Steve McClaren

[East End Hammer]

And there we go breaking news Rafa is on his way to Newcastle

 

[Super_horns]

Would Rafa take them on with a multi-year contract and accept working in the Championship if needed, or just a 3 month deal in an attempt to stay up? Will be interesting to see...

Will have a break clause in his contract I suspect if they get relegated - anyway some Newcastle fans will probably want him sacked if they go down.

 

[smat]

Finally confirmed. McClaren's gone. Did not do a good job this season.

 

[Benji]

Can't help but feel McClaren isn't really the problem at Newcastle, but he certainly isn't the solution either. If Benitez is going to be appointed, I think he will be able to make a positive difference. It will be a massive test of his ability if he can sort that team out. Awful, awful defence and an attack that has hardly got started all season, save for that game against Norwich.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

The guy is, has always been, and probably always will be, a clown of a manager.

 

[JimJams]

Wish they'd waited til Tuesday to get rid.

 

[MagpieBee]

Benitez confirmed.

 

[silkyman]

Wish they'd waited til Tuesday to get rid.

Feeling the pressure?

You should dick Newcastle, even with a dead cat bounce.

I think they had to do it now. Gives Benitez a free game to get a look at his players without anyone expecting a win. Keep McLaren and then what? Lose on Monday and make 'losing away to the team top of the table' the final straw?

 

[Leewilson]

The problem for Rafa is he's not the most endearing of managers. If they have a bad run of form, I don't see the Newcastle fans getting behind him. In recent times, only really Keegan and Robson have done well at Newcastle and both of them are very likeable characters. Everyone else has pretty much failed or been eventually driven out by the fans.

 

[JimJams]

Keep McLaren and then what? Lose on Monday

Ideally yes.

 

[silkyman]

Bit late for that...

 

[Stevencc]

Benitez has got big bollocks to take the Newcastle job on now.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

That, or the job offers from larger clubs have dried up.

 

[Stevencc]

That's possible. I think he still has some credit though, Real Madrid is an absolute circus and I don't think his relative failure there will have tainted his reputation all that much.

 

[Super_horns]

How will he work with Mike Ashley - I get the feeling Benitez doesn't suffer fools gladly and won't want to be messed around...

 

[JaseTheVillain]

That's possible. I think he still has some credit though, Real Madrid is an absolute circus and I don't think his relative failure there will have tainted his reputation all that much.

Napoli will have though.

 

[G.B]

Benitez is a bit...optimistic, isn't it?

I don't think he'd touch the job personally. No chance. Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid.... Newcastle. Nope.

I doubt Benitez would touch the job with a barge pole. There's a very good chance they will go down and I'm sure he wouldn't want to tarnish his CV with a relegation. Same goes for Moyes. His last two jobs haven't exactly gone well so I don't think the prospect of being the man to take Newcastle down would do much to enhance is reputation. Pearson is an ideal candidate for me. He's a nut job but a decent manager at the same time. I'm sure if he did take over and they still went down he'd be a good candidate to get them promoted at the first attempt.

Benitez would be a coup for Newcastle, no way should they be able to attract a manager of his calibre. Sure, he's had a rough time over the past five years, but he's managed at a level far above Newcastle. He could get a job with a European contender in a bunch of leagues.

McClaren was doomed from the outset, one of the more baffling hires of recent history.

shy bairns get nowt.

think a lot of people don't seem to be aware just how far his stock has fallen. he's underperformed or been outright sacked at every club since his last proper good season in 2009, his brief stint with chelsea aside. on field problems, coupled with his tendency to behave like an utter bellend, make him a bit unattractive to the bigger clubs. it's not 2005 anymore chaps.

pleased enough to have a decent manager in but i still think he's a knob.

 

[smat]

Why's he a knob? I like him.

 

[Simmo]

McLarens just had a total mare at Newcastle, was he not doing a half decent job at Derby?

28 games.....just 6 wins

 

[G.B]

Why's he a knob? I like him.

his stubbornness, hypocritical statements, arrogant interviews, his attacks on officials etc. though i do concede some of those charges can be leveled at most managers. i don't like the way he carries himself. but mostly i think he's a knob for taking a cl winning inter side and ruining them in less than 6 months, all the while publicly arguing with, and making demands of, the owner and board the entire time, citing a lack of transfers as the reason for failing to get what was the best team (and fully fit during his stay) in europe within 13 points of a crap milan side. also he looks like a cartoon character.

 

[G-Dragon]

Benitez too classy for a vile club like Newcastle tbh. Soon he will be hounded out like they did to Pardew and McClaren.

 

[JimJams]

Cup manager.

 

[Renegade]

shy bairns get nowt.

think a lot of people don't seem to be aware just how far his stock has fallen. he's underperformed or been outright sacked at every club since his last proper good season in 2009, his brief stint with chelsea aside. on field problems, coupled with his tendency to behave like an utter bellend, make him a bit unattractive to the bigger clubs. it's not 2005 anymore chaps.

pleased enough to have a decent manager in but i still think he's a knob.

He reminds me a bit of Ranieri. He failed at a few jobs and it killed his reputation, but these were jobs at a much higher level than relegation threatened sides. We see what Ranieri has done with a 'lesser' team since coming back to England, Benitez should be capable of improving Newcastle drastically as well if given time. What is the worst he's ever done in a league? He is at the very least a Europa League quality manager, which is still a huge upgrade on the numpties you've endured since Sir Bobby.

I agree that he is a knob though, that won't change.

 

[JimJams]

How dare you sully the good name of Sir Claudio by lumping him in with the classless yobbo that is El Fat Waiter.

 

[smat]

What is the worst he's ever done in a league?

got relegated

 

[G.B]

He reminds me a bit of Ranieri. He failed at a few jobs and it killed his reputation, but these were jobs at a much higher level than relegation threatened sides. We see what Ranieri has done with a 'lesser' team since coming back to England, Benitez should be capable of improving Newcastle drastically as well if given time. What is the worst he's ever done in a league? He is at the very least a Europa League quality manager, which is still a huge upgrade on the numpties you've endured since Sir Bobby.

I agree that he is a knob though, that won't change.

Decent comparison that, actually.

Sacked in 7th with Liverpool (after a fallout with the owners) who were competing for the title prior to that. Sacked with the reigning champions of Europe (after a fallout with the owners) when he had them 6th, 13 adrift, in a very poor Serie A. Didn't do bad at Napoli, didn't do great either. Sacked by Real Madrid (after a fallout with the president) due to pissing off the players (a running theme throughout his career) and being dominated by the good sides. He's never really had a terrible season as a manager but he has a reputation for being very difficult to work with, and not being too good at his job in recent years. His reputation is definitely at an all time low right now though, hence taking the Newcastle job.

Agreed though, quality manager by our standards. I'm more than happy with his appointment, I just don't like him. Hopefully he can keep us up and we'll see what he does from there. At the very least he wont be a pushover with the players like McMuffin, and I have no doubt he'll improve us if we don't go down.

 

[G.B]

got relegated

Aye, but they were minnows that he got promoted to begin with.

 

[smat]

Aye, but they were minnows that he got promoted to begin with.

Excuses excuses.

Steve McClaren's never been relegated #iamjustsaying

 

[Renegade]

got relegated

I really should check my fachts.

 

[mistermagic]

Wish they'd waited til Tuesday to get rid.

Sometimes, chimp, things just don't go your way. I may watch the second half on Monday evening.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh.