Steve McClaren is still very aware that a couple of defeats and we could be right back in deep trouble in the relegation zone, so at least Steve seems to be a pragmatist and a realist.
And he also knows that his job is not safe.
Since Jose Mourinho was fired by Chelsea last Thursday after winning the Premier League and League Cup earlier this year no manager is safe in the Premier League these days and with the extra money coming in with the new £5B TV rights deal starting next June – it will likely only get worse.
Steve McClaren – job still not safe
This is some of what Steve McClaren said yesterday:.
“Even when you think you’re out of relegation trouble, you never are.”
“You always look ahead and think, “The three games we’ve got, if we don’t get this or that, oh my God, we’ll be back down there”.
“There’s always fear, you’re never safe. Never. Look at Sunderland; a couple of weeks ago, people said they were out of it but a fortnight later they’re back in it. “
“To be clear of the bottom is nice, but we’re not away from it, we’re still fighting.”
That’s why this afternoon’s home game against bottom club Aston Villa is so important – so we can pull further away from the relegation zone and towards safety and wins help us do that quickly.
It’s very possible we can win this game today – we should win this game today – and certainly that’s what the Newcastle fans expect.
Comments welcome.
62 comments so far
Tsunki
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:29 PM
Comment #1Ashley Out?
Tsunki
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:30 PM
Comment #2Why yes, of course!
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:31 PM
Comment #3The ref will be crucial today.
Fortunately one of the best on the list , Bradford’s own Martin Atkinson .
LGFUAD21
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:33 PM
Comment #4The Shelvey link keeps popping up.
Personally I’d love to have him here. He’s still yet to hit his prime. He’s got a great wrk rate. Isn’t afraid t stick a tackle in (sometimes rashly though) and has a good passing range.
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:35 PM
Comment #5Boro 1 up 4 minutes
AncientC
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:36 PM
Comment #6Boro up, Mackems’ down. (Unless Munster Mag is Uri Geller)
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:36 PM
Comment #7A header – Brighton’s Lewis Dunk suspended for red card
martoon
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:42 PM
Comment #8Tsunki from last topic – I’ve still got the predictions in a spreadsheet which I’ll bring out at the end of the season but from memory most had us higher up the table with Mitrovic as top scorer – whoops 🙂
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:03 PM
Comment #9Martoon
Playing against a back 4 of ——–Bacuna , Okore , Lescott , and Hutton ——- Mitro could easily be our top scorer by 1900 tonight 😀
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Comment #10Wijnaldum 7
Perez ——-4
Mitro ——-3
Cissé ——-2
Janmaat —-2
SdJ ———1
Thauvin —-1
Williamson 1
WWSBRD
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:14 PM
Comment #11Still think it’ll be a loss today
Villa have to win today and we are very beatable
The next Mike Williamson
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:17 PM
Comment #12I’d like Villa to stay up. They’ve been in the top flight for as long as I remember. They desperately need a new chairman and a new director of football because even if they invest another £50m their scout will just waste it again.
martoon
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:18 PM
Comment #13Jib @9 Trouble is I’ve a feeling he will be on the bench – he can’t score from there.
WWSBRD – We have to try and get the first goal then their confidence will go and they could collapse but if it stays at 0 0 then they will gain in confidence and you could be right.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:21 PM
Comment #14@12,
You have remarkable typing skills for a five and a half year old !
martoon
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:26 PM
Comment #15Just watching the Boro game – I wish we could defend like they do and their left back looks pretty good as well!
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:35 PM
Comment #16Jail as always your footy knowledge shines like a beacon
As of the end of the 2014–15 season, Aston Villa have spent 104 seasons in the top tier of English football; the only club to have spent longer in the top flight are Everton, with 112 seasons,making Aston Villa versus Everton the most-played fixture in English top-flight football. Aston Villa are one of an elite group of seven clubs that has played in every Premier League season, the other six being Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur since its establishment in 1992–93. They are fifth in the All-time FA Premier League table, and have the fifth highest total of major honours won by an English club with 21 wins.[
WWSBRD
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:40 PM
Comment #17martoon
Problem is mate I don’t think Newcastle know how to control a game. We should on paper batter Vile but we don’t know how
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #18I see the Euromillions 1st prize of €82.3 million has been won by a ticket purchased in a small market town in the hills behind Benidorm.
I hope it’s a Brit pensioner spending the winter there .
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM
Comment #19Steve McClaren takes the 14 year-old girls approach to our troubles “oh my God, we’ll be back down there!” – fills me with confidence that soundbite.
Even if we won the next 3, we’re still not out of it with half the season left.
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:45 PM
Comment #20You can see why Boro goalie
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos puts Dimi on his shirt
😀
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:49 PM
Comment #21See Jimmy Hill has passed away – aged 87
Me nervous about today – expectations – a win – but knowing the TOON we’ll blow it !!!!!!!!!
Big style
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2015 at 1:56 PM
Comment #22The problem we have when we play teams we should be beating is that we play Anita and Colback/Tiote together so it always means we have 2 players who dont really do much in an attacking sense when we could do with a more creative player beside one of them to keep teams under pressure !!
Take one out one and go back to 433 with De Jong , Anita/Colback and Wijnaldum in the middle with Perez wide left , Mitrovic up front and Sissoko wide right
Just think if we go for Colback , Anita and Cisse to begin with we wont break Villa down and offer encouragement
MacToon
Dec 19, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Comment #23With Ashley getting some bad press recently I wonder if it’ll overflow and be seen at SJP today. It wouldn’t be before time imho.
Jiz, sue me you hypocrite.
Jib
Dec 19, 2015 at 2:24 PM
Comment #24Blooming heck Boro signed Daniel Ayala for only £350,000 !!!
davetoon
Dec 19, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Comment #25Starting to feel confident about a win which is unusual. Just hope we don’t chase the game too much with the pressure to win.
Need Gini and Sissoko to keep up their good form and lead the attack from midfield
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 2:32 PM
Comment #26Smoggies are on the way back to the prem eh. Cant wait for the old Tyne-Tees derby again, there was some corkers back in the day.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2015 at 2:57 PM
Comment #27@Toon Tang
Would love Boro back up and Sunderlands expense!!
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Comment #28Definitely mate haha would round the season off nicely as long as we stay out the shite ourselves.
I’m just tuning into the relegation 6pointer at Chelsea as we speak. Cant see them getting much there with Mourinho gone and the players back playing proper footy again (maybe)
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Comment #29Who would the blog rather see go down, Chelsea or Sunderland?
I’m hoping for a dire draw between the two today, keeps them both right down there and Chelsea still getting criticism from every corner.
John Tudor
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:06 PM
Comment #30get in
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:08 PM
Comment #31Well it’s took Chelsea 5mins to buck up and now the boos have turned to triumphant chanting…
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:08 PM
Comment #32Chelsea will not struggle now under Hiddink we need them to beat Sunderland so we can open up a bigger gap
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:10 PM
Comment #33HWA, decisions decisions, how about both and Villa just on a Brucey bonus scheme maybe 🙂
I’d take that all day
John Tudor
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:13 PM
Comment #34right up the makams butt
catchy in norway
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:13 PM
Comment #35sunderland doing well
firebug666
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:13 PM
Comment #36Sunderland might just get a hammering today, 2-0 chelski.
Hugh Jorgan
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:14 PM
Comment #37Woo Hoo
Chelsea 2
Unwashed 0
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:14 PM
Comment #38Come on Chelsea lets go for 5 or 6 !! Demoralise them !!
Toon Tang
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:17 PM
Comment #39Hot knife through butter.
John Tudor
Dec 19, 2015 at 3:22 PM
Comment #40fat sams not so grand slam