From Entertainers to second on bill

Jul 11 2009 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

Newcastle United have enjoyed relative anonymity in Dublin this week. Mark Douglas reports from the Irish capital on a suitably low-key start to the club’s pre-season preparations.

They are assured at least two friendly faces this afternoon – former United duo Michael O’Neill and Tommy Wright are the manager and coach at Shamrock. Wright, a goalkeeper of tremendous heart during some dark days for the club in the second tier, had hoped for Shearer to be appointed Newcastle boss by now. And he admits that the presence of Real has left their visitors from the North East of England trailing in their wake.

"Of course that is what everyone is talking about. But, hey, it could have been just about any club in England and it’d still all be about Real Madrid," he said.

"I think the tickets have sold OK for the Newcastle game. They’re still a big club and I’m sure there will be a big crowd but maybe not as big as there would have been a few years ago for a similar game.

"I’m excited about it, of course I am. We had a big league game on Friday so we’re all concentrating on that but any time I’m involved against Newcastle I look forward to it. It’s a crying shame where they are at the moment and I personally hope Alan comes back into it. You look at the managers since the Kevin Keegan years and for the most part they’ve been among the biggest names in European football. Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Robson, Ruud Gullit -– they might not all have worked but you need to be of a certain stature to manage Newcastle United."

Wright will welcome his former club with open arms, but his genuine feeling for United is tempered by concern for their immediate future.

The former Northern Ireland international goalkeeper was a member of Glenn Roeder’s backroom staff at Norwich last season, giving him recent first-hand experience of the Championship.

As well as a gruelling physical test, Wright feels that the Championship puts a greater mental strain on players – and fears that United might not be prepared for that.

"It is like nothing they’ve experienced before, I’m sure of that. At Norwich last season we took four points off Wolves and didn’t get beat home or away by Birmingham – and they were the top two. But we still ended the season getting relegated," he said.

"It goes without saying that any team in the division can beat any other team – that is borne out by the evidence of last season. But players also have to be prepared for every single game to be competitive, which isn’t always the case in the Premier League. The way that teams play in the Championship, it feels like there are six points available for a win rather than three.

"It’s a mental thing. Newcastle as it stands have better players than the other teams but they’ve got to be prepared for what’s about to happen. And wherever they go, they’ll be the biggest game of the season for the other team."

At least they will be spared that hardship when they kick off 2009/10 in under-whelming fashion this afternoon.