Manchester City visit to St. James’ Park will start United’s second-half campaign this season. The two ‘misplace’ manager will sit on the dugout today watching the players work on their tactics. Allardyce and Sven-Göran Eriksson could have been managing the opposite teams this afternoon.
The Swedish manager has stated his interest to manage Newcastle when he finish his contract with the England team, but former Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd rejected the Swede’s call. On the other side, the City boards were also interested in Sam Allardyce when he left Bolton.
On that day, the most of Toon Army were also backing the appointment of Sam Allardyce as the new manager of Newcastle and shut the door of any chance for Eriksson to come in. I feel sad to hear that some of the impatience Toon Army are now put the blame on Sam Allardyce, the one we give a favour the most at first place.
If we can turn back the time, change the history and appointed Eriksson as our manager, will he be as successful as he is now with Manchester City? I don’t think so, we may have seen Big Sam more successful at City than what Sven’s done with us.
We still have around five months until May to see the final end of both managerial career on their first year in charge. Although Sven’s side has the bigger chance to finish above Sam’s, everything still can happens in the next five months and there’s no guarantee in whatsoever, anyone is more success than the other.
Alan Smith said in his official match programme special column that Newcastle still have the chance wide open to finish in top-half of the Premier League table in May. Newcastle United UEFA Cup place bid is still within the team’s capabilities to reach in the final four-and-a-half months of the season.
This afternoon, Allardyce will set his team with one aim to prevent City from becoming the first Premier League team to do the double over Newcastle this season. More of that, if we can have a win in our first game of the season last summer, there’s still a chance we can do the same today in our first game of the second period.
Newcastle next fixture will followed by an FA Cup third round tie at Stoke City on weekend and followed by a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.