Let’s face it, if Newcastle now stay up in the Premier League, it will be a surprise for many Newcastle fans, and it will not be due to our listless squad of players actually saving themselves.
Alan Shearer – the next great manager?
When the team has gone 18 games with just a single win, and have gone the last 9 games, with just 4 draws and 5 defeats, we deserve to be in deep trouble.
In fact here is what we’ve done since we last won at WBA, on 7th February:
Played 9 Won 0 Draw 4 Lost 5 GF 4 GA 11 Points 4
If that isn’t testament to why we should be relegated then we don’t know what is. It’s a terrible record, no let’s rephrase that – given the squad we have it’s a disgraceful record that our players should be ashamed of.
But that’s the problem, they aren’t ashamed of anything, and probably not even embarrassed by it, as their bank accounts are doing just fine – thank you very much.
We think it would be good if they were ashamed of under-performing for such a proud club, which has such a fantastic tradition in football. But maybe we are being too old fashioned in this modern age of money and wealth in football.
Yes,Newcastle United are hopeless right now, no doubt about that, but only because we have a washed-up group of players currently being paid far too much by the club.
We may be over-stepping the mark here – but it would be good if they would at least show some guts and spirit, in trying to put things right in our final four games. Hey, maybe we could go out and play a guts and glory game at Liverpool on Sunday – there’s a thought.
Instead we have a captain who seems to be expecting to lose at his former club Liverpool on Sunday, and who hardly acts as a captain either on or off the field, if we are to be brutally honest, which we are being in this article, as you may have noticed.
Much better to put somebody like Habib Beye or even young Sebastien Bassong as captain for the upcoming games, the two of them are two players who have been great for the side this season, whenever they have played – and they have that do-or-die attitude too.
We are even hopeful that bad boy Joey Barton will come good, because for all his problems off the field, the boy has some guts and determination, and knows he owes Newcastle big time, for sticking with him over the last couple of years. Wouldn’t that be something if Joey started to produce big time over the last 4 games?
If the lads continue their weak imitation of corpses on the field, who seem more frightened than anything else, we can kiss survival goodbye, probably before our last game at Villa Park on Sunday, May 24th, kick-off 4:00 pm.
And that’s even though both Middlesbrough and Hull City are doing their level best to be even worse than Newcastle during the run-in.
That’s a very difficult task to accomplish, but you have to give it to them – you cannot accuse either side of not putting in a brave effort to allow Newcastle to catch them.
In fact our solitary point on Monday night has already put us ahead of the hapless Middlesbrough. A team worse than us right now? It’s difficult to really get a grasp of what that really means, isn’t it? We still have to play Middlesbrough at home, so we’ll see if they are indeed worse than us, in that game.
We wouldn’t like to be Alan Shearer in all of this – but whatever Alan can save this season, is what he will start rebuilding Newcastle United with, in the summer.
Either that will be a very lucky Premier League club, who didn’t really deserve to survive, or it will be a Championship side, which is more likely.
But Alan will start in the summer from the ground up, and that’s the good news, and there will be even more good news because whatever happens, Alan will rid the club of the many players who shouldn’t even be at the Tyneside club in the first place.
Anybody who wants to leave should be allowed to leave, and of course we’ll need to let go of many highly-paid players if we are indeed relegated, we’ll have no choice in that with players like Martins, Owen and the like.
Newcastle United is nothing if not a very proud club, and at a minimum deserves players who are proud to play for the Magpies.
Players like local lad Andy Carroll, and Londoner Nile Ranger, who has not only turned his private life around, but has professed to just loving it at Newcastle, while he’s been in Toon these last 9 months.
He’s more of an inspiration to us right now, than many of our overpaid “stars” have ever been. No doubt Alan will step up our terrific youth policy in the summer, and Shearer has already shown he is more than interested in Richard Money’s kids at Newcastle.
We can look to players like Nile Ranger, Andy Carroll, Ben Tozer, Tamas Kadar, Kazenga LuaLua, Tim Krul and others, pushing hard for the first team next year, whatever happens.
If we are a Championship side, look for the team to be quite a young one, but growing as we hope Newcastle will continue to grow from next season on – under the leadership of Alan Shearer.
What’s that saying? Oh yes – “hope springs eternal.”
Comments welcome.
127 comments so far
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Comment #1Quite the essay Ed, come on the toon! Steal a point on sunday and we’l be staying up no question. Loose with dignity and there’s still a high chance of survival, play like we did when they came to st jame’s park and we may as well forget about the last 3 games of the season…
stevep
Apr 30, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Comment #2woah ed! to be honest players hardly ever feel the pain of supporters, it’s obviously a lot different when you play for a club than when you support.
thats why at the end of all games they’re hugging and laughiung with each other arranging nights out etc – it’s just a job for the majority and to be honest thats fair enough if they’re putting a shift in.
toons problem is that the players rarely put a shift in
lesh
Apr 30, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Comment #3Ed. A cracking post from an obviously frustrated and angry fan.
But, you’v3e hit the nail on the head about the underperforming prima-donnas that have the brass face to turn out in a black and white shirt. Yellow might be more appropriate for soe of ’em.
Baye for skipper, yes cos at least he appears to give his all. BAssong, probably a bit young but I suspect he’d do a good job and possibly shame some of the others into action and instill some pride it them – well, at least for a couple of hours!!
As for the likes of Nile Ranger, let’s just hope that what they’re seeing doesn’t rub off on them.
As far as building from teh bottom up Ed, you seem very confident that AS’ll be with us next summer and I hope you’re right.
Have a beer Ed and be philosophical about the mess the club’s in, it’s not of your making and what’s more you can do nothing about it – you can influence but sadly you’re not there on the inside.
Again, a brillaint posta and a super site that’s so full of characters (I’ll be kind to Beamish and assume he’s got one!)
chuck
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Comment #4The team is not underperforming, they are playing at the level of a crap team, which they are.
Having sold off most of our talented players, we are left with has beens and never will be`s, yet with an enormous wage bill still having to be paid.
You figure it out !
ObaFan2
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Comment #5What irks me, Oba was bought as a replacement for Owen when he was badly injured and in his first season with us Oba scored 17 goals.
Then FSA (and others)messed him about sticking Owen in as soon as he was “fit” and imo not giving Oba the run and confidence he needed. Ofc then we had ACN and a few injuries.
I’d have been much happier with Oba as our number 1 striker and Mr Owen left to concentrate on his future and horses running in the next race.
Now it looks like we’ll lose the few good players we have like Bassong, Oba etc. because of one man, Ashley… Ashley the gambler, yet another gamble he’s lost and it is unfortunately at our expense.
Blame who you want but IMO our incompetent and naive owner is solely to blame from his director/chairman appointments, managerial appointments and player transfer policies.
Maybe building up again from the championship upwards is what we need now but in my opinion it wasn’t what we needed 2 years ago.
PaceOba
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Comment #6Howay the lads. Believe, we can stay up!
C’mon click my link everybody.
PaceOba
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Comment #7chuck
totally agree with u!..
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:29 PM
Comment #8PaceOba that’s a wiked game! whats your name in it? Im a bit confused as to hw it works…
shearerbliss
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Comment #9Oba fan could not aggree more. It sickend me when Oba was dropped as soon as MO was running. MO did not even play in the reserves he when straight to the first team. I think oba’s confidence has been shattered and i do not think people realise the disruptive effect MO has done to the squad.
Can anyone imagine we all do the same job but sick note arrives in a helicopter and does not live near by is that a captian? AS mistake in my opinon is coming in stating MO starts without looking at his options, to me that is a disgrace!
MO does not even look hungry to improve. What really would piss me off is that he will move on in the summer with no worries where we are as a club and give his all for another. There are not many footballers that make my blood boil but he is defo one of them. I would have sold him ages ago and as for England I do not think he is wanted inn the side. I feel senior players dispise him (Gerrad for instance)
Dont know just my opinion
NicoGF
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Comment #10Ed Harrison, I make use of the very few comments here and maybe you can read me..
Will you show me proof Nacho is injured and won’t attend Liverpool’s match?
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Comment #11Nico can I ask where your obsession with nacho springs from?
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Comment #12anyone play fifa 09 online on the ps3?
Johno Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Comment #13Great article ed ,
I honestly belive we will stay up but its a long shot.
Either way the club has to start from scratch , we have some good players but we have more bad players which is the big problem.
If we stay up we need atleast 5 players to go into the 1st team. Id go with a new striker a new centre midfielder a new centre half and 2 new wingers. Id go ( IF THE MONEY WAS RIGHT ) huddlestone and bent from spurs. other than that i dunno.
It will take time but we can get back to hwere we all want the club to be.
Keep The Faith
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Comment #14was playing it on xbox untill it broke the other day mate! My mate Liam was no.1 on the world rankings for about a month and a half! Dunno if that’s a good or a bad thing lol…
NicoGF
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Comment #15DevonMag (11)
Newcastle United is a once very proud PL club. I don’t hate them. And I don’t want them to go down.
That’s why I am being insistent with the Nacho thing, because I know this player (I am Uruguayan and have watched a lot of the lad). And sometimes I feel I get missunderstood, but I only hope smart people on here get my message before it’s 2 late.
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Comment #16no1 on world rankings?? he must be auwesome, i played euro’s no1 he was dutch, and i got spanked 4-1, he was holland and i was england.
i had 2 x-box’s. both burnt out, but they were the first models built, i suppose they have sorted all there flaws in them now??
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Comment #17from what i know nacho will be part of the sqaud either this game or the smoggies.
i just want this season to be done with, so we know our fate
Whumpie
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Comment #18I’d like to put in an alternative suggestion about why players aren’t performing. Contrary to common opinion – and as someone who’s been both rich and poor (sadly, the latter now) I can tell you one thing: money does not change human nature.
Top sportsmen live to compete and to win. The ones at the top are almost psychotic about it, which is why they are there and we are here. Losing consistently is torture to them. Add to that the average IQ of a footballer being about that of a biro, and you start to see why they behave like they do. They are spoilt, over-sensitive primadonnas, yes – but to think they are not trying is well wide of the mark.
I think most of these players are hurting badly. This is a low point in their careers, and they feel humiliated and under huge pressure. It’s why Given got out – he’d had more of it than anyone. I think they have lost all confidence, and confidence is what separates the winners from the losers at the top level.
That is what I’m seeing on the pitch – not players pulling out of tackles or not sprinting for the ball, which is what Ed’s theory would produce. These guys – most of them – need some support and some good results, that’s all.
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Comment #19are hull at home on sat?
Johno Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Comment #20nico i have not seen very much of him but if he is fit he should get a chance , cant do any worse than what we have at the moment 🙂
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Comment #21man city cofirm intrest in eto’o
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Comment #22no they havent i have heard wrong,but they have held meetings with barca, they are so lucky, i wish we had the money they had
Whumpie
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:02 PM
Comment #23DevonMag – where are you based? I was starting to think I was the only Magvirus sufferer down here…
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Comment #24yeah he was quality gerrard, plays it too much though. Nico no disrespect intended but the footy league in uraguay is hardly of the same standard as the pl, maybe this nacho seems so quality cos he’s the best out of a group of not so quality players? I do want to see him given a chance though, but I believe you place too much hope in his ability.
City are bastards, I’ll give it three years max before they’re champs league regulars. With that amount of money it is literally just a matter of time.
shearerbliss
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Comment #25Whumpie I have to agree with some of your points, but what I can not agree with is the money factor. For years I always thought that the fight to get o the top is better when you get there. I feel in the PL some players are content with there situation.
What I see is players that are more concerned at how they are precived than how they are playing. Meaning capello can see through MO, and so can I . As I said in my earlier post he is a disruptive influence on the team and if HE isn’t firing the team look at him and must think 100+ a WEEK!
Trust me if my collegued doing the exact same job but rubbish at it AND on 4 times my salery I would not be half as productive at work. Would you?
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Comment #26Based in Exeter mate but living in Brighton at the mo. Being a mag in Devon is unbelievably shite, 90% of my mates are United fans, few pool fans, couple chelsea fans, 1 gooner and 1 villain.
Life can be hard…
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Comment #27i wouldnt be suprised if they go into champs league places next year, have u heard the smoggies on sky sports news?? embarressing!!
NicoGF
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Comment #28Johno Toon
That is still smart. Yeah.. no player on earth can do worse than Butt. And you will happen to see a world class midfielder.
One of the biggest NUFC problems is Butt at times trying to play the playmaker role. And playing 4-4-2 with 2 defensive central midfielders.
We must play 4-4-2 indeed.. but we need either a playmaker or a normal attacking midfielder. Nacho is a playmaker. And I guess Smith has won his rights to be at Gonzalez’s backs, defending.
Can I ask you all something? let’s search information. I don’t have a clue if Nacho is fit or not. And I’m sure neither Ed Harrison has a clue about it.
The one who finds it first, share the source.
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Comment #29whumpie where are you in devon? im in north devon
shearerbliss
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Comment #30Valancia does not buy bad midfielers trust me!
Toon_Factor
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Comment #31Hmmm Harper wants to be a striker, well he couldnt be any worse than what we have got at the moment
Johno Toon
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Comment #32check physioroom.com , its fairly realible , dunno why ed would lie tho
Toon_Factor
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Comment #33shearerbliss
……..They dont, i should know being a Valencia season ticket holder
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Comment #34dont buy bad midfielders, hugo viana, ever “cock flasher” banega just to name 2
Michael12
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Comment #35Ed, Highlighting Michael Owen for special criticism calling the Squad Listless is simply retarding the issue at hand.
Michael Owen is a proven Goal scorer and has done so at all his clubs even Newcastle and for his country.
The players we have, Butt, Smith and Duff have won titles competed in the champions league for the latter I would like to add Beye, Viduka, Ameobi, Colo and perhaps more. Fell free to add If I have missed any out.
These players have a record by which they can stand and put to their defence. The only person in this Equation who does not have a record is Shearer in a management role. The man does not even have tactics.
I blame him entirely we should have had at least two wins had he set even the most basic tactics to give our team direction. Tactics help players to anticipate, the reason we say Ronaldo and Rooney Click is because they anticipate each other. That builds confidence. every time a winger runs down the Left or right side and crosses without looking to see who is in the box because you have confidence your team mate will be in there after all that is the strategy is anticipation. the player in the box moving into the right areas because he knows the ball is coming there or there about is anticipation.
That is what tactics do. No tactics means confusion, Players trying to do something they cannot, Players unable to read games. Ultimately defeat.
It is simply arrogant for Shearer to accept a job for which he is not qualified. He does not have the badges. What, did he think Robson, Souness, Reoder and Sam Allerdyce were stupid? They were just failing to do the job and that he was going to just prance in here and show them how it is done.
Off with his head and bring back Kinnear.
DevonMag
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Comment #36Beat me to it Gerrard Viana is the perfect example
Toon_Factor
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Comment #37http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJkOypS8K4c
Geordie-Gerrard7
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Comment #38i didnt remember viana scoring that many goals, i remember the feyenoord one, can someone refresh my memory why we let him leave, he looked real good there
Toon_Factor
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Comment #39Geordie-Gerrard7-
He did look good there, but youtube make Ameobi look good!! Still, he kind of reminded me of Emre/Arteta when watching that video
NicoGF
Apr 30, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Comment #40Johno Toon.
Ed is frustrated for the results, the least opportunity he has, he uses it. He is starting an anti-Nacho campaign, believe me.
But John don’t be riddiculous, physioroom has already given a comeback date for Gonzalez before and many other players, and then it was wrong. Do not trust them. We have to do it for ourselves this time.. let’s not be lazy and do something for the toon. We can find out if Gonzalez is fit for ‘Pools game. It’s a matter of searching hard or not.. (we can’t even do this, and then we ask the players to save us and blame them..)