Should Ashley sack Hughton if he gets Newcastle promoted?I feel somewhat strange writing about this as promotion is by far from a certainty yet, although even the most downbeat fan has to be looking up at the Premier League and thinking a swift return looks more and more likely as the weeks and games pass by.
However, inspired by Simon Bird, let’s discuss what could possibly be one of owner Mike Ashley’s biggest problem should we go up. Do we stick with Hughton or do we change manager again?
Not many Toon fans wouldn’t pat current boss Chris Hughton on the back for the amazing job he has done in taking Newcastle United 5 points clear at the top of The Championship. We can’t deny it, it’s there in print, and despite a certain number of fans fearing the worst before the season kicked off, Hughton has slowly turned it around. We can look at individual games where perhaps things could have been done better tactically, Leicester away is a prime example, but what we do have to admit is that the majority of the time Hughton has hit the nail on the head and got the tactics right and earned the results we needed. (more…)
Jose looking bullish in a fetching yellow.Jose Enrique could make a return to the squad after missing out on the last six matches. The 24-year-old and £6.5million-rated Spanish left-back, has been one of Newcastle’s best players this season, but with initially no natural replacement it was feared that the Spanish defender, nicknamed ‘The Bull’, would be a big loss.
Chris Hughton brought in Chelsea’s young left-back, Van Aanholt, 19, who had a previous loan spell at Coventry City to cover the position for a month. The young Dutchman has done well when called upon and has turned in some decent performances considering the shoes he’s been filling in the position.
Hughton will have the option to extend Van Aanholt’s loan from an initial one month period to until the end of the season. Personally, I’d like to see him given the opportunity here as he won’t feature for Chelsea (injuries permitting) and there’s always the danger of Enrique falling to injury again.
Enrique’s last game for Newcastle was the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, now nearly over a month ago. Hughton has the decision to instantly bring Jose back for his guaranteed experience, or stick with Van Aanholt who hasn’t really put a foot wrong. However, seeing as Hughton only rates Enrique as “hopeful” for Watford, it would be assumed that in keeping with his usual ‘safe approach’, the manager will stick with Van Aanholt. (more…)
One Chrissy Hughton?On a day when two of this season’s unsung heroes finally got some vocal recognition from Level 7, there was perhaps more to take home than the three points from a comfortable 3-0 victory over Preston. Newcastle supporters have had every right to question the current board, with the owner’s intentions still up for much debate (see here for more details).
For his sins, Chris Hughton is now in cahoots with Ashley and Co. and inevitably suffers by association with his employer and the lasting ill-feeling between board and supporters. But even the most cynical of supporters are conceding that whatever their opinions of what the relationship between Hughton and the board represents, whether he’s just an extension of them or his own entity and doing his own thing, what he’s delivering is winning football. Not always pretty, not always elegant but generally, winning.
So I guess it was inevitable that by it’s nature, the more vocal element in black and white would recognise his contribution in song. That it happened in yesterday’s game was still perhaps a surprise to some, certainly yours truly, although arguably it was already overdue. And that it happened on a day when a new Coloccini ditty was given some air time by the lads and lasses of Level 7, was perhaps just a happy coincidence, or is it that the mood is just slightly brighter all of a sudden? (more…)
Preston North End: A proud history.A warm Geordie welcome awaits the visit of the Lancashire lads as Newcastle take on Preston at St James’ Park for a somewhat rare Saturday 3pm kick off. Newcastle fans will be hopeful of another strong performance straight after Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Coventry.
After watching The Toon hammer in 9 goals in the last 2 home games, Preston manager Darren Ferguson is sure to have his troops fired up for a strong defensive performance whilst possibly trying to sneak a winner on the break, and with players like Danny Wellbeck and Jon Parkin up front, that is a possibility. The Lilywhites have more than enough in their armoury to have a go at Newcastle and will have one eye over their shoulder as another defeat could jeopardize their current 14th place in the table and see them slide further towards the relegation zone.
Preston’s last league trip to St James’ Park came way back in 1981, with Newcastle running out 2-0 winners on that occasion. Our most recent meeting with them was the 1-0 win away at Deepdale back in November with Kevin Nolan scoring the winner. (more…)
Trip down memory lane to better times.After the last two abject displays away to Derby and Swansea, there can be no question that Newcastle need to turn in a convincing performance and take all three points from the game against Coventry City at St James Park tonight.
With West Brom’s draw Tuesday evening taking them back to the top of the table on goal difference, and Forest’s win closing the gap between us and them to 2 points but with our two games in hand, we need to make our next two home games count by taking all six points.
Coventry won’t be a pushover. They’ve moved up to the top half of the table after finding a little run of form. Coventry City midfielder, Gary Deegan, has described the Sky Blue’s Championship match at Newcastle United tonight as a great opportunity. Speaking to the Coventry Telegraph, Deegan who scored the only goal against QPR on Saturday said:
“We have got two wins in the last two so let’s go up there and make it three. Why not?
“I think people will start taking notice of us now that we are showing we are not just a bottom half team.
“We have beaten Forest and QPR so we want to go up to Newcastle and beat them too.”(more…)
