Toon players fail to back up statement of intent
NEWCASTLE United’s players released a bizarre statement 90 minutes before the game in support of Steve McClaren — but they failed to back it up in the 90 minutes that followed as they left their beleaguered boss on the brink.
It is McClaren’s custom to go on to the pitch after the final whistle and applaud the fans. But perhaps the best judgment call he has made all season was to duck out of that tradition and head straight down the tunnel, most probably for the final time.
As Bournemouth led 2-0 approaching the final 10 minutes, the Toon Army returned their venomous verdict: ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ followed by a cutting chorus of ‘We’re s*** and we’re sick of it’.
Yet McClaren remained defiant when asked if he would quit.
‘No way,’ he said. ‘That is for other people to decide. I’ve had chants like this quite a few times. That’s the perils of being a manager, and especially manager of this team this season.
‘But I can understand the fans’ reaction. I can understand the frustrations, damn right I do. I’ve thought that all season.’
There was even the obligatory season ticket thrown in McClaren’s direction but the fan’s arm was as weak as the team’s fighting spirit and the pass landed on the roof of the opposition dugout.
McClaren was betrayed by the players who denied the accuracy of a Sportsmail story that suggested some of them could not believe their boss was still in charge.
Yet their performance spoke volumes. Unsurprisingly, not one of them later fronted up to the press. They do their talking in group statements these days — airing concern about leaked ‘negative’ stories. But what ‘positives’ are there to report?
McClaren could find one. ‘There are 10 games left,’ he said.
Newcastle started well enough but that spell lasted little more than five minutes, the highlight a Jonjo Shelvey shot that skidded wide.
That, though, signalled the end of their attacking intent. Andrew Surman and Benik Afobe missed chances before Bournemouth scored on 28 minutes. Josh King centred low, the ball diverting beyond Rob Elliot via Steven Taylor’s leg into his own net.
Newcastle tried a second-half revival but on 70 minutes the Cherries had a second, King smashing in to the roof of the net. Ayoze Perez did halve the deficit with a neat finish from Shelvey’s through pass, but Charlie Daniels restored the cushion with a low shot in stoppage time.
Eddie Howe, whose side are 11 points clear of the bottom three, said: ‘My only disappointment was the game wasn’t over earlier.’
It may be over for McClaren.