The caretaker that stayed too long... It wasn't so much that Newcastle fans didn't want Roeder, it's more that they were left a little underwhelmed by the move. Actually, not too many fans begrudged United's decision to offer the former club captain the job after a highly successful second half to the 2005/06 season. Roeder took over from Graeme Souness with the team just three points above the Premier League's relegation zone after a disastrous 3-0 defeat away at Manchester City. The former West Ham manager turned things round and lifted The Magpies' up to seventh and into the Intertoto Cup third round. Since European football was practically guaranteed for Newcastle ahead of the 2006/07 campaign, shouldn't they have gone after a manager that level of football could have attracted? A manager that could have potentially got United back to the levels achieved under Sir Bobby Robson only a few short years before. As things turned out, Roeder would fail to take the club forward any great deal and left before the season's end, and Newcastle missed another chance to get back to their former glories.
