On the pitch, the English Premier League is providing us with some wonderful stories once again this season. Bolton and West Bromwich Albion are among the surprise names in the top half of the table.
Blackpool are playing some of the most exciting attacking football we’ve seen from a promoted side and the top four sides are separated by just three points almost half way into the season.
Unfortunately though, as was the case last season, off-field stories are once again creating the headlines in England. One piece of news in particular has left me shocked and disgusted with the way clubs are treating players and staff.
Less than a month after Ray Wilkins left Chelsea in controversial circumstances, Newcastle United’s Chris Hughton has become the first managerial casualty of the season – raising many eyebrows in the process.
Many have already voiced their surprise in the media, namely fellow managers Roy Hodgson and Steve Bruce, along with big names affiliated to the club such as Alan Shearer and Rob Lee.
“Loyalty in football gets spoken about a lot… Do you see much of it about these days?”
Those were the words of Rio Ferdinand who also felt the need to have a say from his Twitter page, and he is dead right you know. What more would Chris Hughton have had to do keep his job?
He was a likeable character who seemingly had the full support of his players during training and match day. He came to the clubs rescue at a time when Newcastle could have easily plummeted down the rungs of the Football League like Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday did in years gone by.
Last but not least he’s guided the Magpies to a modest 11th in the league, a position of consolidation in comparison to their last Premier League campaign, picking up some impressive results along the way.
Obviously it wasn’t enough for owner Mike Ashley though, who cited a lack of experience for the dismissal of the clubs manager. In October the club had said they were currently in the process of negotiating a new deal for the former Irish international, after speculation from the bookies said he would be the first Premier League boss to be axed.
Regrettably though, the bookmakers once again proved they don’t often get it wrong and Hughton received the wrong type of sack he’d have been hoping for as Christmas looms.
For me, Ashley struggles to vindicate his argument for Hughton’s lack of experience given he joined Newcastle after a twenty year affiliation with Tottenham Hotspur, in which he spent fourteen years as a coach and an assistant manager.
Director of football Dennis Wise then appointed him at Newcastle in 2008 as a coach under Kevin Keegan before he worked under Joe Kinnear as well, after a period of being Caretaker manager.
Hughton was then given the manager’s job after the club was remarkably relegated from the top-flight in 2008/09. Owner Mike Ashley was reluctant to bring in another full-time boss at the time as he aimed to sell the club, but Hughton just got on with it and was rewarded on the pitch as promotion was sealed comfortably with six games to spare.
A record that saw 90 goals, 102 points and just four losses for the season was one that was bound to put Newcastle United back on the football map.
In 2010/11 Hughton made a more than respectable start to his first Premier League campaign as manager.
In a season where stability was deemed a necessity, following the drama that’s been entrenched with the club in recent years, wins at Chelsea and Everton showed that the club was going to be no push-over.
This was backed up by an exhilarating 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa with Andy Carroll bagging a hat-trick. Carroll himself has settled down on the pitch after a number of off-field issues and he, like the club, also seemed to be heading in the right direction.
By October the club had completed a 5-1 win over local rivals Sunderland – their best result against the enemy in 54 years, and defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates. That result saw Newcastle hitting the lofty heights of 5th in the league and in turn, surely silenced all doubters of Hughton’s credentials.
A winless run of five matches though, including two draws (one against Chelsea) and three defeats proved the catalyst for the inevitable axe. It seemed that Ashley had been waiting for the right time to sack his manager and recent reverses at Bolton and West Brom represented the perfect opportunity for him to do that.
Ashley will argue that it’s simply about business and never one to endear himself to the fans; he’s shown once again that he’s not afraid to pull off a ludicrous decision that could leave the club in the balance again.
Regardless of the situation though, Hughton is one of the nice guys of football. A great character and plenty of coaching experience should ensure the 51 year old should be in the mix for another managerial role in the future. I personally wish him all the best and hope he gets an opportunity somewhere else very soon.
In terms of Newcastle they will turn to Peter Beardsley and Steve Stone on a short-term basis until somebody else is found – with Alan Curbishley, Martin O’Neill and Alan Pardew all rumoured to be in the mix. Beardsley is another favourite among the fans, having previously played for the Toon in two spells during his career.
Last time Newcastle swiftly appointed a former striker in Alan Shearer, it resulted in a six match cameo which couldn’t save the club from their demise.
Circumstances are different this time, but could lightning strike twice? With tough games against Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City to come before 2010 ends, Mike Ashley may have just condemned his team to another relegation battle in a season that should have promised a lot better.
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