Where would we be now if Redknapp had taken the job in 2008?

I was reading an articel on nufcblog.com and it made reference to 'where would we be now if Harry had accepted the offer to manage Newcastle in 2008, after Allardyce had been fired.

Where do you all think we'd be at this moment in time? Better off, worse off, or in a similar position?

I personally don't think we'd have the young vibrant squad that we have today, or have a group of players that seem to care about the club and what they are representing when they pull on the shirt. A group of players, a team that will give their all for the shirt, for their team mates and for the fans. We'd have a 'team' without them being a 'team' if that makes sense. Us as fans wouldn't feel as close and involved with the club and players as we have done in the last two seasons. It would seem like 'them' and 'us' when talking about the players as they wouldn't feel part of the club.

If Redknapp had come in I don't think we would have been relegated. In hindsight, whether that's a good thing or bad thing looking back is down to personal opinion. I think we'd have assembled a squad of players on high wages that didn't really want to play for us. The likes of Duff, Owen and so on that never cared about our club would still be here and that collection would have been added to and we'd still have the mindset of buying players based on past reputation rather than looking to build for a bright future.

So to me, we wouldn't have been relegated but we'd still have a large and expensively assembled squad that was bleeding the club dry if Harry had came in.

The change comes (for the better) when Hughton and Pardew step up to the plate. Both are uninterested in having players that aren't committed to the cause, and both looked for talent that could add something to the team and carry us forward. But of equal importance, both want players who will play for the shirt. I fear that with Redknapp, Ashley would have loosened the purse strings more and we'd have carried down the path of signing players past their best on big wages. The squad would not have had the bond that they seem to have, and gems such as Tiote, Cabaye, Marveaux and Ben Arfa would never have been on our radar. The commitment the players show to the club and fans at the moment really helps us fans feel like a key part of what happens on the pitch. How many of us can say the players played for the fans in the relegation season? Not the case now.

So, we'd have stayed in the PL and still had the squad that was expensive and didn't care. And us as fans wouldn't feel an active part of what's happening on the pitch. With regards to league positions, we would probably have finished around 9th or 10th I'd say. We may have had talented players on paper, but that means nothing if they're not a team.

Overall, I think we're in a far healthier position than we would have been if Redknapp had took the job. Yes, we've been relegated - but we came back united and stronger and that proved to be the required catalyst to get to where we are now and, although it didn't seem that way at the time, provided us with a very bright future. We can now say we're proud of the players who pull on the shirt, and these players aren't detatached from the fans as was the case in years gone by.

Let's hope the good times carry on.

 

Relegation.

 

I think we would be roughly where we are to be at the moment but would have got there a lot sooner and without the relegation. I don't think he would have got us champions league but I do think we may have got europe over that period finishing 7th/8th. All in all would have been better in the short term looking back but now I would rather have Pards as I hate dirty harry!!

 

I think we'd be flat broke and in the championship. he'd have thrown an expensive squad together massively raising expectations then got sacked for not delivering leaving us with a massive financial black hole and the expesive squad would take us down before all of them jumped ship leaving us in the mire in the championship with a lot of debt and no experienced player to bring us back up at the first time of asking.

 

Debt.......

 

Liquidated.
He would have siphoned as much money out of the club in "agent fees" and such, then ****ed off somewhere else.

 

Just me that though it would have went well then!!

We would have been on Panorama a lot more.......I forgot to add that!!!

 

I agree with Jock that we'd be roughly in the same area as we are now BUT our squad would be older and our future wouldn't look anywhere near as bright. I think there would be more disharmony amongst the fans and our expectations would be higher.

Its a cliche to say it but I genuinely believe relegation was the best thing to happen to us!

 

Here here, It was always going to make us or break us like it has with so many other big teams that got relegated, we made it......thank god!!!

 

What ever happened to the last club he managed before Spurs, anyone?...

 

did i dream it or didn't someone come out a while back and say he wasn't even offered the job?

 

I doubt we would have been relegated but I don't think we would be as united as we are now either. I think Harry would have jumped ship by now too due to a lack of funding. Ashleys never really splashed the cash (am I right in thinking colo is his record signing at 9 million in his first season here?) and while Harry is known as a wheeler deeler he's spent a lot of cash (both front and back of house so to speak) wherever he's been. He's one of those managers who can build up a players confidence but will ruin and cast aside other good players for personal reasons. Players like Owen and Duff would still likely be here on huge wages, stifling the youth. The scouting network would be different so no carr, who is potentially the biggest piece of our current success.

 

The club did release a statement at the time saying that no offer had been made to Harry after Harry had said he'd turned down the offer.

 

ahh the old turned us down denial excuse


glad he didn't get the job on a semi related topic did anyone else see the fat sham thing saying west ham have an outside chance of signing tevez (on loan)


http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...dyce-dares-Carlos-Tevez-to-join-West-Ham.html

 

Fat Sham. Providing comedy gold and hazards to low flying aircraft since 1992

 

Oh really?
[video=youtube;xJBsI7RAuvk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJBsI7RAuvk[/video]

 

please log in to view this image

"Can some bastard get another ball, this one doesn't go high enough"

 

He'd have lasted three weeks. The second he couldn't throw a stupid fee and ludicrous wages at someone is the second he realises he couldn't manage a sustainable club. See Portsmouth, Southampton, etc etc.

 

He'd be managing Spurs having put us into stupid levels of debt that forced us to sell a lot of playing staff, go down and hire an unknown in Hughton to get us back up. That man would then be replaced by Alan Pardew who would sign a few solid players for modest fees and have us 4th in the league.

So basically we'd be where we are but with an extra £50m of debt.