Louise Taylor

[@yourservice 67]

Terry McDermott was dubbed "Black Box" at Newcastle United because of his ability to survive as assorted managers came and went. That changed early yesterday morning when a telephone call summoned this most long-serving of the club's backroom staff to St James' Park where he was relieved of his duties.

 

Kevin Keegan's former assistant used to laugh when people gained his attention by shouting "Black Box" or joked that they wanted to stand next to him when the bomb went off but the great survivor who variously coached, acted as court jester and provided a shoulder to cry on for five Newcastle managers was not smiling yesterday.

 

It seems that the resolutely "old school" McDermott, who not only worked under Keegan (twice) but Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder and Sam Allardyce was regarded as much too close to Keegan, who resigned amid considerable acrimony last Thursday, by Newcastle's "modernising" board.

 

As Mike Ashley, the club's owner, made it clear he intends to be around for the long haul, directors refined their shortlist of candidates to replace Keegan. It is believed to be topped by Gianfranco Zola, although West Ham are confident of getting there first, and also features Didier Deschamps, Roberto Mancini and Slaven Bilic. Gus Poyet, the Tottenham No2 and former assistant at Leeds and Swindon to the club's executive director, Dennis Wise, was a leading candidate but is believed not to be keen on the job. Adam Sadler will not work with any of those names as the reserve-team coach was also dismissed yesterday.

 

These departures leave Newcastle light in terms of coaching staff but Chris Hughton, the first-team coach and former Spurs assistant manager, is in temporary charge. Although the popular Hughton is not a political animal there was an indication that he and McDermott were not quite on the same wavelength when the young right-back Ben Tozer replaced Geremi during the second half of Newcastle's pre-season friendly defeat at Doncaster.

 

Having been given detailed instructions by McDermott, who was clutching and pointing at an open A4-sized exercise book, a perplexed looking Tozer then saw Keegan's assistant elbowed out of the way by Hughton. The first-team coach proceeded to offer him a fresh set of guidelines - this time detailed in his own A4 notebook.

 

Fiercely protective of Keegan, McDermott - who back in his friend's original incarnation as Newcastle manager happily made regular treks from the team's then training base at Durham University to buy the squad sandwiches from Marks & Spencer - was selling hamburgers at racecourses when his former team-mate first took charge on Tyneside and offered him the No2 job. Except for a spell away from the club during the managerial tenures of Ruud Gullit and Sir Bobby Robson, "Black Box" had, until yesterday, barely looked back since.

 

In contrast Ashley and his board were determinedly peering forward yesterday when a St James' source insisted that, rather than seeking to be bought out, the owner has a "five-year plan" he intends bringing to fruition.

 

Making it clear that he will not amend his controversial, continental-style management structure, the source said: "Mike is firmly committed to Newcastle. Despite the backlash from Kevin's departure he remains determined to get the club moving forward again. He totally believes in the structure he put in place in January.

 

"The search for the new manager is already under way and it will be a case of Mike and the board working through the list of candidates they have identified."

 

Newcastle have sounded out Bilic, the Croatia coach, about the vacancy but he claimed yesterday he was not interested. Zola is understood to be Ashley's preferred choice but he has impressed in two interviews with West Ham. Deschamps, another of Wise's old Stamford Bridge team-mates , is also under consideration.

Toon Army get shirty

 

Mike Ashley has metaphorically been stripped of his black and white shirt. The Newcastle United owner was yesterday told he would no longer be welcome to sit with the Toon Army at away games and he appears to have been disowned by those he once bought pints aplenty for. "We insist Mike Ashley does not attend away games among the travelling support," said Mark Jensen and Michael Martin, respective editors of fanzines The Mag and True Faith, in a joint message. "He is not a Newcastle supporter and is not welcome among our ranks."

 

 

Toon Army get shirty

 

Mike Ashley has metaphorically been stripped of his black and white shirt. The Newcastle United owner was yesterday told he would no longer be welcome to sit with the Toon Army at away games and he appears to have been disowned by those he once bought pints aplenty for. "We insist Mike Ashley does not attend away games among the travelling support," said Mark Jensen and Michael Martin, respective editors of fanzines The Mag and True Faith, in a joint message. "He is not a Newcastle supporter and is not welcome among our ranks."

(The Gaurdian) Edited September 9, 2008 by @yourservice

[Jusoda Kid 1]

As I said yesterday I think the fat fuck is in for the long haul and if this is the case boycotting a few food and drink stalls ain't going to do shit, empty stadium is the way forward for this wanker.

[Fop 1]

I wonder if the 5 year plan involves getting rid of 1 or 2 managers per season?

[TheMoog 0]

As I said yesterday I think the fat fuck is in for the long haul and if this is the case boycotting a few food and drink stalls ain't going to do shit, empty stadium is the way forward for this wanker.

 

Sad but true, of course that won't happen though because people don't see the bigger picture, they're just piss and wind.

[Bombadil 0]

You couldn't make it up. When things were going well for us, Taylor and her chums kept telling us on a daily basis that Ashley wanted out. And now that things have gone tits up, they're taking great delight in letting us know that he is "in for the long haul". Of course.

[Wavey Davey 0]

You couldn't make it up. When things were going well for us, Taylor and her chums kept telling us on a daily basis that Ashley wanted out. And now that things have gone tits up, they're taking great delight in letting us know that he is "in for the long haul". Of course.

 

Noticed that meself. Funny how things change, isn't it?

[sweetleftpeg 0]

You couldn't make it up. When things were going well for us, Taylor and her chums kept telling us on a daily basis that Ashley wanted out. And now that things have gone tits up, they're taking great delight in letting us know that he is "in for the long haul". Of course.

 

Yup. Unfortuantely, that mackem sympathising bitch loves sticking in the spoon and stirring the shit.