Alan Smith: We know Hughton is boss

Sep 29 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

THEIR renaissance may have owed a lot to player power, but Alan Smith says that the Newcastle United squad are in no doubt as to who the boss is at St James’s Park.

With his quiet demeanour and without the authority of a permanent job, Chris Hughton is hardly the kind of figure to strike fear into players.

In fact, the former Republic of Ireland full-back will have you believe that Newcastle’s rise to the top of the Championship is entirely down to a squad which regrouped after a tumultuous summer. And, while Smith admits a greater sense of responsibility has been crucial to the Magpies, he warned those outside the club not to underestimate their caretaker boss.

“Chris is the manager, he’s in charge and he gets on with it,” Smith said. “Simple as that.

“What we’ve got at the club are players who, when we go over that white line, take responsibility. Chris is the boss, he makes all the decisions. We just get on with it and try to do the best we can.

“There seems to be momentum building and that’s great. Chris and Colin (Calderwood, Hughton’s assistant) have done well – all of the staff have been great – but we’ve got to keep it going.”

Newcastle’s start has been all the more impressive because of its backdrop. Relegation from the Premier League inevitably prompted a break-up of the squad and with owner Mike Ashley struggling to find a buyer for the club, the only reinforcements have been loan signings Danny Simpson, Marlon Harewood and Zurab Khizanishvili.

With the future ownership, management and playing staff in doubt over the summer (the closing of the transfer window has resolved only the latter), many predicted a gloomy future for the Magpies under a man whose first two spells in caretaker control contributed to their demise.

Hughton and his players, though, have made a mockery of such predictions.