JOHNGIBSON
ONE BOSS IS LAUDED BY FANS, THE OTHER IN FIRING LINE
USUALLY it takes history to place a Newcastle United manager in his deserving slot on the Richter scale of impact.
For example, Joe Harvey has gained considerable ground with the passing of time as fans realised how successful he was – the last manager to win an important trophy on our behalf, the European Fairs Cup of 1969.
Others received a more swift recognition; Kevin Keegan for building the Entertainers who achieved the runners-up spot in the Premier League, and Sir Bobby Robson who gave us Champions League football and a third-top finish.
However, the impact of Rafa Benitez has been instant. He is revered on Tyneside yet has only spent one full season here so far and that in the second tier of English football.
Nevertheless it’s obvious why such a well-decorated manager is loved for committing himself to our cause when others wouldn’t.
And that’s the major difference this summer between United and local rivals Sunderland.
When Newcastle were relegated a year ago Geordies were chanting for Rafa to stay. As Sunderland officially go down this weekend, fans are clamouring for David Moyes to go.
There was elation on Tyneside during the summer build-up to the Championship as Rafa set about assembling his squad, but there is apprehension and dismay on Wearside at the thought of an uninspiring manager leading them into a makeor-break campaign.
Moyes appeals to the faithful like toothache, and something has to be done otherwise season ticket sales will plummet and those punters who do turn up in August will be wearing black armbands.
Once, of course, these two managers worked in close proximity, as they do now, across Stanley Park in Liverpool, but again there was a huge gulf in achievement.
True, Moyes was popular at Everton but the harsh truth is that he won nothing while Rafa was strutting it at Liverpool lifting the Champions League trophy.
Rafa’s stern test is about to come, of course, keeping the Mags in the Premier League before building towards a more stable future.
Less matches will be won next season than this which is acceptable given that the opposition will have gone from Burton Albion, Rotherham, Wigan, Bristol City, and Barnsley to Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool, Man City, and Spurs.
The dangers are highlighted by the fact that two clubs who had only just come up – Middlesbrough and Hull City – have gone straight back down. A warning to Brighton and the playoff winners, if hopefully not to Rafa who we feel will have enough?
The margin between success and failure will now be slight, although in Rafa Geordies believe. He has the pedigree to get the job done in a way the likes of Steve McClaren and Joe Kinnear – other Mike Ashley appointments – clearly did not.
With Moyes it is different. Jermain Defoe, top scorer in a season of blanks, has gone, and Jordan Pickford could follow which would be Sunderland’s best two players no longer available but the manager still clinging to any passing flotsam for survival.
I know which river flows with grace and which has choppy waters. I MUST pay my respects to two North East footballing guys who died this week.
I got to know both Peter Noble and Vic Wakeling during my years on the Chronicle beat.
Noble began his career with Consett, where he combined painting and decorating with playing part-time football.
After an impressive season with a recordbreaking Consett side, he was signed by Newcastle where, between 1964 and ’68, he made 25 first-team appearances.
However his finest years lay before him. An £8,000 move to Swindon saw him regularly top score for them, as well as being part of the Swindon team which, unbelievably, beat Arsenal’s aristocrats 3-1 in the League Cup final of 1969. Peter also notched in both the 1969 AngloItalian Cup final and the 1970 final against Roma and Fabio Capello. Quite an achievement for club and player.
Noble, who was aged 72, went on to skipper Burnley and made 299 appearances for them between 1973 and 1979, scoring 80 goals and boasting a 100% penalty record with 27 goals from 27 attempts.
That’s even better than Matthew Le Tissier’s fabled spot-kick record.
Wakeling, 73, was a Geordie who revolutionised sport on Sky Television and, forever a Newcastle fan, featured them relentlessly in their days as The Entertainers. Much is owed to him.