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Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Spirited victory proving a point

Paul Dixon has been following Newcastle United for more than 35 years, 16 of which have been as a season ticket holder in the Gallowgate End at St James' Park. Each week in his column, he takes a wry look at all things football - from a black-and-white perspective.
A TAD belated, but well done for the three points last week at Brum, a notoriously difficult place to get anything.
We may have caught them at the right time, in the middle of a cup run and a Wembley appearance (remember them?), but in the recent past we’d have lost; Nolan’s piece last week about a unique dressing room spirit clearly wasn’t just hyperbole.
This leads to another piece, this time by Enrique. It was taken out of context apparently, as he joined an ever-increasing list of foreign players falling for this type of interview. This is just the usual preamble to contract negotiations.
These negotiations imitate courtship rituals of birds. The male frigate bird, to select one at random, in an effort to attract a mate, sits in a prominent position and puffs his bright red neck out.
This is partially to put himself on the market for desirable potential mates, and partially, if you’ll permit the modern jargon of our youth, to big himself up.
Footballers are no different, they or their representatives inflate their necks to maximise their chances of hitting the jackpot. The Enrique situation is no different, and I have no doubts whatsoever that the Tioté camp are already fluffing their plumage for a summer mating.
I hope they both stay and, to be fair, Enrique wanting to see how our season pans out, and what plans are afoot for pressing on, before committing, is entirely understandable.
Pardew has been promised the loot from Liverpool, but even that, if we are to progress, will barely be adequate. I don’t anticipate much more than the Carroll money being spent, the days of £10million signings are over. Financial stability are the dull, if understandable, watchwords.
Ashley has been like the ‘safe’ manager brought in to stabilise a club, a modern-day Joe Royle if you will. Mid-table is what we have to look forward to under him.
Unless he starts throwing cheques around, we won’t match the Man Al City spending power. Mind you, there are countries who couldn’t match their spending power, never mind football clubs.

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