When Chris Hughton was manager, a criticism often leveled at him was that he took too much notice of the senior players at the club.
Kevin Nolan – provides tactical input to Alan Pardew
It was even said that on one occasion Chris changed the team after senior players had persuaded him to do just that, but that one’s hard to believe.
But it seems that Alan Pardew listens to tactical changes suggested by Kevin Nolan, the captain, although those changes didn’t work too well yesterday, although the lads were decent enough in the first half.
But it was that lack of concentration from Steve Harper early in the second half, that cost Newcastle dearly yesterday, as he stopped the back pass when he should have just put a foot through the ball.
It seems that Kevin Nolan has input about tactical stuff from the field of play, which augments what Alan Pardew sees from the touchline, and this is what Alan told the Sunday Sun today:
“I think of captains I have come across and he’s right up there in terms of leading by example and saying the right things and trying to see the manager’s opinion of the games,”
“He has a couple of opinions that he shares with me about the game coming up and I take them on board as well.” “When you look at something, depending on where you’re standing it can look different.”
“If you’re standing on the pitch it can look slightly different and if you’re the manager you’ve got to understand that.” “If you get good information back you’ve got to use it – and I do get good information from Kev.”
“If you go into any Premier League ground you’ll find strong personalities – you don’t get to be a Premier League player unless you have a lot of personal qualities in terms of character and opinions. Look at Eric Cantona.”
“You have to make sure you draw the line right between taking on board opinions and making your own decisions. You listen to the feedback but ultimately, whether I agree with Kevin, Joey or young Ferguson you have make your own decision.”
“But you must listen – it’s foremost in all manager’s jobs in my opinion.” “Of course Kevin will be captain next season. It had never crossed my mind to change it,”
Alan makes a good point of making absolutely sure he makes the final decisions, and just uses Kevin’s stuff as input, but what’s wrong with getting as much good input as possible about the game – the answer is nothing.
Kevin also attends a Monday meeting with the coaching staff, when they all discuss what happened the previous weekend, and that meeting will be interesting tomorrow, for sure.
Newcastle’s display yesterday rightly has a lot of Newcastle fans worried, which you can see from some of the comments, and Newcastle hardly did themselves any favors in the January transfer market, but I’ll write a bit about that later today.
Two defeats in a row and only 1 point from the last 3 games is simply not good enough, and it means there will be doom and gloom on Tyneside – for at least two weeks now – because that’s the way it is.
But it’s nothing that a win against Wolves wont put right – but we’ve got to beat Wolves who are now showing some good form recently and have 8 points from their last 4 games.
And of course Wolves now even have a little bit of skill and goal scoring ability in their side, with Jamie O’Hara of Spurs on loan – why couldn’t Newcastle get this player on loan?
Against Wolves it will be time for Newcastle players to stand up and be counted.
Comments welcome.
13 comments so far
GeordieGerman
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Comment #1http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3477767/Fraser-Forster-is-Englands-forgotten-keeper.html
kimbo
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:28 AM
Comment #2Can`t see where our next points are coming from,if we don`t beat wolves then relegation is going to happen as I don`t think Pardew has the know how and the players to change our drastic fall down the league.Are we paying Ireland`s wages,if so why …
WWJBD
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Comment #3GG its not often i agree with the sun but forster is a star goal keeper no doubt and he deserves a england call up….tho tbh i dont really care if no one from the newcastle squad gets in the england squad.
kimbo am glad u arent our manager haha. if we dont beat wolves we will still stay up imo but we will beat wolves, besty brace and barton sent off is my bet. Ireland is a great player tho and if he gets fit he will get us goals and probably win himself a move to the black and white for good
GeordieGerman
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Comment #4kimbo, Someone has to pay his beer money so he can go out on the pee with Best.
WWJBD
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Comment #5feeling bad for not actually commenting on the article subject but surely all team managers listen to their captain? bit of a none story no offence Ed
carrollsinger
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Comment #6Campbell proved he is passed it should never have changed the 442 ranger should start against wolves
Rotonda heights
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #7I think nolan’s input to pardwho should be ” gaffer I’m too fat and unfit to play CM where I don’t create anything and I can’t get up and down the pitch.
supermacnumber9
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Comment #8you know what a desperate situation you are in when you start looking at the fixtures of the clubs below you and tring to work out final points totals – so I’ve given up
but NUFC are a key team in the relegation scramble as we now have five six pointer games to come –
wolves h villa a blackpool a birmingham h west brom h
if we avoid defeat by this lot and keep our current form of 1 point per game we should be safe on a about of 44 points
but it sickens me to my stomach being reduced to hoping we avoid defeat and praying for a pathetic average of 1 point per game – but I have no confidence that we will do any better and I do not believe that Pardwho has any idea on how to improve it – I think he is reduced to putting all his available players on the pitch, spouting some footballing bullshit and hoping for the best
I think we will survive because we are average and ahat there are at least 4 teams worse than us – and pathetic though it is, I will celebrate survival!
WWJBD
Mar 20, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Comment #9i dont consider celebrating survival this year as pathetic, if we had been offered 17th at the beginning of the season we would of taken it will a huge grin.
plus money to spend come summer, no debt, in line with the new fair play rules and a stable manager (hes not the special one or anything but hes staying around which is nice)
next year if we arent pushing for europe i will get a bit down heartened but for now am happy with the season
Marty-Toon
Mar 20, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Comment #10Alan Pardew should bite the bullet and say HE got it wrong!!!!!
Tactics were terrible.
Will we have it easier at Wolves?
No way,Mc Carthy has a fierce team and they play with their hearts on their sleeves.
Our boys will need to get the finger out.
I amm not Guthrie`s biggest fan by no means but he deserves a chance in this team and now that Tiote is out again.
Maybe Pards should listen to the players more as his tactics have been poor of late
Spotlight Kid
Mar 20, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Comment #11RH@7 “…and I I can’t get up and down the pitch.‘
He can barely get up and down between the 18 yard box and the half way line without sitting down, yet Pardew was still “surprised” his cap’n didn’t get an England call up.
Mark AP as ‘plot lost’ and KN as ‘pot not lost’.
Nufc-83
Mar 20, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Comment #12Lol totally agree about Nolan he is a waste of space at cm and for me if we are bringing in a rm then Barton and tiote should be cms next season without a doubt then with hba either on the left or playing behind st there isnt any room for the fat capt tbh.
taker83
Mar 20, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Comment #13Oh Pardew,just shut the fck up.I hate pardew.Look at his record.How far is that crab better than CH?Asley shoud juz sell the club and take derek and pardew with him to wash his a$$.
And why in the world he brought in s ireland for when the son of b is out injured but drinking in the pub.Why let routledge go?Even stevenage manager will have better brains.