The morning after the night before.
After the end of the derby match yesterday, I had my thoughts published in the instant Newcastle United fans reaction feature.
This is what I said in the immediate aftermath of that defeat.
“I am physically shaking with rage after that. Eddie Howe needs to be gone before Man City/Arsenal lift the league cup tonight. Nick Woltemade needs never to pull on a black and white shirt again. Whoever sanctioned our summer transfer policy needs sacking as well. Lewis Hall had his worst game in a black and white shirt. Brobbey totally dominated our central defence. Our fans created a fantastic atmosphere, only to have it shoved down our throats with a display so spineless. Worst capitulation I’ve ever seen in my 48 years supporting Newcastle United.”
Having slept on it and woke up in even worse fettle, I stick by every word.
To put it into perspective, I had watched nice guy Eddie’s pre-match press conference, where he said he now fully got what the derby now meant to the city, fans etc.
Unfortunately, he forgot to pass this message on to the players, who went on to produce a spineless, cowardly performance.
After we went 1-0 up, the mackems started (with a lot more endeavour than us) to work their way back into the game and deservedly ran out winners.
Eddie Howe being tactically schooled by a manager whose team had very recently lost to the mighty Port Vale.
So to all Newcastle United fans who:
Wanted the derby back because it is good for the north east.
Wanted the derby back because it is six easy points (turns out it was…for them).
Think the derby is not even our biggest game of the week, never mind the season.
Well those derby results are for you.
Okay, it is easy to criticise, but I am hurt and angry (At the same time, I get it there is lot of terrible stuff going on in the world at the minute and this is essentially still a game).
So instead of me bleating on, what would I do?
I would sack nice guy Eddie, because even if we win our remaining seven games, there’s no way of coming back from this.
There are plenty of up and coming managers to replace him, such as Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso.
Or my personal favourite, bring back Rafa Benitez (who is a Geordie and still has unfinished business in NE1).
Put it this way, if we had lost to the village of the dammed back in December under Rafa, then we do not lose that game yesterday.