It's hard to say goodbye to someone like Niall Quinn.
He was Sunderland's Roy of the Rovers - as charming, inspirational and decent a fellow as you could ever hope to meet.
He leaves behind a long list of memories and achievements for Sunderland fans to treasure.
Choose your own favourite goal, your own favourite speech and, if you were fortunate enough to ever be in his company, your own favourite "Quinny" story.
He was a great player, a rubbish manager, a great chairman and a true inspiration.
But Niall Quinn was so much more besides.
He was the catalyst, the trailblazer, the public face and the private army-of-one. He saw possibility where others only saw more of the same. He brought grand plans and men with money who might help realise them.
Not every decision turned out to be correct. But everything Quinn did for Sunderland, he did with the best intentions.
His departure's also full of the best intentions. He says he's done what he set out to do and he needs to spend more time with his family. I believe him. In fact it only makes me admire him more.
Quinn would hate to become a ghost haunting the corridors at the Stadium of Light. When he stepped down as Chairman he said he didn't want to hang around just to speak at the dinners and pose for the photos. The best men never want to outstay their welcome.
He dipped his toe in international waters, but Niall Quinn could never comfortably be a background figure at Sunderland. He's too big a part of the history, too big a character.
He's also confident he's found his men - the right man with the right money to run the boardroom. The right man, the best man, to run the team.
So thanks for the memories. I've got dozens. But I only realised the true scale of his achievements a few years ago, when I spent some time at the Niall Quinn Children's Outpatient centre at Sunderland General Hospital with my daughter. She wasn't very well and they made her better.
Niall Quinn made Sunderland better. Not just the football club, but the City as well. That's his legacy. So let Sunderland fans build a statue, name a stand and mark this occasion in any way they see fit. But most importantly, please respect his decision to leave and wish him nothing but the best for his future.
I present the sport on ITV Tyne Tees and Border. Once, I was question number 3 on the picture round of the quiz at the Blue Bell in Fulwell. My mother was so proud.
Showing posts with label Sunderland AFC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunderland AFC. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Bye Brucie.
They’ll miss the man. They won’t miss the manager. Steve Bruce is a fine fellow. Good company. A good old-fashioned football man. But recently, his football hasn’t been good and that’s what matters in the end. History may eventually be kind to him, because he didn’t do a bad job as Sunderland Manager. But it was time to go.
It’s the break-up you remember at the end of any relationship and this break-up got nasty. But after a while you'll remember the good times and there were good times. There were stirring performances against Premier League heavyweights, drama in the transfer market and a top ten finish.
One day you’ll think back to the start of the relationship and ask yourself why it began in the first place. Then you'll realise love has seldom crossed such boundaries. To put a Geordie in charge of Sunderland is to play with fire. That sort of thing worked for Bob Stokoe. It doesn't work for everyone. Certainly if the Geordie in charge of Sunderland keeps getting beaten by Newcastle United. And especially if the Geordie in charge of Sunderland ends up having to watch Newcastle United disappearing over the horizon.
But as the man said, he couldn't change where he was born, and the tribal dance really wasn't the problem in the end. Never mind the lyrics to the song after Wigan’s winning goal. It wouldn’t have been sung in the first place if it wasn’t for the football. “Geordie” was just another adjective adding another layer of insult. But the sheer force of the reaction was the point of no return. The relationship between fans and manager broke down completely that day and there was no realistic hope of recovery. Those were the worst of times and they are raw, recent memories.
So context is difficult. But whether by accident or design, Steve Bruce did a very important job for Sunderland. He steadied the ship. Bruce represents phase two of the Niall Quinn revival project. Phase One was about shocking the club back to life. Roy Keane did that, but his dark passenger travelled with him and the Irishman’s volatile personality blew up in Sunderland’s face. Sbragia was a footnote to Keane, and after that they needed someone reliable. Bruce was an excellent choice in that respect. He delivered finishing positions of 13th and 10th in the premier league and, despite the odd scary month, his Sunderland side never really got sucked into relegation battles.
Of course that wasn’t really the idea. The idea was that Steve Bruce was a manager ready to move to the next level, Sunderland were a club ready to move to the next level and the two would compliment each other perfectly. But it turns out Steve Bruce wasn’t ready to move to the next level. It now looks like mid-table in the premier league is his level, as his previous record suggested.
But while it hasn’t worked out in the end for Steve Bruce, Niall Quinn, or Ellis Short, it hasn’t been a disaster for Sunderland. They’ve had the shock, they’ve had the steady, maybe it’s logical that someone else is required to make the next step.
So where did it all go wrong ? Sometimes the obvious answer is the correct answer and the biggest single factor in Sunderland’s decline and Steve Bruce’s downfall was the sale of Darren Bent. Of course it was. Bruce had a 20-goal a season man, he lost him and he never replaced him. Bent's a wonderful player for any manager, because he guarantees goals and papers over cracks. Remove a player like that from a team and the cracks start to appear. In this case the cracks widened alarmingly.
The circumstances of the sale ultimately don’t matter. Whether it was the size of the bid, the greed or the unhappiness of the player, or simply the transient nature of modern football, the result was the same. Sunderland lost their prized asset and they lost the ability to paper over the cracks.
Asamoah Gyan didn't solve the problem. In hindsight, The African Superstar, with his bling and his music and the twinkle in his eye, was a bad fit for Sunderland. A very expensive bad fit. He was signed originally to play alongside Bent. Then he became the obvious man to inherit the goalscoring burden. But Gyan didn't really succeed in either role and appeared less and less interested in any of it as the weeks and months progressed.
And there's the rub, neither Bent's departure nor Gyan's ridiculous loan move to the Emirates Dog and Duck were directly Steve Bruce's fault, but he had to handle the consequences. He failed to do that and he really should have known Sir Alex wouldn't let Danny Welbeck out to play again.
He did try to deal with the goalscoring problem of course. In fact he tried to deal with every problem at Sunderland in roughly the same way. He went out and bought a new team.
This is the massive contradiction of the Bruce era. Mr Reliable, Mr Steady, chose to run his team in an almost constant state of instability. The grass was always greener on the other side of the transfer window. Coaching and long term planning never seemed to come into it.
That's where it all fell down really. At some point this week, Ellis Short will have asked himself if he could see a long term strategy and if he believed in it. He either couldn't see it or he no longer believed in it.
A good old-fashioned football man like Bruce will understand this, because results are all that matters in the end. They haven't been good enough this season. They haven't been good enough this year. So never mind the latest expensive summer rebuild, it was Steve Bruce's team, Steve Bruce's tactics, Steve Bruce's responsibility and time waits for no man. It stopped working a long time ago and there was no true sign of recovery. When all you can do is ask for more time, it usually means your time is up.
But Steve Bruce IS a good man. He tried his best and, as he kept telling us in recent months, he did make Sunderland the tenth best club in England last season. So once the nasty break-up is forgotten, try and remember him fondly. Choose your favourite Brucie catchphrase if you like. Whether it's "That's for sure", or "quite remarkable". Of course the irony is, in the end, he just wasn't quite remarkable enough. As I said, they'll miss the man. They won't miss the manager.
It’s the break-up you remember at the end of any relationship and this break-up got nasty. But after a while you'll remember the good times and there were good times. There were stirring performances against Premier League heavyweights, drama in the transfer market and a top ten finish.
One day you’ll think back to the start of the relationship and ask yourself why it began in the first place. Then you'll realise love has seldom crossed such boundaries. To put a Geordie in charge of Sunderland is to play with fire. That sort of thing worked for Bob Stokoe. It doesn't work for everyone. Certainly if the Geordie in charge of Sunderland keeps getting beaten by Newcastle United. And especially if the Geordie in charge of Sunderland ends up having to watch Newcastle United disappearing over the horizon.
But as the man said, he couldn't change where he was born, and the tribal dance really wasn't the problem in the end. Never mind the lyrics to the song after Wigan’s winning goal. It wouldn’t have been sung in the first place if it wasn’t for the football. “Geordie” was just another adjective adding another layer of insult. But the sheer force of the reaction was the point of no return. The relationship between fans and manager broke down completely that day and there was no realistic hope of recovery. Those were the worst of times and they are raw, recent memories.
So context is difficult. But whether by accident or design, Steve Bruce did a very important job for Sunderland. He steadied the ship. Bruce represents phase two of the Niall Quinn revival project. Phase One was about shocking the club back to life. Roy Keane did that, but his dark passenger travelled with him and the Irishman’s volatile personality blew up in Sunderland’s face. Sbragia was a footnote to Keane, and after that they needed someone reliable. Bruce was an excellent choice in that respect. He delivered finishing positions of 13th and 10th in the premier league and, despite the odd scary month, his Sunderland side never really got sucked into relegation battles.
Of course that wasn’t really the idea. The idea was that Steve Bruce was a manager ready to move to the next level, Sunderland were a club ready to move to the next level and the two would compliment each other perfectly. But it turns out Steve Bruce wasn’t ready to move to the next level. It now looks like mid-table in the premier league is his level, as his previous record suggested.
But while it hasn’t worked out in the end for Steve Bruce, Niall Quinn, or Ellis Short, it hasn’t been a disaster for Sunderland. They’ve had the shock, they’ve had the steady, maybe it’s logical that someone else is required to make the next step.
So where did it all go wrong ? Sometimes the obvious answer is the correct answer and the biggest single factor in Sunderland’s decline and Steve Bruce’s downfall was the sale of Darren Bent. Of course it was. Bruce had a 20-goal a season man, he lost him and he never replaced him. Bent's a wonderful player for any manager, because he guarantees goals and papers over cracks. Remove a player like that from a team and the cracks start to appear. In this case the cracks widened alarmingly.
The circumstances of the sale ultimately don’t matter. Whether it was the size of the bid, the greed or the unhappiness of the player, or simply the transient nature of modern football, the result was the same. Sunderland lost their prized asset and they lost the ability to paper over the cracks.
Asamoah Gyan didn't solve the problem. In hindsight, The African Superstar, with his bling and his music and the twinkle in his eye, was a bad fit for Sunderland. A very expensive bad fit. He was signed originally to play alongside Bent. Then he became the obvious man to inherit the goalscoring burden. But Gyan didn't really succeed in either role and appeared less and less interested in any of it as the weeks and months progressed.
And there's the rub, neither Bent's departure nor Gyan's ridiculous loan move to the Emirates Dog and Duck were directly Steve Bruce's fault, but he had to handle the consequences. He failed to do that and he really should have known Sir Alex wouldn't let Danny Welbeck out to play again.
He did try to deal with the goalscoring problem of course. In fact he tried to deal with every problem at Sunderland in roughly the same way. He went out and bought a new team.
This is the massive contradiction of the Bruce era. Mr Reliable, Mr Steady, chose to run his team in an almost constant state of instability. The grass was always greener on the other side of the transfer window. Coaching and long term planning never seemed to come into it.
That's where it all fell down really. At some point this week, Ellis Short will have asked himself if he could see a long term strategy and if he believed in it. He either couldn't see it or he no longer believed in it.
A good old-fashioned football man like Bruce will understand this, because results are all that matters in the end. They haven't been good enough this season. They haven't been good enough this year. So never mind the latest expensive summer rebuild, it was Steve Bruce's team, Steve Bruce's tactics, Steve Bruce's responsibility and time waits for no man. It stopped working a long time ago and there was no true sign of recovery. When all you can do is ask for more time, it usually means your time is up.
But Steve Bruce IS a good man. He tried his best and, as he kept telling us in recent months, he did make Sunderland the tenth best club in England last season. So once the nasty break-up is forgotten, try and remember him fondly. Choose your favourite Brucie catchphrase if you like. Whether it's "That's for sure", or "quite remarkable". Of course the irony is, in the end, he just wasn't quite remarkable enough. As I said, they'll miss the man. They won't miss the manager.
Friday, 12 August 2011
Time away
14 days without twitter. Without newspapers. Without sky sports news. Without contacts. Without any sort of information at all concerning North East Football.
It was frustrating for about 48 hours. But then I started to see the value of some time away. Nothing but sunshine, all inclusive booze and a welcome chance to switch off the football engine and enjoy some time with my family.
And apart from the dicky tummy, I've loved it. It's cleared my head and recharged my batteries, which I now realise were in urgent need of recharging.
And the best thing is I'm back just in time for the start of the premier league season. Just in time to line up for the annual prediction parade.
While I've been enjoying my time away, I've been lying on sun beds and wondering how Sunderland and Newcastle United have spent their time away, and whether it's been time well spent.
The Magpies have certainly been busy. Busy selling one of their most influential players almost entirely for the sake of making a point. Busy chasing their other most influential player out of the door by all means available. Busy going on a glamourous but faintly disastrous tour of the USA. Busy pointing out that the return of two injured players was like having two extra new signings (a point that's been sledgehammered home at every opportunity) and busy dangerously over-hyping one of those players before he's really proved anything.
So, busy in some ways. But not especially busy in others. Not especially busy spending the now-mythical Andy Carroll money. So far 5 new players have arrived, although not at great expense, and only 4 are likely to figure in the first team. And, well, those 4 better be good otherwise Newcastle United's time away starts to look like an exercise in weakening rather than strengthening. Certainly team spirit can't have been strengthened by the twitterings of Joey Barton and (briefly) Jose Enrique.
But here's the thing, during my time away I read the book "Moneyball" and I can't help wondering if Mike Ashley read it on his holidays. Very briefly, the book is about how the Oakland A's, one of the poorest teams in baseball, managed to compete with the likes of the New York Yankees, who are the Manchester United of baseball. They did it by changing the way they scouted players and using detailed statistics to see qualities that others had missed. This gave them a group of rough diamonds, who didn't need massive wages, that the big clubs had never bothered with. Oakland had their team, the rough diamonds had the chance no one else was prepared to give them and if they went on to become stars, the A's turned a profit by letting them leave and replacing them with younger, rougher diamonds. There were no star names on big money because they couldn't afford them and they didn't fit the game plan anyway. Give or take the odd cultural sporting difference, that's Ashley's Newcastle United. I suppose it might work, but when it comes to predictions, you're whistling in the wind.
They might finish 7th if the Moneyball thing works. They might finish 20th if it doesn't. So there you are, I'm saying Newcastle will finish somewhere between 7th and 20th.
Sunderland have been busy during their time away. Absurdly busy for about a fortnight when they seemed to buy a player every half hour. This was no surprise. For one thing, Steve Bruce is actually more 'Arry than 'Arry when it comes to the transfer market. Also, he had no choice. The springtime collapse revealed some glaring weaknesses in his squad, injuries and mercenaries not withstanding. So during his time away Steve Bruce has set about addressing those weaknesses. The sad, but inevitable, departure of Jordan Henderson gave him room for manoeuvre and he's tried to play the market and manage the wage bill cleverly. It looks like good business, but the proof is in the pudding. They've been pretty average during pre-season (although that doesn't count for much) and they'll need to hit the ground running when the real stuff starts because their opening month is full of potential pitfalls.
But it's a little easier to predict Sunderland under Steve Bruce. Steady progress is his brief. That's what he's delivered so far and I see no reason to expect anything different this time. 7th is the glass ceiling in my opinion, but that would represent a big step and I think 8th or 9th is more realistic this year.
Hand on heart I can't see too much joy in the cups. Both Newcastle and Sunderland could afford to be a bit more serious about the knockouts and I can see improvements for both. But competition will be fierce, because Chelsea, Manchester City and especially Arsenal can't afford to leave empty-handed this season.
So our time away is over. We're back to reality and there's an early Derby to concentrate our hearts and minds. Whether you spent your time away relaxing, or rebuilding, or arguing amongst yourselves, I hope you enjoyed it. I hope it proves worthwhile.
It was frustrating for about 48 hours. But then I started to see the value of some time away. Nothing but sunshine, all inclusive booze and a welcome chance to switch off the football engine and enjoy some time with my family.
And apart from the dicky tummy, I've loved it. It's cleared my head and recharged my batteries, which I now realise were in urgent need of recharging.
And the best thing is I'm back just in time for the start of the premier league season. Just in time to line up for the annual prediction parade.
While I've been enjoying my time away, I've been lying on sun beds and wondering how Sunderland and Newcastle United have spent their time away, and whether it's been time well spent.
The Magpies have certainly been busy. Busy selling one of their most influential players almost entirely for the sake of making a point. Busy chasing their other most influential player out of the door by all means available. Busy going on a glamourous but faintly disastrous tour of the USA. Busy pointing out that the return of two injured players was like having two extra new signings (a point that's been sledgehammered home at every opportunity) and busy dangerously over-hyping one of those players before he's really proved anything.
So, busy in some ways. But not especially busy in others. Not especially busy spending the now-mythical Andy Carroll money. So far 5 new players have arrived, although not at great expense, and only 4 are likely to figure in the first team. And, well, those 4 better be good otherwise Newcastle United's time away starts to look like an exercise in weakening rather than strengthening. Certainly team spirit can't have been strengthened by the twitterings of Joey Barton and (briefly) Jose Enrique.
But here's the thing, during my time away I read the book "Moneyball" and I can't help wondering if Mike Ashley read it on his holidays. Very briefly, the book is about how the Oakland A's, one of the poorest teams in baseball, managed to compete with the likes of the New York Yankees, who are the Manchester United of baseball. They did it by changing the way they scouted players and using detailed statistics to see qualities that others had missed. This gave them a group of rough diamonds, who didn't need massive wages, that the big clubs had never bothered with. Oakland had their team, the rough diamonds had the chance no one else was prepared to give them and if they went on to become stars, the A's turned a profit by letting them leave and replacing them with younger, rougher diamonds. There were no star names on big money because they couldn't afford them and they didn't fit the game plan anyway. Give or take the odd cultural sporting difference, that's Ashley's Newcastle United. I suppose it might work, but when it comes to predictions, you're whistling in the wind.
They might finish 7th if the Moneyball thing works. They might finish 20th if it doesn't. So there you are, I'm saying Newcastle will finish somewhere between 7th and 20th.
Sunderland have been busy during their time away. Absurdly busy for about a fortnight when they seemed to buy a player every half hour. This was no surprise. For one thing, Steve Bruce is actually more 'Arry than 'Arry when it comes to the transfer market. Also, he had no choice. The springtime collapse revealed some glaring weaknesses in his squad, injuries and mercenaries not withstanding. So during his time away Steve Bruce has set about addressing those weaknesses. The sad, but inevitable, departure of Jordan Henderson gave him room for manoeuvre and he's tried to play the market and manage the wage bill cleverly. It looks like good business, but the proof is in the pudding. They've been pretty average during pre-season (although that doesn't count for much) and they'll need to hit the ground running when the real stuff starts because their opening month is full of potential pitfalls.
But it's a little easier to predict Sunderland under Steve Bruce. Steady progress is his brief. That's what he's delivered so far and I see no reason to expect anything different this time. 7th is the glass ceiling in my opinion, but that would represent a big step and I think 8th or 9th is more realistic this year.
Hand on heart I can't see too much joy in the cups. Both Newcastle and Sunderland could afford to be a bit more serious about the knockouts and I can see improvements for both. But competition will be fierce, because Chelsea, Manchester City and especially Arsenal can't afford to leave empty-handed this season.
So our time away is over. We're back to reality and there's an early Derby to concentrate our hearts and minds. Whether you spent your time away relaxing, or rebuilding, or arguing amongst yourselves, I hope you enjoyed it. I hope it proves worthwhile.
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Happy Endings
Everyone loves a happy ending. They were there, last season, if you looked carefully enough. Some were obvious, like Darlington and their FA Trophy, or Carlisle and their Johnstone's Paint Pot. Some were more subtle, like Tony Mowbray's gradual reawakening of Middlesbrough and Hartlepool's refusal to get drawn into a relegation battle. But everyone had something to look back on with satisfaction. Sunderland's happy ending came in the form of a top ten finish. Of course they went all round the houses to get there, but Steve Bruce will tell you ultimately that doesn't matter. They found unlikely heroes (Phil Bardsley) and there were pantomime villains (dastardly Darren Bent) and they finally found what they were looking for in the dying moments of the season. The great irony of course was that the Black Cats got the top ten finish that looked for all the world as if it was destined for Newcastle. But the Magpies needn't dwell on the denouement. Their happy ending was much more straightforward and was achieved with time to spare. They reestablished themselves as a premier league club. They were never dragged into the dogfight and, well, they'll always have Halloween. The sale of Andy Carroll was, sadly, inevitable, while the departure of Chris Hughton and the arrival of Alan Pardew remains a mysterious footnote. Everyone must make up their own mind as to whether they've got the right man, or whether they got rid of the right man. Boro HAVE got the right man. That's their happy ending. They kissed a frog, but they found their prince. Strachan was the sickness. Mowbray is their home-grown cure. A managerial change also defined Hartlepool's campaign. Chris Turner, who'd done so much at Victoria Park, finally got tired of the struggle. Mick Wadsworth became a sort of permanent caretaker and while mid-table mediocrity might not seem like the happiest of endings, it was actually a splendid achievement. Carlisle had another season of steady improvement under Greg Abbott and Peter Murphy's Wembley winner was Boy's Own stuff. Mark Cooper managed to sort out the unholy mess he inherited at Darlington and ended up with a Trophy for good measure. Gateshead were much-improved in their first modern season as a full time football club and Gary Mills arrived in time to steady the ship at York. So there you are. Everyone ended up smiling. Everyone loves a happy ending. True, we went through a lot of shit to get there, but what's life without little drama ?
Thursday, 26 May 2011
North East Premier League team of the season 2010/2011
This is clearly a fool's errand and whatever I say is bound to annoy hundreds of thousands of people one way or another. But what the hell. Here goes....
The formation is 4-4-1-1 and, on principle, Andy Carroll and Darren Bent were not considered. There’s no bias in selection. It’s based on what I’ve seen and how I’ve seen it over the last 9 months.
STEVE HARPER (GK) – Tough choice. There were 4 options and no one entirely nailed it down. All had spells out of favour or out through injury. If I had to pick a man to make a wonder save to win a match, I’d pick Craig Gordon. But he’s fragile and occasionally timid. So I’m going for Mr Reliable. Steve has presence, Steve has character and Steve very rarely messes up.
PHIL BARDSLEY (RB) – I know I’m cheating, but he deserves to be in the team and he is a right back really. Last summer he was destined for a Championship loan-out or Stoke City reserves. The first knockings of the Black Cats epic injury crisis gave him an opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands. Now he’s got a new contract and a left foot he never knew he had.
JOSE ENRIQUE (LB) – Very, very easy choice. He’s answered all the lingering questions left over from the relegation season. He’s been excellent. It wasn’t a vintage year for Ashley Cole or Patrice Evra and Gael Clichy’s overrated, so for me the best left back in the premier league last season was either Leighton Baines or Jose Enrique. Now watch him leave.
FABRIZIO COLOCCINI (CB) – Another one with his fair share of lingering questions to answer after that relegation season and he’s passed his test with flying colours. During his debut premier league campaign he was bullied all over the place. But not this time. The Argentinian has risen to the challenge, become a cult hero on the Gallowgate and I wish I had his hair.
TITUS BRAMBLE (CB) – He was a former Magpie laughing stock and Sunderland fans weren’t exactly bowled over when they bought him. It only took Titus about 5 or 6 games to change their mind. On his day he’s one of the best battering-ram centre backs around. Not quite as formidable after his mid-season injury, but he wasn’t the only one.
JONAS GUTTIEREZ (RM) – A somewhat reluctant selection. I’ve never been his biggest fan and it’s only now, 3 years into his Newcastle career, that I’m beginning to see the point in him. My big problem is his lack of end product. He doesn’t score enough and he doesn’t create enough for a player with his talent. But he works hard and he’s not a show pony, so he’s in.
CHIECK TIOTE (CM) – An unheralded signing who was so good that he was given a new 6-year contract half way through the season. He’s a highly-accomplished midfield destroyer who links play cleverly and moves the ball well. A crowd favourite long before his Lazarus goal against Arsenal. Yes, he get's booked far too much, but he'll grow out of that.
HENDERSON (CM) – I thought long and hard about this one. In fact I changed the formation to fit him in. Partly because I just think he deserves to be part of this team. Partly because he’s the most promising homegrown player in the region post-Carroll. Mostly because he was asked to take on an awful lot this season and he did it all pretty well.
JOEY BARTON (RM) – His form is so good in the present that people have almost stopped talking about his past. Almost, but not quite. He’ll always carry his baggage with him, but he’s found the perfect place to express himself. So he shouldn’t leave. It’s in the best interests of NUFC, Joey Barton and his agent to sort out their differences. A massive, fundamental loss if he leaves.
KEVIN NOLAN (AM) – Captain. Heartbeat. Leader. Top Scorer. Straight talker. Some doubted he’d cope with the athletic side of the premier league, but that was rather missing the point. He’s such a clever player and such a good reader of opponents, that he knows where he needs to be and when he needs to be there. Halloween heroics saw him enter the Hall of Fame.
ASAMOAH GYAN (ST) – He’s done pretty well since his record-busting move and there’s definitely a sprinkling of stardust there. He’s not particularly consistent and he was as bad as everyone else during the great Black Cat collapse of 2011. But he’s a proper player, he’s on twitter and he uses phrases such as “sexy like cheese”.
The formation is 4-4-1-1 and, on principle, Andy Carroll and Darren Bent were not considered. There’s no bias in selection. It’s based on what I’ve seen and how I’ve seen it over the last 9 months.
STEVE HARPER (GK) – Tough choice. There were 4 options and no one entirely nailed it down. All had spells out of favour or out through injury. If I had to pick a man to make a wonder save to win a match, I’d pick Craig Gordon. But he’s fragile and occasionally timid. So I’m going for Mr Reliable. Steve has presence, Steve has character and Steve very rarely messes up.
PHIL BARDSLEY (RB) – I know I’m cheating, but he deserves to be in the team and he is a right back really. Last summer he was destined for a Championship loan-out or Stoke City reserves. The first knockings of the Black Cats epic injury crisis gave him an opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands. Now he’s got a new contract and a left foot he never knew he had.
JOSE ENRIQUE (LB) – Very, very easy choice. He’s answered all the lingering questions left over from the relegation season. He’s been excellent. It wasn’t a vintage year for Ashley Cole or Patrice Evra and Gael Clichy’s overrated, so for me the best left back in the premier league last season was either Leighton Baines or Jose Enrique. Now watch him leave.
FABRIZIO COLOCCINI (CB) – Another one with his fair share of lingering questions to answer after that relegation season and he’s passed his test with flying colours. During his debut premier league campaign he was bullied all over the place. But not this time. The Argentinian has risen to the challenge, become a cult hero on the Gallowgate and I wish I had his hair.
TITUS BRAMBLE (CB) – He was a former Magpie laughing stock and Sunderland fans weren’t exactly bowled over when they bought him. It only took Titus about 5 or 6 games to change their mind. On his day he’s one of the best battering-ram centre backs around. Not quite as formidable after his mid-season injury, but he wasn’t the only one.
JONAS GUTTIEREZ (RM) – A somewhat reluctant selection. I’ve never been his biggest fan and it’s only now, 3 years into his Newcastle career, that I’m beginning to see the point in him. My big problem is his lack of end product. He doesn’t score enough and he doesn’t create enough for a player with his talent. But he works hard and he’s not a show pony, so he’s in.
CHIECK TIOTE (CM) – An unheralded signing who was so good that he was given a new 6-year contract half way through the season. He’s a highly-accomplished midfield destroyer who links play cleverly and moves the ball well. A crowd favourite long before his Lazarus goal against Arsenal. Yes, he get's booked far too much, but he'll grow out of that.
HENDERSON (CM) – I thought long and hard about this one. In fact I changed the formation to fit him in. Partly because I just think he deserves to be part of this team. Partly because he’s the most promising homegrown player in the region post-Carroll. Mostly because he was asked to take on an awful lot this season and he did it all pretty well.
JOEY BARTON (RM) – His form is so good in the present that people have almost stopped talking about his past. Almost, but not quite. He’ll always carry his baggage with him, but he’s found the perfect place to express himself. So he shouldn’t leave. It’s in the best interests of NUFC, Joey Barton and his agent to sort out their differences. A massive, fundamental loss if he leaves.
KEVIN NOLAN (AM) – Captain. Heartbeat. Leader. Top Scorer. Straight talker. Some doubted he’d cope with the athletic side of the premier league, but that was rather missing the point. He’s such a clever player and such a good reader of opponents, that he knows where he needs to be and when he needs to be there. Halloween heroics saw him enter the Hall of Fame.
ASAMOAH GYAN (ST) – He’s done pretty well since his record-busting move and there’s definitely a sprinkling of stardust there. He’s not particularly consistent and he was as bad as everyone else during the great Black Cat collapse of 2011. But he’s a proper player, he’s on twitter and he uses phrases such as “sexy like cheese”.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Springtime stream of consciousness
What is it about the spring ? Where are the green shoots of recovery in North East football ? Why are we crap when the daffodils are out ? I had a rubbish start to spring, but I've cheered up since then. It was partly because some of it was in February and I don’t believe anyone’s really happy in February. It's a sneaky month. Everyone guards against a post-Christmas lull in January, but no one sees it coming when it hits in February. But what’s Sunderland’s excuse ? I know, Darren bloody Bent. Well, yes with hindsight @DB11TT (or @DB39TT or whatever he is now) has apparently knackered Sunderland’s season with his decision to take the money on offer down the road. But really, can we just lump all the blame onto the gun for hire ? He had, after all, been decidedly moderate during the first half of the season and it was screamingly obvious that his nose was well out of joint once Gyan wafted in with a sprinkling of super-stardust. And are Black Cats fans really going to claim that paying 5 million quid for a thirty-something striker from Stoke City with dodgy knees was going to be good use of the transfer pot ? No. No. No. It’s just the latest dose of Seasonal Affective Disorder on Wearside, because they’ve got a lot of previous when it comes to crap springs. They were rubbish around this time last year as well. Peter Reid’s best team around the turn of the century twice fell away after Christmas when Europe was in their grasp. That’s one of the main conundrums for Steve Bruce to unpick next season – how to keep going till the finishing line. And by the way, I’m prone to knee jerk reactions as much as the next man, but “Bruce out” on the phone-ins ? Really ? I mean REALLY ? Please, please get a grip. He’s the right man in the right place, at the right time and it’s up to him to kick on and make best use of the Stadium of Light opportunities. And opportunity knocks. I was lucky enough to have a couple of inside peeks at Sunderland over the last month or two – I did one of Niall Quinn’s talk-ins and then I happened to find myself in the boardroom after the Liverpool match – and these are serious, passionate, intelligent people with a game plan. So stick with it. Yes, this season’s a bit goosed now, but next season might be very good indeed. Newcastle haven’t been AS bad during the spring but they haven’t been wearing their daffodils with pride either. Like Sunderland, there are mitigating cirumstances (Andy, wherefore art thou Andy ?), but unlike Sunderland, the Magpies have done a decent job of rolling with the punches. It’s been patchy and volatile, but the Wolves win gets them just about over the top and anyone who complains too loudly at Newcastle this season needs to take a long hard look at the last 24 months, and the finances, then just pipe down and realise that the whole point of this season in the premier league was to make sure that next season is in the premier league as well. And there have been lovely little bonuses along the way. Leon Best – who saw that coming ? Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan – the Black and White midfield mafia of the premier league. Chieck Tiote – pound-for-pound up there with Javier Hernandez as the best signing of the season. So don’t complain. Complaining is just a waste of your life. Middlesbrough have quite enjoyed springtime. It was certainly better than the long, hard, grim winter and it was a country mile better than the dismal, depressing resource-sapping summer and autumn that came beforehand. I really, really like Tony Mowbray. He’s honest, he’s got a Boro-red heart and he understands that the manager’s job no longer comes with a silver spoon and an open chequebook. Yes, the club is on shifting, sinking sands financially, because the parachute won’t open so far next season, but they’ve got the right man at the helm. They’re staying up and that’s no small achievement considering the total wreckage Mowbray found when he arrived. Don’t dwell on the manager’s tone too much either. He’s got a quiet, almost downbeat tone about him during his press conferences. But that’s just the way he is. He’s very considered and if you listen to what he’s saying, it always makes sense. Springtime’s been OK for Hartlepool, but the main point there is that “OK” was all it needed to be, because they’d done more than enough beforehand to stay in League One, which was above and beyond what most people were expecting. Carlisle, god bless them, have only gone and won at Wembley in the springtime, when the sun was shining and the ghosts were laid to rest. Peter Murphy’s Daddy Cool story was brilliant and I was so pleased for all of them. The fans, the players, the management, the directors and Andy the kitman-cum-mediaman. They got a good kicking from Southampton 12 months ago and they learned from that and this was catharsis on a grand scale for everyone involved. And spring’s been brilliant for the non-league boys, with Darlo getting to Wembley and Gateshead running them close and Whitley Bay booking their inevitable return ticket for a day out beneath the arch. So I suppose spring’s not been all bad, but I did have a week at work where I felt more conflicted and more unsettled than I ever have during my 139 years in the job. It was nothing to do with my employers or my employment, it was to do with mechanics and ethics and journalistic method, and I will never, ever say anything more about that. Hopefully it’s over and hopefully the sun will keep shining and I’ll cover two more Wembley wins and Newcastle and even SAD-suffering Sunderland will finish with a flourish.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Decoding January
Any football reporter who tells you he didn't enjoy the January transfer window is lying. It was undoubtedly a pain in the arse, but also a glorious, unstoppable tale of the ever-so-slightly unexpected. It's too early to say who the winners and losers are. But it's fun trying.
Newcastle are two games into life after Andy. They looked listless and shot-shy at Fulham. They were listless and shot-shy x10 in the first half against Arsenal, but then there was the Lazarus moment and suddenly things didn't seem quite so bad. The reassuring thing is that the spirit is still there, even though their best player isn't. For that reason alone, forget the relegation scare stories. Newcastle will be absolutely fine. They'll also have 35 million pounds to spend on new players in the summer, won't they Mr Ashley.......
As for Andy Carroll himself, I'm not so sure. In terms of geography and lifestyle, Liverpool is better for him than London. In terms of the football they play and the football they're going to play under Kenny Dalglish, I'm not so sure it'll suit him. I hope he fulfils his massive potential, I just don't think he should have left home to do it. It was a transfer driven by a ticking clock and a big wad of cash. On January 30th Andy Carroll wasn't worth 35 million. On February the 1st no one in world football would have paid 35 million for him. But on January 31st, with the deadline approaching and the Torres money burning a hole in Liverpool's pocket, Andy Carroll WAS worth 35 million. Had there been more time, I reckon someone would have talked Andy Carroll out of it. As far as Newcastle were concerned, it was good business, there's no denying that. But it was sad business.
Then there's the curious journey of Alan Pardew. He spent the whole of January insisting Andy Carroll wasn't for sale. Then he had to spend an uncomfortable press conference admitting that Andy Carroll was for sale after all. He's becoming Gallowgate's trouble-shooting diplomat. It wasn't his fault they sold Carroll, just as it wasn't his fault they sacked Hughton. But on both occasions, he had to face the music and he had to deal with the consequences. He dealt with it quite well all things considered and depending how much difference you think half time team talks actually make, he's emerged Post-Carroll and Post-Arsenal with a degree of credit. He's the Kofi Annan of St James Park.
Sunderland are three games into life after Darren and results haven't been great. But they have done the one thing they absolutely had to do. They've scored goals. Bent was the principle goalscorer last season and was still top gun this season even though the load had been shared around a bit. They had to prove they could find the net without him and they have. Yes, they're thin up front and yes, the rise of Liverpool makes 6th place look a lot less likely, but it doesn't look like the season's going to fall apart at the seams.
As for Darren Bent, he'll be fine. He got what he considered to be a better offer and he took it. Even if it doesn't work out for him at Villa, there'll be other offers and other badges to kiss.
Then there's Steve Bruce and his retail therapy. He knew fine well he was never going to get Darren Bent's long term replacement in January and he resisted the tempation to overpay for a striker he might only want for 6 months. Instead, he upgraded his squad by shipping out the unwanted and bringing in two he'd been after for a while. Sessegnon and Muntari both look like shrewd acquisitions. Bruce has been guilty of impulse buys in the past, but this time he's played his hand sensibly.
North East football fans are nearly two weeks into their new reality. They've been forced to face up to something they've long suspected, but seldom admitted. It matters to us more than it matters to them. Supporters are brought up wearing a cloak of loyalty. Players wear different clothes. Football's their job, not necessarily their passion. The club is their employer, not their family. They listen to their agents, not their fans. I thought Andy Carroll was different, but one way or another, he wasn't. As the mighty NUFC.COM put it on January the 31st "Football romance is dead, everyone is a liar, contracts should be printed on toilet paper."
Money can’t buy you love. But it can buy your centre forward. Here endeth the lesson of the January 2011 transfer window.
Newcastle are two games into life after Andy. They looked listless and shot-shy at Fulham. They were listless and shot-shy x10 in the first half against Arsenal, but then there was the Lazarus moment and suddenly things didn't seem quite so bad. The reassuring thing is that the spirit is still there, even though their best player isn't. For that reason alone, forget the relegation scare stories. Newcastle will be absolutely fine. They'll also have 35 million pounds to spend on new players in the summer, won't they Mr Ashley.......
As for Andy Carroll himself, I'm not so sure. In terms of geography and lifestyle, Liverpool is better for him than London. In terms of the football they play and the football they're going to play under Kenny Dalglish, I'm not so sure it'll suit him. I hope he fulfils his massive potential, I just don't think he should have left home to do it. It was a transfer driven by a ticking clock and a big wad of cash. On January 30th Andy Carroll wasn't worth 35 million. On February the 1st no one in world football would have paid 35 million for him. But on January 31st, with the deadline approaching and the Torres money burning a hole in Liverpool's pocket, Andy Carroll WAS worth 35 million. Had there been more time, I reckon someone would have talked Andy Carroll out of it. As far as Newcastle were concerned, it was good business, there's no denying that. But it was sad business.
Then there's the curious journey of Alan Pardew. He spent the whole of January insisting Andy Carroll wasn't for sale. Then he had to spend an uncomfortable press conference admitting that Andy Carroll was for sale after all. He's becoming Gallowgate's trouble-shooting diplomat. It wasn't his fault they sold Carroll, just as it wasn't his fault they sacked Hughton. But on both occasions, he had to face the music and he had to deal with the consequences. He dealt with it quite well all things considered and depending how much difference you think half time team talks actually make, he's emerged Post-Carroll and Post-Arsenal with a degree of credit. He's the Kofi Annan of St James Park.
Sunderland are three games into life after Darren and results haven't been great. But they have done the one thing they absolutely had to do. They've scored goals. Bent was the principle goalscorer last season and was still top gun this season even though the load had been shared around a bit. They had to prove they could find the net without him and they have. Yes, they're thin up front and yes, the rise of Liverpool makes 6th place look a lot less likely, but it doesn't look like the season's going to fall apart at the seams.
As for Darren Bent, he'll be fine. He got what he considered to be a better offer and he took it. Even if it doesn't work out for him at Villa, there'll be other offers and other badges to kiss.
Then there's Steve Bruce and his retail therapy. He knew fine well he was never going to get Darren Bent's long term replacement in January and he resisted the tempation to overpay for a striker he might only want for 6 months. Instead, he upgraded his squad by shipping out the unwanted and bringing in two he'd been after for a while. Sessegnon and Muntari both look like shrewd acquisitions. Bruce has been guilty of impulse buys in the past, but this time he's played his hand sensibly.
North East football fans are nearly two weeks into their new reality. They've been forced to face up to something they've long suspected, but seldom admitted. It matters to us more than it matters to them. Supporters are brought up wearing a cloak of loyalty. Players wear different clothes. Football's their job, not necessarily their passion. The club is their employer, not their family. They listen to their agents, not their fans. I thought Andy Carroll was different, but one way or another, he wasn't. As the mighty NUFC.COM put it on January the 31st "Football romance is dead, everyone is a liar, contracts should be printed on toilet paper."
Money can’t buy you love. But it can buy your centre forward. Here endeth the lesson of the January 2011 transfer window.
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Memories 2010
North East football is another year older, but I'm none the wiser. Just when I think I've worked it out, Ashley goes and sacks Hughton. Or Sunderland go months without a win. Or Gordon Strachan turns out to be a great, big dud. But I've really enjoyed the last 12 months. Some bits more than others mind.....
HEROES OF 2010
5. STEVE BRUCE. Started the year on the crest of a slump. Then recovered. Told a big fat lie about not doing much business over the summer. Broke the transfer record again. Then carried the can for Sunderland's worst derby day in 50 years. But Sunderland's recovery from their Halloween hell has been impressive. Steve Bruce is making progress.
4. KEVIN NOLAN. The leader of the pack. Influential, responsible, clever and effective. Brilliant in the Championship and then reassuringly effective in the Premier League. His place in the hearts and the history books is assured after his hat trick in the Derby.
3. DARREN BENT. The first 10 months of his calender year were terrific. His debut season at Sunderland was virtually perfect, on and off the pitch. He should have gone to the World Cup, although was probably best off out of it. Then @DB11TT went back on twitter and picked up where he left off at the start of the new campaign. Things have gone a bit wonky since then though. An injury and a barren spell meant the year didn't finish on a great note. But how does the old saying go ? "Form is temporary, class is permanent."
2. ANDY CARROLL. In January he was just another championship striker with everything to prove. By the end of the year he was an England International, the hottest property in the premier league and a recurring theme in the nightmares of defenders accross the land. As long as he sorts himself out off the pitch, the sky is the limit.
1. CHRIS HUGHTON. Just for a moment, think what might have happened without him. Take a few seconds to think of what he achieved with very little money and very little actual managerial experience. Remember how his players fought for him to get a new contract and how they mourned his departure. Smile as you recall his often bland press conferences, which were short on soundbites but long on dignity. Then shake your head once more at the madness and unfairness of it all. Chris Hughton's not perfect, but he did a great job at Newcastle in sometimes awful circumstance. He left with his head held high and he'll always have Halloween.
VILLAINS OF 2010
5. KRIS BOYD. It turns out the Scottish Football reporters were right. They were never convinced that the SPL's record goalscorer had an all-round game that stood up to scrutiny. Boyd stands accused now of being football's ultimate flat track bully. Put him in the best team in Scotland and he'll score goal after goal against whatever rubbish rocks up at Ibrox. Put him in the 19th best team in the championship and you get very little.
4. LEE CATTERMOLE. Well, he's just a villain isn't he. A pantomime villain. He's not had a bad year, just a notorious year. Three red cards in 2010 and there could have been many more. The yellow is almost a given in every game and you can usually see it coming before he does. He's got the makings of a great captain, but only if the penny drops, because it's no use being the heartbeat of your team if you're never available to play for them. Encouraging signs on that score towards the end of the year.
3. DARLINGTON FC. Do you remember Ryan Kidd ? I don't blame you if you don't. Perhaps you were on holiday for the 11 days in June when Ryan Kidd was manager of Darlington before deciding that, on second thoughts, he just didn't fancy it. But Ryan Kidd sums up the Quakers 2010. A year that was stupendously, ridiculously awful. The sins of the past meant relegation was inevitable. Banishment from the Football League was the ultimate punishment, but the Quakers very own managerial merry-go-round provided a grotesque sideshow. Staunton failed, Davey two-timed and Kidd just ran away. The fans didn't deserve it and nor did the chairman and after a rocky start, hopefully Mark Cooper can lead them to a brighter 2011. It can't be any worse.
2. MIKE ASHLEY. It's his football club and Mike Ashley will do exactly what he wants to do with it and he doesn't care, not even a little, what you or I think. Not only that, he's never, ever going to explain to you or I why he drops these bombshells, because it's his football club and he doesn't care what you think about his reasons anyway.
1. GORDON STRACHAN. Occasionally very funny. From time to time quite profound. But mostly unpleasant, sarcastic and a bit of a know-it-all. Except it turns out he didn't know it all. He was given the platform and the resources to pull Middlesbrough out of the hole the club had fallen into. But he just kept on digging. He didn't take the money, so he left with his reputation as a man intact. But as for his reputation as a manager, that's in tatters.
MATCHES OF 2010
5. WHITLEY BAY 6 WROXHAM 1. Haway the Bay x2. This time with more goals and a genuinely emotional finale as Mark Taylor, one of the boys of 2009, was ushered up to collect the FA Vase as he battled Motor Neurone Disease.
4. NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0. The best team in the championship beat the third best team in the championship in a fine match at the end of March and Tyneside breathed a sigh of relief as they realised the job was done and the nightmare was almost over.
3. CHELSEA 0 SUNDERLAND 3. Blimey. Who saw that coming ?
2. SUNDERLAND 3 SPURS 1. Bonkers game at the SoL as Benty scored twice against his old club and also managed to miss two from the spot before Zenden wrapped it up with a screamer and we all left wondering what Harry Redknapp's wife is like at taking penalties.
1. NEWCASTLE UNITED 5 SUNDERLAND 1. Whether it brought you joy or pain, it was the one game that will be talked about for years to come. Two extremes of performance collided on the same day to produce the most one-sided ass-kicking in a generation. Sunderland fans suffered, but at least their team quickly recovered. Newcastle fans went out and bought the DVD.
HEROES OF 2010
5. STEVE BRUCE. Started the year on the crest of a slump. Then recovered. Told a big fat lie about not doing much business over the summer. Broke the transfer record again. Then carried the can for Sunderland's worst derby day in 50 years. But Sunderland's recovery from their Halloween hell has been impressive. Steve Bruce is making progress.
4. KEVIN NOLAN. The leader of the pack. Influential, responsible, clever and effective. Brilliant in the Championship and then reassuringly effective in the Premier League. His place in the hearts and the history books is assured after his hat trick in the Derby.
3. DARREN BENT. The first 10 months of his calender year were terrific. His debut season at Sunderland was virtually perfect, on and off the pitch. He should have gone to the World Cup, although was probably best off out of it. Then @DB11TT went back on twitter and picked up where he left off at the start of the new campaign. Things have gone a bit wonky since then though. An injury and a barren spell meant the year didn't finish on a great note. But how does the old saying go ? "Form is temporary, class is permanent."
2. ANDY CARROLL. In January he was just another championship striker with everything to prove. By the end of the year he was an England International, the hottest property in the premier league and a recurring theme in the nightmares of defenders accross the land. As long as he sorts himself out off the pitch, the sky is the limit.
1. CHRIS HUGHTON. Just for a moment, think what might have happened without him. Take a few seconds to think of what he achieved with very little money and very little actual managerial experience. Remember how his players fought for him to get a new contract and how they mourned his departure. Smile as you recall his often bland press conferences, which were short on soundbites but long on dignity. Then shake your head once more at the madness and unfairness of it all. Chris Hughton's not perfect, but he did a great job at Newcastle in sometimes awful circumstance. He left with his head held high and he'll always have Halloween.
VILLAINS OF 2010
5. KRIS BOYD. It turns out the Scottish Football reporters were right. They were never convinced that the SPL's record goalscorer had an all-round game that stood up to scrutiny. Boyd stands accused now of being football's ultimate flat track bully. Put him in the best team in Scotland and he'll score goal after goal against whatever rubbish rocks up at Ibrox. Put him in the 19th best team in the championship and you get very little.
4. LEE CATTERMOLE. Well, he's just a villain isn't he. A pantomime villain. He's not had a bad year, just a notorious year. Three red cards in 2010 and there could have been many more. The yellow is almost a given in every game and you can usually see it coming before he does. He's got the makings of a great captain, but only if the penny drops, because it's no use being the heartbeat of your team if you're never available to play for them. Encouraging signs on that score towards the end of the year.
3. DARLINGTON FC. Do you remember Ryan Kidd ? I don't blame you if you don't. Perhaps you were on holiday for the 11 days in June when Ryan Kidd was manager of Darlington before deciding that, on second thoughts, he just didn't fancy it. But Ryan Kidd sums up the Quakers 2010. A year that was stupendously, ridiculously awful. The sins of the past meant relegation was inevitable. Banishment from the Football League was the ultimate punishment, but the Quakers very own managerial merry-go-round provided a grotesque sideshow. Staunton failed, Davey two-timed and Kidd just ran away. The fans didn't deserve it and nor did the chairman and after a rocky start, hopefully Mark Cooper can lead them to a brighter 2011. It can't be any worse.
2. MIKE ASHLEY. It's his football club and Mike Ashley will do exactly what he wants to do with it and he doesn't care, not even a little, what you or I think. Not only that, he's never, ever going to explain to you or I why he drops these bombshells, because it's his football club and he doesn't care what you think about his reasons anyway.
1. GORDON STRACHAN. Occasionally very funny. From time to time quite profound. But mostly unpleasant, sarcastic and a bit of a know-it-all. Except it turns out he didn't know it all. He was given the platform and the resources to pull Middlesbrough out of the hole the club had fallen into. But he just kept on digging. He didn't take the money, so he left with his reputation as a man intact. But as for his reputation as a manager, that's in tatters.
MATCHES OF 2010
5. WHITLEY BAY 6 WROXHAM 1. Haway the Bay x2. This time with more goals and a genuinely emotional finale as Mark Taylor, one of the boys of 2009, was ushered up to collect the FA Vase as he battled Motor Neurone Disease.
4. NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0. The best team in the championship beat the third best team in the championship in a fine match at the end of March and Tyneside breathed a sigh of relief as they realised the job was done and the nightmare was almost over.
3. CHELSEA 0 SUNDERLAND 3. Blimey. Who saw that coming ?
2. SUNDERLAND 3 SPURS 1. Bonkers game at the SoL as Benty scored twice against his old club and also managed to miss two from the spot before Zenden wrapped it up with a screamer and we all left wondering what Harry Redknapp's wife is like at taking penalties.
1. NEWCASTLE UNITED 5 SUNDERLAND 1. Whether it brought you joy or pain, it was the one game that will be talked about for years to come. Two extremes of performance collided on the same day to produce the most one-sided ass-kicking in a generation. Sunderland fans suffered, but at least their team quickly recovered. Newcastle fans went out and bought the DVD.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
5 thoughts on 5-1.
1. OLD VALUES TRUMP NEW SYSTEMS. How do you win a Derby ? You drink in the atmosphere and you thrive on it. You let the occasion propel you to a higher level of performance. You let the wonderful, visceral, tribal noise fill your heart and soul and inspire you. Newcastle United did all of this on Sunday. You absolutely MUST NOT be afraid of it. You absolutely MUST NOT retreat into your shell and hope your team mates will get the job done for you. You absolutely MUST NOT allow the game to pass you by. Sunderland did all of that on Sunday. It meant the much-anticipated battle of the formations was completely irrelevant. Tactical anoraks were wondering if Sunderland's modern 4-5-1 would confuse and frustrate the Magpies more straightforward 4-4-2. But it just didn’t matter in the end and anyway, Newcastle’s formation was slightly looser than it looked, with Barton, Guttierez and, crucially, Nolan all encouraged to roam.
2. YOU CAN’T WIN A DERBY WITH KIDS. Who were the best players on Sunday ? For me, it was Nolan, Barton, Ameobi and one other. I’ll come to that name in a moment. But the other three were totally in control of their emotions. They embraced the occasion, but they didn’t play the occasion. They sized up the opposition and played cleverly, managing the game for Newcastle in crucial areas of the field. Nolan and Barton are aged 28. Ameobi is aged 29. Compare and contrast with Sunderland. 6 members of their starting 11 were aged 23 or under and not one of those players had a game they would want to remember. I admit, it’s not a hard and fast rule, largely because the other name on my list of the best players on Sunday is 21-year old Andy Carroll, who was simply immense. But you get the point, Sunderland didn’t have enough old heads in key positions. Newcastle did. Steve Bruce admitted as much in his post-match press conference.
3. GIVE THAT MAN A CONTRACT, BUT DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH IF HE DOESN’T GET ONE YET. Chris Hughton has done a remarkable job at St James Park and the tittle-tattle last week was shameful really. The rumours about him losing his job were a new media/internet creation rather than a story with genuine substance. It’s ridiculous to suggest his job should be under threat. On the back of Sunday’s result there’s been a big emotional appeal from fans and players to get the contract situation sorted out. It’s a persuasive argument and it really does feel like a good time for the men upstairs at St James Park to give their manager what he deserves. But these are the Ashley austerity years at Newcastle. Money isn’t splashed around Gallowgate as freely as it was ten years ago. Hard bargains are driven with agents, players and managers. The club have already said they’ll renegotiate Hughton’s deal at the end of the year and they might well feel there’s no need to bring that timetable forward. They’re also fortunate that Hughton is a manager almost without ego, so they know he’s unlikely to rock the boat. Especially when everyone in the boat seems pretty happy right now.
4. DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER. BUT CONSIDER CHANGING THE BATHWATER. The only credit Sunderland took from Sunday is that they were very honest in their response to it. They adopted a mea culpa approach. They had no choice really. It was a terrible day for the Black Cats and there were no excuses given for their performance. There must be a reaction to this, but they must be careful not to over-react. The system that has served them well for two months was ripped apart and gigantic flaws were exposed. But that doesn’t mean they should abandon everything they’ve done up to now. The Black Cats have played some very good stuff so far this season and they’ve got to trust themselves to put this right. The fans need to trust them too. Personally I think it’s now time to get Asamoah Gyan into the team, as Darren Bent is far too isolated up front. But it’s up to Steve Bruce. He has to make at least one change next weekend with Titus Bramble suspended, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was considering another 4 changes. I don’t think he’ll abandon the 4-5-1 system completely, but a little shake up might be good therapy for everyone right now.
5. BEWARE DERBY DAY FOOLS GOLD. It’s not just three points. It’s not just another match. It IS a special occasion which offers a big payoff in terms of emotion and good will. It IS about pride in your team and your city. It definitely IS about lording it over the neighbours if you win and taking it on the chin if you lose. But it’s unlikely to define your season. Newcastle aren’t definitely going to run roughshod over the premier league just because they put five past Sunderland. The Black Cats aren’t definitely going to suffer a huge crisis of confidence and get drawn into a relegation battle. The emotional high of a Derby win can make it seem like everything. But it’s only 1/38th of the premier league season and Newcastle haven’t cracked it just because they hammered their nearest and dearest, just as Sunderland’s campaign isn’t a complete write-off because of this one result. Two years ago Wearside dined out on a famous Derby win at the Stadium of Light and considered it a launch pad for future success. About six weeks later Roy Keane had gone, they were back in the bottom three and back to square one. I don’t actually think the players or managers on either side will get carried away with this result, but there is a danger that the fans will. The nature of the result means it'll be talked about for years, but in terms of the long term progress of both teams, it's unlikely to mean that much. It’s different in the short term though. Newcastle fans are absolutely entitled to revel in their glory this week and Sunderland fans just have to take it on the chin. Those are the rules of engagement on Derby Day.
2. YOU CAN’T WIN A DERBY WITH KIDS. Who were the best players on Sunday ? For me, it was Nolan, Barton, Ameobi and one other. I’ll come to that name in a moment. But the other three were totally in control of their emotions. They embraced the occasion, but they didn’t play the occasion. They sized up the opposition and played cleverly, managing the game for Newcastle in crucial areas of the field. Nolan and Barton are aged 28. Ameobi is aged 29. Compare and contrast with Sunderland. 6 members of their starting 11 were aged 23 or under and not one of those players had a game they would want to remember. I admit, it’s not a hard and fast rule, largely because the other name on my list of the best players on Sunday is 21-year old Andy Carroll, who was simply immense. But you get the point, Sunderland didn’t have enough old heads in key positions. Newcastle did. Steve Bruce admitted as much in his post-match press conference.
3. GIVE THAT MAN A CONTRACT, BUT DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH IF HE DOESN’T GET ONE YET. Chris Hughton has done a remarkable job at St James Park and the tittle-tattle last week was shameful really. The rumours about him losing his job were a new media/internet creation rather than a story with genuine substance. It’s ridiculous to suggest his job should be under threat. On the back of Sunday’s result there’s been a big emotional appeal from fans and players to get the contract situation sorted out. It’s a persuasive argument and it really does feel like a good time for the men upstairs at St James Park to give their manager what he deserves. But these are the Ashley austerity years at Newcastle. Money isn’t splashed around Gallowgate as freely as it was ten years ago. Hard bargains are driven with agents, players and managers. The club have already said they’ll renegotiate Hughton’s deal at the end of the year and they might well feel there’s no need to bring that timetable forward. They’re also fortunate that Hughton is a manager almost without ego, so they know he’s unlikely to rock the boat. Especially when everyone in the boat seems pretty happy right now.
4. DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER. BUT CONSIDER CHANGING THE BATHWATER. The only credit Sunderland took from Sunday is that they were very honest in their response to it. They adopted a mea culpa approach. They had no choice really. It was a terrible day for the Black Cats and there were no excuses given for their performance. There must be a reaction to this, but they must be careful not to over-react. The system that has served them well for two months was ripped apart and gigantic flaws were exposed. But that doesn’t mean they should abandon everything they’ve done up to now. The Black Cats have played some very good stuff so far this season and they’ve got to trust themselves to put this right. The fans need to trust them too. Personally I think it’s now time to get Asamoah Gyan into the team, as Darren Bent is far too isolated up front. But it’s up to Steve Bruce. He has to make at least one change next weekend with Titus Bramble suspended, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was considering another 4 changes. I don’t think he’ll abandon the 4-5-1 system completely, but a little shake up might be good therapy for everyone right now.
5. BEWARE DERBY DAY FOOLS GOLD. It’s not just three points. It’s not just another match. It IS a special occasion which offers a big payoff in terms of emotion and good will. It IS about pride in your team and your city. It definitely IS about lording it over the neighbours if you win and taking it on the chin if you lose. But it’s unlikely to define your season. Newcastle aren’t definitely going to run roughshod over the premier league just because they put five past Sunderland. The Black Cats aren’t definitely going to suffer a huge crisis of confidence and get drawn into a relegation battle. The emotional high of a Derby win can make it seem like everything. But it’s only 1/38th of the premier league season and Newcastle haven’t cracked it just because they hammered their nearest and dearest, just as Sunderland’s campaign isn’t a complete write-off because of this one result. Two years ago Wearside dined out on a famous Derby win at the Stadium of Light and considered it a launch pad for future success. About six weeks later Roy Keane had gone, they were back in the bottom three and back to square one. I don’t actually think the players or managers on either side will get carried away with this result, but there is a danger that the fans will. The nature of the result means it'll be talked about for years, but in terms of the long term progress of both teams, it's unlikely to mean that much. It’s different in the short term though. Newcastle fans are absolutely entitled to revel in their glory this week and Sunderland fans just have to take it on the chin. Those are the rules of engagement on Derby Day.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Goodbye predictable, hello volatile
When will this fog clear ? It's the middle of October and I can't see the shapes on the horizon. It's exciting, but also a little scary. Goodbye predictable, hello volatile. Where are the certainties ? Where are the reliably good and the regularly awful ? Apart from the matter of who’s going to win the premier league title, which already appears screamingly obvious (Chelsea), it's suddenly a lot harder to second guess where this thing's going. Which certainly makes a change. By now you can usually pick out at least one nailed-on certainty for premier league relegation. The resoundingly hopeless newcomers or the crumbling institutions heading for financial armageddon. But the usual suspects are suddenly lurking in the shadows. Liverpool are this year's Portsmouth, no one's putting their hand up to be this year's Burnley and so the landscape is shrounded in uncertainty. The promoted sides are all doing rather nicely in their own different ways and so the soft, established underbelly of the Premier League is looking nervously over it's collective shoulder. Someone's got to go, and if you can't even rely on Blackpool then who can you rely on ? Wake up and smell the risk and reward, because someone's going to do very badly out of this and someone's going to do very well.
It could be our lot, for better or worse.
Sunderland have done good business so far despite a brutal fixture list. But it's all very well standing up to the heavyweights, the Black Cats need to prove they can knock out the lightweights. Bossing Man United around is lovely, but why can't the same group of players take the initiative against West Ham ? Or Wigan ? Or West Brom ? Answer that question and Steve Bruce will have cracked it. But it's a two part question, because first he has to unravel his tactical puzzle. The players clearly enjoy the whole 4-5-1 thing, but sometime soon Bruce has to work out how to fit his record signing into the starting line-up. Clubs like Sunderland don't pay the thick end of 15 million for an impact substitute, so Gyan's going to have to play. 3 at the back anyone ?
Newcastle are, of course, the poster boys for the rollercoaster ride and it's reassuring that the Magpies have been gloriously unpredictable. They've basically won the hard ones and lost the easy ones. Sometimes it's seemed ridiculous that they were ever relegated in the first place, sometimes they look like nervous newcomers who don't know when to stick and when to twist. Like the neighbours, they'll be doing some thinking about tactics. The tried and tested 4-4-1-1 is working brilliantly away from home, but they've got bogged down at St James Park. Chris Hughton could change the system, or just switch players around within the same system, but he knows they can’t afford to lose too many home games. He had a tactical ace up his sleeve, but sadly it's a card he might never get to play. Hatem Ben Arfa was a mysterious little sprite who was all set to become the new darling of the Gallowgate. But not now. Think what you like about the circumstances in which the Frenchman's leg was broken, but basically it was just a crying shame. Ben Arfa may still represent the future, but it's the here and now that matters for Newcastle United.
Life's just as unpredictable in the Football League. Especially at Middlesbrough, who are currently searching for reasons to explain their failure to launch. The optimism of August has been replaced by the uncertainty of October and because they were scorching hot pre-season favourites, every bad result seems a whole lot worse. I have no explanations for this, except to say that it's more evidence of the decline of Scottish Football. But that's just a cheap shot and it doesn't really explain anything. Something's up. Something's wrong and Gordon Strachan needs to locate the problem and solve it. Quickly. Crowds are drifting away, the promotion race is taking place somewhere else and the manager's position is coming under mild scrutiny. He's not bothered about that of course, because Mr Strachan genuinely doesn't care what the media thinks. But at the moment most of us think his team should be doing better, and I bet he agrees with us.
Life's deliciously unpredictable over in Cumbria where Carlisle are starring in their very own Ugly Duckling story. The unheralded Blues are threatening to blossom into a beautiful swan. I saw them dismantle Hartlepool the other week and they were really, really good. Greg Abbott rolled the dice in the summer and freshened up the squad. He's also freshened up the way they play and they've even coped with the departure of Old Father Time (Ian Harte). The table says they're promotion contenders - the manager urges caution at this stage. But a good start has put steam in their strides, they've got some serious fans behind them and a land of opportunity opening up in front of them.
Hartlepool need to make their mind up, about a lot of things. For a start they've had a Caretaker Manager for too long now. All a caretaker can really do is keep things ticking over. Mick Wadsworth's been doing a fairly decent job of that and if he's their man then why don't the club just give him the proper job title and let him get on with it ? It's probably going to be a bit of an uphill struggle this year, but there's no need for them to get relegated, as long as the owners decide where they want to go and who they want to get them there.
So when WILL the fog clear ? I'm not sure, but I'll hazard a guess that it might happen round about four o'clock on Halloween Afternoon as Newcastle United and Sunderland return to the dressing rooms at St James Park. Trick or treat ? We'll see.
It could be our lot, for better or worse.
Sunderland have done good business so far despite a brutal fixture list. But it's all very well standing up to the heavyweights, the Black Cats need to prove they can knock out the lightweights. Bossing Man United around is lovely, but why can't the same group of players take the initiative against West Ham ? Or Wigan ? Or West Brom ? Answer that question and Steve Bruce will have cracked it. But it's a two part question, because first he has to unravel his tactical puzzle. The players clearly enjoy the whole 4-5-1 thing, but sometime soon Bruce has to work out how to fit his record signing into the starting line-up. Clubs like Sunderland don't pay the thick end of 15 million for an impact substitute, so Gyan's going to have to play. 3 at the back anyone ?
Newcastle are, of course, the poster boys for the rollercoaster ride and it's reassuring that the Magpies have been gloriously unpredictable. They've basically won the hard ones and lost the easy ones. Sometimes it's seemed ridiculous that they were ever relegated in the first place, sometimes they look like nervous newcomers who don't know when to stick and when to twist. Like the neighbours, they'll be doing some thinking about tactics. The tried and tested 4-4-1-1 is working brilliantly away from home, but they've got bogged down at St James Park. Chris Hughton could change the system, or just switch players around within the same system, but he knows they can’t afford to lose too many home games. He had a tactical ace up his sleeve, but sadly it's a card he might never get to play. Hatem Ben Arfa was a mysterious little sprite who was all set to become the new darling of the Gallowgate. But not now. Think what you like about the circumstances in which the Frenchman's leg was broken, but basically it was just a crying shame. Ben Arfa may still represent the future, but it's the here and now that matters for Newcastle United.
Life's just as unpredictable in the Football League. Especially at Middlesbrough, who are currently searching for reasons to explain their failure to launch. The optimism of August has been replaced by the uncertainty of October and because they were scorching hot pre-season favourites, every bad result seems a whole lot worse. I have no explanations for this, except to say that it's more evidence of the decline of Scottish Football. But that's just a cheap shot and it doesn't really explain anything. Something's up. Something's wrong and Gordon Strachan needs to locate the problem and solve it. Quickly. Crowds are drifting away, the promotion race is taking place somewhere else and the manager's position is coming under mild scrutiny. He's not bothered about that of course, because Mr Strachan genuinely doesn't care what the media thinks. But at the moment most of us think his team should be doing better, and I bet he agrees with us.
Life's deliciously unpredictable over in Cumbria where Carlisle are starring in their very own Ugly Duckling story. The unheralded Blues are threatening to blossom into a beautiful swan. I saw them dismantle Hartlepool the other week and they were really, really good. Greg Abbott rolled the dice in the summer and freshened up the squad. He's also freshened up the way they play and they've even coped with the departure of Old Father Time (Ian Harte). The table says they're promotion contenders - the manager urges caution at this stage. But a good start has put steam in their strides, they've got some serious fans behind them and a land of opportunity opening up in front of them.
Hartlepool need to make their mind up, about a lot of things. For a start they've had a Caretaker Manager for too long now. All a caretaker can really do is keep things ticking over. Mick Wadsworth's been doing a fairly decent job of that and if he's their man then why don't the club just give him the proper job title and let him get on with it ? It's probably going to be a bit of an uphill struggle this year, but there's no need for them to get relegated, as long as the owners decide where they want to go and who they want to get them there.
So when WILL the fog clear ? I'm not sure, but I'll hazard a guess that it might happen round about four o'clock on Halloween Afternoon as Newcastle United and Sunderland return to the dressing rooms at St James Park. Trick or treat ? We'll see.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
What do you think of it so far ?
It’s a fair enough question to ask and it’s a fair enough time to ask it as we padlock shut the transfer window, put away our unexpectedly new England shirt and prepare to resume battle on the home front this weekend. So then, how’s the North East and Cumbrian football season looking so far ?
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Exceeding expectations.
It stands to reason that one result doesn’t make a season. But sometimes it kind of does. Newcastle’s six goal annihilation of Villa certainly comes into that category. It was perfect in every way and breathed life into the idea that Newcastle’s strengths in the Championship will also prove to be strengths now they’re back in the premier league. St James Park looked every inch the fortress. Andy Carroll looked every inch the new Geordie number nine. Kevin Nolan looked every inch the wily old campaigner with speed of thought to compensate for any lack of speed on the ground. Newcastle looked every inch United. One result doesn’t make a season, but one giant-sized confidence boost can go a long way and some interesting and thoughtful business in the transfer window can only help. So far, so good.
SUNDERLAND: Coping with expectations.
The Black Cats start to the season could have been better, but it could also have been a lot worse. As they kicked off against Manchester City, they had one point from two games and no senior striker to partner Darren Bent. A couple of hours later they had 4 points after a thoroughly uplifting win over the Premier League’s nouveau riche and by close of business on August 31st they had, arguably, one of the most exciting and ambitious signings made by any English club this summer. Steve Bruce claimed at the end of last season that he was aiming for stability. That was a little red and white lie as it turns out. He’s made many, many changes again this summer and he will live or die by the success or failure of those alterations. The centre forward upgrade is the key. Cashing in on Kenwyne Jones and putting all the eggs in an Asamoah Gyan-shaped basket was a bold move. The Ghanaian could become a superstar, or he could become a cautionary tale of World Cup fools gold.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Absolutely not living up to expectations.
They were favourites to win the Championship before a ball was kicked, yet they’re 16th in the table with just the one laboured win after four games. They haven’t hit the ground running, in fact they’ve barely hit the ground at all. Gordon Strachan has assembled a grizzled cast of experienced campaigners - an Old Firm Dirty Dozen if you will – but so far the chemistry isn’t right. He’s got the marksmen, but no one to load the bullets. He’s got a strong spine, but it all gets a bit flabby down the sides. He’s also been very unlucky with injuries. But that luck will surely change and Strachan is more than capable of sorting out the chemistry problem. Middlesbrough had the players to win that division before a ball was kicked and they still do now. No one gets forever in football, but give it time.
CARLISLE UNITED: Exceeding expectations.
It was hard to judge quite what expectations were at Brunton Park, but Carlisle are definitely exceeding them. They’ve emerged from a summer of much change looking leaner, meaner and fit for purpose. A good start has given them belief and confidence. The new arrivals look better or at least as good as the men they’ve replaced. In Francois Zoko they have a player with cult-hero written all over him and in Greg Abbott they have a manager who is growing in stature all the time. Let’s not get carried away yet, because they’re in the pond with some very big fish this season and Ian Harte’s departure represents a big loss, but let’s give credit where it’s due and remain cautiously optimistic.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Living up to expectations. But not in a good way.
They were favourites to go down before a ball was kicked and despite a notable Carling Cup win and a brief dead-cat bounce, they’ve not really calmed the supporters fears. It’s hard to blame the players, who are doing OK, and who must have been aware of the unrest around the club long before Chris Turner held up his hands in frustration and walked away. It’s hard not to blame the owners, who offered Turner little or no encouragement in his attempts to upgrade a squad that only just survived last season. There’s an awful feeling of a business being run-down and mothballed. Mick Wadsworth knows the ropes at this level though, so he’s a capable caretaker who will probably get the full time job. He could yet make a silk purse out of this sow’s ear of a situation.
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Exceeding expectations.
It stands to reason that one result doesn’t make a season. But sometimes it kind of does. Newcastle’s six goal annihilation of Villa certainly comes into that category. It was perfect in every way and breathed life into the idea that Newcastle’s strengths in the Championship will also prove to be strengths now they’re back in the premier league. St James Park looked every inch the fortress. Andy Carroll looked every inch the new Geordie number nine. Kevin Nolan looked every inch the wily old campaigner with speed of thought to compensate for any lack of speed on the ground. Newcastle looked every inch United. One result doesn’t make a season, but one giant-sized confidence boost can go a long way and some interesting and thoughtful business in the transfer window can only help. So far, so good.
SUNDERLAND: Coping with expectations.
The Black Cats start to the season could have been better, but it could also have been a lot worse. As they kicked off against Manchester City, they had one point from two games and no senior striker to partner Darren Bent. A couple of hours later they had 4 points after a thoroughly uplifting win over the Premier League’s nouveau riche and by close of business on August 31st they had, arguably, one of the most exciting and ambitious signings made by any English club this summer. Steve Bruce claimed at the end of last season that he was aiming for stability. That was a little red and white lie as it turns out. He’s made many, many changes again this summer and he will live or die by the success or failure of those alterations. The centre forward upgrade is the key. Cashing in on Kenwyne Jones and putting all the eggs in an Asamoah Gyan-shaped basket was a bold move. The Ghanaian could become a superstar, or he could become a cautionary tale of World Cup fools gold.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Absolutely not living up to expectations.
They were favourites to win the Championship before a ball was kicked, yet they’re 16th in the table with just the one laboured win after four games. They haven’t hit the ground running, in fact they’ve barely hit the ground at all. Gordon Strachan has assembled a grizzled cast of experienced campaigners - an Old Firm Dirty Dozen if you will – but so far the chemistry isn’t right. He’s got the marksmen, but no one to load the bullets. He’s got a strong spine, but it all gets a bit flabby down the sides. He’s also been very unlucky with injuries. But that luck will surely change and Strachan is more than capable of sorting out the chemistry problem. Middlesbrough had the players to win that division before a ball was kicked and they still do now. No one gets forever in football, but give it time.
CARLISLE UNITED: Exceeding expectations.
It was hard to judge quite what expectations were at Brunton Park, but Carlisle are definitely exceeding them. They’ve emerged from a summer of much change looking leaner, meaner and fit for purpose. A good start has given them belief and confidence. The new arrivals look better or at least as good as the men they’ve replaced. In Francois Zoko they have a player with cult-hero written all over him and in Greg Abbott they have a manager who is growing in stature all the time. Let’s not get carried away yet, because they’re in the pond with some very big fish this season and Ian Harte’s departure represents a big loss, but let’s give credit where it’s due and remain cautiously optimistic.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Living up to expectations. But not in a good way.
They were favourites to go down before a ball was kicked and despite a notable Carling Cup win and a brief dead-cat bounce, they’ve not really calmed the supporters fears. It’s hard to blame the players, who are doing OK, and who must have been aware of the unrest around the club long before Chris Turner held up his hands in frustration and walked away. It’s hard not to blame the owners, who offered Turner little or no encouragement in his attempts to upgrade a squad that only just survived last season. There’s an awful feeling of a business being run-down and mothballed. Mick Wadsworth knows the ropes at this level though, so he’s a capable caretaker who will probably get the full time job. He could yet make a silk purse out of this sow’s ear of a situation.
Friday, 6 August 2010
The Return of the Big Three
“Time’s up for the big three.” I said that on the telly on Friday 22nd May 2009. At least one of the North East’s heavyweight trio was going to be relegated on Survival Sunday. As it turned out we lost two and the big three became a big one. Now look, I know that to talk of big threes and big ones is to invite tribal fury telling me that Club X will always be bigger than Club Y no matter what division they’re in. But just for now, let’s put all that to one side. Our football hotbed was in danger of going into deep freeze. Thankfully, it’s thawed out a bit since then. Newcastle United did a thoroughly professional job of winning the Championship last season and so now we’re back up from a big one to a big two. My hunch is that in 12 months time, the big two will be back up to a big three. Here’s why.
1. MIDDLESBROUGH WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Boro fans have had two rotten seasons to put up with. First there was the creeping pain of an inevitable relegation that they seemed powerless and almost reluctant to avoid. Then there was underachievement and reshuffle. But hopefully Boro fans will come to see these lean years as a necessary evil. A long road that will lead them back to better times. The McClaren era bled into the Southgate era and that whole cycle was coming to an end. Bringing in a pragmatic football man like Gordon Strachan was inviting fundamental change. That’s what’s happened and if we’re all honest, that’s what was needed. A new Middlesbrough will attack the nPower Championship this season. A tougher, more streetwise (more Scottish) Middlesbrough. They’ve beefed up the spine of the team with mature players and they’ve addressed the one big problem that gave Strachan sleepless nights from the moment he arrived – the forward line. Kris Boyd and Scott McDonald will score plenty of goals. Providing they can find some width from somewhere, Boro are worthy favourites to win this division, because they look strong and the rest of the teams look weak in comparison.
2. NEWCASTLE WILL NOT BE RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE. Having proved they were far, far too good for the Championship, they have to prove they're good enough for the Premier League. Given what they achieved last season, and the manner in which they achieved it, let's go with the idea that the glass is half full. They showed guts. They showed personality and, as the character Jules said in the film Pulp Ficton, "Personality goes a long way". It's going to have to, because the money won't go far. The new austerity at St James Park means they're hunting for bargains this summer, young and old. So it's the promotion winning squad, slightly remixed. That should be enough to see them well clear of the bottom three, but there may be hard days to get through. Will they score enough goals ? Will the midfield, which dominated the Championship, be fit for purpose in the PL ? Defensively they were great last season, but can that unit survive the intense pressure it will come under in most PL matches ? That's all glass half empty stuff though and, as I said, I'm going with the idea that the glass is half full and that personality will go a long way. Long enough anyway.
3. WHATEVER HAPPENS TO SUNDERLAND, THEY DEFINITELY WON'T GET RELEGATED. Football's language of forward motion provides the script at the Stadium of Light. They need to be "moving on", "taking the next step", "making progress". OK, but quite how much progress they can make next season is an interesting question. Talk of a top ten finish is certainly reasonable, but talk of the Europa League might be a bit far-fetched. If we assume Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal are completely out of reach and Man City, Liverpool and Spurs are almost certainly out of reach, then in order to reach Europe, Sunderland are going to have to finish above Villa and Everton at the very least. It would take an almighty effort. It's not impossible, it just doesn't seem very likely and the transfer business hasn't set the pulse racing so far this summer. They should make progress, because the younger ones are more battle-hardened and there's no reason to think Darren Bent will stop scoring goals anytime soon. But progress won't necessarily mean a giant leap up the table. They just need to look more at home as an upwardly-mobile premier league side. Steve Bruce gave himself 6/10 for last season, but said it was so nearly an 8/10 campaign. I suspect he'll settle for a steady 7/10 this time round, and a cup run would be nice.
So the Big Three will be back this time next year, and I really hope Hartlepool will still be in League One. But I worry about them. The maths aren't good. A team that nearly got relegated + a few free agents = Another team that'll nearly (or actually) get relegated. I hope Darlington bounce straight back to the Football League, but I'm not holding my breath. Finally, I'd dearly love to see Sunderland, Newcastle, or even Boro, have a good run at one of the cups this year. Maybe, but probably not. Sunderland will certainly go for it, but I'm not certain how much either Newcastle or Boro will commit to the idea. The best thing about North East football though is that at least one part of what I've just said will be completely wrong. Something daft or unexpected always happens. That's why we love it.
1. MIDDLESBROUGH WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Boro fans have had two rotten seasons to put up with. First there was the creeping pain of an inevitable relegation that they seemed powerless and almost reluctant to avoid. Then there was underachievement and reshuffle. But hopefully Boro fans will come to see these lean years as a necessary evil. A long road that will lead them back to better times. The McClaren era bled into the Southgate era and that whole cycle was coming to an end. Bringing in a pragmatic football man like Gordon Strachan was inviting fundamental change. That’s what’s happened and if we’re all honest, that’s what was needed. A new Middlesbrough will attack the nPower Championship this season. A tougher, more streetwise (more Scottish) Middlesbrough. They’ve beefed up the spine of the team with mature players and they’ve addressed the one big problem that gave Strachan sleepless nights from the moment he arrived – the forward line. Kris Boyd and Scott McDonald will score plenty of goals. Providing they can find some width from somewhere, Boro are worthy favourites to win this division, because they look strong and the rest of the teams look weak in comparison.
2. NEWCASTLE WILL NOT BE RELEGATED FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE. Having proved they were far, far too good for the Championship, they have to prove they're good enough for the Premier League. Given what they achieved last season, and the manner in which they achieved it, let's go with the idea that the glass is half full. They showed guts. They showed personality and, as the character Jules said in the film Pulp Ficton, "Personality goes a long way". It's going to have to, because the money won't go far. The new austerity at St James Park means they're hunting for bargains this summer, young and old. So it's the promotion winning squad, slightly remixed. That should be enough to see them well clear of the bottom three, but there may be hard days to get through. Will they score enough goals ? Will the midfield, which dominated the Championship, be fit for purpose in the PL ? Defensively they were great last season, but can that unit survive the intense pressure it will come under in most PL matches ? That's all glass half empty stuff though and, as I said, I'm going with the idea that the glass is half full and that personality will go a long way. Long enough anyway.
3. WHATEVER HAPPENS TO SUNDERLAND, THEY DEFINITELY WON'T GET RELEGATED. Football's language of forward motion provides the script at the Stadium of Light. They need to be "moving on", "taking the next step", "making progress". OK, but quite how much progress they can make next season is an interesting question. Talk of a top ten finish is certainly reasonable, but talk of the Europa League might be a bit far-fetched. If we assume Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal are completely out of reach and Man City, Liverpool and Spurs are almost certainly out of reach, then in order to reach Europe, Sunderland are going to have to finish above Villa and Everton at the very least. It would take an almighty effort. It's not impossible, it just doesn't seem very likely and the transfer business hasn't set the pulse racing so far this summer. They should make progress, because the younger ones are more battle-hardened and there's no reason to think Darren Bent will stop scoring goals anytime soon. But progress won't necessarily mean a giant leap up the table. They just need to look more at home as an upwardly-mobile premier league side. Steve Bruce gave himself 6/10 for last season, but said it was so nearly an 8/10 campaign. I suspect he'll settle for a steady 7/10 this time round, and a cup run would be nice.
So the Big Three will be back this time next year, and I really hope Hartlepool will still be in League One. But I worry about them. The maths aren't good. A team that nearly got relegated + a few free agents = Another team that'll nearly (or actually) get relegated. I hope Darlington bounce straight back to the Football League, but I'm not holding my breath. Finally, I'd dearly love to see Sunderland, Newcastle, or even Boro, have a good run at one of the cups this year. Maybe, but probably not. Sunderland will certainly go for it, but I'm not certain how much either Newcastle or Boro will commit to the idea. The best thing about North East football though is that at least one part of what I've just said will be completely wrong. Something daft or unexpected always happens. That's why we love it.
Monday, 7 June 2010
North East XI 2009-2010
Just a personal opinion, so don’t hate me.
I do appreciate that Sunderland were operating at a higher level than Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, but I think the Magpies’ success justifies their representation in the following team.
The formation is 4-4-2 because, well, we’re English, it’s what we always do and any attempt to do anything different will only end in tears.
GOALKEEPER - Steve Harper (Newcastle United) - Sunderland’s Craig Gordon gave some of the best goalkeeping performances I’ve ever been lucky enough to see this season and began to look proper world class. But Harper had an almost flawless campaign for Newcastle. He broke the club record for clean sheets, marshalled his defence expertly and he was one of the senior members of the dressing room committee that helped put the house in order last summer.
RIGHT BACK - Danny Simpson (Newcastle United) - Alan Hutton was excellent on loan for Sunderland, but Simpson’s season was a solid body of work. A very reliable player. Interesting to see how he goes in the premier league.
LEFT BACK - Jose Enrique (Newcastle United) - Crowd favourite, proper player and evidence that not everything Sam Allardyce did at Newcastle was wrong. The Spaniard had an excellent year and he could thrive in the top flight next season.
CENTRE BACK - Michael Turner (Sunderland) - Good, old-fashioned, no nonsense, value for money defender. If you want ball playing, beautiful game centre halves then look elsewhere. But if you want an aggressive, committed, brave defender – he's your man.
CENTRE BACK - Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United) - Found redemption in the championship. But while Dexter Blackstock, Shefki Kuqi and Alan Lee didn't cause him to lose sleep, the old nightmares are just around the corner. Never mind Rooney, Torres and Drogba, he needs to cope better with the likes of Kenwyne Jones, John Carew and Kevin Davies.
LEFT MIDFIELD - Jonas Guttierez (Newcastle United) - I still don't think there's enough end product, but he was one of the outstanding creative players in the Championship and he'll be in the Argentina starting XI in the World Cup, so what do I know ?
CENTRE MIDFIELD - Jordan Henderson (Sunderland) - Could’ve been Lorik Cana, who was a great signing for Sunderland, but who got bogged down in the winter. It would've been Lee Cattermole, had he stayed injury free and kept up the stellar form he showed at the start of the season. Instead it's a kid who came from the youth team and looked totally at home in a premier league midfield. Big things might happen for this one.
CENTRE MIDFIELD - Kevin Nolan (Newcastle United) - The Governor. Huge influence on the dressing room at Newcastle and huge influence on the pitch as well. The canniest, most streetwise player in the Championship last season. Truly intriguing to see how he does next year.
RIGHT MIDFIELD - Adam Johnson (Ex-Middlesbrough) - Yes, I realise I’m picking a left-footed Manchester City player and playing him on the right side, but everyone seems to like him on the right side these days and this is the only way I can get any Boro representation into the starting eleven. He's a true talent. Shame he had to leave. But I suppose he had to.
STRIKER - Darren Bent (Sunderland) - First name on the team sheet. A brilliant, brilliant debut season for the Black Cats record signing. Bent is a true predator and has been a huge success on and off the pitch for Sunderland. Don’t worry about the price tag because he’s worth every penny.
STRIKER - Andy Carroll (Newcastle United) - The whole package needs improving, especially off the pitch, but he had a real breakthrough season in the championship. He’s got a fierceness that I really like in a centre forward and he’s actually a really good finisher.
SUBSTITUTES: Craig Gordon (Sunderland) John Mensah (Sunderland) Lorik Cana (Sunderland) Barry Robson (Middlesbrough) Danny Guthrie (Newcastle United) Peter Lovenkrands (Newcastle United) Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
I do appreciate that Sunderland were operating at a higher level than Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, but I think the Magpies’ success justifies their representation in the following team.
The formation is 4-4-2 because, well, we’re English, it’s what we always do and any attempt to do anything different will only end in tears.
GOALKEEPER - Steve Harper (Newcastle United) - Sunderland’s Craig Gordon gave some of the best goalkeeping performances I’ve ever been lucky enough to see this season and began to look proper world class. But Harper had an almost flawless campaign for Newcastle. He broke the club record for clean sheets, marshalled his defence expertly and he was one of the senior members of the dressing room committee that helped put the house in order last summer.
RIGHT BACK - Danny Simpson (Newcastle United) - Alan Hutton was excellent on loan for Sunderland, but Simpson’s season was a solid body of work. A very reliable player. Interesting to see how he goes in the premier league.
LEFT BACK - Jose Enrique (Newcastle United) - Crowd favourite, proper player and evidence that not everything Sam Allardyce did at Newcastle was wrong. The Spaniard had an excellent year and he could thrive in the top flight next season.
CENTRE BACK - Michael Turner (Sunderland) - Good, old-fashioned, no nonsense, value for money defender. If you want ball playing, beautiful game centre halves then look elsewhere. But if you want an aggressive, committed, brave defender – he's your man.
CENTRE BACK - Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United) - Found redemption in the championship. But while Dexter Blackstock, Shefki Kuqi and Alan Lee didn't cause him to lose sleep, the old nightmares are just around the corner. Never mind Rooney, Torres and Drogba, he needs to cope better with the likes of Kenwyne Jones, John Carew and Kevin Davies.
LEFT MIDFIELD - Jonas Guttierez (Newcastle United) - I still don't think there's enough end product, but he was one of the outstanding creative players in the Championship and he'll be in the Argentina starting XI in the World Cup, so what do I know ?
CENTRE MIDFIELD - Jordan Henderson (Sunderland) - Could’ve been Lorik Cana, who was a great signing for Sunderland, but who got bogged down in the winter. It would've been Lee Cattermole, had he stayed injury free and kept up the stellar form he showed at the start of the season. Instead it's a kid who came from the youth team and looked totally at home in a premier league midfield. Big things might happen for this one.
CENTRE MIDFIELD - Kevin Nolan (Newcastle United) - The Governor. Huge influence on the dressing room at Newcastle and huge influence on the pitch as well. The canniest, most streetwise player in the Championship last season. Truly intriguing to see how he does next year.
RIGHT MIDFIELD - Adam Johnson (Ex-Middlesbrough) - Yes, I realise I’m picking a left-footed Manchester City player and playing him on the right side, but everyone seems to like him on the right side these days and this is the only way I can get any Boro representation into the starting eleven. He's a true talent. Shame he had to leave. But I suppose he had to.
STRIKER - Darren Bent (Sunderland) - First name on the team sheet. A brilliant, brilliant debut season for the Black Cats record signing. Bent is a true predator and has been a huge success on and off the pitch for Sunderland. Don’t worry about the price tag because he’s worth every penny.
STRIKER - Andy Carroll (Newcastle United) - The whole package needs improving, especially off the pitch, but he had a real breakthrough season in the championship. He’s got a fierceness that I really like in a centre forward and he’s actually a really good finisher.
SUBSTITUTES: Craig Gordon (Sunderland) John Mensah (Sunderland) Lorik Cana (Sunderland) Barry Robson (Middlesbrough) Danny Guthrie (Newcastle United) Peter Lovenkrands (Newcastle United) Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland)
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
40% better.
In an item I did on the telly the other week, I argued that the North East League Football season that's just ended was 40% better than the last one. The maths are fairly simple, which they have to be, because I’m not good at maths. But I thought I’d explain. Basically, it was a LOT better for Newcastle, better for Sunderland, but either the same or worse for Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Darlington.
Newcastle United. BETTER. MUCH, MUCH BETTER
The Magpies season can be viewed in any number of different ways, but every interpretation reaches the same positive conclusion. At one extreme, you might reasonably say that Chris Hughton, Kevin Nolan, Steve Harper and the rest of them have saved the soul of a football club. At the other end of the scale, you might consider that essentially all Newcastle United have done is put right a terrible wrong. But either way, you have to conclude that they’ve done very, very well. Hughton’s quiet authority was the pleasant surprise of the year. The coalition of senior players set the tone and provided the solid backbone to the whole enterprise. Newcastle United became a half decent team again, but just as importantly, they became a team that it’s possible to admire again. They were defined by spirit, character and hard work. Old-fashioned qualities that haven't been associated with Newcastle United for some time. They deserved to win the Championship and the premier league welcomes them back with open arms.
Marks out of ten: 10. I could take a mark off for the “fight, what fight” incident that the club swept under the carpet. I could take a mark off for the balloon-bursting, post-season “No money, no comment” statement. But I’m not going to. Giving Newcastle United any less than 10 out of 10 seems churlish. They did as much as it was possible for them to do this season and they did it very well.
Sunderland. BETTER.
Great start + Saggy middle + Decent ending = 13th place in the premier league and no relegation worries beyond the middle of April. That is progress. It’s just not sexy progress. It’s just not as much progress as we were hoping for back in November. Ultimately it was a transitional season as a new manager put together a new squad. Darren Bent was the star of the show. His 25 goals kept the Black Cats out of trouble, but just as importantly he proved that not all young, English footballers are predictable and one dimensional. He proved to himself and hopefully to others that there is football life outside London and the North West. He embraced the region and the region embraced him. Bent wasn't the only success story either. Craig Gordon blossomed. Jordan Henderson sparkled. There’s a lot to work with and more money for Bruce to spend. The bleak midwinter was awful though and as a result, there will be tough decisions to make, in terms of who stays and who can go. But the foundations are now in place. Opportunity knocks at the Stadium of Light. That’s for sure.
Marks out of ten: 7. I asked Steve Bruce to give himself marks out of ten for his debut season as Sunderland Manager. He said 6. But I think he was being harsh on himself. I say 7, because as uneven as it was, there were some great memories along the way. The beachball. Man United away. Arsenal and Spurs at home, the latter of which was my favourite match of the season. Darren Bent becoming the new Superkev. Lorik Cana launching himself into ridiculous flying tackles. As Steve Bruce said, "It was so nearly an 8".
Middlesbrough. SLIGHTLY WORSE.
Everything changed, but not yet for the better. Boro’s campaign was defined by the decision to replace Gareth Southgate with Gordon Strachan. It was more than a managerial reshuffle. It was Steve Gibson's admission that an era was over at the Riverside and it was time to rip everything up and start again. The arguments about Southgate were mostly over the timing of his departure, rather than the decision itself and Strachan seemed a logical choice to replace him. But it was in the weeks and months that followed that Middlesbrough’s season drifted away from them. There was no “dead cat bounce”. Just the opposite. Their form collapsed and by the time they recovered, automatic promotion had gone and the play-offs were just out of reach. But what if this unsatisfying season was a necessary evil ? Clearly Strachan was less than enthusiastic about the squad he inherited and he set about rebooting it in January. That process is not yet complete and therefore this project can’t yet be properly judged. Time is of the essence though. The Teesside public have voted with their feet. Attendances have dropped alarmingly and Strachan and his team need to act fast to bring the fans back to the Riverside.
Marks out of ten: 4. That may seem harsh, but while Newcastle looked like a premier league team just passing through, Middlesbrough never fully came to grips with the championship. The big roll of the dice, the managerial change, did not bring instant results. Adam Johnson provided the sparkle, but his inevitable departure was the final signal that it was the end of an era. This was a deeply flawed, deeply unsatisfying campaign. But change on this scale tends to be painful and better times are surely ahead.
Hartlepool United. SAME
The same season as last time made different by an unexpected random factor that was thrown in at the very last minute. A Football League ruling that was brutal in it's timing, if not in it's substance. There are definitely two sides to the Gary Liddle story, but when all's said and done, Hartlepool selected a player who should have been suspended and ultimately they take responsibility for that. But why did it take so long for the verdict ? Stripping Hartlepool of 3 points just before the final game of the season changed the shape and context of the relegation fight for four different clubs. That was cruel and badly handled. But they survived and that's another little victory. Hartlepool provide a decent blueprint for small clubs competing at this level and every year they survive in league one is a year of achievement. But that's also a fundamental problem, because if you keep banging your head on the glass ceiling, the law of diminishing returns kicks in and Hartlepool had the lowest average crowd in League One this year.
Marks out of ten: 5. More of the same. No cup excitement to speak of this time either. In fact the only thing that really raised the pulse was Liddlegate.
Darlington. WORSE. OBVIOUSLY.
With the benefit of hindsight, they never had a chance. It just took too long to get out of administration and there wasn't enough time or money for a new manager to conjure up a new team. Colin Todd had virtually no players left over from the previous season and his replacements weren't good enough. Steve Staunton replaced Todd and tried his own hasty rebuilding job. But that didn't turn out much better. By the time Simon Davey arrived as the third manager of the season, the brief was no longer survival, it was resurrection. Darlington were relegated and that great, big, white elephant of a stadium will exist outside the football league next season. It's sad and it feels like a death in the North East Football Family.
Marks out of ten: 1. Half a mark because I think Chairman Raj Singh's heart is in the right place and half a mark for the appointment of Simon Davey, who might just be the right man for this beast of a job. But apart from that, forget it. A disaster.
Newcastle United. BETTER. MUCH, MUCH BETTER
The Magpies season can be viewed in any number of different ways, but every interpretation reaches the same positive conclusion. At one extreme, you might reasonably say that Chris Hughton, Kevin Nolan, Steve Harper and the rest of them have saved the soul of a football club. At the other end of the scale, you might consider that essentially all Newcastle United have done is put right a terrible wrong. But either way, you have to conclude that they’ve done very, very well. Hughton’s quiet authority was the pleasant surprise of the year. The coalition of senior players set the tone and provided the solid backbone to the whole enterprise. Newcastle United became a half decent team again, but just as importantly, they became a team that it’s possible to admire again. They were defined by spirit, character and hard work. Old-fashioned qualities that haven't been associated with Newcastle United for some time. They deserved to win the Championship and the premier league welcomes them back with open arms.
Marks out of ten: 10. I could take a mark off for the “fight, what fight” incident that the club swept under the carpet. I could take a mark off for the balloon-bursting, post-season “No money, no comment” statement. But I’m not going to. Giving Newcastle United any less than 10 out of 10 seems churlish. They did as much as it was possible for them to do this season and they did it very well.
Sunderland. BETTER.
Great start + Saggy middle + Decent ending = 13th place in the premier league and no relegation worries beyond the middle of April. That is progress. It’s just not sexy progress. It’s just not as much progress as we were hoping for back in November. Ultimately it was a transitional season as a new manager put together a new squad. Darren Bent was the star of the show. His 25 goals kept the Black Cats out of trouble, but just as importantly he proved that not all young, English footballers are predictable and one dimensional. He proved to himself and hopefully to others that there is football life outside London and the North West. He embraced the region and the region embraced him. Bent wasn't the only success story either. Craig Gordon blossomed. Jordan Henderson sparkled. There’s a lot to work with and more money for Bruce to spend. The bleak midwinter was awful though and as a result, there will be tough decisions to make, in terms of who stays and who can go. But the foundations are now in place. Opportunity knocks at the Stadium of Light. That’s for sure.
Marks out of ten: 7. I asked Steve Bruce to give himself marks out of ten for his debut season as Sunderland Manager. He said 6. But I think he was being harsh on himself. I say 7, because as uneven as it was, there were some great memories along the way. The beachball. Man United away. Arsenal and Spurs at home, the latter of which was my favourite match of the season. Darren Bent becoming the new Superkev. Lorik Cana launching himself into ridiculous flying tackles. As Steve Bruce said, "It was so nearly an 8".
Middlesbrough. SLIGHTLY WORSE.
Everything changed, but not yet for the better. Boro’s campaign was defined by the decision to replace Gareth Southgate with Gordon Strachan. It was more than a managerial reshuffle. It was Steve Gibson's admission that an era was over at the Riverside and it was time to rip everything up and start again. The arguments about Southgate were mostly over the timing of his departure, rather than the decision itself and Strachan seemed a logical choice to replace him. But it was in the weeks and months that followed that Middlesbrough’s season drifted away from them. There was no “dead cat bounce”. Just the opposite. Their form collapsed and by the time they recovered, automatic promotion had gone and the play-offs were just out of reach. But what if this unsatisfying season was a necessary evil ? Clearly Strachan was less than enthusiastic about the squad he inherited and he set about rebooting it in January. That process is not yet complete and therefore this project can’t yet be properly judged. Time is of the essence though. The Teesside public have voted with their feet. Attendances have dropped alarmingly and Strachan and his team need to act fast to bring the fans back to the Riverside.
Marks out of ten: 4. That may seem harsh, but while Newcastle looked like a premier league team just passing through, Middlesbrough never fully came to grips with the championship. The big roll of the dice, the managerial change, did not bring instant results. Adam Johnson provided the sparkle, but his inevitable departure was the final signal that it was the end of an era. This was a deeply flawed, deeply unsatisfying campaign. But change on this scale tends to be painful and better times are surely ahead.
Hartlepool United. SAME
The same season as last time made different by an unexpected random factor that was thrown in at the very last minute. A Football League ruling that was brutal in it's timing, if not in it's substance. There are definitely two sides to the Gary Liddle story, but when all's said and done, Hartlepool selected a player who should have been suspended and ultimately they take responsibility for that. But why did it take so long for the verdict ? Stripping Hartlepool of 3 points just before the final game of the season changed the shape and context of the relegation fight for four different clubs. That was cruel and badly handled. But they survived and that's another little victory. Hartlepool provide a decent blueprint for small clubs competing at this level and every year they survive in league one is a year of achievement. But that's also a fundamental problem, because if you keep banging your head on the glass ceiling, the law of diminishing returns kicks in and Hartlepool had the lowest average crowd in League One this year.
Marks out of ten: 5. More of the same. No cup excitement to speak of this time either. In fact the only thing that really raised the pulse was Liddlegate.
Darlington. WORSE. OBVIOUSLY.
With the benefit of hindsight, they never had a chance. It just took too long to get out of administration and there wasn't enough time or money for a new manager to conjure up a new team. Colin Todd had virtually no players left over from the previous season and his replacements weren't good enough. Steve Staunton replaced Todd and tried his own hasty rebuilding job. But that didn't turn out much better. By the time Simon Davey arrived as the third manager of the season, the brief was no longer survival, it was resurrection. Darlington were relegated and that great, big, white elephant of a stadium will exist outside the football league next season. It's sad and it feels like a death in the North East Football Family.
Marks out of ten: 1. Half a mark because I think Chairman Raj Singh's heart is in the right place and half a mark for the appointment of Simon Davey, who might just be the right man for this beast of a job. But apart from that, forget it. A disaster.
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