Hughton has chance to silence the boo boys.
Posted on May 18th, 2010 | 120 Comments |
Of course, we had already seen Chris in charge of the first team a couple of times in brief spells as a caretaker whilst the managerial doors were flapping open and closed all around him. He just got on with it, and whilst it probably wasn’t the most successful stints anyone has had as a caretaker, few can blame him for having any part in what was our departure from the Premier League. He was thrown in at the deep end with a bunch of players who didn’t know if they were coming or going, or indeed who else was coming or going above them, yet he just got on with it.
This time around could be very different though, and whilst we are still in some degree of turmoil as a club, it is nowhere near the levels seen last year. Through that though, Chris Hughton has earned himself the right to take us forward unlike any number of big name managers who had done well elsewhere before moving to Tyneside. Hughton had essentially been on a working job interview, in which ultimately he was successful. The success didn’t end there though, and now we can look back on a trophy-winning, record-breaking season in The Championship with fondness.
We know it is going to be tougher in the Premier League next season, but Hughton will be able to call upon the players at his disposal and ask them for that extra effort, something he has earned from the players. On top of that, he is also being suprememly confident on our chances of signing players, despite what the press may lead you to believe.
People say that this is the same squad that got us relegated with the best players taken out. I say it is the same squad with a more healthy outlook and with the bad apples taken out. We have a team in every sense of the word now, a bunch of players that has as much pride as I do when I put the black and white stripes on.
Hughton still attracts the critique of some fans though, with claims of not playing the youngsters enough, or not being tactically gifted, or the absurd assumption that anyone could manage these players to the league title. This is something Alan Shearer wouldn’t have had to deal with if he had achieved exactly the same this season. That last sentance will cause an uproar, because the truth hurts.
What we have now is one of the games genuine nice men in charge of first team affairs. Someone who sticks with his players, protects them, and gets on with it whilst giving nothing away to the press. We have had egotistical managers before, we have had big name managers, and none of them worked. In fact the last manager that truly worked out was Sir Bobby Robson, another one of the games gentlemen.
Hughton can do it. He can keep us up, and he is far better placed than anyone else is right now to take us forward, forward meaning survival.
NUFCBlog Author: toonsy
toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.
Well said. Personally, I am getting a bit tired of the “Doesn’t play the youth enough” statement. He’s picking the players that are good enough to take to the pitch. And quite frankly, while the CCC would’ve been a good opportunity to test more and more of the youth, I for one didn’t want to sacrifice promotion for a test of skill. That’s what scrimmages and closed door games are for. That’s what the Reserve games are for. That’s what pre-season will be for. When the so-called youth can prove themselves in those situations, then it’s time to promote them to the first team and show their talents on the main stage.
CH has done fantasic with this team this year. I can’t wait for the next season to start. I have every confidence that he’ll get more out of this team (and new additions) than just survival.