OT - Sam Allardyce

[Wales]

Who'd be your choice for the job, Wales?

Realistically I suppose we're looking at the likes of redknapp and co, who wont do any better than Big Sam would have. Houllier as an outside shout, but he's quite uninspiring too. I'd like to see thme try and tempt someone like Hiddink or Van Gaal, after all I bet we'll be paying as much as any club or international team in the world! But it wont happen.

The below sums up my thoughts on redknapp

Apart from three years in Seattle, he's lived in London or the South Coast all his life. At 60 would he really want to up sticks and move to the North-East? If he doesn't then forget it, we don't want him jetting up for a few days a week.

It's also worth noting that the fantastic free-flowing football from Portsmouth this season translates into the following recent Premiership results at Fratton Park:

29.12.07 Portsmouth 0 Middlesbrough 1
26.12.07 Portsmouth 0 Arsenal 0
15.12.07 Portsmouth 0 Tottenham 1
01.12.07 Portsmouth 0 Everton 0
11.11.07 Portsmouth 0 Man City 0
27.10.07 Portsmouth 0 West Ham 0

Imagine a repeat of those results at St. James'? Harry would be on his way before May. Even our disastrous recent home form saw us score half a dozen times in the last six games

terry - every footy stadium has knob heads, and on that particular day Im not sure sam did know what he was doing. Liverpool came to St James' and went away with 3 points hardly getting out of 1st gear. Milner was on the bench, barton the right wing etc... Allardyce did come into a fucked up situation, and had fat fred still been there Allardyce would be there too, but, alas, he was never Ashleys man for the job and the shower of shit football we produced, inept tactical selections and lack of any sign of improvment since October spelled the end. Whoever comes in will hopefuly get a good crack at it.

[King Tubby]

50,000 for 37 years, thats just stupid, the ground was only expanded to above 50k in the mid nineties.

problem with winning things is the gulf between the top 4 and everyone else keeps getting bigger. They even bloody compete the carling cup now (well last couple of seasons). The FA cup has been won by one of the top 4 for the last 12 years! In fact only once since 1991 has a team other than Arsenal, man U, Liverpool & chelsea won the cup.

Indeed, without Tottenham and Everton(two genuinely big clubs and Englands 5th and 6th most succesful in terms of trophies won)the domination would have been FAR greater.
WHo knows, maybe the Yids and the Toffees will face of in the League Cup Final this season? Would be a refreshing change(although, I have just put the mockers on it)

Any new man coming in needs to be given time, I think we all agree on that.
But is Harry the man for the job?
He has always loved the low expectation, underdog clubs(Bournemouth, West Ham, Southampton and Pompey)who will never and are not really expected to challenge.
By taking the Geordies on he will have a set of deluded fans telling him to play like Brazil and insisting it's time their club(the biggest on the planet)won a treble or two...

[King Tubby]

50,000 for 37 years, thats just stupid, the ground was only expanded to above 50k in the mid nineties.

problem with winning things is the gulf between the top 4 and everyone else keeps getting bigger. They even bloody compete the carling cup now (well last couple of seasons). The FA cup has been won by one of the top 4 for the last 12 years! In fact only once since 1991 has a team other than Arsenal, man U, Liverpool & chelsea won the cup.

Indeed, without Tottenham and Everton(two genuinely big clubs and Englands 5th and 6th most succesful in terms of trophies won)the domination would have been FAR greater.
WHo knows, maybe the Yids and the Toffees will face of in the League Cup Final this season? Would be a refreshing change(although, I have just put the mockers on it)

Any new man coming in needs to be given time, I think we all agree on that.
But is Harry the man for the job?
He has always loved the low expectation, underdog clubs(Bournemouth, West Ham, Southampton and Pompey)who will never and are not really expected to challenge.
By taking the Geordies on he will have a set of deluded fans telling him to play like Brazil and insisting it's time their club(the biggest on the planet)won a treble or two...

You don't want Everton in the final though, do you?

[nickd]

[yiddo14]

50,000 for 37 years, thats just stupid, the ground was only expanded to above 50k in the mid nineties.

problem with winning things is the gulf between the top 4 and everyone else keeps getting bigger. They even bloody compete the carling cup now (well last couple of seasons). The FA cup has been won by one of the top 4 for the last 12 years! In fact only once since 1991 has a team other than Arsenal, man U, Liverpool & chelsea won the cup.

Indeed, without Tottenham and Everton(two genuinely big clubs and Englands 5th and 6th most succesful in terms of trophies won)the domination would have been FAR greater.
WHo knows, maybe the Yids and the Toffees will face of in the League Cup Final this season? Would be a refreshing change(although, I have just put the mockers on it)

Any new man coming in needs to be given time, I think we all agree on that.
But is Harry the man for the job?
He has always loved the low expectation, underdog clubs(Bournemouth, West Ham, Southampton and Pompey)who will never and are not really expected to challenge.
By taking the Geordies on he will have a set of deluded fans telling him to play like Brazil and insisting it's time their club(the biggest on the planet)won a treble or two...

You don't want Everton in the final though, do you?

Hey, it's one game at a time!
We stil got the 2nd leg to negotiate first, which won't be easy.

Been too long since we have been at Wembley...I just hope we can make it.

[King Tubby]

You'll be there mate. Tottenham never mess things up.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Used to like Newcastle and then they signed the dastardly duo and convicted racist thugs Lee Bowyer and Johnathan Woodgate - a complete slap in the face of the anti racist campaign in football.

However signing 'Arry Redknapp after sacking Allardyce is not a wise move, obviously grabbing the premierships second used car salesman is not the way Newcastle want to go!

[jamesmcdonnell]

Its criminal we've own eff all in 50 odd years, league leaders (11points clear) 2 fa cup finals all in the space of 4 years. The big club notion isnt invented by anyone, its basic enough, massive fan base, brilliant ground, world class training facilities, bags and bags of cash... we lack one thing and thats the ability to attract players and the man to do put everything together... shit thats 2 things... well we lack 2 things. Bobby Robson did it for a while, we were consistently a top 3 side just short of making the final step.

newcastle ARE currently a mediocre club but say the fans dont have patience is a bit nieve, all season the fans have been chanting for big sam to stay, and they dont turn on managers who produce good football and results. your the last person I thought would fall foul of sky sports news / british media's selective showings, a couple of bloody pissed up teenagers or old drunkards calling for shearers name, wonder how many interviews they did before getting those? Lovely media spin, how boring would it be for the media to run with "newcastle fans wanted allardyce to stay, and now each has a different opinion on a replacement" - believe me, not many want shearer.

You make the point "newcastle poor to watch" - exactly who do you blame for that? The chairman? The fans? or the manager! lets have a quick think, against stoke centre midfield Butt and Smith - where is the creativity, who is going to run with the ball? On the right wing... Damien Duff, the stereotypical LEFT footed winger! Earlier in the season N'zogbia (left winger) playing at left back and Milner (right footed right winger) left wing. Joey Barton (a masterstroke signing by who?) Right wing. The new club captain... why geremi of course, and geremi... not even in the 16!

With players liek Owen, martins, Milner, Given We can compete with the teams 4-8, that should be our place and aim for the moment.

Talk of relegation is ludicrous, no?

You were absolutely shite in those two cup finals though, I only realised there was another team playing at half-time in both games.. Lots of teams now have great grounds, nice training facilities but they win you Sweet Fanny Adams.

Youse actually attract some decent players, the fans are fair as well, they give the players about 90 minutes then start blathering on about how these athletes don't deserve to wear the black and white of the Geordie colours, that should be left to fat middle-aged men.

It is not a case of falling for Sky News machinations either. The images of a fan with his face contorted clearing shouting "you don't know what you are doing" to Allardyce speaks volumes, as do the silent people sat around him letting this clown grab his moment of air time instead of pointing that he is, in fact, a knob. There is a silent majority at Newcastle, as I explicitly said in the first couple of posts, but all we see on cameras are the ones who abuse/blub/show off their tits just so they can get on MOTD/Sky. They are now synonymous with Newcastle and the goodwill people had towards them is gone.

Sky did go to Newcastle itself and there were a number of imbeciles shouting "Shearer in!" and bouncing about. Perhaps Sky did seek them out purposefully but judging by the amount they got they did not have to search long and hard.

Sam made selection errors but came into a club that had floundered for years and I think he'd have got things right. In my opinion a player like Martins is not to be relied on as a constant threat and Owen is just there to pick-up the money and get fit enough to move to a decent team.

I don't seriously think they'd be relegated. It would just be interesting to see the support if they did, and for many of the Geordie fans it would be a chance to stand naked and blubbing on MOTD.

In fact them getting relegated with Shearer in charge would be the funniest thing you could imagine. He wouldn't be able to threaten to withdraw from the England team to get out of that one either!

The idolisation of Shearer is a big problem for whoever manages the club. Shearer, as far as I am aware, has not completed his coaching yet, so cannot take the job on, but it seems almost certain he will be offered the role some time in the near future, which is not exactly helpful when recruiting a full time manager.

I think Shearer may have what it takes for club management, he's certainly a ruthless bastard, and that ruthless streak is neccessary, but he could also turn out to be tactically inept, and I have to say, he doesn't strike me as a particularly bright lad.

[nickd]

Shearer could take the job and complete his coaching later. Southgate did it.

[Wales]

Think Ashley said "I wouldnt let a graduate who hasnt even finished university run one of my businesses, so why would I do it in football?"

Didnt realise Ashley owned the Lonsdale brand either.

I hope to god it isnt Mclaren!

[Matt W]

they've now settled alongside other pointless teams, Middlesborough spring to mind.

I thought we were friends.... I feel betrayed and violated ...

[silkov]

Please dont take it Harry, you'll live to regret it old son!.... :x

[WayoftheCass]

I dont think Hughes would take it. Though Blackburn are close to their full potential.

Harry would consider it, as financially it would be his first chance to genuinely compete. Not that he's been short of money at Pompey second time around.

Has anyone mentioned wee Gordon Strachan?

That would be bizarre on Strachan's part. He would be sacrificing Champion's League football, trophies and bigger crowds. Newcastle is a smaller club and essentially a poisonous chalice.
Of course many Celtic fans would love to see the back of Strachan. Personally I am not on of them. But if we lose the next Old Firm game then retaining the league again looks virtually impossible and no title might make his position untenable. 4 Old firm defeats on the bounce would be hard to take.
I also think its unlikely Strachan would be departing the scene just after signing Hinkel and Mizuno and getting Boruc tied up.

Celtic is a bigger club, but its in a tin pot league (no offence). To be considered a top manager you have to do it in the premiership imo. Cant see wee-gordy leaving myself though.

Rumour is £20m to get Harry from Pompey. Not for me but obviously I'd back him if he is the man to take the job.

Of course the SPL is inferior. For a start only 5million punters live up here while 55million live down south.
As a result the TV revenue available down there is about 60 times fold what you get up here.
Celtic and Rangers are only huge because of the season tickets and merchandise sales world wide plus huge sponsorship but we get peanuts TV money wise.
Romanov had a real chance to break the Old Firm monopoly but f*cked it up with his narcissism and now Hearts are right in the shit.
I think its a bit unfair though to describe it as 'tin pot.' Most of the Scotland squad play up her with the exceptions of Craig Gordon, Darren Fletcher, McFadden and O'Connor. I also forgot to mention Shaun Maloney though he has played pretty sparingly for Scotland. And they are doing pretty well of late.
Also Celtic and Rangers have made it through the Champions League to the Last 16 quite regularly over the past few years and even Aberdeen who don't have a pot to piss in have made it to the last 32 of the UEFA cup. Celtic were also in the final of that competition a mere 4 years ago. The likes of Dalglish, Barnes, Le Guen and Advocaat all eventually died on their arse when managing up here to.
I don't think you could reasonably expect a country of Scotland's size to be competing with the Premiership, Seria A , La Liga etc but I do think it does well enough for its size and indeed has always punched above it weight.
The old criticism up here is that it just 2 teams. Thats very true but there are only 4 teams and in reality (considering Liverpool haven't won it in 17 years) you could say 3 who have a good chance of winning the Premiership and when you consider that there are roughly double the number of clubs playing in it compared to the SPL I really don't see a major difference in competitiveness.
The major problem that English football has that the national game looks doomed for some time to come. A lot of highly hyped but limited talent coming through in a league where the best players are by and large foreigners.

[dandantheweatherman]

What a good week to follow the Boro!!!

Seriously though, if Mike Ashley brought the same approach to the businesses that made him successful as he has to football in taking an expensive yet seemingly populist decision rather than taking the long term about a manager who brought Bolton from being a yo-yo club to a solid, perenniel UEFA Cup place contender surely he'd not be in a position to even contemplate buying Newcastle. You've got to wonder how people think a club can suddenly transformed from mid-table mediocrity (at best) to League and Champions League contenders overnight. The lack of patience astounds me. And I bet Newcastle fans would happily be top of the league and be playing boring football.

Dan

[n1ebf]

I was thinking about Boro today and I found myself thinking what a great position they're in managerially, compared to Newcastle.

They've got the widely acclaimed most supportive chairman in the premier league and they've got a young manager who has a couple of years under his belt and should only get better.

Compared to Newcastle who have desperation and, well, more desperation. What they gonna do if the next bloke comes in and loses a few matches....................to think that miner's son Bobby Robson finished 4th , 5th , and 6th or whatever in 3 years.

It makes Dalglish, Gullitt , Souness et al look absolutely fcking sh*t.

[jomothepure]

Redknapp has taken himself out of the race to replace the Fireman. £4.5m has been matched on Redknapp on betfair alone, with the majority at evens or under, and half a million matched at 1/4 or less Seems like a few fingers have been burnt

[silkov]

Clever boy Rednapp is, shows a bit of class too in turning down the extra money... but any future manager of Newcastle is doomed until the castle fans get rid of their Shearer complex.
I'd like to know how the fans will react when the Godly one finally takes control and the team still plays like shite.... 8)

[nickd]

I still won't be too surprised if Redknapp does a U turn here, stranger things have happened. How far will Ashley go to get his man??

[n1ebf]

I still won't be too surprised if Redknapp does a U turn here, stranger things have happened. How far will Ashley go to get his man??

depends what sort of set up he's got down there - supportive chairman etc as regards Harry's vision for the club?

if he didn't he'd probably have taken the job up here.

he's already been from Pompey to Southampton and BACK again, so anything's possible as you say.

[nickd]

If he doesn't do a u turn I think it says a lot when a barrow boy manager like Redknapp won't even take the job!

Who's next in line?

[stujones]

If he doesn't do a u turn I think it says a lot when a barrow boy manager like Redknapp won't even take the job!

Who's next in line?

I'm sure it will be Hughes... he's only denying that contact has been made - not saying anything about if he is interested.

And I predict Chris Coleman will go to Blackburn (didn't he play for them?)... Well either him or Big Sam.

[nickd]

Yes, Coleman did well at Blackburn actually I can see that happening if Hughes leaves. Good spot.

To be honest I think Hughes would be crazy to take it, I'm sure he'll be the next manager at OT after Fergie retires - he could scupper that if he takes a chance at Newcastle. St James' Park is the managerial graveyard! I can't think of one manager who's had the boot from there who's enjoyed any subsequent success as a manager. Can anyone?

[silkov]

I wonder if the Newcastle fans still think it was a good idea to ditch Allardyce now!??... I mean 5-0 to United!... I cant imagine them playing that badly with Sam still there!... theres certainly no improvement...

[yiddo14]

Another thing about Newcastle is the myth of their amazing loyal support. Many on here have said how their wildly unrealistic fans have hounded out manager over manager over the past few years. They are basically a load of whingers but I want to make a point about their so-called 'huge fan base' (50,000 every week, blah, blah).

Well, I remember back in the 80s and early 90s when Newcastle were a yo-yo club (between the then 1st and 2nd divisions) - a bit like, say Birmingham or Sunderland now. In those days Newcastle regularly used to get gates of 13,000 - 16, 000. Where were all the loyal fans then? The reality is that Keegan made Newcastle fashionable and like like lots of other clubs they have been lucky to enjoy the huge revenue generated by Sky since the Premier League was instigated.

If Newcastle got relegated I would like to see their gates then. Man City got 30,000 odd every week when they went down to the 3rd division. Leeds still do now. I doubt Newcastle would under similar circumstances.

Not a chance in hell would Newcastle get the sort of gates Leeds are if they were in the same position.

Their fanbase, as you say, is vastly over-rated.
Many a time in the past two seasons their ground has been under half full.

Their fans are deluded.
They honestly think their club(despite not winning anything worthwile in the last 50+ years)are the biggest on planet earth...

[Mario]

Not a chance in hell would Newcastle get the sort of gates Leeds are if they were in the same position.

Their fanbase, as you say, is vastly over-rated.
Many a time in the past two seasons their ground has been under half full.

Their fans are deluded.
They honestly think their club(despite not winning anything worthwile in the last 50+ years)are the biggest on planet earth...

Sorry mate but thats just not true. Whatever criticism you wanna level at Newcastle fans, they always turn up and i guarantee you cant back that argument up. I'm a Newcastle fan but this 'best fans in the world' stuff is bollocks. Theres far too many idiots who havent got a clue what they're talking about. The Keegan/Shearer 'dream team' the media keeps going about is a fornicating joke and noone in their right mind wants that. Just as noone who has any idea about football thinks we can attract Mourinho.

I think when Ashley gets his own man in he'll be given plenty of time to get a team ready to challenge for honours but thats not gonna happen overnight. I just hope its not Mark Hughes, who will do as he's done at Blackburn and sign a load of big hard bastards to kick teams off the field, and will want to do a runner as soon as Fergie leaves Man Utd.