Sunday, January 20, 2008

The goings on at 'England's most deluded football club' - Newcastle United.

With the very real danger of adding to the gross over reaction to the re-appointment of Kevin Keegan at 'England's most deluded football club' (alas I cannot lay claim at being first to pen that laugh line) Newcastle United, here's my twopenneth on this so called re-awakening of the "Geordie Nation".

A lot has been written about Keegan's return to his former stomping ground, and personally I've been a bit surprised at the breadth of the coverage. For example, The Times ran eight pages on the messiah's return. It's one thing for the Newcastle Chronicle to cash-in on Keegy's return by printing a special 48 page supplement (for the locals), but surely quite another for one such as The Times to give over so much space to such an appointment?

Of the coverage itself, much of it has been cutting and Keegan's record for quitting and consistently falling short has been the subject for many a sports columnists ire. The fact is Keegan returning to Newcastle despite his record of under achievement is clearly a bloody good story, hence the number of trees which have been felled in the name of printing special supplements and increased print-runs.

Of the messiah himself, he says that he is almost uniquely qualified to manage Newcastle; he says that he is the right man, because he knows the people up there - he knows the club. What utter nonsense. If that was the only criterion, then why didn't Mike Ashley give the job to someone who has been more in touch with football and Newcastle for the past few years - none other than Shearer himself? The answer to that is obvious, Shearer was judged to be not up to it right now - quite right too.

What Keegan didn't say was that he knows that he is perhaps the only manager who will be given time by Newcastle's long-suffering, success-starved fans. That is the real truth of the matter and in so in appointing Keegan, Ashley has pulled off something a master-stroke. Ashley knows that he has bought time, and knows that he will keep the turnstiles ticking over while the messiah goes in search of miracles.

Despite being out of the game for a relatively long time, the former Newcastle striker and manager is viewed to be very much up to it and with the promise of 'unlimited funds', then surely this second managerial coming represents Keegan with one final last chance to prove his many doubters wrong. However, if Keegan fails with such huge backing and in the face of the challenge of United, Chelsea Liverpool and Arsenal, what will become of this so called football hot-bed that is the North East? Does Keegan's reappointment also represent one final chance for the North East to see a return to glory? By definition a Carling Cup win would be massive.

The odds of turning Newcastle around are stacked against Keegan and Ashley, it doesn't quite stretch to feeding 5,000 with five loafs of bread and two fish, but it isn't far off it. The story looks set to run and run.

23 comments:

  1. Still peeded off at being spanked 5-0 eh?

    Do you really want another boring team that puts 1 guy over the half line, and bores you to death?

    Or would you rather got to a goal fest ?

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  2. manchester united who are they without ronaldo & rooney.i cant wait till sir alex retires then see where you are...

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  3. you don't get it. and never will.

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  4. sounds like your a bit jealous there mate. no other club could attract so much attention as our great club and that includes your own manure. you keep spouting your junk and keep telling yourself that KK can't do it but i'd love it if we did love it!!!!

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  5. Like the man said in his press conference - the more we read of what you lot in the south write, like the sort of stuff you have written here, the more we know you will never understand United, or the geordies. The coverage in the press and media by the way was because of the fantastic football played by United last time KK was manager, and a hope we will do it again - and break into the so-called "big four" (sorry I cant claim to be the first to use that laughable term).

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  6. Admitted you manc's have a great team,but never compare you're suppport to the geordies you have no soul(where ever you live),it took you 20 odd year's to re capture the league title and you aint won 5 european cups like the scousers.I'm not deluded I know the task for any manager, never mind special k is huge,lets face it, money does not guarantee success it help's, but motivation is the key!! .We must look to build and achieve european football every season ,the league title is not an option and may never be. We have pride in our roots (maybe misguided),but you lack humility ,when the scousers were dominating they were not hated by all, as you are .your fans stink mate!!!!

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  7. like the man said in his press conference, the more we see of some of the stuff you people down south write, like your stuff here, the more we know you will never understand United and its fans. Not that we're bothered. The massive press coverage was because of the fantastic football United played last time KK was manager, no doubt in the hope we will do it again - and break into the so-called "big four" (sorry I cant claim to be the first to use that laughable phrase.

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  8. Hows the weather in Croydon?

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  9. What an unadulterated load of bollocks...Give KK time and we will chasing Alex Fergusons cockney army once again....You obviously dont understand the mindset of the Geordie fans..At least in the main we are supported by local people unlike man u's glory hunters....

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  10. I'm pleased that a supporter of England's second most successful club (after Liverpool) has the time to cast judgement over the goings-on at Newcastle United.
    I do think however that any delusion should be witnessed from the stands or indeed in and around the 'Geordie Nation' as you profoundly put it. Any such delusion is purely on behalf of the media and not the doing of Newcastle fans.
    Keegan was the better option, when considering the appauling lack of competition for the job ie, your very own McClaren. Before casting judgement on 'our' club see what Keegan can do and focus on the top of the table and the clubs around you ,rather than concerning yourself with the situation at a club supported by 'locals'.

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  11. Why don't you keep your nose out of our business? Seems to me that too many idiots think they have a right to comment on what the outcome is going to be.

    Man Utd's era will come to an end one day and i for sure will be there with a big smile on my face.

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  12. Typical Manchester scum, Man City will soon overtake you as the biggest club in Manchester and old red nose ferguson is an CRANKY old bastard. Come on the geordies.

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  13. Well, well. It didn't take long did it for Keegan to get inside your heads again did it?
    What is it about man u supporters and Keegan?
    He got into your heads the last time, when we blew it and came 2nd to your team. Throughout that season most non Newcastle fans loved what he did and what he stood for. However, not Man u fans. Keegan was a threat to them then as he now appears to be.
    It was not the case when he was at City though.
    It is the Newcastle/Keegan factor you all find it difficult to cope with.
    Why don't you all just chill, strap yourselves in and come for a ride with us.
    Somehow I don't think you can!

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  14. Sorry for the anonymity, don't have a Blogger account (but will get one)!

    I think I can speak for most NUFC fans (well the ones that actually go to the match anyway, not the hordes of slackjaws who spend all their time on 606 etc.) in agreeing with you that there has been a completely over the top reaction to the appointment of Keegan in the national press. We in the North East of course are over the moon and having a fantastic nostalgia trip, but make no mistake: very few Geordies really think that we're going to win silverware any time soon. If you'd listened to the press interview KK did on Friday, you'd get the point: he remarked that it was the frustrated desire to see passionate (and good quality) attacking football that had depressed the Geordie nation this last decade, not the lack of trophies. Your quote about us being "deluded" belies your believing too much of what you read in the papers about NUFC; this has been a very large amount of unmitigated garbage over the last couple of weeks, obviously written by London-based hacks who know precisely sod-all about what makes people in the North East tick.
    If you want to comment on our club, why don't you try talking to some fans first?
    Best regards,
    Aidan Dunphy

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  15. You'd be a cynic then?

    You could always look at the positive influence an English owner with an English manager could have on the English game.

    At least you can understand the passion it takes to follow the same club through everything. The same old 50,000 faces year in and out. The Geordies and the Manks are in very different positions. The Manks earned their support with success. Newcastle have never been without it. Even the most cynical must wonder what would happen to NUFC if they won the league in the next few years. I wonder what their fan base would be then?

    There are a lot of people who would like to see the Manks knocked down a couple of pegs. Such is endless victory.

    I consider the media coverage to be ludicrous and wonder if it's been paid for. But the fact is Newcastle has had the good fortune to have an owner with sound judgement. The city is back in the news.

    Let's all just hope it continues.
    Thanks Mike, you're one in one point nine billion.

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  16. Like many others you are coming across as rather bitter. I don't see why, he never stopped you winning anything.

    Give a small club like ours its moment of glory. We don't often get wall to wall coverage on all sport channels, all news channels, all radio phone ins, all back pages etc etc.

    FYI, it isn't really NUFC Sports News, it's still Sky, for the moment.

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  17. Typical negativity towards NUFC. Man U fans are just a bunch of GLORY HUNTERS with 85% of there fan base from outside manchester!!!!! We almost caught you once and you all said we would never come close but yous were all shi*in ya pants. Like Keegan recently said "Newcastle is a special club. People from outside Newcastle will NEVER understand that and from what i read they never will!!!!!!!!!!"

    Keegan is the KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  18. DELUDED?? THE ONLY DELUDED CLUB IN THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST DIVISION (NOW THE PREMIER LEAGUE) ARE MAN UTD OR ARE YOU NOT OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE SAME HYPE YOU HAD OVER SIR ALEX BEFORE HE NEARLY GOT YOU RELEGATED. KEEGANS RETURN IS A GOOD BUISNESS MOVE FOR ASHLEY IF NOTHING ELSE. IF HE MOVES THEM UP THE LEAGUE EVEN BETTER.

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  19. It'll be interesting to see what happens in 2010 when Sir Alex Fergusson leaves Man utd - If they're after a manager who knows the club, like Keegan knows Newcastle United, they'll have to recruit somebody from Surrey

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  20. It seems that I have upset the Geordie Nation by using that tag line. Did it cross your minds that I was trying to upset you and wind you up? Anyway, no matter, I completely understand where some of you are coming from about wanting to see exciting football. AS you know we had to wait 26 years to win the title. During that period we had to endure some dour football when Dave Sexton was in charge. Either side of Sexton we had managers who in many ways were not dissimilar to Keegan, I refer to Tommy Docherty and Ron Atkinson, both managers believed in playing the game 'the United way', which translated to attacking teams as opposed to method football. Under the Doc and big Ron we were never going to win much, but at least the football was exciting for the most part - especially under the Doc. IF you cannot win trophies, then the next best thing is seeing your team playing attacking football. IF we are to believe Ashley, the appointment is as much about Keegan's philosophy on the game as it is about anything else.

    I don't mind Keegan as it happens. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he's passionate about the game. He maybe a little naive (didn't he dismantle your old reserve team?), tactically he isn't the best, but neither is Fergie.

    I'd be interested to hear what Geordies think of Shearer, is it true he's partly to blame for so many managers getting the sack up there? Did your former captain have the ear of your former chairman?

    Regarding that 5-0 hammering you gave us a few seasons ago. Ferguson said recently that you lot are still living on the back of that memory. Judging by one or two replies to this post, it seems he has a point. :0)

    To those who have replied saying that United fans have short memories and that we all live down South. Think again, as some of you have posted 'do not believe everything that you read in the press or on 606 about MUFC and their fans'. And I have dealt with the short term memory accusations in my reply - we are only too aware of our history.

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  21. One final thing regarding your wonderful supporters. Talk us through your average attendance figures for 81-82. Is it not the case that it was just over 16,000?

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  22. Cheer up Kevin Keegan,
    Oh what can it mean,
    to a Sad Geordie b*stard,
    and a Sh*te football team.

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  23. To the tune of Bob THE Builder.
    Kevin Keegan,
    Can he fix it?
    Kevin Keegan,
    Can he fuck!

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