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Gary Megson speaks passionately about Newcastle United potential

6 years ago
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Gary Megson is due to take charge of West Brom when Newcastle United visit on Tuesday night.

Put in temporary charge after the departure of Tony Pulis, Megson managed to pull off an excellent result at Wembley. The Baggies scoring after only four minutes and leading for 70, only to have to settle for a draw in the end.

He was naturally buoyed by what the players gave him on Saturday but says now ‘they have got to do it all the time’.

In the mid-eighties, over 30 years ago, Gary Megson played for Newcastle briefly.

It has left its mark on him though.

Talking about the intensity of football life on Tyneside, he describes being  approached by ‘old ladies’ in the street to talk about football when he was playing for Newcastle.

Gary Megson looks at the club’s fanbase and believes ‘Newcastle United need a team to match that’.

He believes Rafa Benitez is a ‘great manager’ who has gone ‘some way’ to putting the building blocks in place with the playing side.

As for Rafa he simply has identified survival as the next stage of his plan for Newcastle, let’s hope what is likely to be Gary Megson’s last game in charge of West Brom doesn’t damage that plan.

Gary Megson:

“Who is to say this game against Newcastle will be my last?

“I might not make it, they might have a change of heart and somebody comes in Tuesday morning or conversely it might go on for a few more days. Nobody knows.

“I will just take this game in the same way as the last 600-odd.

“Everything is an opportunity but Newcastle will look at this as an opportunity as well.

“But we will go into it not thinking about Newcastle. A good team, great manager, fantastic football club…but we set that aside and we pick up where we left off down at Wembley against Tottenham.

“We have got to use that now and keep doing it. We know people can do it – but they have got to do it all the time.

“I won’t look any further than the Newcastle game and nor will the players, but it’s an opportunity for us, because we’ve just played well and got a good point.

“Now we’re at home and hopefully we can play as well as that and convert it into three points.

“They (Newcastle) have got a lot of good players, I’m not going to focus on one, and I wouldn’t expect the players to do so.

“I played there for 18 months earlier in my career…It is the thing in town, old ladies are interested in football and come up to you in town.

“The travelling numbers and support…it’s got to try and get itself beyond that.

Newcastle United needs a team to match that, Rafa is some way to doing that.”

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