NEIL MOXLEY That’s all, folks! Rafa rebrands loony Toons
Fwolwloww. Tew. eurk: @peoplesport IN this job, one column per season is guaranteed... you’re going to get a free hit at Newcastle United.
There’s going to be an episode so ridiculous at St James’ Park that you can liberate your pen and gleefully scribble away without any fear of comeback.
You see, there are some clubs in English football that simply can’t keep themselves out of the headlines. For all the wrong reasons. And Newcastle United have made a great kicking post over the years.
From this columnist’s vantagepoint, it’s been one glorious chapter of woe after another. Sob on the Tyne? Not sitting in this chair.
Let’s take a random example from the last time the Toon Army dropped into the Championship.
Not one, or two, but three managers as their season crumbled – that’s the quality of material I’m talking about!
Yes, Kevin Keegan resigned, Joe Kinnear made way because of a health scare and Alan Shearer was parachuted in to save the sinking ship.
Bizarre
Set against a backdrop of supporter unrest and bizarre directorial appointments – Dennis Wise was in charge of recruitment over Kevin Keegan – the Magpies lurched from one disaster to the next.
Since then, we’ve had some cracking embarrassments.
On the pitch, a particular highlight was a defeat in the FA Cup – to Football League debutants Stevenage. That was a good ’un. Away from the green stuff, we have had St James’ Park being renamed the Sports’ Direct Arena – the rest of football had a good chortle at that.
And they laughed even louder when joker-in-chief Kinnear couldn’t even say the name of his then managing director correctly.
It’s Derek Llambias, Joe. Not Llambeezy.
A shirt sponsorship deal was botched when payday loans firm Wonga were drafted in to shame the front of those iconic black and white shirts.
It got better, that one, too. Star striker Papiss Cisse refusing to wear it because of his religious beliefs.
In the manager’s chair, there have been comings and goings too numerous to mention. The last incumbent, Steve McClaren, was given the option to extend his deal for eight years. He lasted eight months instead. Just brilliant. On the terraces, when fans weren’t firing off at the directors’ box – in fairness, often with justified reason – one half-wit punched a horse.
A respected sage in this business told me there were no new stories in football. He’d clearly not spent much time on Tyneside.
And now what’s happened? Where is the fan unrest? Where is the anger at the board? Where’s the shambles on the pitch?
It’s all that Rafa Benitez’s fault. It’s gone from sob on the Tyne to good job on the Tyne.
Finally, owner Mike Ashley has appointed a boss that is right at the top of his game. Even if you didn’t fully believe in the miracle of Istanbul, then it is difficult to argue that Chelsea was anything but a difficult task, brilliantly executed. Valencia? Tick. Naples? Tick. Real Madrid? Not given enough time. Benitez deserves huge credit for having the guts to take on a role that has been too rough for some of his managerial colleagues. Particularly so following the drop into the Championship. Rafa put hi s reputation bang on the line. The fans, who are canny enough to see that, took to him in an instant. Benitez shields the board BRENTFORD are the latest club to fall foul of the curse of re-branding.The Championship club – nicknamed The Bees – have launched their new club crest, the punchline being that the new creature in the centre of it resembles a wasp. It’s marketing madness. So, please, those concerned get back in the hive and amuse yourself with more worthwhile ventures than alienating half of your supporters.