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Newcastle United Director says Steve McClaren ‘made sense’ and fans drove him out

8 years ago
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Newcastle United Director Bobby Moncur has been talking about the managerial situation at Newcastle United – the dismissal of Steve McClaren and the appointment of Rafa Benitez.

Despite every Newcastle fan I have spoken to believing that Newcastle were definitely going down under Steve McClaren, Bobby Moncur claims that McClaren ‘did a good job’.

Moncur saying that he sat in on team meetings and reckoned ‘what he said it all made sense’. Obviously a case of lost in translation when it came to that message reaching the Newcastle players.

Bobby Moncur talking to the Chronicle:

Steve did a good job and I got on well with him. He is a very good coach and I was privileged enough to be in some of his team meetings and I have to say when I listened to what he said it all made sense. Sometimes, though, the players didn’t produce – especially away from home.

“But the boss always takes the blame for results and when players don’t turn it on.”

Moncur turned his attention to the Newcastle fans and suggested that ‘when the crowd turn on you a little bit there can be no way back’.

There was little/no faith in Steve McClaren from the outset, just a resignation amongst supporters that we’d expect no better under Mike Ashley – yet another yes man recruited after failing at a lower league club.

Despite a season long relegation battle and disastrous tactics, performances and results, the Newcastle fans were amazingly restrained and Steve McClaren got a very easy ride. This being despite the added annoyance of the ridiculous comments McClaren made in pre and post match press interviews.

Bobby Moncur:

“There’s always reasons for managerial change and things don’t always go as smoothly as you’d like them to sometimes. It’s very easy to criticise but there’s always two sides to the story and there’s an explanation for it.

Steve did his best as head coach and he’s been in the game long enough to know when the crowd turn on you a little bit there can be no way back. He knew that as well, and that’s football. It’s unfortunate sometimes and you pay the price.”

At least Bobby Moncur does accept that Newcastle now have got a proper manager:

“I think Rafa coming in has been a major coup for the club. His record speaks for itself, he is a top class manager.

I am a lot happier that Rafa is here because he’s got the team organised. I am not knocking Steve but the players have clearly had a lift with the new manager, which usually happens when someone new comes in.”

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