If all the reports coming through today are true – then it’s really hard to believe what Newcastle United are about to do – especially after we were almost relegated for the second time in three seasons – and even though some very good coaches available it seems that the staid minds running Newcastle will keep with their first choice after Alan Pardew left the club in January.
That first choice was Steve McClaren, who has since been fired by Derby County after the championship side fell away badly in their fight for promotion in the final two months of the season.
Steve McClaren – during one of Derby’s games this year
They collapsed in the final months of the season and finished 8th
Steve was fired a week ago – but is still good enough for Newcastle
If he looks like this managing Derby what’s he going to be like managing Newcastle?
And as we go after a manager who wasn’t good enough for a Championship side last season, it seems that John Carver will continue as the assistant manager at Newcastle, after he almost took the club down with 13 defeats in 20 games he managed at Newcastle – but hey – he’s good enough for Newcastle.
And in addition to that, the news on Sky Sports today is that John Carver is being interviewed for the head coach position at the club.
Only Newcastle would think this way – and a Steve McClaren – John Carver partnership – is what they wanted when Alan Pardew walked out of the club in late December.
It could even be John Carver who gets the job – heaven forbid.
And even after the terrible scare we had of almost being relegated – and after Mike Ashley was scared enough about the situation to actually agree to being interviewed on Sky Sports – the club is still going ahead with what will look to fans like a terrible, uninspiring appointment.
To appoint Steve McClaren as head coach seems to show the club still has no ambitions of fighting for a top six position in the Premier League – whatever Mike Ashley said nine days ago.
Steve may not be good enough for Derby County and a number of other ordinary clubs in Europe he’s managed and been fired from – but he’s good enough for this Newcastle – probably because he will not rock the boat.
And while fans wanted Carver fired after eight defeats in a row, it looks like he’s going to keep his position at the club as assistant manager.
That’s even though fans have been turned off the Geordie coach, by not only his poor coaching this year, but his rather naive and stupid comments he made in his press interviews.
He was often an embarrassment to the Newcastle United Football club with the statements he made.
Only Newcastle could come up with this bizarre decision, after all that’s happened this year.
Will they never learn from their mistakes?
Probably not.
It’s stunning that Newcastle could be announcing this decision later this week – so detached (and unaware?) do they seem to be from what their fans really want.
Comments welcome.
211 comments so far
JamesToon
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:44 PM
Comment #201Oh the contrast of ambitions.
Newcastle and West Ham, both in similar positions in terms of both being manager less, however news has come out of West Ham that Unai Emery, Europa league winner with Sevilla, is flying in for talks there and is being offered a £2.5m bonus if he gets them in the champions league, and saying that he is allowed to bring 2 trusted coaches with him. So, we are in a similar position to them, what are we doing?
Setting Steve McClaren at the top of our short list, who has got Derby county to 8th in the championship, and will have to work with John Carver, Steve Stone and Andy Woodman
We are the much bigger club than them, yet we seem to be aiming so much lower
GeordieTwo
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Comment #202Well if it’s a no-brainer he’s definitely doing it Thump mate.
GeordieTwo
Jun 2, 2015 at 6:50 PM
Comment #203No, no, no JamesToon you still don’t understand the Master Plan. Mike knows what he’s doing. A pinhead always hires other pinheads. That’s rule 1. What point is there in having a good head coach when everyone else involved is a pinhead? That’s rule 1a. Why try for top 6 when you can safely stay in the Prem and collect the TV money by finishing a tidy 12th-15th each season? That’s rule 2. That’s it. Two simple rules to run a football club by Mike Ashley. Beautiful.
Owldman
Jun 2, 2015 at 7:14 PM
Comment #204I have been saying it all along Vieira a smoke screen never a chance of him coming to the Toon , Ashleys interview smoke & mirrors .Carver has already been appointed just wait for the announcement,
arpeco19
Jun 2, 2015 at 7:58 PM
Comment #205In five seasons at Boro McClaren finished 14th, 12th, 11th, 7th, 14th.. The paragraph underneath is taken from McClaren’s wiki page…
McClaren was accused by rival managers of having a “pot of gold” provided by Gibson to buy players, giving him an advantage over other teams (except perhaps the biggest few clubs in the league) when signing players. Despite this, towards the latter end of his tenure McClaren was criticised by some supporters for using negative tactics and earning Middlesbrough the tag of a “dull” side. Some observers attributed Middlesbrough’s success to the senior, experienced players in the side rather than McClaren’s managerial ability.
DOES THIS SOUND ALL TOO FAMILIAR?????!!!!!!!
BigB75
Jun 2, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Comment #206Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!!!!
BigB75
Jun 2, 2015 at 8:38 PM
Comment #207Good even follow herd… fat basted points and we follow. … man I hate that guy!
bobby mango
Jun 2, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #208Suicidal
mainemagpie
Jun 2, 2015 at 11:40 PM
Comment #209Hey arpeco19 it also says this on his wiki page.
On 2 May 2010, FC Twente were crowned champions for the first time in their history after a 2–0 win away to NAC Breda. On winning the Eredivisie, McClaren became the first Englishman to manage a team to a top-level domestic league title since Bobby Robson with F.C. Porto in 1996 (Robson also won the Dutch title with PSV Eindhoven in 1991 and 1992).[69][70] Robson had in fact been a major influence in McClaren’s decision to go to the Netherlands. According to McClaren, “The relationship I had with Bobby was very special. He was a good friend and was of big influence on my decision to join FC Twente. I’d like to think that he’ll be watching from a cloud up above and wishes us the best as we play the last game in the league against NAC”.
You want to compare McClaren’s England win percentage with Bobby Robson? 50% to 49.47%……..How about FC Twente win% of 63.37 with Robsons win % of 68.42 with PSV Eindhoven……or how about McClaren’s 2nd effort at FC Twente a win% of 48.44% compared with Robson’s win % at Newcastle of 46.67%…..and despite McClaren being fired from Derby his win% over his tenure was 54.26%…….of the 564 games that Steve McClaren has been in charge of as a manager he has won 262 with a win% of 46.45%…..Bobby Robson in his career was manager of 1446 games and won 718 with a win% of 49.65%…….not a great difference. Using McClaren’s average statistics over his career against Newcastle’s 2014-15 season he would have achieved 60+ points…same as Southampton and 7th spot in the premier league…would you have been happy with that?
would any of you on this blog have been happy with that?
mainemagpie
Jun 3, 2015 at 1:09 AM
Comment #210In 1982 Bobby Robson was hired as the new England Manager, after a 1-0 loss to Denmark in September 1983, England failed to qualify for the 1984 European Championship, despite Robson offering his resignation he was kept on as England Manager.
In August 2006 Steve McClaren was hired as the new England Manager, after a 3-2 loss to Croatia in November 2007, England failed to qualify for the European Championship, the next day McClaren was fired as England manager.
BURNLEY FOOTBALL CLUB
Jun 3, 2015 at 3:07 AM
Comment #211HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Might as well relegate yourselves now.