Coverage for the week of the 27th February - 5th March 2006
 

Another week rolls by and we’re still doing the business.  Every week we’re supposed to be facing our “biggest challenge yet” (© The Journal) and every week we’re doing the business.  Quietly and efficiently (not quite ruthlessly, there’s still plenty to do before we’re THAT good) without the excuses, the histrionics and melodrama.   There’s certainly a feel good factor about the place again and pride is being slowly restored to the faithful.

And that is where we start (Article) with John Gibson’s post match comments after yet another win, this time over Everton.  Mirroring last weekend’s comments the defence and 2-goal Nobby Solano getting plenty of well-earned praise.  (Article) (Article) (Article)  Shay Given, named Irish senior player of the year this week (Article), was well chuffed with another clean sheet (Article), Scott Parker was “loving it” (Article), and Nobby Solano “Back to his best” according to Bobby Moncur (Article).  And it’s hard to disagree as the harmony restored to the dressing room seems to be the key to our post-Sourness revival (Article).  The only sour note being the BBC being all too keen to get Babayaro into more trouble.  (Article)  Surely he should be given a medal for services to football for popping one on the chin end of Tim Cahill.  Tossers.

And so we’re on the “Roed to Recovery.” (Article)  Ahh such wit.  And every fecker in the media, original buggers that they are at times, seems to have used that line or one like it this week.  So I just had to join in as well, it seemed rude not to.  This week not only has the club been on the “Roed to recovery” (Article=) as well as the “Roed to Europe” (Article=) but Owen’s been on the “Roeder recovery” (Article) (Article=) (Article), so too has Shearer (Article) and Steven Taylor (Article).  Not to forget Titus Bramble and serial hamstring victim Kieron Dyer (Article).  Nice to see the Suffolk lads all sticking together as usual again eh? 

Ohh my aching sides.  I’m so glad I put my corset on this week my sides have nearly split.  If I see one more “Roed” type headline this month I swear I’m off down Thomson House with a machete and a bottle of bleach and the outcome won’t be pleasant.  I mean it would be nice to see some sort of new idea.  It doesn’t even have to be clever.  Try his first name perhaps.  May I even suggest “Glenn of Tranquillity”?  See not clever but different.  Something, anything as long as it’s not “Roed”.  And just where is this road to recovery anyway?  Is it anywhere near “the comeback trail” I wonder?  If so can someone give KCD 1 a map?

Speaking of young Kieron, Lee Bowyer hit court this week denying the charges brought against him after THAT fight last season. (Article) (Article)  this still remains a nonsense all round and if he is convicted will we be seeing retrospective action being taken against the numerous, and there have been plenty (internationals at that in front of crowds as big as the one that day at SJP with national TV audiences) Rugby Union players who have been involved in far more serious and meaningful (i.e. they actually hit someone) bouts of on field fisticuffs (I love that word)?  I think we all know the answer there.

Mooreclinio finally put in a full shift in a Black & White shirt this week (Article) (Article).  Wonders never cease.  Owen meanwhile had for too much World Cup chat for me, yet again (Article) (Article) as those of our merry band who were away for the midweek friendlies returned fit and well (Article) to collective sighs of relief all round.

This took us neatly into the build up for the weekend fixture (one actually at 3pm Saturday!) against Bolton, with John Beresford amongst the many pundits warning us to be wary of Bob Carolgees (and Spit the Senegalese centre-forward) (Article).  The NUFC camp meanwhile was happy to concentrate on themselves and not worry about the opposition with Emre praising Scott Parker (Article) and Peter Ramage giving yet more level headed and mature comments on his role in the squad (Article).  Gary Speed meanwhile was, as ever, professional and positive about his time on Tyneside (Article) (Article)>  Another, along with Nobby, who we should never have let go and a genuine nice guy, as he showed with his gesture at the end of the game.

Glenn Roeder, getting further backing from Alan Oliver (Article), was playing down any pressure on him.  (Article)  I suppose if he genuinely doesn’t want the job full time there is none on him, even less while he gets the results.  But what he says and what can be read into some of his comments seem to be 2 different things to some in the media.  In warning Sam Allardyce that he’d have to change his style if he was next through the NUFC revolving door (Article) is he actually staking his claim for  the job by doing so? (Article) (Article)  Add to that claims this week of a subtle, yet effective “hatchet job” on the previous administration (Article) the plot most definitely thickens.

But just what is going through the mind of FFS? (Article)  Wouldn’t we all like to know?  Back to more criticism following his “golf trip” with Wigan chairman, Dave Whelan (Article), he seems very happy with Roeder (Article).  Aren’t we all?  A showdown with the FA for the services of Martin O’Neill still seems likely (Article) as Roberto Mancini is reported to have shown an interest (Article).  Another Italian throwing his “hat into the ring.”  They do get up to some funny things over there like.

The impressive victory over Bolton was met with something unusual these days.  No identikit reports this week, they can’t even agree on a man of the match, as there were plenty of candidates.  Nobby Solano took it on points, if you will (Article) (Article) (Article) (Article) but there were votes cast for Parker (Article) (Article), Emre (Article) and the ever impressive Charlie Zog (Article) .  As the revival takes the heat of FFS (Article), long may it continue is what I say, especially if it means we make sure the next appointment is the right appointment whoever that may be.

Finally for this week, it’s official: we’re one of the big 5!  (Article)  This just brings all the old circular arguments about what constitutes a “big club” rearing their ugly heads all over again. 

Bitter pieces of vitriol like this (Article) in the aftermath of the decision made by the Premier League just make it even better.  Written by an Everton fan I reckon.  What is certain, despite the best efforts of those on high, we still carry enough financial clout to be in a position where we cannot be ignored when it comes to things like TV revenue and audiences.  It is this sort of thing that will be high on the list of priorities if say a European league was to come along for example.  And who is to thank for that?  Well it’s us isn’t it?  It’s all about what we put in and indeed have put in over the years in financial terms and in how we show our support, by turning up week in, week out, by taking thousands away every other week and by tuning in, no matter how, where or when the fixture list takes us. 

We Are The People!

NM