Allardyce OUT!!!

Well to be honest, I can't really believe I'm typing this so soon. All you readers will know that I, like most other Toon fans, were never shy to point their finger at the manager and say that "it's all your fault" and think that if ANYBODY knew how to turn the Newcastle season around, it's ME! (Or Alan Shearer, of course) But hopefully all you readers will also know that I tried to be as fair as possible with the man, look at things from a central point of view. I DID want Sam to stay for a full season. Not because I thought he would ever turn things around and start a successful, long campaign as manager, but just so that every other supporter wouldn't have just cause to laugh in all of our collective faces. Again.

Well, clear those throats, because once again, NUFC have become a worthy laughing stock of English football. After just 24 games in charge, Sam Allardyce has gotten the SACK.

So, first I'll go with my emotional thoughts on his sacking, then we'll switch over to the actual FACTS of the sacking, where I'll explain precisely WHY the man has been read his marching orders, and then I'll go with who I'd like to see take over.

Sam's Sacking - to be honest - when I heard - I was OVER THE MOON! I don't really know why. For sooooo long now, I have wanted to support the man. I've desparately tried to give him credit, look into his eyes and see the logic there. Look, he did wonders at Bolton. So why can't he do it here? Are we REALLY that destined to lose? I just couldn't believe that this guy couldn't inspire these players to put together some better performances. At the beginning of the season, it was just bad luck. Oh, a couple bad matches - give everybody time to gel. They're a brand new family! Then a few more bad matches - man, these PLAYERS must not be fitting in right...maybe it's because they don't speak English well - Then a few MORE AWFUL matches, and it's WHATS THIS MAN DOING? Playing N'Zogbia at left BACK when he's our only threat to score? Playing Milner on the left when even my two cats know that the boy can hardly WALK because his left is so weak? Feeding every ball to our forwards in the air when two of them are BARELY cracking the 5-foot mark, and the other hasn't made a successful chest trap in his life? What's going on here? EVERY Newcastle supporter thought they could put out a better side than this man, and as it happened - every Newcastle supporter was right. So when I heard the news, it was more of a sense that we've put this poor guy to pasture. He didn't like Newcastle, we didn't like his style of play, no wins were coming in, so let's just cut ties now. And we did. And I smiled.

Now, here are the facts:

1) Sam Allardyce was hired by FREDDY SHEPHARD. NOT Mike Ashley and Chris Mort.

1b) Freddy Shephard is a buffoon.

1c) Mike Ashley and Chris Mort are homosapiens - and VERY intelligent ones at that. One's a brilliant businessman, and the other's a brilliant football man.

Therefore, Sam was not in the family of these two.

2) Sam DID inherit a train-wreck of a squad. Injuries, awful players who were here only for a paycheck, infighting, blah blah blah. But when Mike and Chris came in, he got a load of money to spend. Who did he buy? First: Joey Barton. See previous post. Later: Cacapa (bad buy) Rozenhal (bad buy), Geremi (bad buy), Smith (horrible buy), Faye (pretty good buy), and Beye (fantastic buy). Also were some really exciting youngsters - but we believe that had more to do with Mort than Allardyce. It was clear, especially once we started losing, that Allardyce wanted FIRST TEAM players, to save his butt. Not 16 year olds who wouldn't step foot onto SJP until 2010.

3) The fans hated him. And this wasn't because we were losing (although this didn't help) or even that we were losing to DERBY (again - not helping). They hated him because he played awful-looking football. Since nufc haven't won a GOD DAMN THING since Antiquity, the style of football is very very important. If it's not nice to watch, it's worthless. Of course, if you win something with being ugly - you've got a chance - but you BETTER WIN. PERIOD. Didn't happen. And once this season was history in terms of winning anything, fans started to look at the future....do we really want to give this guy 5 years to build?

3b) The fans also hated him because they believe Newcastle are a massive club. (I freaking LOVE that line.) And in terms of gates, they are. Pulling in over 50,000 fans every match for 10 years is nothing to spit at, when your team is a piss poor as the Toon were most of that time. Well, the numbers don't lie, and this past match against Man City was the FIRST TIME they didn't get 50,000. Anyway, with this size of pocketbook, people rightfully expect the expectations to be high with the coaches and staff, and players alike. And Sam came in saying all the right things, but the football which he produces was VERY clearly mimicking what he built at Bolton. And what did he build at Bolton? A frustrating, nullifying squad based on cheap players and ugly tactics. Is that all we can expect when the man gets 30,000,000 pounds to spend every year? I hardly think so.

Now, here's what going down. Does anybody else think this is weird timing? The man keeps losing, and losing and losing and losing to AWFUL teams, and at home, and giving up 3 goals in 8 minutes, and he keeps his job. Then, out of nowhere, after he switches to a 4-4-2 like everybody wanted, and after the football started to actually look half-decent, and after he gets CHEERED off the pitch at Stoke in a match which we could have easily lost, he gets canned. Strange? I think so. Which is why I believe his successor is obviously already lined up. The time came now because it was right for the NEW GUY. The time's been right for Sam to go since early November. As I said before - Mike and Chris aren't fools. They're actually near geniuses. They're not going to wake up one day and say - ahhhh screw it. I think I'll fire him today. This has been thought about, discussed, weighed in more ways that we can ever think. Ashley's in this for the long haul, and for the BIG money, and he KNOWS that steady success is the only way to build an empire. (So while "Newcastle" has had what will soon be 8 managers in 11 seasons, "THIS Newcastle" is still in its infancy.)

A lot of people are saying it'll be Harry Rednapp because someone, somewhere said the new guy will be an English manager who's currently in the premiership. I think that's garbage and don't believe it. Anyway - what, do you think Mike and Chris saw the papers when Barton got his arse thrown in jail and said "Hey - THAT'S what we need more of around here: CRIMINALS!! LET'S HIRE DIRTY 'ARRY!" Don't think so.

Some are saying Jose Mourinho. Honestly, at first this is who I wanted - but then I thought about it - hmmmmmm Sam gets the can because his football is ugly - so why would we hire someone who's (only arguably) BETTER at playing ugly football?

Some are saying (God help us) McClaren. He failed at MIDDLESBORO. Yes, he failed. Oh yeah, he took a bad team to the finals of the UEFA Cup. Anyone who uses that as an excuse for his brilliance obviously didn't watch any of those matches that Middlesboro won. Full stop. Then, he failed with England, quicker than any English coach in the past 50 years. It's funny - think of how much people hated Sven - and then think of how much he's respected in Club soccer. Now inverse that and think of little McClaren is disrespected at both levels - and then think of him going to the boiler room of Newcastle United. uuugghghgghghhhghghrrrr

A LOT of people initially said Shearer - but this is an easy one. Come on, folks. Ashley's a businessman. Is he going to hire somebody out of high school to run a fortune 500 company? Don't think so. Could Shearer be the future of NUFC? Yeah, sure. Could he be a good team coach since he knows the pressure and atmosphere up there? Most definitely. But manager? Hold your horses, folks.

Who's left? Lippi, Van Gaal, Hitzfeld, Flores, Houllier, Hughes, Hiddink, O Leary, Keegan. And let's not forget good old RAFA BENITEZ - who should be available come next Monday...

So if you ask me who I want? The answer would be Mourinho because I'm narcisistic that way. But who do I THINK will get it? I hate to say it - but it might be Hughes of Blackburn.

Who would I be happy with? Mourinho, Scolari, Lippi, Keegan(for all the 60 year old die hards out there), maybe Rednapp, Rijkaard, or Hiddink!

Who not happy with? Lippi, Houllier, Hughes, O LEARY (hate that guy), McClaren.

Watch this space - because I have a feeling we're going to know very soon.

In the meantime - I wish you well, big Sam. I hope you enjoy your director's position at Bolton, or taking another poor team to a modestly wonderful height. You did your best at Newcastle - and unjustly, it just wasn't enough. Another one has officially bitten the dust at this MASSIVE club of ours.