A Final Word on the Geordie Fiasco by Gareth Freeman

Newcastle are gone. Gareth Freeman examines whether the man who took them down is the man to take them back up…

Newcastle’s defeat to Aston Villa on the final day of the season ended a sixteen-year stay in the Premier League and condemned them to Championship football next season.  It is fair to say that there is no way the club should have gone down, every week 50,000 fans turn up at St James’ Park and they have the status to attract decent players.

Unfortunately though since owner Mike Ashley took over the club things haven’t worked out for the Toon. In truth Ashley’s naivety has really cost Newcastle and he seems to have no idea of how to run a football club – it amazes me the guy has made money in other businesses.  So now they have the Championship to deal with next season and we all know this is no easy league to get out of.

When they appointed Shearer with eight games to go I thought it was a massive mistake (for Shearer, not necessarily the club).  He was a great captain as a player and definitely the sort of guy who could motivate his team-mates but as Newcastle manager, thus far at least, that hasn’t been the case.

Whoever does take the Newcastle job has a massive task on their hands.  The squad needs a complete overhaul and plenty of players will be on their way out, I can’t see the likes of Habib Beye, Sebastien Bassong, Jonas Gutierrez or Michael Owen wanting to play in the Championship next season.  Then there are players like Fabricio Coloccini and Francisco ‘Xisco’ Tejeda, who cost Newcastle a lot of money that they’re highly-unlikely to get back when the players leave.

Shearer may be a great motivator and he does seem to have the makings of a decent manager but I can’t help but feel this is a task that is too great for a manager to take as his first job.  If Shearer feels he is up to the task and can get in the players he needs to take the Toon back up at the first attempt then good luck to him, I for one am just a little more sceptical.