13 Steps To Salvation For Mike Ashley At Newcastle

2. Surround Himself With Football People

Isn't it funny how Ashley's 'football board' is led by a man with absolutely no background in football. During the tenure of Freddy Shepherd and Sir John Hall, Lee Charnley played second fiddle to the then chief operating officer Russell Cushing. Then he stepped-up during a boardroom re-shuffle which saw the appointment of John Irving as director of finances and the arrival of Joe Kinnear as director of football before filling the MD role he does today. Charnley, like Derek Llambias before him, will be in charge of finding Newcastle's next Head Coach. So far Penfold (from Dangermouse), as he has been so affectionately christened by Newcastle fans, has spent the last five months coming up with a shortlist of no more than three names for the club's top job. As we stand here today, the three names Lee Charnley has come up with in the last five months are: John Carver, Steve McClaren and Michael Laudrup. Looking at that, it is clear that he isn't fit for purpose. Mike Ashley would be far betting off getting real bonafide football men filling the footballing roles at the club. Men like Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer, who would have infinite backing from the fans, should be in roles like this with a top class coach directing things from the touchline. We can all dream...