A curse or a blessing?Well not if your surname is “Ferguson,” “Wenger” or “Mourinho” perhaps, but for most, if not quite all of the others who won the award, it has seemingly been a ticket to disaster, despair, and possibly permanent career oblivion, or at least a prelude to a big dent in the manager’s CV.
In this story, I will take a look at many of the previous winners for whom the award seemed to be more of a curse than a blessing. So, lets take a look at the prevous victims of the curse, and also ask if Newcastle United’s very own Silver Supremo, Alan Pardew, might be another one.
Kenny Dalglish (Premier League Manager of the Season 1994–95).
When Kenny Dalglish won the Premier League “Manager of the Season” award for 1994-5, he was the golden boy of the football management world, just as he had been as a player in the years before that. With a little help from his most illustrious predecessor Bob Paisley, he had won three league titles, two FA Cup titles and four Charity Shields as manager of Liverpool. Moving on to Blackburn Rovers, he then took them to promotion, and even the 1994-5 Premiership title in their third Premiership campaign and it was for this that he received his award. (more…)
The end of the season is finally upon us. A season in which defied all expectations. A season where even the most optimistic of Toon fans would have struggled to predict what would be.
Newcastle United gate-crashed the top six, and also knocked on the door of the Premier League’s top four. As it turned out at 5pm on Sunday the 13th of May 2012, Newcastle United were confirmed as finishing in 5th place, above Chelsea, above Liverpool, and above the majority of peoples expectations.
The Europa League awaits the Magpies next season, a new chapter or perhaps a new beginning is on the horizon. But before we look forward into what might be, I’m now going to relive the season that was. Cast my mind back and tell the tale of Newcastle United’s 2011 / 2012 season. I hope you are all sitting comfortably… (more…)
Two great legends - One sadly missed,, and another who will be.Gary Speed MBE: 1969 – 2011.
With the sad news on Sunday morning of the passing of the ex-Newcastle United midfielder and Wales manager, I thought it would be a nice gesture to post something that would give an opportunity for our readers to reminisce about Speed’s career on Tyneside.
I wrote the this article as a tribute to the great man about three months ago. After contemplating doing a series of pieces highlighting some of my favourite Newcastle United players of the last decade. Gary Speed was the first player that entered my head when I thought of the more recent legends who have graced the black and white shirt, so he was the first subject of my ‘Magical Magpie Legends’ pieces.
I have also included a video below, posted by youtube user “pbraddazz”. It is a video tribute to Gary’s six and a half great years at Newcastle United, from his signing by Kenny Dalglish in February 1998, to the time of his departure in July 2004. There is also another video of Gary Speed’s his final appearence on Saturday’s “Football Focus”, which was recorded only a few hours before his tragic death.
Sigmund DalglishKenny Dalglish turns to psychiatry to tell Newcastle United fans what they think about Andy Carroll.
Apparently there’s a royal wedding today. When I heard about it I assumed Cheryl Tweedy was getting hitched again but apparently it’s to do with a couple called Kate and Will. Anyway, it seems my invite was lost in the post so I thought I’d write an article on here instead.
Kenny ‘Sourpuss’ Dalglish has been telling us Toon supporters what we think of Andy Carroll ahead of Sunday’s game, so we’d better jolly well listen.
Kenny instructs us thusly:
“They [that’s us] will do whatever they want, but it won’t take away from what he has done for their football club and it won’t take away what the football club meant to Andy.
“It is a compliment really, in a strange way, if you do get abuse because it means you must have been important to them.”
So any boos for Andy Carroll will actually be translated as “we love you” according to Kenny. I wonder from which Internet site Kenny got his degree in psychiatry. (more…)
When Kenny Dalglish won the Premier League “Manager of the Season” award for 1994-5, he was the golden boy of the football management world, just as he had been as a player in the years before that. With a little help from his most illustrious predecessor Bob Paisley, he had won three league titles, two FA Cup titles and four Charity Shields as manager of Liverpool. Moving on to Blackburn Rovers, he then took them to promotion, and even the 1994-5 Premiership title in their third Premiership campaign and it was for this that he received his award. (more…)
