Newcastle and Blackburn owners getting what they deserve

I wonder if the owners of Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers take a look at the Premier League table and feel as silly as they should do?

Earlier on in the season they both made widely condemned and ridiculed decisions to sack managers who were doing pretty well and bring in ‘their own’ men. Everyone in football, or with any knowledge of the game what so ever, knew that the decisions were as unfair as they were foolish.

Glory

Newcastle had Chris Hughton who had steadied the ship after a disastrous relegation under his predecessor and led the team back to the Premier League in a blaze of totally deserved glory. In the first few games of this season, his side had been predictably inconsistent, but had picked up some great results and were sitting comfortably in mid-table. He was doing a fantastic job.

The powers that be at Newcastle decided that he wasn’t experienced enough at Premier League level and replaced him with Alan Pardew, who had just a couple of seasons experience at that level, one of which had ended in relegation. It doesn’t get any more sensible as time passes does it?

Bleak

Now Newcastle are just four points above the drop zone and have won just once in their last ten games. With games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea still to come, as well as five games against teams also scrapping for their lives, things look bleak for the Magpies. I don’t blame Pardew, but I definitely do blame the owner.

In contrast, Blackburn had a manager with vast experience of the Premier League and they decided that they needed to replace him with someone with no managerial experience at all!

Trusted

The way Sam Allardyce gets his teams to play certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is tried and trusted and allows him to make his teams punch considerably above their weight. He guaranteed a small town club Premier League survival and he was rewarded with the sack. To replace him, they turned in controversial circumstances to former coach Steve Keane. Nothing to do with the fact that the people advising the owners also represented Keane, allegedly.

It was immediately clear that Keane was either daft or delusional when he announced that Blackburn could and should be a top five team. He amended that to say they should be in the top half. Unfortunately, that’s still delusional.

Blame

Now Blackburn are just one point above the relegation zone and have gone seven games without a win, losing five of them. Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United still appear on their fixture list, as well as other tough games. From guaranteed safety, to promises of a top five finish, to favourites for relegation in one season. I do blame Steve Keane, but I blame the owners more.

Wouldn’t it be nice if owners of other clubs have seen the farce at Newcastle and Blackburn and realise that making the kind of decisions they did makes no sense at all. Maybe owners will now just let their managers get on with their job and offer them some support. I won’t hold my breath.