Where Do We Go From Here?
I don’t know what to make of Sir Bobby’s dismissal. I feel sorry for the old man definitely. He came to the rescue of his beloved Newcastle five years ago, built up a talented squad and took the club into the Champions League. It’s a shame it had to end this way. But as is often the case these days, you’re only as good as your last result. And, this season, the results have been alarmingly poor.
But having said that, it’s still barely a month into the new season. Surely, a manager of Sir Bobby’s standing deserves more time than a month to get things right. It’s true that some of his recruits haven’t impressed but he’s been nowhere near as extravagant as Houllier in buying flops.
On the pitch, while performances haven’t been great, the blame shouldn’t rest solely on Sir Bobby’s shoulders. The players have lacked commitment in every game I’ve watched so far. There’s no hard running other than from Bellamy, no cohesion in midfield or defence and even the usually dependable Shay Given gave away a goal to Norwich.
Besides, there couldn’t be a worse time to sack a manager. The club is sitting close to the bottom of the table and desperately needs a few new players, especially in defence and midfield. And with the transfer window closing just about now, I don’t see any new blood coming in till January, which is a scary prospect. We just aren’t good enough to compete. Come January, new manager or not, we might not even be in the running for Europe.
One of the suggested reasons for the dismal performances of late has been the age gap between the players and the manager. I have no idea if it’s true but, frankly, it seems to me that Sir Bobby has just been unfortunate to take charge of a bunch of brats, the key example being Kieron Dyer, who should take a good look at himself despite his public apology. Refusing to play where the manager puts you is simply unacceptable. It’s disrespectful to the manager, to the club and to the fans. I was delighted to read that Dyer might have been moving on, but sadly, other clubs were astute enough not to take him.
As I mentioned, I don’t know if Sir Bobby’s departure is for the better or worse. Perhaps the club needs a disciplinarian more than a father figure. Someone like Peter Reid or Sam Allardyce who won’t hesitate to put players in their places. But then again, very few managers boast the wealth of experience or tactical knowledge that Sir Bobby possesses. It’s gonna be hard to find a replacement.
But that’s what the club must do now. I wouldn’t want to see the likes of Hoddle or Houllier associated with the role. Both have woeful track records. Hoddle is a horrible man-manager while Houllier’s time at Liverpool speaks for itself. Maybe a continental manager could be the answer. Someone like Deschamps or Koeman who encourages fluid, attacking football. Maybe Martin O’Neill could do a job here too. He’s an excellent motivator and knows the English game inside out. Of course, it’ll be extremely difficult to lure him from Celtic but it’s worth a try.
What’s for sure is that the board must take their time to decide. No more Dalglishes or Gullits thank you very much. The new manager has got to be able to take control of the players, to show them who’s boss and to whip them into action. And I mean whip cos that’s the only way this bunch is ever gonna wake up.
But having said that, it’s still barely a month into the new season. Surely, a manager of Sir Bobby’s standing deserves more time than a month to get things right. It’s true that some of his recruits haven’t impressed but he’s been nowhere near as extravagant as Houllier in buying flops.
On the pitch, while performances haven’t been great, the blame shouldn’t rest solely on Sir Bobby’s shoulders. The players have lacked commitment in every game I’ve watched so far. There’s no hard running other than from Bellamy, no cohesion in midfield or defence and even the usually dependable Shay Given gave away a goal to Norwich.
Besides, there couldn’t be a worse time to sack a manager. The club is sitting close to the bottom of the table and desperately needs a few new players, especially in defence and midfield. And with the transfer window closing just about now, I don’t see any new blood coming in till January, which is a scary prospect. We just aren’t good enough to compete. Come January, new manager or not, we might not even be in the running for Europe.
One of the suggested reasons for the dismal performances of late has been the age gap between the players and the manager. I have no idea if it’s true but, frankly, it seems to me that Sir Bobby has just been unfortunate to take charge of a bunch of brats, the key example being Kieron Dyer, who should take a good look at himself despite his public apology. Refusing to play where the manager puts you is simply unacceptable. It’s disrespectful to the manager, to the club and to the fans. I was delighted to read that Dyer might have been moving on, but sadly, other clubs were astute enough not to take him.
As I mentioned, I don’t know if Sir Bobby’s departure is for the better or worse. Perhaps the club needs a disciplinarian more than a father figure. Someone like Peter Reid or Sam Allardyce who won’t hesitate to put players in their places. But then again, very few managers boast the wealth of experience or tactical knowledge that Sir Bobby possesses. It’s gonna be hard to find a replacement.
But that’s what the club must do now. I wouldn’t want to see the likes of Hoddle or Houllier associated with the role. Both have woeful track records. Hoddle is a horrible man-manager while Houllier’s time at Liverpool speaks for itself. Maybe a continental manager could be the answer. Someone like Deschamps or Koeman who encourages fluid, attacking football. Maybe Martin O’Neill could do a job here too. He’s an excellent motivator and knows the English game inside out. Of course, it’ll be extremely difficult to lure him from Celtic but it’s worth a try.
What’s for sure is that the board must take their time to decide. No more Dalglishes or Gullits thank you very much. The new manager has got to be able to take control of the players, to show them who’s boss and to whip them into action. And I mean whip cos that’s the only way this bunch is ever gonna wake up.
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