[Archived] Big Fat Sam

[McClarky]

Size of crowds are usually purely and simply linked to size of fanbase. Newcastle (and Leeds come to that) are uniquely placed in that they are the only club in a big city. There aren't even that many other clubs in the area. I am sure that there aren't any other clubs in the PL who can attract as high a proportion of their fans to get along to the game regularly than we do but unfortunately, as a small town club, we have comparatively very few fans. Compare us to ManU for instance. They are reputed to have 25M fans aren't they? How many do we have? 100,00 or so maybe. There are probably at l;east 10 times as many Newcastle fans as Rovers fans around. All this makes what Rovers have achieved over the last 15 years all the more remarkable.

On saying that though the incentive for Hughes to go to Newcastle is massive in that if he does turn it round he will be a hero to a lot more people than he could ever be at Blackburn. If he is in it for the glory then we need to worry.

I am hooping and praying that he doesn't go because I can see dark days ahead if he does. I do think that they are more likely to go for the Shearer and a director of football to help him option....here's hoping anyway.

[accyrover]

Sky Bet have Shearer as favourite, with Hughes at 3rd place behind Kevin 'Lovit' Keegan.

Interestingly, Hughes is also 3rd favourite to be the next managerial depature in the Premiership.

http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvType&id=10002896

[ABBEY]

Well, not always - when McFaul was in charge in the 80's, they were pulling in all of 8,000. They are just a bunch of Johnny-come-latelys.

i remember going there in the late eighties i think,a night match 0-0 and there were 8 thousand on that night...a bunch of arrogent tossers they are ,we think we are are fickle but they are fickle kings.

[ABBEY]

i worked up there for 3 months a few years ago and got involved in all sorts of arguments ...we bought the league,, they were a big clubwe have ###### gates and no passionin lancs etc

i gave it em big time about trophies,catchment area,they shut up when they say about their big gates when you tell em about all the clubs and fans in a similaer radius and when they realise theres probly around 250,000 fans in lancs /manc/scouse etc....tossers the lot of em

[FourLaneBlue]

Apologies if this has been posted before...but this is just too funny.

Souness would return to Toon "in a heartbeat"

[Nelsta]

Talksport.Bigging up Hughes now.

[tcj_jones]

I'm sure he would, but he'll most likely be doing it in a coffin, after the Toon fans have had their way with him.

I'd LOVE it if Souness went back to Newcastle.

[1864roverite]

Just summarised Hughes post match interview on the Bolton thread

[Nelsta]

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp believes Alan Shearer is the ideal candidate to become the next Newcastle manager.

"I'd give Shearer the job. I think he's perfect for it," said Redknapp, who on Saturday rejected the chance to replace Sam Allardyce at St James' Park.

"He'd set the place alight and the fans love him. Experience doesn't matter - he understands football," he added.

Redknapp also ruled out any chance of him joining Newcastle should the club renew their interest.

"No, not a prayer, I couldn't do that," said Redknapp after Portsmouth's 2-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday.

"I said I'm going to stay at Portsmouth. I wouldn't be able to show my face again, I'd be finished.

"I made a decision and that's it. I'm here and I'll stick with it and get on with my job at Portsmouth now."

Earlier on Sunday, Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie echoed Redknapp's sentiments and said Newcastle would be wasting their time if they came back in for the 60-year-old.

"Harry has made his decision and that is the end of the matter," Storrie told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Lets hope Newcastle take note.

[Nelsta]

From the BBC PL update thingy.

1549: Here's Mark Hughes, asked in the tunnel at Bolton about the chances of him heading off to Newcastle in the aftermath of Harry's no-no: "There's a lot of speculation, but I don't want to be talking about something that's got nothing to do with me."

[tony gale's mic]

it wouldnt be so bad if he left to join a top 4 club or even spurs who despite their blip this season have been top 6 in the last few years and are a london club etc etc.

but if he chose a club with a very real chance of giving him a big managerial black mark, not much chance of winning too many trophies, a rubbish board, fans with delusions of grandeur and a mediocre squad over staying with us (despite the fact we've mostly finished ahead of them in the last few seasons), that would be really depressing.

[Paul]

I can't see Hughes leaving now. Newcastle slaughtered at Old Traffford, a manager like Redknapp turning them down for all the right reasons, Rovers looking a bit like their old selves but I wouldn't mind betting there is a lot of pressure on Williams and the trustees to warm the cheque book up for next summer and perhaps even for the rest of this month.

[revolutionrock!]

I can't see Hughes leaving now. Newcastle slaughtered at Old Traffford, a manager like Redknapp turning them down for all the right reasons, Rovers looking a bit like their old selves but I wouldn't mind betting there is a lot of pressure on Williams and the trustees to warm the cheque book up for next summer and perhaps even for the rest of this month.

Says on The BBC gossip thing, that Ashley is looking on the continent for managers.

Mike Ashley will turn his search to the continent after being rejected by Redknapp. (Sunday Telegraph)

Ashley has not given up on Redknapp and will fly back from Hong Kong to try and persuade the Portsmouth manager to join Newcastle. (Sunday Express)

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

I wouldn't mind betting there is a lot of pressure on Williams and the trustees to warm the cheque book up for next summer and perhaps even for the rest of this month.

Indeed there should be Paul...

Link: Hughes expresses frustration with transfer resources

"We can't keep pulling rabbits out of hats," says Hughes. "Sometimes when you know there are weaknesses in the team that need strengthening, there is frustration when you can't address that immediately."

I'd suggest that we certainly have a weakness on the left-hand side of midfield, where Pedersen has been struggling all season. With the departure of Robbie Savage, the poor form of Mokoena and the admirable (but ageing) Tugay coming to the end of his career, there are also weaknesses which need to be addressed in the centre of midfield too.

But will Mark Hughes be given the money to spend that he deserves ? As he says, he can't keep pulling rabbits out of hats and eventually a lack of resources in the transfer market could persuade Hughes to move on to another job that gives him a bigger transfer budget.

I'm hopeful that Hughes will not be leaving us for St James' Park. A sensible man would regard the Newcastle job as a poisoned chalice - a football club run by clowns like Mike Ashley and Chris Mort who won't hesitate to sack a manager after just six months if results are not going their way.

As far as the Newcastle job is concerned, Hughes knows that at best he's the club's second choice after Harry Redknapp and in the shadows lurks the figure of Alan Shearer, who the Toon Army fans will chant for if results didn't go Newcastle's way. The pressures at St James' Park are enormous and being sacked at Newcastle would not be good for Mark Hughes's CV. It would be better for his long-term managerial career if he stays at Ewood in my view.

I fear though that a lack of resources in the transfer market at Rovers could be the catalyst that leads to the eventual departure of Hughes. John Williams and the trustees need to be aware that if they are too tight with the pennies in terms of transfer expenditure, then Hughes's departure could lead to a damaging downward spiral at our club.

[John]

Nervous times as Mark Hughes attracts admirers

That, like Blackburn’s entire destiny, lies in the hands of Hughes.

[tony gale's mic]

from football 365:

Pressed on whether he was interested in filling the managerial vacancy at St James' Park, Hughes' non-denial denial on Sky Sports before Blackburn Rovers' victory at Bolton said everything.

Swapping the steady stability of Blackburn for the irrational instability of Newcastle United would constitute a gamble but it is one that Hughes must take if he is to fulfil his ultimate ambition in management.

The 'push' in any decision to leave Blackburn would be the understandable conclusion that he has taken the club as far as he can. The last two months have been disillusioning with a sudden slump occurring immediately after the Welshman declared a top-four finish was "realistic". With an average attendance of just 23,000, Blackburn are punching above their weight even in mid-table.

Newcastle's most attractive attribute is that they are at rock bottom. The only way is up - especially now that billionaire Mike Ashley has pledged to provide the finances to instigate a meaningful revival. And it is only by proving that he can spend substantial funds wisely - something he will never have the opportunity to do at Ewood Park unless Jack Walker is reincarnated - that Hughes can state his case for succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Moving from Blackburn into the Old Trafford hotseat would be a mammoth leap that the club's plc hierarchy is unlikely to sanction. Newcastle, on the other hand, with its 'big club status' and 50,000 gates, represents a natural stepping-stone in Hughes' career path towards his desired destination.

The risk for Hughes would be to not accept the opportunity because - with Martin O'Neill and David Moyes settled at Aston Villa and Everton respectively, and Juande Ramos and Sven-Goran Eriksson settling in at Tottenham and Manchester City - few other comparative stepping-stones are likely to become available in the near future.

In that sense, staying at Blackburn would be stepping backwards.

[toonfan]

it wouldnt be so bad if he left to join a top 4 club or even spurs who despite their blip this season have been top 6 in the last few years and are a london club etc etc.

but if he chose a club with a very real chance of giving him a big managerial black mark, not much chance of winning too many trophies, a rubbish board, fans with delusions of grandeur and a mediocre squad over staying with us (despite the fact we've mostly finished ahead of them in the last few seasons), that would be really depressing.

what do you now about our new board exactly??

they seem pretty good to me, we are now totally debt free!! i know they are getting stick for sacking sam, but he wasnt their choice, and they deserve their own man in?

makes me laugh how much stick ashley gets for sitting with our fans, glazer plunged man utd into mass debt, shinawatra murdered innocent people, but ours is a real ###### eh!

the rest is true however!

[tony gale's mic]

what do you now about our new board exactly??

they seem pretty good to me, we are now totally debt free!! i know they are getting stick for sacking sam, but he wasnt their choice, and they deserve their own man in?

makes me laugh how much stick ashley gets for sitting with our fans, glazer plunged man utd into mass debt, shinawatra murdered innocent people, but ours is a real ###### eh!

the rest is true however!

fair enough, you know more about your board, but i just think sticking with sam for now would have been a good idea. i wasnt his biggest fan as manager its fair to say and i dont think he would ever turn you into the side that you really want to be, but i think given a bit more time and support from the fans and board he could have brought some stability to the club and a solid base from where maybe you could have built on.

[neekoy]

Newcastle made a mistake not giving Fat Sam the time he needed. He is never going to be a tactical genius but Newcastle have never played Barca football so I didn't see the problem.

Sam would have (if given the time) made you into a very hard team to take points from, not polished but definately a tough outfit.

[CircoWill]

You have to laugh at the loyal Toon Army and their attendances pre-Prem:

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufchistor...cerecords.shtml

1991/1992 Division Two (Old) 20 21,012

1990/1991 Division Two (Old) 11 16,879

1989/1990 Division Two (Old) 3 21,579

1988/1989 Division One (Old) 20® 22,815

1987/1988 Division One (Old) 8 21,059

1986/1987 Division One (Old) 17 24,792

1985/1986 Division One (Old) 11 23,434

1984/1985 Division One (Old) 14 26,228

1983/1984 Division Two (Old) 3(P) 29,881

1982/1983 Division Two (Old) 5 24,116

1981/1982 Division Two (Old) 9 17,276

1980/1981 Division Two (Old) 11 16,001

1979/1980 Division Two (Old) 9 23,345

1978/1979 Division Two (Old) 8 20,494

[rebelmswar]

You have to laugh at the loyal Toon Army and their attendances pre-Prem:

http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufchistor...cerecords.shtml

1991/1992 Division Two (Old) 20 21,012

1990/1991 Division Two (Old) 11 16,879

1989/1990 Division Two (Old) 3 21,579

1988/1989 Division One (Old) 20® 22,815

1987/1988 Division One (Old) 8 21,059

1986/1987 Division One (Old) 17 24,792

1985/1986 Division One (Old) 11 23,434

1984/1985 Division One (Old) 14 26,228

1983/1984 Division Two (Old) 3(P) 29,881

1982/1983 Division Two (Old) 5 24,116

1981/1982 Division Two (Old) 9 17,276

1980/1981 Division Two (Old) 11 16,001

1979/1980 Division Two (Old) 9 23,345

1978/1979 Division Two (Old) 8 20,494

Are ours not more unimpressive than that now?

[LeftWinger]

Are ours not more unimpressive than that now?

The thing is - we don't claim to be a massive club - unlike them.

[rebelmswar]

The thing is - we don't claim to be a massive club - unlike them.

I get that but I don't think that we should join in with the slagging, we have no hope to win arguments in terms of wadidge nor weeping fans. We should just continue to point out their feeble minded errors and shoddy performance and have done with it.

[philipl]

If you look at Arsenal, Leeds, Man U, Liverpool, Everton, Villa etc crowds at the same time, then in the recent past Newcastle were on a par with the Leicesters and Coventrys of this world and were in no way a mega-club.

Good luck to them with their 52,000 crowds now but this tradition nonsense is just that- nonsense.

[herbergeehh]

Big Al The Widow