The five reasons behind Newcastle Unitedâs unexpected revival
Newcastle United's ascent to fourth place in the Premier League has taken everyone except the most ardent Geordie supporter by surprise. Our man in the North-East looks at the reasons behind the Toon turnaround.
By Luke Edwards
30 Oct 2011
1) Attention to detail
Alan Pardew is happy to admit he is a statistics geek, devouring computer data from every Newcastle performance. He is able to spot any drop in individual performance, but also identify where the teamâs positioning and delivery needs to improve, as well as the types of runs his attacking players are failing to make.
Pardew does not restrict his analysis to his own side. Sticking to the mantra that to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail, Unitedâs backroom staff spend hours looking at tapes of their Premier League rivals to ensure they know almost as much about how the opposition like to play as their own side. It is an area the club has invested heavily in since returning to the top flight.
2) Refusal to accept their lofty position is a false one
A few days after Newcastleâs 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur I received a call from a player to tell me a few members of the squad had been less than enamoured with my match report. As well as showing good taste, if slightly unusual given the stereotypical liking for tabloids, in the choice of newspaper read, some players were annoyed by my suggestion they were not strong enough to finish in the top four this season.
Where once this could be dismissed as Newcastleâs arrogant sense of entitlement, this season it shows that, while most have been surprised by the teamâs excellent start, there is steel like self-belief among the players they are not simply going to melt away as the pressure on them to stay among the European contenders grows.
3) The return of Hatem Ben Arfa
A difficult character, he was watched by virtually every top Premier League club at Marseille before eventually moving to Newcastle, initially on loan, in August last year. A brief glimpse of his ability was cut short by a career-threatening double leg break 12 months ago, but his return to the squad has felt like a new superstar signing for Pardew.
The France international is being eased into things after so long on the sidelines and has looked short of sharpness, but his very presence has scared opposition defenders whenever he has come off the bench. A potential match winner who has cranked up competition for places even while short of best form, one seasoned United campaigner described him as âthe most naturally gifted playerâ they have ever shared a dressing room. Will play in the hole behind the main striker, a traditional number ten role English defenders always struggle to control.
4) Ran by Cockneys, looked after by Geordies
It was Sir Bobby Robson who said you have to understand what Newcastle United means to those who follow it to be successful as its manager. Born and raised in Durham, Robson claimed he had black and white blood, while Kevin Keegan had a unique bond after his days as a player.
The people who run Newcastle United can never claim to have that special affinity and the Cockney Mafia tag has been used as a stick to beat the Mike Ashley regime for the last four years, but the current set up has Geordies in key positions.
Chief Scout Graham Carr, the man responsible for much of the player recruitment that has improved Pardewâs squad and head of a far-reaching scouting network, has as much an eye for talent as those who will blossom in a unique football environment. Pardew, meanwhile, believes one of his best decisions was to appoint John Carver as his assistant, a Geordie who performed the same role under Robson. Along with another North-East native, coach Steve Stone, he ensures the players are constantly reminded of what the paying public demands from them.
5) Harmony behind the scenes
Newcastleâs players prided themselves on succeeding against the odds last season, a them and us mentality fostered by former manager Chris Hughton and policed by influential skipper Kevin Nolan. The split between playing staff and board, however, was a chasm and there was bad feeling on both sides even during their relatively successful return to the Premier League.
At the centre of the tension was the removal of Hughton as manager, but also the boardâs reluctance to agree a deal for bonus payments. With the departure of Nolan and chief agitator Joey Barton, a new deal was struck in the summer without fuss and managing director Derek Llambias is now a welcome visitor to the training ground, even arriving unexpectedly at a recent team bonding meal to pay the bill. The whole club is united, not just the dressing room.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/8858745/The-five-reasons-behind-Newcastle-Uniteds-unexpected-revival.html
