No hope for the faithful as bleak future stretches into distance
THE bad news for Steve Bruce is that Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers and Bobby Robson’s Champions Leaguers, when Newcastle were built from the bleakest of dark days into Premier League elite, are within the living memory of a vast majority of Toon fans.
Worse news is that his predecessor, Rafa Benitez, had the advantage of an impeccable European CV, openly challenged owner Mike Ashley to improve United’s lot, and was a crafty public relations man which in comparison has only heaped pressure on sagging shoulders.
And the worst news of all is that a new generation of fans who have only known the austere Ashley years have decided they refuse to put up with stale bread sold to them as caviar and are crying ‘ enough is enough.’
They will be grateful for crumbs no more. Staying alive is no longer a reason to tug the forelock.
That being so, Bruce referring to “mass hysteria” and the insults of “keyboard warriors” who are instead supposed to be grateful only further alienates those who matter.
So Bruce and his players stagger on to stand directly in the way of the red steamroller that is Liverpool, champions of England, looking somehow to justify their approach to life
Having scorned easier days against the likes of Brighton, Leeds and Fulham, not to mention Brentford in the League Cup, they must now live on the streets of plenty, noses pressed against the window looking in.
Keegan and Robson showed what could be done in tandem with ambitious owners, while to disillusioned Geordies, Bruce and Ashley have displayed the other side of the same coin.
What can be achieved very quickly was done from vastly different bases – Keegan had never managed a club in his life when he took over a Newcastle side staring into the abyss of the old Third Division and turned them into PL runners-up, while Sir Bobby had all the experience in the world with the likes of Barcelona and England and used it to lift United from bottom of the league to third-top.
Others have actually won the approval of the Toon Army despite working under the vice-like grip of Ashley – Benitez, obviously, but Chris Hughton too.
The impossible dream is actually not impossible. It can be done because trophies are not being demanded despite public perception down the country.
The part played by Ashley in all this, however, cannot be overlooked simply because he wants to leave us at long last. He is the man with the final word. His neglect has been decisive.
What we are faced with, of course, is the reality that both Ashley and
Bruce are way beyond any hope of a truce with disillusioned supporters and therefore a depressing state of affairs is set to rumble on into the foreseeable future.
There is currently no hope as far as the faithful are concerned, just despair.
A blackness, a bleakness, a joyless existence stretches way into the distance.
Throughout it all, Newcastle are what they are and because of it Bruce and his players ought to be doubly grateful that no fans are allowed inside SJP because if they were, brother would they vent their frustration, anger and defiance.
They would certainly not be like a 12th man, they would be the jury delivering their damning verdict.
Whatever Bruce tries against a relentless Liverpool could almost. questionable. If the name of the certainly be of no avail. game is goals – and isn’t it? – then
United only have two quality how on earth did United splash out players – keeper and centre-forward two record transfer fees adding up to – who are both over-worked, and all £60m on Miggy Almiron and that can be hoped from the rest is Joelinton in a six-month period that they give it their all without an during 2019. What they have got for astute game plan to help see them their money so far is eight PL goals through. between the pair of them from 110
True, hope is provided by the fact appearances. that second-bottom West Brom How good are the champions? prevented the Reds from winning at Well they are top again, have scored the weekend but then Albion did the more goals than anyone else, and same at Manchester City where have only lost once in their 15 Newcastle were unable to replicate matches. All without the best the feat. defender in the country, Virgil van
Everything seems to be poor Dijk. under Ashley – his overall How on earth Liverpool leaked managerial choices dating back 13 seven goals to Villa, despite the vast years, tactics based on fear and little improvement that club has made, is ambition, and a buying policy which unbelievable. I don’t think the Mags in the main has been extremely threaten a repeat, do you Stevie B?