, we need a firm deadline to stop the current drift, and to allow players to be shipped out (and in).
Nige, are you psychic or did you already know that O'Dreary was going to be offered the job??
Why have they started offering idiots the job on 2 year deals? Answer: Ashley's taking the p!ss.
The Dutch Rowing song was a Musical Youth tribute, where all guests are invited to 'Pass The Dutchie On The Left Hand Side'...... I'll get my coat!!