Shepherd puts pressure on Souness

[khay 10]

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has told manager Graeme Souness that he expects him to deliver a top-six finish in the Premiership this season.

Newcastle are 19th in the table with one point from four games, and they have yet to score a goal.

 

When asked about his target, Shepherd told BBC Five Live: "Top six.

 

"We've spent £50m since January. We couldn't back the manager any more. Graeme has got his own team now - 10 men in and 10 men out."

 

Newcastle finished 14th in the table last season, and they failed to win a place in the Uefa Cup for this season through the Intertoto Cup.

 

But Souness was subsequently given £17m to spend on England striker Michael Owen, £9.5m on Deportivo La Coruna's Albert Luque and Nolberto Solano returned from Aston Villa for a reported £1.5m.

 

"It was a disappointing start but we got the three players we wanted and we set out to get," said Shepherd.

 

"It was a bit late but better late than never."

 

Shepherd was also asked his views on the debate over Sven-Goran Eriksson's role as England manager following the 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Northern Ireland.

 

"I'm very pro-British and I would want a British manager in the job. That is my opinion," he said.

 

"But I think he (Eriksson) should stick it out."

 

nothing new.

[TheInspiration 1]

Should be 4th or 5th with a good manager. Possibly higher.

[Womblemaster 0]

he probably knows that uefa football is the best route to silverware. Also i hope that our recent spending is NOT dependant on a CL place. `co then we really have done a leeds.!

[Guest Sima]

Weren't we supposed to win a trophy last season?

[shakermaker 0]

he probably knows that uefa football is the best route to silverware.  Also i hope that our recent spending is NOT dependant on a CL place.  `co then we really have done a leeds.!

31003[/snapback]

would he be saying top 6,ie uefa ,if we were in danger of doing a leeds.champs lge or bust!

Edited September 9, 2005 by shakermaker

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Shepherd has insisted on top 6, can he not see that is a cast iron impossibility with this fuckwitt in charge, surely by his own words he has to sack him now!

 

Then again last season when souness began his mission to fuck this club up Fred insisted consolidation was unacceptable and that souness had to finish 4th i think it was but certainly top 6, well that was bullshit so Fred is probably spouting more shit.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Souness looked like a man under pressure yesterday, his face was grey.

Blood pressure can't be good for a man who's had heart surgery, perhaps he should leave on medical advice.

[emperor_k 1]

Robson was sacked after finishing 5th. Then why is 6th now acceptable ?

[Renton 21592]

Robson was sacked after finishing 5th. Then why is 6th now acceptable ?

31603[/snapback]

 

Don't forget, we were going to get relegated under Robson.

 

If we can get to 6th place, after spending an extra 40 million of course, then it is a great coup, financially.....

 

Problem is, already, it is going to be incredibly difficult to get that high after such a disastrous start. And looking at our short- and long-term form, is it impossible we get relegated?

 

I have it on great authority from everyone, that relegation is almost literally impossible. Then again, I have pretty much predicted where NUFC would finish up over the last ten seasons. I hope I'm wrong this time.