Match Preview/Thread: Shamrock v Shambles (that's Newcastle)
By Tyne-Talk
July 11 2009
Newcastle United travel to Dublin today to face Shamrock Rovers for the first of a series of pre-season friendlies. With a team just half of what it was at the end of the season, caretaker manager Chris Hughton may struggle with selection due to the number of players who have left the club and are yet to be replaced and he could be forced to test the abilities of the clubs youngsters.
Whilst this is an excellent opportunity for younger players to shine, it fails to help a team gel ahead of a crucial season. With no manager, no buyer and several key players having already left the club in the last few weeks, today's game comes at a time when the club needs to be getting it's act together and anything but a win could see morale dive. It is likely that Steve Harper, Steven Taylor, Habib Beye, Andy Carroll, Danny Guthrie, Nicky Butt and Joey Barton will all be at the club next season and as a result we expect to see them on the pitch this afternoon. Newcastle United fans have their share of a 5000 ticket allocation and the match is a near sell-out at Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Stadium. Whilst the fans and the players descend on Dublin, the board (who appear to be doing very little) are unlikely to have much interest in the game. Don't expect Mike Ashley to be mulling around Rovers new purpose built stadium, as he is more focused on the money rather than what matters and is desperately thrashing out a deal behind closed doors with what could be any number of foreign consortiums alleged to have an interest in the club. As always, none of these details have been made public and the paying customer is once again left in the dark. So as the fans have no say in the dealings of the club, it's time to get behind the players and make sure they feel supported for this - not so important friendly in terms of standings - but hugely important in terms of morale - game. Former Newcastle United and Northern Ireland International Tommy Wright who is currently coaching Shamrock Rovers told The Journal; "Of course that is what everyone is talking about. But, hey, it could have been just about any club in England and it'd still all be about Real Madrid. I think the tickets have sold OK for the Newcastle game. They're still a big club and I'm sure there will be a big crowd but maybe not as big as there would have been a few years ago for a similar game. I'm excited about it, of course I am. We had a big league game on Friday so we're all concentrating on that but any time I'm involved against Newcastle I look forward to it. It's a crying shame where they are at the moment and I personally hope Alan comes back into it. You look at the managers since the Kevin Keegan years and for the most part they've been among the biggest names in European football. Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Robson, Ruud Gullit -- they might not all have worked but you need to be of a certain stature to manage Newcastle United." On Newcastle next season he added; "It is like nothing they've experienced before, I'm sure of that. At Norwich last season we took four points off Wolves and didn't get beat home or away by Birmingham - and they were the top two. But we still ended the season getting relegated. It goes without saying that any team in the division can beat any other team - that is borne out by the evidence of last season. But players also have to be prepared for every single game to be competitive, which isn't always the case in the Premier League. The way that teams play in the Championship, it feels like there are six points available for a win rather than three. It's a mental thing. Newcastle as it stands have better players than the other teams but they've got to be prepared for what's about to happen. And wherever they go, they'll be the biggest game of the season for the other team."
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This is a shambles because we should have a new manager installed who should be using these games to cement his team and get things in order for the new season.
I hope a gay polar bear escapes from the zoo and rapes Mike Ashley
He's making our glorious club into a complete laughing stock
Making 11 changes at half time does nothing and assesses no-one when the person observing won't be the person making the decisions come the real games.
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