Crisis talks have taken place today involving Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and (out of his depth) Managing Director Lee Charnley, and they concern what to do with the inept head coach Steve McClaren who Lee hired last summer after Steve had been duly fired by Championship club Derby County.
McClaren has brought Newcastle to their knees and second bottom of the Premier League after 28 games played with only 24 points – and Newcastle are looking like we are almost certain to be relegated in May.
There have been a number of times this season where Newcastle have turned in some pathetic performances – the 6-1 hammering at Manchester City, the 5-1 humiliation at Crystal Palace and former manager Alan Pardew and more recently – the 5-1 disgrace at Chelsea after which the squad was whisked away for a five day warm-weather holiday in southern Spain.
Mike Ashley – pondering whether to fire the inept Steve McClaren
At the time McClaren said it was very important to get the lads away so we could prepare for the two vital next two games coming up – where we were supposed to get 4 points from the games at Stoke and at home to Bournemouth – otherwise Steve McClaren would be fired.
We lost both games and yesterday against Bournemouth the performance was nothing less than another complete humiliation, but this time at St. James’ Park in front of a crowd of over 52,100, who turned on McClaren for the first time at home this season.
Only Newcastle would have kept their manager on with such a terrible record as he threatened to take Newcastle down to the Championship.
Swansea City, as one example, sacked their manager Garry Monk in December, when Swansea had a much better record than Newcastle had and Garry had them 8th top last season – the best in Swansea’s history – they are now 6 points above us in the table.
After such a terrible record, we still don’t put it past Newcastle to stick with Steve McClaren – so incompetent and inept are those in senior management positions at the club.
But it could happen and if we hear nothing by tomorrow night – it will happen.
That also means certain relegation for Newcastle this season – and we will deserve it.
Sorry, let’s rephrase that – those running the club so incompetently this season will deserve it.
Here’s our precarious position in the league after spending £82M on new players this season – more than any other Premier League club.
UEFA Champions League Group F
Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | GD | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dortmund | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
PSG | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
AC Milan | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 8 |
Newcastle | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1 | 5 |
45 comments so far
Tsunki
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:24 PM
Comment #1Ashley out!
JackButler
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:25 PM
Comment #2Monk was sacked by Swansea as he lost the dressing room after siding with the board after one of its members had an affair with a players girlfriend, so the reasoning behind that sacking was totally different to what we are facing
Tsunki
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:26 PM
Comment #3Ashley won’t be pondering firing McLaren because that’s not his job. it’s the boards. Ashley is the major shareholder. He could dismantle the board under the charge that the board aren’t working in the company’s best interests. I doubt it though.
GeordieTwo
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:27 PM
Comment #4You’re spot on springy @197 from previous article. I would have sacked him after 10-12 matches. The 3-0 loss to the mackems still burns.
BandB
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:30 PM
Comment #5In a couple of days a voice or two will pipe up to say “we tried to get rid of McClaren and we failed. Let’s get behind the guy now!”
I will agree with them.
If McClaren isn’t to blame and not negotiable, then I guess we’ll just have to switch the chants and the banners to Ashley and Sports Direct and see how our tough cookie likes that.
Can’t get satisfaction? Take it to the top.
JackButler
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:31 PM
Comment #6Tsunki
I guarantee you that Ashley is able to walk into that boardroom and sack whoever he wants without consulting the so called board members
magscar
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:31 PM
Comment #7Repost
206 magscar // Mar 6, 2016 at 8:27 PM
G2@183
No official word that there is a meeting but surely there must be.
As you say this is the last chance to make a change but even if the will is there can a viable replacement be convinced it is the right move and time?
Your earlier reading of the winnable games is the only card to play in a 4 team 10 (9 for some) game league. A decent confident manager looking at possibilities presented by players, ground, crowd and the fixtures might just be convinced it is a worthwhile gamble. Unfortunately that is not going to be the only hurdle given the image of the Club in the game. The manager we need is probably going to be of the experienced variety and those problems are as ever going to be the formidable hurdle.
There is the chance Ashley could look to say Redknapp (with McClaren or not) to come in and save us – desperate yes!
If there were any guarantees I would
settle for that with Summer being the better time for the radical surgery needed to save the Club and with no shying away from it even after the relief of surviving.
reilly
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:31 PM
Comment #8McClaren has been sacked.
archaeomag
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Comment #9Oh Why are we waiting – why are we waiting – etc. etc.
GeordieTwo
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:33 PM
Comment #10Especially once the season is over focus on the man at the top. No more season tickets bought. No more listening to “We tried but mistakes were made.” No more “I’ve listened to the supporters and we know changes must be made.” It’s all far too late Ashley. You have nothing left for us to listen to.
magscar
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:34 PM
Comment #11Reilly
Who says?
BandB
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:34 PM
Comment #12See
That’s how you get results round here 🙂
Belfast
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:34 PM
Comment #13Spill Butler?
AncientC
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:35 PM
Comment #14The team are due back for training on Tuesday, if the bullet is coming, it will have to be done tomorrow.
SPRINGY
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:35 PM
Comment #15G2
it was there to be seen with the villa game and everton, but i like others thought he might of got thru to the players or changed his approach when he won against liverpool and spurs, but they are obviously fluke results against teams having bad days….theres games coming that are winnable but and could get us out of it….but not with macca….he just cant do it.
Jib
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Comment #16All anti Ashley sentiment seemed to vanish with the spending of £82 million in 2 windows.
NUFCPaul
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Comment #17Reilly – what’s your source for this information?
toonking
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:36 PM
Comment #18repostBPC
I’d take relegation myself.
Under this current regime I don’t expect decent player or managerial appoints. Most seasons we’ll be battling for survival and getting early cup exits.
The only miss will be top teams and players coming up against you but a more entertaining and attacking championship game can make up for that and we’ll get the chance to restore the lost spirit and get rid or the mercinies.
NUFCPaul
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Comment #19McClaren should have gone before the Stoke game to give the new manager a real chance to organise the team. Now we need to act swiftly and get someone else in so McClaren’s successor has a good week to sort this nonsense out.
Honestly don’t care who it is between David Moyes, Brendan Rogers or Rafa Benitez. Any of them will be a step up in quality. The Mackems have had an excellent system of sacking their manager prior to the derby game each season and getting the three points needed to keep them up each time. Let’s beat them at their own game and do the same!
JackButler
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:37 PM
Comment #20Belfast
One of the top money men at Swansea was having an affair with Dyers girlfriend, when it all came out Monk was told to agree to ship the player out which he did with Dyer leaving for Leicester, this caused a massive split between the manager and the rest of the squad which eventually led to Monk being sacked
toonking
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:39 PM
Comment #21reilly
I can’t find any news reports when searching google.
where did you hear this?
Jail for Ashley
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:40 PM
Comment #22BandB,
£15 pound for a ticket in the normally £50 sports bar is not the reason I went yesterday but there are so many that will keep on going for exactly that reason.
archaeomag
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:40 PM
Comment #23He cannot show his face in SJP again – he might be booed from the off – it would be a disaster.
SPRINGY
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:40 PM
Comment #24heard that ashley is apparently heading up here tomorrow…..how true it is…i’ve nee idea, but thought i’d mention it
GeordieTwo
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:40 PM
Comment #25Hard days ahead no matter what happens. With Ashley, chances are we’ll make the wrong move, such as retaining McLaren. Ashley has been hopeless from the start. Don’t expect miracles now.
NUFCPaul
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:41 PM
Comment #26And I need to just get this off my chest too. Can we stop calling Steven Taylor ‘Saylor’ please? Ryan Taylor left at the end of last season. There’s only one Taylor in the first team now, so let’s use his proper name now lads. Cheers.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:41 PM
Comment #27Mclaren should have been gone before Derby sacked the useless tw@t!
magscar
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:42 PM
Comment #28BandB
If he stays it can only be because their constrictions mean a better prospect can’t be brought in now.
If that is the fait accompli presented then I suppose supporters have no alternative but to try their best to stay behind team (and therefore him) for remaining games.
Is this the message you want to send to Bishop or are you being serious?
Big Pappa Cissé
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:42 PM
Comment #29@ toonking
one thing about relegation for a club of our size is that I think we would eventually get back in the PL as our fan base and stadium are to big for us to drop down more than one division IMO .
We are an appealing football club and I can only hope one day that someone with serious ambition will make us great .
I know some people don’t agree with City’s instant money backed success, however I would take it in a heartbeat if this is the alternative .
toonking
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:42 PM
Comment #30ok paul we’ll stop calling saylor, saylor
NUFCPaul
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:44 PM
Comment #31Springy – where did you hear that then?
Fostino
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:45 PM
Comment #32My money is on moyes
Jail for Ashley
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:45 PM
Comment #33Never ever called him Saylor, never call Spurs spuds, and never dress like a parrot on Matchdays.
BandB
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:47 PM
Comment #34magscar
You said earlier Ashley isn’t interested in the opinion of the fans.
Can you explain then the target audience for that “the players are right behind MCClaren” letter that was laughed out of town yesterday?
As ever, faced with a crisis, the club’s first instinct is to try to pull a stunt.
nufc 11
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:49 PM
Comment #35Pearson the new favourite only nufc incompetents attract incompetents. Moyes is a no brainer.
NUFCPaul
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:49 PM
Comment #36JFA – my comment was aimed purely at those who still say ‘Saylor’, obviously.
archaeomag
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:50 PM
Comment #37I am sure that Jose would do it – for Bobby Robson’ s sake – if we asked him nicely, he’s like that.
SPRINGY
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:50 PM
Comment #38just pub rumours mate,probs a load of shite, but considering there was meant to be a meeting today and nothing appears to have happened, there might be a tiny bit of truth in it.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:51 PM
Comment #39BPC,
Leeds definitely deserve to be in the PL, there are tens of clubs that should be but there’s only room for 20 and you have to be there on merit. I heard on the radio the other day that there are only five clubs that have spent longer at the top of the PL than us, yet you have magscar, TDSarf, slank etc telling us how shit we are and deserve our fate!
JackButler
Mar 6, 2016 at 8:51 PM
Comment #40Northern Echo reporting that he will be sacked if an experienced replacement can be brought in for the last 10 games