Alan Smith was officially released from the club yesterday, after Alan played 94 times for Newcastle, but failed to score a single goal.
Alan Smith – played 94 times for Newcastle
The fact that Alan was initially brought in by Sam Allardyce as a striker, makes that statistic just a little bit more surprising, but we always knew Alan Smith was a top-class professional.
Alan got on well with the manager Alan Pardew, and Pardew has come out today and praised the player:
“I can’t praise Alan highly enough as a person,” “It’s been difficult for him to get in the side, and he went out on loan.”
“His professionalism around the place has been brilliant. It was a joy to work with him.” “At some stage in the future, I might get the opportunity to work with him again.”
“He’s got a real future in coaching after he finishes playing.” “He wants to keep on playing, but I’ll keep an eye on him – he’s got great attributes.”
It’s been a little obvious over the last two seasons that Alan Smith didn’t have much of a future at Newcastle and in that time he appeared only 16 times for Newcastle, and he was a costly player for the club, with his £60K/week wages.
But Alan is currently in negotiations with MK Dons and we think there could be a decent chance that Alan could play on for a couple of seasons in the lower leagues.
But Smith has an excellent future in coaching, and could even become a top manager in the future, although with players that’s always a very difficult call to make.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see him back at Newcastle in two or three years time in a coaching capacity, and it’s obvious from what Pardew has said that the two of them get along famously, and could form a good partnership in the future on the training field.
Smith was offered a coaching opportunity at Newcastle with the youngsters, but he still thinks he can play for a few seasons, and the 31 year-old wants to keep playing.
It’s always good to welcome back past players to the club as coaches, and if he’s going to be a top coach and then a top manager, then there’s no better place to do that than at Newcastle United.
And we know Alan has an extremely high opinion of both the Tyneside club and it’s wonderful fan base, and he would fit straight back in.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
80 comments so far
SupaToonKid
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:28 AM
Comment #1Good luck to Smithy, if it wasn’t for those ridiculous wages i’d be sad to see him leave. Though like Pards said he is a fantastic professional and maybe we can give him a coaching role in the forseeable future because unfortunately i think his injuries will cause him to retire sooner rather later.
Graeme
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Comment #2He stuck around purely for the money.
Not another club would go anywhere near his wages at Toon so he sat put and laughed all the way to the bank. He had several chances to “Carry on playing” in the last 2+ years but rejected them all to maintain his income.
There is one word for Mr Smith – Parasite!!
brighter
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Comment #3GOOD RIDDANCE.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Comment #4Supatoonkid,
Do you sometimes just post for the sake of it,do you mean by what you said that you’d be happy for Smith to stay if he was on say 10K a week.
cupiddstunt
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #5Graeme @ # 2
Sorry g but I think that one word is “sensible”
He obviously gave it everything whilst on the training pitches trying to get into the first team, otherwise AP would not be talking so highly of him.
It is also obvious that he was an asset to the club off the field again buy what AP says.
And of course YOU would take a massive pay cut if you were unable to do your job anymore (that is of course saying you have a job) if you were injured and could not do your job to your previous level.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #6Lap top won’t let me leave a post.
sirtoongospel
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Comment #7People have a pop at footballers if they get paid the contract they were OFFERED by the club. Would any of us take a 70% pay cut? It wasn’t his fault he was offered that money.
Also, when we were relegated, and everyone said we were going to be a soft touch, Smudger met fire with fire, he was MOM in 5 out of the first 7 games, and got stuck in, and fired up our players brilliantly. We flew out the blocks in that Championship season, and Smudger was a massive part of it.
I wish him all the best, and if Pards thinks his coaching and motivational qualoities are great, then hopefully he will come back and have an impact here.
rich_toonfan
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Comment #8He was a good pro and a very big reason we got promoted out of the championship.
And if you knew you could be on 60k a week, then leave and still have a few years after most people would, people do not take a pay cut in any walk of life if they dont have to.
He has to look after himself and his future.
He moves on with the bes wishes of most fans I would say. Good luck wherever he ends up.
cupiddstunt
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Comment #9Sorry for typo “buy” being “by”
lordy_geordie
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Comment #10I agree, Know one would lose 70% in wages over 2 years. Thats stupid, footballers careers don’t last long and first an foremost their families come first. Make as much money as yoh can coz it will have to last you over 40 years
cupiddstunt
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Comment #11Graeme @ # 2
Just another thought,
I would say most people on here, (in fact most people full stop,) that have a job do it for the money and only move on voluntarily for more money not less money.
Why should he be any different????????
Indian Magpie
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Comment #12First, oh No 😈
Beardo
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Comment #13Alan Smith couldn’t coach a kid on how to tie their shoe laces, nevermind coach top-flight football.
Indian Magpie
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:54 AM
Comment #14Beardo, that’s very harsh. he would bcome an excellent coach. injuries affected his playing capacity
Graeme
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #15Cupid, I agree with what you say and yes, I wouldnt take less money if I didnt have to.
I dont blame him for doing what he did at all – but to say all he wants is “playing time”, when he could have left at any time in the last 3 years for “playing time” is sheer hypocracy. Thats why I call him a parasite, which is what he has been for over two years.
bills-son
Jun 2, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Comment #16Fans saying good riddance and slagging of Smith haven’t got a clue. As others have pointed out is wasn’t his fault he got paid £60K a week BUT unlike a ton of others signed during that period he gave his all for NUFC. As a fan you can’t ask for more than that.
He had a horrific leg break and then had to adapt his game to a DM where the memory of that break must have come back with every tackle. And yet, he never fliched, especially during those first few games in the Championship as I and other sensible fans have pointed out. In my mind Smithy, Shola, Harper, Nolan and Enrique will always be legends for their attitude, determination and professionalism after we got relegated especially during those first few games when we showed teams who was boss skillwise and physically.
You only have to see how many top pro’s speak highly of Smithy as a person, from Sir Alex down, to know that the guy is a top man. What he lacked in skill and goals he made up for in building a winning mentality after relegation and he played no small part in where we are now.
Good luck Smithy.
ToonDownSouth
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Comment #17I bloody loved Smith in our Championship season.
I remember him tripped a player up, through on goal, from behind in the last minute, recieving a red card, and saying “Well, you’ve just got to take one for the team, haven’t you?”.
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Comment #18Bonjour messieurs.
How are the queen and her faithfull subjects this morning?
bills-son
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Comment #19There we go eh – Beardo saying Smithy couldn’t coach a kid to tie his shoelaces.
What a stupid inanne comment from someone who doesn’t know Smithy and has never seen him in training or in the dressing room. Because you don’t like Smithy you say he can’t coach, that is infantile. So you know better than Pardew do you? Do you bollox.
Joes Mourinho – how many goals did he score? How many trophies did he win as a player? How many caps did he win? According to you Beardo he wouldn’t have been able to coach kids to ties shoelaces.
Beardo
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Comment #20Bills-son takes the bait again. Must be so difficult to make friends, being such a highly-strung fairy like yourself.
Beardo
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Comment #21“It’s time to take your blood-pressure today, Mr Bills-son.”
“You what!? Take my blood pressure? You can eff off and shove your sphygmomanometer up your sphincter, you hear me!!!” *shakes fist in nurses direction*.
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #22Do you have an idea of what would be England starting eleven against France?
Toonboy_84
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #23We always seem to have at least 1 resident mackem here at any given time……. Keep up the good work beardo. Dick!
Toonboy_84
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #24@ naifron
Not a very good one….lol
graham cwarr
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #25We’re giving nothing away naifron you spy. Bs ignore beardo. I’ve taken the bait myself before. It doesn’t end well. End up looking a knob for reacting to a knob
ToonDownSouth
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #26niafron
Absolutely no idea yet. Gerrard & Parker will start CM, Johnson RB, Cole LB. But every other spot is undecided currently.
What about France? Your defence looked fairly clueless against Iceland the other night.
graham cwarr
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #27@toonboy when we ignored them inthe past they left. Or maybe it was more too with us winning game after game as they flailed about treading water mid table.
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Comment #28Franch game against Serbia was full of teachings.
Ribéry made a good game (still i doesn’t like him) and Malouda too in a central midfield position.
Koscielny was excellent too, so many people want to have him now as a starter CB. Still unlikely however.
Clichy made a good game, but maybe not enough to replace Evra.
M’villa was quickly injured, nothing serious, but he could miss the game against England.
It seem also clear now Blanc will not make play Giroud and Ben zema together.
I think he will field this team:
———————Lloris(C)————–
Debuchy–Rami——-Mexés—Evra
———————Diarra—————-
———-Cabaye———Malouda—-
—Nasri————————–Ribéry-
——————-Ben zema————-
Indian Magpie
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Comment #29Niafron,
No Menez or HBA.
Still Evra, r u happy with him.
graham cwarr
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Comment #30@tds but the attack made up for it in the end. And they didn’t concede in the second half. Maybe they’ll have their act together for the euros.
I’ve a feeling they’ll make the semis
cupiddstunt
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #31Graeme @ # 13
Sorry G but had you called Owen a parasite then you would have had no argument from me, had you called Viduka one then you would have had my whole hearted agreement, as the only time he played well in his latter years was when coming up to contract time.
But Smithy gave it everything he had on and off the park.
When on the park he played to the limits of his ability and with gusto resulting in regular cards but setting an example to the rest of the team.
When not being selected he never dropped his head was not late for training and in a strop because he was not being picked, but again gave it everything he had to try and get back into the team and keep himself in contention.
I honestly do not see that as being a parasite, being a parasite is a one way action and if you spend a little time reading what people in football have to say about Smithy he is far, far from being a parasite.
Xisco is in my eyes more of a parasite than Smith Xisco appears to have given noting in return for his salary but in Smiths case yes he was an unfortunate expense but far from a parasite.
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #32We still have however a last game against Estonia Tuesday night .
So maybe, things could change.
Indian Magpie
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #33if Smith was not good enough Pardew would never offered him the role.
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Comment #34It seem Blanc wasn’t pleased by the way HBA and Menez defended against Iceland, so he’s eager to make a more conventional team and to keep them as Impact players.
A mistake if you ask me, but i’m not the coach. Concerning Evra, he’s the object of a strong argument in France.
Many people do not want him to play considering his performances and his behaviors as well.
Personally, i don’t know.
Indian Magpie
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #35Niafron,
i dont know abt french public, but Malouda is not as good as either 1 of those 2 and very droppable
niafron
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Comment #36The problem of this team is the lack of experience and leadership.
If i was england, would play counter strike with fast players. There’s many weakness in central defense and on the left (you’re right flank).
Iceland tactic was perfect. THey gived up finally, but they were really too weak to hold the result.
Furthermore, in a competition game, once trailed, our lads will panick.
Honnestly, it’s up to you, i see us holding the ball, but if you make a courageous and realistic game, victory will be yours.
cupiddstunt
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #37bills-son @ # 17
You are right on the ball there bud and beardo tries to slink away from his stupidity by a rather pathetic and weak claim to it being a wind up.
Then tries overly hard to qualify his comment by some apparent humour which is a poor mask for his earlier moronic comment.
Although reading some of his past comments I do get the feeling he is a little bit on the thick side, you know the type that always has to counter everything you say with a contentious comment, a stupidity that only he sees as a witticism when almost everybody else sees it as a stupidity.
Sad case of attention seeking form beardo I’m afraid.
geordie157
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Comment #38Just seen the list of released prem players
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/7790818/Released-players-revealed
Bit suprised Ben Alnwick has never really made it, remember hearing a lot of hype of him about 5 yrs ago.
The only player that might benefit us on the list is Diame. Rodallega maybe as a last resort, he’d be alright on the left of the front 3 but at times he looks lazy.
Carlos Cueller will surely be snapped up fast.
jesperfuglsang
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Comment #39That is what you call £ 60k a week professionalism 😉
I can be professional for that amount 😉 lol
jesperfuglsang
Jun 2, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #40Niafron
From what I have seen of France, the midfield was the problem; they were simply playing too offensive and too high up. Especially Nasri has been with weak link.
It made it very difficult for both Menez and especially HBA, who ended up against Iceland in the first half playing way to defensive and too far out right.
They changed that in the second half, and I actually think that is why they won.
But you might be right about what you say about Blanc and like you I don’t agree with him 🙂