This Shearer thing

Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United F.C.

Thanks to Damo and Weenie for pointing this story out. Yes, I missed it. Because when the news broke I was on a 2850km campervan trip through the Australian Outback where I couldn’t even get an AM radio signal let alone an internet connection. Even if I had, their definition of “football” here is one of three games where you use your ******* hands instead of your feet so I doubt it would have made the news.

So. Alan Shearer. Newcastle United manager. Good news or no?

Well, it’s good to know we’ve got someone who gives a **** in the position and who’s not in a hospital bed. My best wishes still go out to Joe Kinnear, but who knows if he’ll be back in the hotseat next season? My issue is that Shearer has maintained for ages that he’s not ready for the position. What changed his mind?

Is it desperation on the part of the club and even Shearer himself? How can he suddenly be ready to do the job now when he wasn’t only a few months ago? So many questions.

Of course, he’s a figurehead and if anyone could rally the fans it’s the big man himself. I also believe that he’s got that pipsqueak Ashley over a barrel as the only individual who could really set his own terms as manager.

One bit of news that’s been buried ever so slightly by the headline above is that Dennis Wise has gone. Thank ****. Good bloody riddance to the evil little ****. And I fully believe this was a condition of Shearer taking the job.

What’s important to note, though, is we only have 8 games left. We’re third bottom. Even the mackems are above us. Shearer’s work is cut out (as fourth manager this season) to stop us going down with the Boro.

Here’s hoping this isn’t just a huge publicity stunt on the part of Ashley. I doubt it, purely as Shearer’s involved and there’s no denying his main focus will be on maintaining Premiership status for the sake of the team and the fans – not some arsehole Cockney’s bank balance.

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