The worst yet from Richard Keys on Newcastle United – Which takes some doing
Richard Keys is on with Newcastle United.
Here we go yet again.
Richard Keys playing it for laughs.
The only problem is that he is being serious…
‘(Man) City/Newcastle was awful. City didn’t need to break sweat. The Toon were never in the game. They’ve gone
backwards. The project up there has stalled. They need a re-boot as well.
I’m genuinely sorry that all the hard work Eddie Howe and his staff have put in has come to nothing. Another year
has passed without silverware. How many more campaigns can they waste?
I was never convinced that Howe was the right man for Newcastle, but in fairness he did a terrific job last season.
It was great to see them mixing with the big boys again. He restored pride and belief, but it’s time for change if
they want to push on.
I really don’t think Howe can take them to the next level. His team reflect his personality. They’re ‘nice’. And nice
doesn’t win at the very top. You need some devil. City can be easy on the eye, but they’ve got devil. All the best
teams have.
My answer? Jose Mourinho. Few people know more about winning than he does. He’s done it everywhere he’s been
– including ‘half a trophy’, as he puts it, at Spurs. What madness that was – sacking him in the week of a final.
I know there’s a view that Mourinho is finished. That the game has moved on. Bocks. The game will never move
on from winning. There are no guarantees in football – except that Mourinho will win you a trophy.
He would be perfect in the North East. He’d energise the place again. Set it alight. Eddie Howe is a good man, but
everyone has fallen asleep on his watch.
If Newcastle want to sign top players they need a top coach to attract them. Geography plays a huge part these
days when players are making decisions about which club to join. London is always favorite. The North West –
Alderley Wedge and surrounding areas are popular – even for players at Liverpool and Everton.
Newcastle is a big ask. I’m sorry, but it is. Keegan’s magnetism drew players. Mourinho would have the same
effect.
It’s ridiculous to think that Mourinho still needs to prove himself after all he’s done, but for some, it seems he does.
Where better than with Newcastle? When he started winning – and bloodying the noses of (Man) United, Chelsea,
(Man) City and the rest again, Newcastle fans would love him. When he delivered a trophy they’d adore him.’
Richard Keys always find facts inconvenient.
Mourinho’s last three jobs in the Premier League saw him sacked by Chelsea, Man U and Spurs having had massive
financial backing and inheriting so many top quality players.
The three seasons he started at Old Trafford, Man U finished sixth in two of the three, whilst at Tottenham, the two
seasons he was involved they ended up sixth and seventh.
So having inherited strong squads and getting massive financial backing at those clubs, yet still failing miserably in
the Premier League, Jose Mourinho would come to Newcastle United and magically do far better?
A bit like Rafa Benitez, even more so, Mourinho was a very successful manager in the past. In the past.
If Newcastle United were able to spend whatever they liked and the Reubens and Saudi Arabia PIF were prepared to
#give him an open cheque book, then maybe Mourinho could be successful at NUFC, however, you could say that
about any manager….
That is NOT the reality at St James’ Park and as we all know, this season has seen Tonali banned and an
unprecedented number of injuries. This in a situation when Newcastle United were already having to try and close a
massive gap on the usual suspects in terms of what their squads cost and wage bills are.
So Richard Keys really reckons that Mourinho would have been successful this season at Newcastle United in these
circumstances?
That Newcastle United would have won at Manchester City on Saturday, with Jose Mourinho working his magic with
the players available and used, which included Lascelles, Dubravka, Krafth, Murphy, Hall, Almiron, Burn, Long staff
and a 17 year old Miley?
Richard Keys, the king of mischief. I can’t even be bothered to get into his nonsense about players supposedly
wanting to live wherever, suffice to say that Haaland isn’t at Man City because he dreamt of living in the region, same
as Salah at Liverpool. You have to pay the wages and then have a club that convinces the better / best players that
you are ambitious and capable of potentially being successful.
Long may his exile in the desert continue.
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