Newcastle United are searching for a new manager. So far almost all candidates linked to the job have turned it down publicly. Why is the Newcastle job such an undesirable position? Are the conditions of working under Mike Ashley and his reign regarded as completely hopeless?
The latest to turn down an opportunity of working under Mike Ashley is Derby County boss Steve McClaren. While McClaren has not stated any reasons for not wanting to work at the Tyneside club, he has instead focused on the fact that he is not finished with his job at Championship contenders Derby County. Still, McClaren joins in the rank with managers like Tony Pulis, Steve Bruce and Christophe Galtier who have all publicly stated they are not in the running for the job.
So what makes the Newcastle job so unattractive? Well, first of all the job is not unattractive. Newcastle is a big club, with incredibly loyal fans. At each home game, over 50,000 geordies turn up to support their team, regardless of position on the table, anger with the owner, or other scandals that regularly happen inside the club. The potential for success is enormous. The trophy cabinet has been closed since 1969, and for a new manager to secure a trophy would bring an instant knighthood.
On the other hand, the pitfalls of this job are massive as well. While Newcastle United is not the only club in England dealing with an owner running the club more like a business, and not as an ambitious football club, the antics of owner Ashley are rather unique. He has made so many unpopular decisions that most of the fans have turned against him. Renaming the stadium, appointing Joe Kinnear (twice), and falling out with club legends Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer are just some of the reasons fans want to see the back of the man who made his money through Sports Direct.
Whilst a manager could work under Ashley and simply distance himself from the controversy, he would probably have to publicly support the owner and his decisions, which could quickly make the manager unpopular with fans as well. Nobody wants to see someone act as a puppet. That was probably one of the reasons many people never took to Alan Pardew as well. Pardew’s unconditional support of the owner was viewed by many as an act, and Pardew was seen as a man who did not have the courage to stand up for his own opinions. He was seen as a public face for the so called ‘cockney mafia’, yet everyone knows slamming off your own employer is not a good idea.
The pressure and expectations on a new manager will also be massive, as the fans are desperately seeking a trophy. That is not an easy situation for a manager, especially when you are working for a club board that does not seem to prioritise the domestic or European cups, instead focusing on the league – coincidentally where the money is made. And when the league expectations are to finish in the top ten, but not qualifying for the Europa league, it is a very odd job proposition indeed. Every manager will probably want to make the best possible cup run, and attain the highest possible position in the league, not see results slip because the board don’t think European qualification is in the clubs best interests.
It is no big secret either, that every transfer window brings the possibility of the best players leaving the club. While this is true for every club, Newcastle United’s best players seem always to be up for sale, with the philosophy being that new players can always be obtained for a lower price tag. That is not such a bad philosophy, but the fact is that it is not always that easy finding the right player to fill the gap, as we saw all too clearly after the sale of Yohan Cabaye last January. Many experts and fans still don’t think the Frenchman has been replaced in the side.
This window, the talk is that United’s best player of this season, Moussa Sissoko, might leave the club. That would leave the club once again having to scout the market for an offensive, creative player, if the task is not given directly to Siem De Jong straight after a long term injury. The rumour is also increasing that Mike Ashley would want to sell the club. That would be music to the ears of many United supporters, but the fact is, it may also make the club financially insecure, and may mean the hunt for a new manager could be put on ice for a while longer.
With interim manager John Carver already making himself unpopular with supporters following a cup defeat to Leicester City, and Peter Beardsley rumoured not to be in contention for the job, many fans are now opening up to the possibility of a French manager taking charge. Odds have dropped on former Lyon coach Remi Garde to get the job, but of course, if he would even consider taking the job, remains to be seen.
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