Newcastle will be a laughing stock again if Chris Hughton gets dumped like Sir Bobby Robson was

Out of order: Chris Hughton has been treated disgracefully by Newcastle
11 April 2012

Newcastle United are playing a dangerous game if they are seriously considering relieving Chris Hughton of his position and a reminder of the potential disastrous consequences lies in their own recent history.

The abrupt sacking of Sir Bobby Robson in 2004 — albeit amid rumours of a rift with then chairman Freddy Shepherd — precipitated a period of upheaval that culminated in the mess Hughton inherited.

Robson took charge in 1999 with the Magpies in turmoil, having never properly recovered from the Messiah (known to the rest of us as Kevin Keegan) ending his glorious tenure in charge two years earlier.

Robson steered Newcastle out of the relegation zone and into the Champions League, restoring Geordie pride.

His departure came just four matches into the 2004-05 season and just three months after finishing fifth in the Premier League and reaching the UEFA Cup semi-finals. It was the kind of ludicrous decision that would send most clubs into freefall.

Newcastle were put second to ego as Shepherd became a corrosive influence while Mike Ashley's attempts to win over sceptical fans by bringing back Keegan backfired spectacularly.

With many supporters' disappointment at relegation to the Championship after 16 years in the top flight exacerbated by the club's failure to appoint Alan Shearer as permanent manager, Hughton stepped into the breach.

Ashley's desperation in trying to offload the club had turned them into a laughing stock and yet against all the odds facing him, Hughton instigated a sea change that Robson would have been proud of.

They could very easily have imploded yet Hughton, aided by Ashley's U-turn to stay at the helm, brought about a remarkable transformation, securing promotion as champions only to continue the upward trend with a fine start to life back in the Premier League.

But still, rumours persist over Hughton's position after the club gave the most lukewarm vote of confidence in recent memory following last week's 4-0 Carling Cup defeat by Arsenal.

I attended that match and it was quite a sight to witness club staff scrambling to issue a statement that failed to attribute to any individual on the board. A 24-word announcement in support of their manager was all they could muster, clarifying that Hughton's contract would be renegotiated at the end of the year.

But why not now? What more could he possibly do? To treat the 51-year-old in this way is a disgrace and raises the suspicion that more clandestine forces are at work.

Conjecture abounds on Tyneside that a new owner could be in the offing — something strongly denied by the club — but any prospective incumbent would be within their rights to want their own man in charge. Hughton is one of only two black managers — the second being Paul Ince, appointed at Notts County last week — in the 92 professional clubs.

It is an imbalance that, despite the work of many inside and outside the Football Association, remains a stain on the English game.

While not suggesting Newcastle's board have any racial motivation for removing Hughton, his departure would prompt many to highlight the inequality at managerial level.

Newcastle's demolition of Sunderland was devastating evidence how this team have come together and will play for their beleaguered boss. How would they react if the man who has led them back from the wilderness was cast aside?

Robson's considerable impact is still felt at St James' Park and not least on Hughton himself, who received his UEFA Pro Licence from the former England manager.

Hughton learned much from Robson — Newcastle should do the same.

Loaded City are paupers without Tevez

It seems ridiculous to make such a claim given the gazillion pounds Manchester City have spent but recent evidence suggests they are a one-man team.

Although Dedryck Boyata's early dismissal against Arsenal severely hampered their progress, City fizzled out once striker Carlos Tevez limped off at Eastlands.

That listlessness was carried into Saturday's defeat at Wolves, which manager Roberto Mancini described as the worst game of his reign at the club. Tevez was handed the captain's armband in part because he embodied the template City's other superstars must follow if they are to succeed in buying a trophy (don't kid yourself it is anything else): a player with a lofty reputation setting aside his staggering wages and transfer fee to work tirelessly for the cause.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Mario Balotelli, Tevez's replacements, are hugely gifted footballers but work about as hard as a sloth on morphine and that is one of the problems facing City.

The sight of Adebayor and Vincent Kompany bickering was all too predictable (this column foresaw as much back in August) but what will alarm Mancini the most was the lack of spirit in the face of adversity.

Having threatened to run riot in the opening few minutes against Wolves, they failed to build on taking their lead and capitulated with embarrassing ease.

Tevez's attitude will be sorely missed. Then again, maybe it is not just his endeavour; since January, City have only won in the Premier League when Tevez has scored.

At this stage, Nani, you're talking complete rubbish

Manchester United are getting good at producing arrogant Portuguese wingers. "As a player I think I'm close to being as complete as I can be," said a less than humble Nani. "Now I can say I'm one of the top players in the world."

Now I'm all for having a bit of confidence — a touch of arrogance often makes a good player great — but Nani has an awfully long way to go before he can be considered in Cristiano Ronaldo's class.

It is true he is starting to become a regular influence in games — hence his recent inclusion in my hitherto disastrous fantasy football team — but his end product and decision making still lack consistency. Give it another couple of years and then we'll talk.

Further evidence that the TV coverage spawned by football is now consuming its creator — ESPN reporter Rebecca Lowe handed the matchball to referee Mark Clattenburg, who politely thanked her before the Manchester United and Spurs players set off down the tunnel last Saturday.

As someone who doesn't watch ESPN coverage regularly, this was new to me. Given the kick-off times and agonising pauses prior to starting a match as the TV stations finish selling their most expensive advertising space, it was another reminder that football has sold its soul for cash.

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