Martin O'Neill - Is he past his best?

I'm not worried by the appointment at all. He'll do what is asked of him and that's top half finshes at the end of a season.

It's the same remit as Pardew and we're on track to do that as well. Bring on a more competetive derby.

 

The single comparison I made was that Shearer & O'Neill supported Newcastle & Sunderland respectively.

 

Haven't you heard? He's past his best maan. A complete ****er of a bloke and no good at his job at all, ever.

Lol

 

Good managers like O'Neill don't just 'expire'. He'll be fine. The biggest worry for the Mackems, imho, is that O'Neill is not able to save the sinking ship and they go down before he's really able to get the team playing his way. He likes to spend money - something that maybe difficult to do effectively in January (just ask West Ham) - and it may be too late for them by the summer. Not only that, most of the squad needs changing and soon - a lot more than when he took over at Villa. Losing's a habit and although there's a lot of the season left, with the squad they have it may already be too late. Good luck to them I say, with them in the Prem we get two derbies a season!

 

With a management career that started back in the 1980's, is it a 'bit late in the day' for the Irishman to start over?

What about Bobby Robson's long and very distinguished career before joining Newcastle? He's regarded as the most respected English manager possibly of all time. I'm sure his career was a hell of a lot longer than 22 years. I don't think it's too late at all, at 59 he's probably in the prime of his mangerial career to be honest.

 

He got those top 6 finishes at a bigger and better club, with massive financial backing and with a passionate support turning up every week.

No comparison to the ****e he's going to have to shuffle now. ...

 

Yes, but you made the comparison implying that O'Neill, who you'd already mentioned has been managing since the 80's, could suffer from the same pressure as Shearer who was in his first spell of management. The two are incomparable.

 

O Neill has been recruited BEFORE the January transfer. Didnt WHU appoint AFTER the window closed? had we done the same and brought MoN in in February then I might well have agreed. he has 25 games. If we win only 8 or 9 and draw 8 or 9 and lose 8 or 9 of them, we will be fine with 42+ points. I think even the most optimistic for our demise mag will concede he is a manager with the credentials to do that.

Its next season where we will see the changes of personnel and style. I'm happy to wait for that.

 

Never said a thing about Keegan.
To say a manager of MON's class would need to do homework on a league where he is regularly seen as a spectator is laughable. (Someone who looks and sounds just like him has been used regularly on TV to give his expert opinion too.)

Now I would have been worried if he was out of work after being sacked at Southampton because of the staff morale being so low.

 

If that's the case, you're screwed

BBB (Bring Back Bruce)?

 

The pressure of managing the club you support is very much comparable.

 

No Grant managed them all season. Granted O'Neill has a solid record (I wanted him at NEwcastle at one stage) I'm sure you'll be able to scrape 17th

 

Yes!

The first ever thread from you that concerns football, rather than yourself.

Keep it up!

 

Over stepping it there mind mate....**** just got rid.

 

...yeah!, Pardew has been a nightmare for us!

 

So you thought it best to write a comment about me rather than the football-related topic?

...well done!

 

I'm not envious of O'Neill going to Scumderland, I'm downright jealous. How and why would he go there? Let's hope he has a breakdown or something.

 

Corrected for you.

 

But a manager with 20 odd years of proven experience, who isn't actually from Sunderland, taking on a job in December, is completely different to a Newcastle legend with the profile of Alan Shearer taking on 8 games to save a doomed club from relegation.

 

The season aint done yet pal. Lets see if the fortunes of the 2 clubs are still as clear to you come May 13th 2012? Long, long way to go yet.