Steve McClaren has been interviewed in the Chronicle and he says he had been approached by Newcastle to be their manager a few times, with the first time being back in 2004 – we suppose after Sir Bobby Robson was unceremoniously sacked by Freddy Shepherd in August of that year – because we only finished 5th in the league that season – and out of a Champions League position, which we had secured in the previous two seasons.
In the eleven years since Bobby was fired we have finished 5th only once and never qualified for the Champions League.
Steve McClaren – this club can now take off
Steve has turned down Newcastle a number of times, and this is how he explained that, along with what he’s been told is his mission statement at Newcastle – to get top eight in the league and win a trophy:
“I’ve had two or three opportunities, the first as way back as 2004 when I was at Middlesbrough, meeting Freddy Shepherd.” “Everything’s about timing in football. It wasn’t the right time in 2004.” “Then, I was at FC Twente. Newcastle got relegated in 2009, there was an interest.”
“But unfortunately I was at FC Twente, I’d only been there a year so, again, timing and loyalty to FC Twente, I had to stay on.” “And then, obviously, the well-documented one of January just gone where, again, the timing wasn’t right.”
“I had a job to do at Derby, it was on course. I’d only been there just over a year and I felt that the timing wasn’t right.” “We were top of the league, we were going to achieve what we wanted to achieve, getting into the Premier League, and I wanted to finish the job.”
“So it wasn’t a case of turning Newcastle down at all. It was a case of staying loyal to Derby, and that’s what I wanted to do.”
“The key thing for me was the statement that Ashley made at the West Ham game, when he actually came out with drive and determination and focus, and talked about the objectives and what he wanted to achieve.”
“He said it with such verve and vigor that everybody was convinced, everybody was rejuvenated through that.” “The objectives are top eight, and to win a trophy. That’s something that’s been transmitted through to me in meetings with Lee Charnley and the rest of the board.”“That’s what we want to achieve. That’s what we must achieve together.” “When you look at the West Ham game, the last game of the season, I looked at that game and thought ‘That is a football club that sticks together, on and off the field.’”
“If we can add to that and plan well, get the right recruitment and the right resources this club can take off.”
So it seems the interview Mike Ashley gave to Sky Sports convinced Steve that Newcastle and the owner were serious about building a good side and trying to win something.
The announcements today have certainly been consistent with Ashley’s message back on May 24th that he now wants to build a good side at Newcastle and try to win something.
Now all they have to do is to execute – and that starts almost immediately with Steve first completing his coaching staff.
And then getting some of our top transfer targets though the door – we must sign some very good players this summer – that’s now the acid test.
Comments welcome.
166 comments so far
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:35 PM
Comment #41JackButler
I agree mate;
New head coach to take the flack, if not him the board of which Ashley is no longer a member.
The protests and boycotts must have really got to the fat one and his tat shop shareholders. Now we have a (sort of) supposed U-turn, where investment in the squad and rebuilding of the coaching staff will lead us to being a competitive football club again.
However not much else will change, SD will still have a strangle hold over our advertising, and merchandising. Wronga will still be the main sponsor, and Ashley will still be the one who is responsible if this all goes t*t’s up.
Mister Tuff
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:35 PM
Comment #42fool – quality original humour – not stolen from other sites and replacated on here.
Look, listen and learn.
swemag
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:36 PM
Comment #43Belfast – the night before Carver was fired, he basically claimed that, it is not so much what he has been saying as the timing.
The board thing was the first time for me and that Moncur would be on it.
…you can find all this on a well known social networking site. 🙂
The timing of all his statements have been too spot on, he has some inside stuff, further, I don’t see why he would make that stuff up, unlike here on that site you are not anonymous.
About the Carver thing, sure, it was not too shocking that he was let go, but again, just a few days ago many of us thought he would be given a different role within the club.
welshgeordie9
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:38 PM
Comment #44Quality original humour
Ha ha ha
You keep telling yourself that
JackButler
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:39 PM
Comment #45firebug666
to be honest mate I don’t think a single fan would care about all the sportsdirect stuff if we had a winning side. When defeat follows defeat we will always look to pick at anything and everything, not saying that the critisism in unwarrented but the state of the football we’ve had to endure has been disgusting but we’ve singled out the manager/coach instead of the man responsible
soundoid
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:40 PM
Comment #46Let’s hope the new board have been given a budget for new players and this isn’t a sham. It’s taken a good few years but things are starting to look a little bit better at SJP. Give the new order a chance. If they feck up we need to be over them like a rash. Could be a new dawn, vigilance is the key. HWTF.
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:40 PM
Comment #47Welshie
He doesn’t need to tell himself that, I was PMSL at it, you have to give him credit.
Class act.
bettyswallocks
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:42 PM
Comment #48Welsh……..don’t get too abusive or you’ll get baaaaaaaaaed.
We all love ewe really.
armchair fan
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:43 PM
Comment #49So Ashley appoints McLaren, makes him believe he’s gonna get a say in transfers and now we’re waiting for McLaren to fail to show Ashleys again incompetency.
Can we not get the Mills’ onto Ashley?
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:43 PM
Comment #50JackButler
With me it was more down to SD getting that free advertising and merchandising, while there was no (or very little) investment in the club.
I agree if we are competitive in our games, and actually try to win then yep, it his business, but with a lack of investment, pleading poverty etc, it was just a slap in the face for the fans.
JackButler
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:44 PM
Comment #51Welsh
Just for you mate
http://www.funnyjunksite.com/pictures/funnypics/animals/sheep/funny_sheep_picture_5.jpg
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Comment #52In the immortal words of Maurice Chevalier:
Thank heaven for little woolies
Thank heaven for them all
No matter where,
No matter who
Without them
What would little welshies do?
Thank heaven (2x)
Thank heaven for little woolies.
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Comment #53hahahahahaha brilliant @50
JackButler
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:46 PM
Comment #54firebug666
agree mate, lets just hope that from now on we start looking up.
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:48 PM
Comment #55JackButler
Aye mate, we can start with six points of the unwashed this season, if McClaren can pull that off he will be halfway there for me.
Klatoon
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:49 PM
Comment #56Germany V USA…Micheal Bradley would surely improve our
midfield.
check the toastie
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Comment #57I personally believe that we have a decent squad (apart from CB’s) and a decent coach will get them playing some decent stuff. If you look at the retained list there is no excuse for not finishing top 10 and having some intent on trying to knock the ball about with some intent.
Pardew and Carver plus others have proved totally clueless and the football that has been served up over the last 4 years has been utter shit. It could get no worse with this squad.
I reckon Maclaren will prove decent, at least we may have a team with an identity, a shape of playing, players who seem to be playing to some sort of plan.
Rather than just throwing 11 players on the pitch saying get on with it, then blaming them.
This is the most optimistic I have been since Keegan came back.
Remember Shepherd gave us Souness, Roeder Gullit and Allardyce, awful managers. Things have been shite long before Ashley turned up.
Sleepin Giant
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Comment #58welshgeordie
Are you really a Geordie or just Welsh ?
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Comment #59Jack awesome
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:50 PM
Comment #60That looks like the sheep from the Woody Allen movie Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex JB @50 mate. That movie is very popular with the welsh for some reason.
ToonFromLeeds
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Comment #61Welshies latest flame
http://www.funnyjunksite.com/pictures/funnypics/animals/sheep/funny_sheep_picture_22.jpg
Laurent Robert 32
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Comment #62Question, is backing McClaren also backing Ashley?
If so, how many Ashley backers are there creeping out of the woodwork now then?
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Comment #63That’s a spicy little welsh tart @60 TFL mate. 😆
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:55 PM
Comment #64Just the two of them Laurent Robert mate @61. Welshie and Jeff.
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:56 PM
Comment #65Laurent
Nah, I don’t thing backing a manager is backing the board or the owner, after all he is still only an employee, If he is poor the fans will let him know, likewise if he does well the fans will be behind him.
DISCLAIMER: This in no way alters my dislike of our owner and I will support all efforts put forward to remove him asap.
JackButler
Jun 10, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Comment #66Laurent Robert 32
I don’t think it is as Pardew had the backing of the fans for a long while until his stubborness got in the way while at the same time most fans always wanted rid of Ashley, I think most fans turned on Pardew because he was nothing more than the mouth piece for the owner and was shafted one more than one occasion and simply did nothing
bettyswallocks
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:00 PM
Comment #67Mary had a little sheep. With the sheep she went to sleep. The sheep turned out to be a ram. Mary had a little lamb.
bettyswallocks
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Comment #68Welsh……… Come back mate don’t be sheepish .
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Comment #69I see the following players as decent in the squad (decent not brilliant): Krul, Janmaat, Haidara (injury prone), Colback, Sissoko, De Jong (mega injury prone), Cabella (a bit light weight but you never know), Perez (a bit lightweight as well), Cisse (flaky), Anita (decent as a backup), Aarons (injury prone so far), and possibly Gouffy and Tiote if they can recover form (Tiote also injury prone). That’s fairly frightening for me. Too many injury prone or useless players in the squad. An enormous job ahead for McLaren.
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:03 PM
Comment #70bettyswallocks
He’s trying to find the phone number for that one at post 50.
jimiley
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:04 PM
Comment #71This club will remain toxic until Ashley is gone. Nothing will change as long as he remains and fans are mugs if they keep putting money in the mans pockets
John Tudor
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:04 PM
Comment #72he will be gone by the end of january
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Comment #73Welshie or Ashley JT mate?
JackButler
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Comment #74John Tudor
Why do you think he’ll be gone as soon as that???
firebug666
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Comment #75GeordieTwo
Mmmm but with some decent coaches at the club they may not be so injury prone.
The right level of training can work wonders, and if the team feel good and are playing well that also reduce the sick note list.
John Tudor
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Comment #76mcclaren just like forest debacle
bettyswallocks
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:06 PM
Comment #77Fire…….maybe he’s gone to the baaaaaaaaaaar
GeordieTwo
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:07 PM
Comment #78Welshie: “hello my little one.”
Sheep: Baaaaaa!”
Welshie: “well erm I was just wondering if you were doing anything next Friday night?”
Sheep: “Don’t even think about it.”
Jail for Ashley
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:07 PM
Comment #79He said that with such verve, that haltering rehearsed interview that a large percentage of fans saw it for what it was. But according to our new manager everyone was convinced. Oh oh
John Tudor
Jun 10, 2015 at 9:07 PM
Comment #80when he truly finds out how ashley works