Cometh the hour, cometh the Sam
As expected, Newcastle Utd have today unveiled Sam Allardyce as our new manager on a three year contract.
You can read quotes from the press conference on the BBC and Guardian websites. Unsurprisingly, recognition that we're a club who have underachieved are fairly prominent. Equally, the need for us all to pull together to achieve success comes through. Michael Owen also gets a mention, with Allardyce expressing a desire to sit down and discuss Owen's future - presumably he'll be doing the same with all of the players, although he might get a better response if he just sends N'Zogbia a text.
Whilst not always a manager I've warmed to, nor one whose teams I've enjoyed watching play, I've got to acknowledge that at least Allardyce seems to have adopted the Clive Woodward approach to staff appointment, whereby if there's a job that needs doing to improve the team by 1% then he appoints someone to do that. Which, I think, shows a progressive attitude, which hints at something more to come from the team - at least we shouldn't be allowed to slide backwards.
I'm still not over the apathy which has (dis)affected me for much of the last season, but with the appointment of a new broom - and a new broom who I strongly suspect won't take much shit from the players - we might at least get a team who want to be on the pitch playing for the club.
The difference that I see between Allardyce and Souness (the last manager I thought who wouldn't take any crap) is that Souness appeared stuck in the 1970's - at least Allardyce looks to have embraced the 21st century.
It may not always be pretty, but hopefully it'll be committed - something which we've sadly lacked this season. Perhaps at long last, the revolution starts here?
You can read quotes from the press conference on the BBC and Guardian websites. Unsurprisingly, recognition that we're a club who have underachieved are fairly prominent. Equally, the need for us all to pull together to achieve success comes through. Michael Owen also gets a mention, with Allardyce expressing a desire to sit down and discuss Owen's future - presumably he'll be doing the same with all of the players, although he might get a better response if he just sends N'Zogbia a text.
Whilst not always a manager I've warmed to, nor one whose teams I've enjoyed watching play, I've got to acknowledge that at least Allardyce seems to have adopted the Clive Woodward approach to staff appointment, whereby if there's a job that needs doing to improve the team by 1% then he appoints someone to do that. Which, I think, shows a progressive attitude, which hints at something more to come from the team - at least we shouldn't be allowed to slide backwards.
I'm still not over the apathy which has (dis)affected me for much of the last season, but with the appointment of a new broom - and a new broom who I strongly suspect won't take much shit from the players - we might at least get a team who want to be on the pitch playing for the club.
The difference that I see between Allardyce and Souness (the last manager I thought who wouldn't take any crap) is that Souness appeared stuck in the 1970's - at least Allardyce looks to have embraced the 21st century.
It may not always be pretty, but hopefully it'll be committed - something which we've sadly lacked this season. Perhaps at long last, the revolution starts here?
posted by Paul at 1:43 pm
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