McClaren can’t beat the language barrier
WHEN Jonny Wilkinson’s mentor Steve Black was employed as a motivational speaker at Newcastle United, he told the players to sit back and visualise the moment they score in the famous black and white shirts.
What followed will go some way to explaining why the 33,986 hardy souls who turned up at St James’ Park to watch their Capital One Cup shaming against Sheffield Wednesday feel so disenfranchised.
‘Don’t kiss the badge, don’t run to the crowd,’ he told the bewildered bunch of largely overseas players.
‘Think of how the person who set up the goal is feeling — so go to them and thank them.’
Since those words were spoken by Black, acclaimed for his work with former England rugby fly-half Wilkinson, Newcastle’s players have not had much cause for celebration.
Steve McClaren’s side are without a win and have scored just three goals in their six Barclays Premier League games this season. Newcastle supporters want to fall in love with their players after another summer of dressing-room upheaval. The signs are that it is not about to happen any time soon.
Black’s appointment to the coaching staff at St James’ Park is one of many changes — too many in the eyes of the old- school employees — but the dressing room has been left confused by the work being done in the background.
McClaren’s emphasis on possession football at their Darsley Park training centre is not being translated on to the pitch: Newcastle have the worst possession statistics (45.2 per cent) and the fewest shots (just eight per game), on average, in the division.
Even McClaren seems uncertain, spotted with his head in his hands outside the visitors’ dressing room at Upton Park following their abject, 2-0 surrender at West Ham on September 14.
With a cosmopolitan squad the former England manager has been making full use of the club’s interpreters. Perhaps he needs a new one.
McClaren is struggling to get his message across and there is already some tension with Graham Carr, the man who lobbied Mike Ashley so hard for his appointment.
Chief scout Carr has been criticised for the recruitment of Newcastle’s players, but he is working to the strict guidelines passed down from the owner.
The main aim is to sign players who are under 25, will demand no more than £40,000 a week and have the potential to play in the Champions League, presumably at another club.
There is a belief that Aleksandar Mitrovic will come good, even though he has been booked twice and sent off in his first four games. He endeared himself to staff when he asked for the No 45 shirt (4+5=9) and told them he would only wear the legendary No 9 when he has scored 20 goals in Newcastle colours. He is not off the mark yet.
With the defence leaking goals, along with the long-term absence of Steven Taylor with a hamstring injury, Newcastle are already monitoring potential new players.
Naturally they are playing overseas, with the names of Schalke defender Joel Matip and Wolfsburg’s centre half Robin Knoche circulating at Darsley Park.
Knoche’s availability depends on Wolfsburg’s performance in the Champions League, but there is a possibility that the 23-year- old German will be available in the winter window.
That is further down the line — the short-term vision is to find a way to keep McClaren in the job beyond the next international break.