Newcastle United; a business up for sale, a club lying in 19th position in the Premier League and a football team in tatters. With arguably some of the most powerful and voiced supporters in the country, what does the future hold for this troubled football club?
The supports will tell you they want new owners, the players will tell you that the confusion surrounded the club’s future has distracted them from the game and the Premier League table will tell you that with only 6 points from a possible 24, things are going to get worse before they get better.
The truth is that supporters of any club will find excuses for their beloved team no matter what; owners, managers, referees or weather. However, sometimes there’s just not enough quality within the team to deal with the amount of pressure they are under. I’m not suggesting Newcastle don’t have the quality to play in the top tier of English Football, but do they have the quality to ignore the uncertainty over the club’s future and put things right on the pitch at least? Evidence of previous and recent results would suggest they don’t.
Like many clubs in the Premiership, Newcastle United seems to lack a leader, most notably on the pitch. Someone to take the game to the opposition, lift the team when they’re not performing or warn them against complacency when they are. These are classic attributes of which captains are made of; possibly attributes that haven’t been seen at St. James’ Park since April 2006, when Alan Shearer played his last competitive game in front of the Toon.
Before Mike Ashley was convinced by the fans to sell up, Newcastle had their leader in the form of Kevin Keegan; maybe the only other person than Shearer, to have such a strong bond with the Toon Army. In the modern game, it’s hard to find a player that loves football, someone who loves the game more than his pay packet. In Alan Shearer, Newcastle fans had that, and still do. Shearer loves the club and he’s always made that clear, but maybe it’s time for him to step up; the club he loves is in turmoil, possibly the worst he’s seen it.
The thought must have crossed his mind, it’s crossed every other Newcastle fan’s; is he the person to bring Newcastle back from this record low? The Magpies have been through some trouble waters, with six managers in the past five years, there has rarely been an opportunity for the team to settle. The return of Shearer would not only fill the vacant managerial position, but also the void of leadership he left only two years ago.
With the Newcastle post available so often, this question is raised repeatedly and every time it’s done so, Shearer speaks of his inexperience; saying it’s too early for him and his managerial career but how he would some day love to take up the responsibility. Reassuring as it is, hearing that their all time record goal scorer will one day take the reigns; it doesn’t seem to help the Toon with their current situation.
Shearer’s right; in an ideal world, it is too early to begin his managerial career, but little else would seem to please the Geordie supporters at such a time in crisis. I’m not suggesting that Alan Shearer is now ready for Newcastle United, but that Newcastle United is now ready for Alan Shearer.
Tags: Alan Shearer, Football, Kevin Keegan, Newcastle, Newcastle United, Premier League, Premiership, Sport, Toon
