Joe Kinnear is trying to correct all the problems he inherited since joining the club 10 years ago – or was it only last September? 😀
Joe Kinnear – does this every day – pray!
The significant piece of history Joe has to wrestle with today is that no Newcastle manager has had the double done over them by Sunderland in more than 40 years.
Joe said yesterday:
“I might look relaxed on the outside but that’s not how I feel on the inside,” “I’m anything but. It’s tough. The pressure is on me.”
“It’s make-or-break time for me. We’re under-strength. They’ll fancy their chances.”
“This is the one game I really want to win. It could do my future the world of good. This is the most turmoil I have worked in.”
“I won’t deny that, but I want to be a winner. Whatever comes, I have to take it.”
Presumably a win today would lift the spirits on Tyneside, and maybe he could get Ashley drunk and promise to bring in more players before tomorrow’s deadline.
On the other hand, if we lose today maybe he could get Ashley drunk and promise to bring in more players before tomorrow’s deadline
In short, we still need more players before Monday’s deadline at 5:00 pm whatever happens today.
Joe says Ashley will make his second St James’ Park appearance since August for today’s derby with Sunderland, but he may still be persuaded that it would not be safe by the local police, who must be on guard against possible demonstrations today, if things do not go well in today’s game.
But the fact that he turns up at all to face the music, will at least show the fans Mike has a little bit of bravery in him.
Joe Kinnear will give very late fitness tests to both Obafemi Martins and Alan Smith this morning.
We hope Oba can start today, after his groin operation to partner the quickly improving Andy Carroll up front.
And we trust that Alan can be on the bench and potentially called on to use his experience given whatever the game situation is if he gets on today.
This is more than an important game for Newcastle today – it’s almost a water-shed event.
Comments welcome.
22 comments so far
Toon_Sydney
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Comment #1win it for us? or f**k a duck
Stuart79
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Comment #2Fair play to Ashley!
I hope the players show the same bottle as Ashley has to come back for this game!
Just hope he brings his cheque book with him
nufc_houlty
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Comment #3iv heard nothing from newcastle about martins like…hope he plays fingers crossed
The Real Entertainers
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:31 AM
Comment #4Local paper Sunday Sun quotes JFK:
Martins. Smith and Shola will NOT start, but may be lucky if a couple of them get 20 minutes each !
Then again when have we started listening to Joe!
The Real Entertainers
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Comment #5Looks like its Carroll and Mr Lover, Lover up front.
Odd pairing but play to their strengths, flick ons from Andy and then Peter show us what hes made of…
jettson1971
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Comment #6need Martins to start!! carroll no pace and no way near a striker yet imo! lovenkrands also up front, attack is best form of defence for toon!!
nufc_houlty
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:42 AM
Comment #7a think andy carroll might be up for this today…game vs sunderland for a local lad…can u remember the goal he scored vs west ham….once he scored he was buzzing…he was running quick and flying into tackles…lets hope he is like that today 🙂
Geordiedoonsooth
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Comment #8I’ve got a funny feeling we might just sneak a win. Has anyone heard if Taylor has signed from Wigan yet?
Turkish Magpie
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Comment #9Martins, we need you!
——————–Harper—————
—-Taylor——Colo—-Bass—-Enrique
—Duff———-Nolan———–Jonas
——————Smith——————
————-Carroll—Martins———-
That looks much better!
alextoon
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Comment #10Still cant believe people here rounding on Kinnear. The bloke took the job when nobody else had the balls…and look at the crap he’s had to deal with so far..
Beye (best player crocked)
Duff (either crocked or just rubbish)
Martins, (crocked)
Viduka, (crocked)
Barton (crocked)
Owen (always crocked)
Ameobi (never been fit in his career to date)
Given (unsettled)
N’Zogbia (moaning little git)
There are arguably 7 first teamers amongst that lot. It’s not Kinnears fault and rounding on him will just see him walk away…..then it will be Richard Money in charge……for a few weeks until people round on him aswell.
FFS people, give Joe a break…he’s at least trying his best to put the squeeze on Ashley and Co to improve the squad whilst trying to deal with Brats like N’Zogbia and daylight robbers like Owen.
nufc_houlty
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Comment #11turkish mag…ovbsously butt is gunna start 🙁
Turkish Magpie
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Comment #12I know nufc_houlty 🙁
The Real Entertainers
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:56 AM
Comment #13My team:
Harper : Very good keeper and a local
Taylor: Passionate and local.
Enrique: Hope he knows what today means
Colo: Needs to be strong with Jones
Bassong: The Cisse battle will be interesting
Duff: One of our better players of late
Butt: NEEDED for the battle . A MUST TODAY!
Nolan: Great buy, hope hes the difference (C)
Jonas: What a day for a 1st goal !
Carroll: Local and my tip to score, on form
Lovenkrands: In at the deep end.
60 minutes in and bring on Martins!
2-0 Carroll and Nolan………. 😉
Dont care about the grief i’ll get for biging up Butt, he is a warrior and IS just what we need for todays game……trust me.
Guinea Mag
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Comment #14Just returned to the UK and have a ticket for today’s game that we must win!
Off to Weatherspoons soon for a few beers, and hope all us Newcastle fans get behind Newcastle United and there’s no demonstration against Mike Ashley.
We don’t want the history books to remember today for all the wrong reasons……
Come on NEWCASTLE….
Partizan
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Comment #15Most of the times we are our own enemy.
You can bring Mourinho with Hiddink as his assistant and still nothing will be changed.
Well definetly not now with so many players injured.
I think the key factor in todays derby will be Jonas,cos appart from Man Utd & Villa game he showed nothing except good work rate.
Today’s gonna be his day,i know it.
batty
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Comment #16A NEWCASTLE VAN DRIVER USED TO AMUSE HIMSELF BY RUNNING OVER EVERY SUNDERLAND SUPPORTER HE WOULD SEE STRUTTING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THEIR UBIQUITOS RED AND WHITE COLOURS HE WOULD SWERVE TO HIT THEM AND THERE WOULD BE A LOUD THUMP AND THEN HE WOULD SWERVE BACK ON THE ROAD ONE DAY AS THE DRIVER WAS DRIVEING ALONG HE SAW A PRIEST HITCH HIKING HE THOUGHT HE WOULD DO A GOOD TURN AND PULLED THE VAN OVER.HE ASKED THE PRIEST WHERE ARE YOU GOING FATHER IM GOING TO SAY MASS AT ST JOSEPHS CHURCH ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD REPLIED THE PRIEST NO PROBLEM FATHER ILL GIVE YOU A LIFT CLIMB IN THE HAPPY PRIEST CLIMBED INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE VAN CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD SUDDENLY THE DRIVER SAW A SUNDERLAND FAN WALKING DOWN THE ROAD AND INSTINCTIVLEY SWERVED TO HIT HIM JUST IN TIME HE REMEMBERED THE BLOODY PRIEST SO AT THE LAST MINUTE HE SWERVED BACK TO THE ROAD NARROWLY MISSING THE BSTARD HOWEVER EVEN THOUGH HE WAS CERTAIN HE MISSED THE GLORY HUNTING S HITE HE STILL HEARD A LOUD THUD NOT UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE NOISE CAME FROM HE GLANCED IN HIS MIRRORS AND WHEN HE DIDNT SEE ANYTHING HE TURNED TO THE PRIEST AND SAID SORRY FATHER I ALMOST HIT THAT SUNDERLAND FAN THATS OK REPLIED THE PRIEST I GOT THE FCKER WITH THE DOOR
Alex
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Comment #17just read that Cisse wants out of sunderland , apparently he is peed off that they got rid of his mates Diouf and Chimbonda . Lets hope it affects his performance today
sirjasontoon
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Comment #18Too Much chat from JK…He will need his fireman sam outfit on this afternoon if we get beat..I can see the sinking ship burning into the night.
Not enough investment for mr in this window for me…it is criminal what Ashley is doing.
Bored of JK’s talk. YAWN.
sirjasontoon
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Comment #19+FOR ME
Tony
Feb 1, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Comment #20watching sunday supplement given apparently having medical at city after clubs agree fee
Indian toon
Feb 1, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Comment #21@batty. brilliant mate!
Tom_Toon
Feb 1, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Comment #22.