Premier League - Parker urges Toon to forget past

Eurosport - Fri, 03 Oct 15:30:00 2008

Former England defender Paul Parker believes Newcastle need to stop looking to the past if the beleaguered club are to move forward.

FOOTBALL Newcastle St James' Park fan keegan shirt - 0

"Newcastle's main problem at the moment seems to be attracting a successor to Kevin Keegan in the Toon hot seat.

They've brought in Joe Kinnear, but I don't particularly think he is the best man for the job, even on a short term basis - his rant at reporters has already proved that.

There are definitely better people out there, but the plain facts of the matter are that few are brave enough to take it.

The massive weight of expectation from Newcastle fans can be a major deterrent to prospective long-term incumbents of the managerial post.

And that's not to mention the worryingly short stays of recent Toon managers, which can hardly make the job look any more attractive.

Whoever takes the job needs to be able to handle the pressure, shoulder the expectation and take the abuse. But even if there is someone out there who ticks all those boxes, they may still not meet with the fans' approval.

Why? Because Newcastle fans seem to want 'one of their own', not someone from the South or a member of the so-called 'Cockney Mafia', as they have dubbed Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise et al.

Anyone who arrives in the North East without prior experience of Newcastle - either the club or the town itself - seems to be on a hiding to nothing.

At the moment, Newcastle fans only have eyes for Keegan and they are desperate to get him back. But Keegan is not the way forward; on the contrary, I believe re-hiring him now would be a backwards step for the club.

Whoever buys Ashley out should be given free reign to make their own choices on the manager without having to bow to external influences. They should be allowed to hire someone who they think can do the job properly and guide the club out of their current predicament.

Under no circumstances should they allow themselves to be influenced in their selection by the fans and their desire to see a familiar face in the hot seat. If they want to bring in an 'outsider', so be it. Anything else and the club stand to alienate themselves.

Whoever buys the club shouldn't have to bring Keegan back just to appease the fans. A long term plan is needed and sometimes to be able to see that, a step back is necessary. Understandably, fans find it difficult to do that.

On the field, Newcastle are lacking everything a successful club has got and it's difficult to see where the points are going to come from at the moment.

As a player when your club is in a situation like that, it begins to play on your mind. You start looking at yourself and your team-mates and making comparisons with the opposition. Reports in the newspapers start to bother you and you begin to feel unsettled.

And it is supremely difficult to shake off that mentality, especially in a league where competition is so great.

At the moment Newcastle are in a prime position to go down - the football they're playing, the attitude and hunger of the players, the players they're buying, the boardroom situation, the managerial situation - none of it says to me that they're going to stay up.

With a long-term replacement for Keegan unlikely to be found any time soon, it's not looking good for them. And I fear that if the situation has not been sorted out by November, it may be too late for them.

One thing is for sure: Newcastle have a real battle on their hands and they are going to need all the help they can get if they are to turn the situation around."

Paul Parker / Eurosport

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  1. Two Things;

    1. Who the hell lets Paul bloody Parker­ write these articles. My god this man just states the­ obvious every week. He really has nothing to say other­ than to regurgitate what he has glanced at on the back­ page of the Sun and the Mirror. What's next Paul,­ 'come January Man City will be able to buy better­ players' or have you already written some drivel­ about that?! Here is idea for your next revelation of a­ story, how about, 'Spurs; they will be relegated if­ they don't win games' shouldn't be too hard­ to scrape together 250 words on that!

    2. Newcastle­ fans having an objection to a business man from London­ buying your club because he's not a Geordie, but a­ dodgy group from South Africa, that's okay?

    3. (I­ know, I said two things) KK, rubbish manager anyway,­ why can't you all see that?!!!! THAT'S RIGHT­ KEVIN KEEGAN - @#$% MANAGER, prove me wrong, what did­ you win under his messiah-like guidance? Nothing!! All­ you Newcastle fans will realise this and will ALL be­ proved as hypocrites if , and it's a big if, Ashley­ sells, Keegan comes back, you get relegated. Not one of­ you will stand up a say, Keegan was the right man for­ the job, it'll be;

    "Well man, eye nev'a­ wanted him back like" echoing around the city.

    From grafikleeuk, on Fri 3 Oct 12:09PM

  2. Paul Parker ? doesnt anyone in power read this @#$%..do­ something, please.

    From tom, on Fri 3 Oct 12:03PM

  3. Why does everyone seem to think toon fans are deluded­ about their club? NUFC supporters just love their club­ same as any other supporters ive spent a lot of time in­ manchester and liverpool and its no different there.­ The only difference is ST James park has been full­ every week for years DESPITE the lack of trophies and­ not BECAUSE of trophies won.

    From Tony K, on Fri 3 Oct 12:00PM

  4. Come to the TOON and say that Mr Parker you total @#$%­ pot. We'll kick the living @#$% out of you , you­ know nowt about our club so piss off.

    From Neil, on Fri 3 Oct 11:59AM

  5. umm paul parker has managed a side

    the great and­ mighty.... wait for it.....

    Chelmsford City..... wheel­ em in!

    From R, on Fri 3 Oct 11:57AM

  6. Paul G you've hit the nail on the head. Paul­ Parker 24 carat @#$%

    From Alistair, on Fri 3 Oct 11:47AM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    True, Paul Parker has not managed a side and some are­ correct in stating this, but how many clubs has Sir­ Alan of Shearer managed? I also agree newcastle fans­ live in this bubble that a local lad will solve the­ majority of their problems and bring success. I'm­ surprised they don't bang on about the war, how­ they could leave their doors open all day while they­ were out and how good the old days were. Please, come­ into the 21st century and look forward to the­ Championship next season.

    From Tony, on Fri 3 Oct 11:44AM

  8. The fans should go to st james and look the players in­ the eyes and ask them to deliver the goods.Once they do­ and even if they fail when they give their heart and­ soul to the club the fans will surely be on their side,­ they are not stupid not to notice if a player is giving­ it their best shot...but now most of them mite just be­ thinking of leaving the club and figuring out which­ club would take them next season! @#$% the lot of them.­ Players aren't that loyal like the fans are!

    From maximusLAC C, on Fri 3 Oct 11:40AM

  9. Who's Paul Parker??

    From lesley s, on Fri 3 Oct 11:38AM

  10. I COULD NAME A TWO OTHERS THAT CAN TALK THE TALK BUT­ NOT WALK THE WALK.
    HANSEN , CARLTON PALMER - WHO EVER­ GAVE HIM A JOB ON TV WANTS LOCKING UP
    ( DULL AS DISH­ WATER )

    From jason g, on Fri 3 Oct 11:34AM

  11. PAUL; PARKER WHY DONT YOU GAIN SOME EXPERIENCE AT­ MANAGEMENT LEVEL FOR A CLUB IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IM SURE­ THERE WOULD BE MANY PLAYERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE­ SHOOTING PRACTICE AGAINST YOU ( SORRY AT YOU )

    From jason g, on Fri 3 Oct 11:18AM

  12. I aggree with Paul G , Paul Parker like the sound of­ his own voice , and has the verbal squits.
    If Keegan­ did come back , I think he should have a righthand man­ that is ready to take control of the club but also­ coach and gain respect from the palyers . I.e A.Shearer­ , Peter Beardsley . I still liked the Glen Roeaders­ time at the club. You need somone who can raise the­ roof at St.James.

    From jason g, on Fri 3 Oct 11:15AM

  13. I actually agree with him. Newcastle are in­ championship unless they move on. Keegan is the­ bottler, England and now Newcastle - he should have­ just got on with it instead of leaving the fans high­ and dry...

    From trov, on Fri 3 Oct 11:11AM

  14. Parker you bellend! You clearly know nothing about­ Newcastle Utd. The long term plan would be be Keegan­ bringing Shearer through! How you ever got a job on­ this site is beyond me?!? Paul G your spot on with your­ 24 carat @#$%!. Why, Parker, you feel you need to­ comment is beyond me. I hope you don't get paid for­ this article which is once again absolutely @#$%!!!

    From danielcole141298, on Fri 3 Oct 11:09AM

  15. I hope newcastle get relegated the arrogant stupid fans­ deserve it, "oooh we are the best fans the most­ passionate fans we are a big club" you lot­ couldn`t even win a raffle if you bought the only­ ticket

    From mpr1138, on Fri 3 Oct 11:07AM

  16. here he goes AGAIN!

    'Paul Parker EX England­ defender and KNOW IT ALL' ...

    Has he been out of­ the country recently? Isn't Keegan eager to get­ back to Newcastle? Were Newcastle expected to postpone­ all their games until they found a suitable caretaker­ manager until the sale of the club goes through?

    He­ really makes me laugh ... why has he never had the­ bottle to try managing? That's right ... he's­ got no bottle ... remember when HE TURNED HIS BACK ON­ THE BALL IN 'THAT' FREE KICK?

    I said it many­ times before ... 24 carat @#$%!

    From Paul G, on Fri 3 Oct 10:59AM
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