It is without doubt troubling times for Newcastle United with seemingly a manager who has been unable to recover from January’s dramatic dip in form. I for one called for his head following Saturdays shambles against Southampton but I am still somewhat sitting on the fence and cannot decide whether sacking him and holding him solely responsible is right.
Indeed, like all supporters, my opinion is irrelevant as it is the club owner Mike Ashley who will ultimately make any decision regarding who to blame and what to do about it, but, in light of recent media reports on Pardew’s imminent sacking and favourites for the job, I thought I would look a little closer at what a new manager can expect and who the club should be looking to appoint.
Clearly any new manager will have to work under strict conditions imposed by the owner meaning freedom of speech and say on possible incomings/outgoings will be limited to say the least. However there are many clubs who work under similar parameters, yes we have sold players for huge sell on value but tell me a club that doesn’t. Every player has a price, that’s just football at the moment and we should never hang our hat on a player’s loyalty or believe it when a club say the player is “not for sale”.
Maybe the manager will only be able to identify areas of the team that need strengthening then have to manage/coach the players bought for him by the powers that be to fill those positions without actually picking the player himself. Again there are other clubs who are run like this and rather more successfully than Newcastle United.
Newcastle united spent close to £40 million this summer and that should be more than enough to sign the players required to have a successful season. Others have spent less and are doing better so why are Newcastle stuck in such a slump?
What is needed if Mike Ashley does pull the trigger on Pardew’s time at the club is not a manager to manage the club but a coach to coach the players. To fill the players with; desire, motivation; enthusiasm, to create a team ethic and to bring tactics and formations to the current era. Our current manager seems unable to do any of these at present but as stated is he solely to blame if his hands are tied.
At present we are a hugely well supported club with a sound financial footing. We do spend money and invest mainly in current internationals of a young age who should improve. Doesn't sound like a bad plan to me but I still can’t put my finger on where it is all going wrong. Our current manager took us to 5th and Europe but that is 1 good season in 4! A former manager of the year as voted by his peers, does that make him a bad manager, coach, tactician now?
What I do know is that the standard of football I, as a season ticket holder, have seen this season is sub-standard to say the least. The players, who are fantastically well paid, need to man up and take responsibility for their own performances instead of hiding behind the man in the firing line. Once they cross that white line there is only so much any of us, supporters, managers, and coaches, can do and ultimately their performance dictates the result. Maybe they have lost their way under Pardew since January and are just going through the motions. That, in my eyes, should never be allowed to happen and something, anything, needs to be done before it is too late.
A new manager may be a start but other clubs have made similar decisions to their detriment so what is needed without a shadow of doubt is a plan to go forward, a decision on club structure that works and a collective ethos from top to bottom with the personnel to carry it through.
Over to you Mr Ashley!
Source: DSG
