Ruud Gullit lasted just over a year at Newcastle United, and had a confrontation with Newcastle icon, Alan Shearer, to thank for his dismissal.
Ruud Gullit – has made big impact in LA
After Newcastle were beaten 2-1 by Sunderland back in 1999, then Chairman Freddy Shepherd wasted no time in sacking him, and by the next morning Ruud was no longer manager, and that would herald the start of Bobby Robson’s fantastic tenure as manager of the club he loves.
In Bobby’s first season, Newcastle were in a woeful shape, when he took over from Ruud, but he revived the side and the players, and we finished with a good 52 points that season. A monumental effort by Bobby that saved the club from relegation.
But Ruud Gullt is now where he probably should be, in Los Angeles, where he was appointed LA Galaxy manager just last November, following the sacking of Frank Yallop at the end of last season.
He is proving to be an excellent capture for the LA Galaxy and, as we reported yesterday, he has just signed our very own Nobby Solano, who was at Newcastle when Ruud was there, so Gullit is well aware of Nobby’s abilities.
LA Galaxy drew (tied as they say over here), last night with the NY Red Bulls, 2-2, with an injury-time minute equalizer from Landon Donovan, so that LA remain just one point behind Real Salt Lake, at the head of the Western Division.
But David Beckham seems very pleased with what Ruud has been able to do so far at the LA club:
“Well, it wasn’t my decision to bring Ruud here but obviously I was asked about it and to have an experienced coach like Ruud here can only be good for the club and good for the players.â€
“Everybody knows how amazing he was as a player and I know how good he was as a manager as well, from speaking to a lot of players that he managed.â€
“So to have someone with the coach’s experience here is very important for our team and for the club as well because it’s not just on the field that he’s changed things. He’s changed things off the field as well through his experience of managing big clubs.â€
“I think it’s going pretty well. Things are changing round in our club, gradually, and it’s step by step but it’s about getting consistency and I’ve spoken about it all season.â€
“It’s also about getting a togetherness within the team and that’s one thing the coach has also done. He’s brought that togetherness which maybe wasn’t there last year as much as it was this year.”
Beckham is making a big impact in America, not just because of his revitalized and enthusiastic play, but he also seems such a great ambassador for the game, and for his country.
You can never accuse David of letting money or fame interfere with his play, and he still seems to go into every game with the enthusiasm of an eleven year old.
Good for him, and he’s already a great role model for young footballers (soccer players) over here.
Comments welcome.
35 comments so far
51times
Jul 20, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Comment #1He resigned, he wasn’t sacked.
beye the great
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Comment #251 times you beat me to it but i hope nobby does well in america as for gullit not much to say other than how dumb do you have to be to confront both rob lee and alan shearer you just cant win and hear is a question completely off topic who is the biggest legend to the club is it king kev big al jackie milburn sir bobby peter beardsley given harvey or moncur just interested as a poll on a different website claimed it was beardsley and i was just interested in other peoples thought as though i regard beardsley with the highest regard im not to sure whether he is the biggest legend though that might be coz i can berely remember him play
Neil Snowdon
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Comment #3Dear Ed,
The glitz will suit Ruud better. Great footballers don’t always make great managers, although KK and Bobby Robson are obvious exceptions.
Off topic, but has anyone mentioned that Fergie said Evans was needed at Man U since they sold The P guy to Barca? I doubt Evans is on our radar.
I’m off to Doncaster next week and will send you my assessment of the game and players on show. I’m hoping to see Guttierez. Doncaster are a nice passing side, so we should have some good entertainment.
Regards,
Neil
Beastie
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:13 PM
Comment #4muppet!!! only gd thing he did was resign as he knew he was gonna b sacked! big dunc shouldnt of just took the office door off but should of sent him flying aswell! and the way he went on with two legends of the club! what a absoloute joke
kris
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Comment #5ruud is still an idiot and the only reason he”s over there is cause no club in europe is stupid enough to give him a job !!
toooooon fan
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Comment #6did milner play in the middle yesterday
NUFCAl
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Comment #7Die Gullit.
Ross G
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:28 PM
Comment #8who gives a shit
Mitch H
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Comment #9Great footballer, pathetic, arrogant, bi-headed human being & a pitifully awful manager.
Posting articles like this will win you no friends on Tyneside Ed?
You must be aware that he’s universally hated by all Geordie folk?
Greg B
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Comment #10I dont think theres any need to get personal with these comments, fair enough he was a disaster at Newcastle but still remains one of the best players I have ever seen. Still a legend in my eyes although his time up here was well forgotten untill Ed brought it up 🙂 cheers for that 🙂
Malaysian Toon
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Comment #11Ok off topic a bit but did you guys see the Sun’s headline about the KK interview?
“Kevin Keegan issues transfer ultimatum”
All he said was there will have to be more signings. Everyone knows this including MA. It wasn’t a ‘kin ultimatum, it was a statement of fact. And a reassurance that we will be signing more players. IMO anyway.
Gateshead Mag.
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Comment #12@Malaysian Toon
Exactly mate! We will be signing players! Everyone knows it’s needed, do you think Ashley would sit with the crowd again if he didn’t spend money? No, Newcastle will spend money, Ther’s a month till the season starts, plenty of time.
Malaysian Toon
Jul 20, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Comment #13As for Gullit….have to agree with Greg B on him being a great player, but as a manager…..take on Alan Shearer ….that’s just madness. Not too smart.
Tom4Nufc
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:05 PM
Comment #14Mitch H // Jul 20, 2008 at 13:37
Great footballer, pathetic, arrogant, bi-headed human being & a pitifully awful manager.
Posting articles like this will win you no friends on Tyneside Ed?
You must be aware that he’s universally hated by all Geordie folk?
————————————————————–
I will second that.
Nick Dryden
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Comment #15Mitch H,
Actually Gullit, isn’t universally hated by some of us. Shearer had way too much power for a player and if ever the expression no one is bigger than the club, then Shearer was allowed and indulged by creeps like Shepherd to be the exception.
Shearer would never have got away with it at a properly run club like at Old trafford. Bad enough Shearer did it to Gullit, but Shearer showed his real colours when he jerked Sir Bobby around, just because SBR could see his best days were behind him.
Possibly in his pomp the greatest striker in the EPL, but Fergie knew when it was time to move on Sheringham, Van Nistlerooy, Yorke, Cole etal, for the good of the team and not allow one man’s ego to dominate everthing and call all the shots to the detriment of the club and the team. who knows what Gullit or SBR may have achieved if they had been supported by the chairman as they should have been. As it happens, by backing Shearer against SBR in particular, Shepherd achieved exactly what?
Faustino
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Comment #16Ah the ‘dangerous argument’, Nick. Oft bantered round my way and always ends in the same split room.
Did Shearer affect the club with his ego? Im not going to say, but what is universally true to everyone, is that it became very clear how much the rest of the team had broken down around him when he retired.
Anyway Gullit did nishty for the club so not arsed what he’s up to.
Faustino
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Comment #17On another note…KK has spoken on many occasions now about the club, the squad and the new season – anyone else noted the conspicuous lack of mention of his former mentee and charge, Mr Barton?
beye the great
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Comment #18yeah the sun are always trying to twist things i know the sun distorts things with all clubs but i personally believe in particular we get the worst there was absolutely no indication at all that there was an ultimatum when ever an article like this i ask my self what have we ever done to the press to give us such a hard time and why is some one seriousely trying to destabilize our club if anything we should be loved by the press there is not one club including the big 4 that gives them more stories and i espacially dont like the way king kev is treat it seems the press always do thier best twist what ever he says and after he says it its always a while before they leave hom alone and i just dont understand it coz he is such a nice person where as you get the likes of mourinho and fergie ang gullit and at times benitez and wengerwho are always blaming losses on refs and when they do this it will be one article per newspaper then forgotten about but if king kev says this then there is absolute outrage and they constantley criticize the fans even when they try to be nice for example here is a quote from andy dunn on reports that osama bin laden is taking over the toon” for all thier overexpectations and dellusions even i would feel sorry for newcastle if bin ladens family took over” ok i admit those werent exact words but was fairly close
Frankieboy
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Comment #19Agree Tom4Nufc
Can’t stand the arrogant tossa.
Pity he wasn’t so popular in his time here.
He is LOATHED on Tyneside. !!!
liamtoonbirchy
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Comment #20we should bid for manuel fernandes before everton try. would be a great addition
scott9
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:32 PM
Comment #21anyoe who decides to put alan shearer on the bench is an idiot he tried to make him self luk good like the big i am by droppin shearer then we go and lose wot an idiot
liamtoonbirchy
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Comment #22does anyone think that the people coming on here saying there will be a press conference tommorow with new signings is actually gonna happen. i would love it to be true but it must be a WUM, i hope i eat my words and we sign suchy, inler and a playmaker
DanToon
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Comment #23…………… Given
Baye Faye Collocini Enrique
..Larsson Guthrie Gutirrez
………….. Owen
……….Zigic Martins
Subs: Duff, Harper, N’Zogbia, Milner, Taylor, Butt, Viduka
Sell the rest, Thats only 3 new players in. What you think?
Singa_toon
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:58 PM
Comment #24Could not care less matey.
Ruud Gullit is a tall tit
big pea ov the weab
Jul 20, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Comment #25well said mate
EDD why would you put something up about him who cares am sure u could ov come up with a bit better news than that moron
shearer4pm
Jul 20, 2008 at 6:08 PM
Comment #26i was readin big al’s book the other day, he was very close to being transfered to aston villa under gullit,
what an idiot, put his ego before the game, he thought he was bigger than the club
Beastie
Jul 20, 2008 at 6:50 PM
Comment #27nick dryden you a man united fan???
Bill F SPLASH THE CASH ASH
Jul 20, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Comment #28Well it’s obvious to me that Nick is very much a Toon fan, anyone who has read some of his posts will know this. Just because he takes a counter point of view and says something nice about another club does not make him, not a toon fan. You don’t have to agree with him, just respect his views as per the blog code of conduct.
I think some of the people on this blog get a little too insular and narrow minded at times. It’s no wonder we get idiots from other clubs coming on and taking the pee at times, they know it’s so easy to get a reaction.
Greg B
Jul 20, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Comment #29Well said Bill F, spot on mate!
Mitch H
Jul 20, 2008 at 11:52 PM
Comment #30@ Nick Dryden,
OK he’s not universally hated, he’s hated by 99.99 % then.
Here’s the shovel mate, i’ll let you keep digging.
As for shearer being past in when playing for Guillit & then Robson.
Mate, have you lost your mind?
He is quite simply, the best player we had had at the club since KK himself.
Not only his goals, but his heart, his passion & his leadership have won us more points/games than virtually any other player in the clubs modern day history.
Come on son, give yer heed a shake, yer killin me here with this nonsense bonny lad.
Greg B
Jul 21, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Comment #31Shearer is definatley one of our all time greats, if not THE all time great, but lets not forget modern day greats Beardsley, Cole, Ferdinand, Lee, Given, Ketsbaia (OK Ketsbaia is just my personal modern ‘great’ player 🙂 ). We forget, OK we may not have won anything for a long while, but we have some players we can be proud of, some times that we can say ‘it was great to be Newcastle’, in all this doom and gloom that people are spraying around there are, if you look hard enough, some bloody good moments!
Just look at teams like Rochdale, Mansfield, Hartlepool etc etc, think of their fans and then think to yourself, we have had a good ride compared to alot of fans out there, OK we are very unlikley to emulate the man Utd’s and Liverpools of our time but things could be a whole lot worse! (you could be a mackem!)
Malaysian Toon
Jul 21, 2008 at 1:40 AM
Comment #32What Nick said about Shearer…..well without going into details, is partly true towards the end BUT…BUT….IMO whatever the situation was he only did whatever he did because he loved the club and always gave all he had on the pitch. Even when the players around him were just not up for it. The fact he even came to Newcastle instead of the most successful club in england at the time prooves that. No one is perfect but to me people like Shearer and KK come closer than anyone else. Oh and maybe Nikos Dabizas too 🙂 just for his advertising board kicking antics.
joel
Jul 21, 2008 at 3:59 AM
Comment #33Malaysian toon, which part of malaysia are u in now?
Nick Dryden
Jul 21, 2008 at 7:54 AM
Comment #34Thanks for the guys who supported me or at least listened to reasoned debate. If some others read it, I did say Shearer was the best player in his pomp, but at the end he wouldn’t accept being rested or rotated for the good of the team and went to Shepherd over SBR . That should never have happened and if we’re talking legends, who bigger than SBR . In that regard, bringing SBR down had just as much to do with Shearer as Shepherd.
Greg B
Jul 21, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Comment #35@Malaysian Toon:
I think the guy you mean for the advertising board kicking incident is my own personal favorite (if you read my comment above yours) the Georgian Geordie Temuri Ketsbaia!
A proper legend who was vastly underused by the likes of Dalgleish, in fact the board kicking scenario was down to his frustration of being on the bench every week!
He is doing OK as manager of Famagusta in Cyprus and also made a star man appearance at the recent Masters tournament for Newcastle, although we got stuffed in the final (thanks to a red hot Craig Hignett if I remember correctly).