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Richard Sutcliffe: Ashley succumbs to Geordies' Shearer dream
IF any club should have learned that pandering to supporters and making grand gestures when appointing a new manager is not the way forward, it is Newcastle United.
The utterly predictable manner in which the return of Kevin Keegan turned sour last year would, you might think, have made it a case of 'once bitten, twice shy' for Mike Ashley with regards installing another 'Geordie Messiah' in the St James' Park dugout.
But, no, the appointment of Alan Shearer this week shows that the controversial Newcastle owner has learnt nothing from his mistakes of the past.
Certainly, bringing in someone with no previous managerial experience during a relegation battle because of their popularity among supporters smacks of desperation.
It is an almighty gamble and, together with the abandoning of the management set-up that saw Dennis Wise brought in as executive football director, suggests there is no longer a long-term strategy in place at the club.
Wise, a hugely unpopular figure with the Toon Army after several clashes dating back to his time at Chelsea, was a strange appointment in January last year when he was tempted away from Leeds United.
He was not known to enjoy a particularly good relationship with Keegan so the chances of the management structure being a success seemed debatable.
Wise did, however, have some success in the role with Jonas Gutierrez and Sebastien Bassong having both impressed in their first season in the Premier League.
Despite that, sources in the North East claim the former Chelsea midfielder's influence had been waning since the start of the year and his departure this week did not come a surprise.
Wise's exit coming at the same time as Shearer's arrival was a coincidence, as the former England striker pointed out at his first press conference as Newcastle manager yesterday.
He also urged the fans who have been in open revolt since Keegan's departure last September to get fully behind the club during the run-in.
He said: "The powers that be have admitted that mistakes have been made this season – and we would all agree with that.
"But it is important that, whatever mistakes have been made, they have gone, we can't do anything about it.
"We've got a massive fight on our hands, in very difficult circumstances, we've got injuries – but we'll face it head on and give it a right good go."
On this matter, Shearer's appointment will undoubtedly be a success with his popularity ensuring that the decibel levels will be raised at St James' Park in the final few weeks.
This can only be a good thing, especially with three of Newcastle's remaining home games – Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Fulham – being eminently winnable.
However, what Newcastle need is not a cheerleader but an experienced manager capable of galvanising a group of players who have spectacularly under-achieved this term.
Terry Venables, the former England chief, would have been the ideal man to come in at Newcastle and plot a path towards safety in the final eight games.
Instead, what Newcastle have opted for is the popular option and, as with Keegan's return last year, it seems set to end in tears for the Toon Army.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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