HARRY REDKNAPP is favourite to take over as Newcastle boss — despite a desperate plea from Toon fans for Alan Shearer.
Sam Allardyce was dramatically axed yesterday afternoon, just two hours after talking about his plans for the clubÂ’s future.
Speaking at the gate of his home last night, dejected Allardyce said: “It came as a shock. I’m very disappointed.”
Toon fans immediately called for their hero Shearer to save the club — but owner Mike Ashley may never put the call in to Barbados, where the former England striker is on holiday.
Ashley and his influential chum, former Spurs director Paul Kelmsley, are both big admirers of Portsmouth boss Redknapp.
Kelmsley tried hard to persuade Spurs to appoint Redknapp and has not changed his opinion of the Pompey boss — especially after he recently masterminded the 4-1 demolition of Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Although Shearer is the fansÂ’ favourite, it is felt he does not have the managerial experience to take the job.
And bookies across the country made Redknapp hot favourite to take over.
Allardyce left after only 24 games in charge and just days after a vote of confidence from the boardroom.
He won just eight games out of 24 and his 33 per cent win ratio is lower than his predecessors Glenn Roeder, Graeme Souness, Bobby Robson, Ruud Gullit and Kenny Dalglish.
Nigel Pearson will initially take charge ahead of SaturdayÂ’s daunting trip to champions Manchester United.
Newcastle United and owner Ashley claimed that the decision for Allardyce to leave the club was reached by mutual agreement.
Newcastle chairman Chris Mort said: “Mike and I would like to place on record our thanks for Sam’s efforts and wish him well for the future.
“A new manager has not yet been appointed at Newcastle United. We will make a further announcement on the managerial position when appropriate.”
A dejected Allardyce said: “I am disappointed to be leaving Newcastle United but I wish the club all the best for the remainder of the season and for the future.”
NEWCASTLE will offer Harry Redknapp £20million to be their new boss.
Redknapp or his adviser will meet Magpies officials in London today.
Billionaire Toon owner Mike Ashley is determined to land the Portsmouth chief and will hand him a whopping four-year deal worth £5m a year.
ThatÂ’s a staggering FIVE TIMES what he is earning now at Fratton Park.
Ashley will also:
- Allow Redknapp to commute to work by plane from his beloved South Coast.
- Hand him a transfer war chest to go for men like SpursÂ’ Pascal Chimbonda.
- Pay Pompey £3m compensation.
Redknapp, 60, has told pals he haS taken Portsmouth as far as he can and would welcome the challenge at St JamesÂ’.
But the deal is far from done. Brother-in-law Frank Lampard Snr said: “He’s a top, top manager but I don’t know if he would leave the South Coast, to be fair.
“He’s settled down there. He likes taking his dogs for a walk along the coast. But time will tell, I suppose.”
There are six flights a day from Southampton to Newcastle with only one on a Saturday but Redknapp would want Ashley to organise a private jet.
Yet RedknappÂ’s reluctance to move to Tyneside would not go down well with the Toon Army, who would want the new man to immerse himself in the North East.
Redknapp signed a new four-year deal at Pompey in October and Fratton owner Alexandre Gaydamak would want the contract paid in full before any talks can begin.
That will be no problem for Ashley, who stumped up an estimated £6m to get rid of Sam.
But Pompey last night issued a statement, insisting no formal approach has been made for Redknapp.
The statement read: “We take it as a compliment that our personnel are often linked with some of the top clubs in this country and, indeed, abroad. It is a testimony to the quality of their work.
“The club has received no approaches for the services of our valued manager. He remains as committed as ever.”
HARRY REDKNAPP does not want to live the rest of his life thinking “If only”
There cannot be any “if onlys” when you are a football manager.
The career, for most, is too short. The profession, as we have seen this season, is littered with corpses.
That is why Redknapp should take the Newcastle job. A millionaire several times over, he doesnÂ’t need the money.
Sure, there’s a lot of it — some £20million over four years — and we’re all partial to a pound note.
But what he DOES need before he calls it a day is the knowledge that he was given a chance to crack it at a big club.
Whatever we say about Newcastle and the lack of trophies over the last 50 years, an average gate of 52,000 is compelling evidence that this is no ordinary club.
To succeed at Newcastle, where so many have failed, will be a challenge that will appeal hugely to Redknapp and his self-belief.
Remember, this is not a man without an ego. He feels his success at West Ham and Portsmouth (twice) entitles him to more credit than he gets.
The old accusation that his achievements have only come at smaller clubs rankles.
Then, of course, there is the further charge that he has never won any significant silverware.
Well, they said the same about Kevin Keegan before he transformed Newcastle from a club at the bottom of the First Division into one of the Premier League elite.
Conversely, Tyneside was agog when Kenny Dalglish, the Double-winning messiah from Liverpool, succeeded Keegan.
Look at his record, they said. Yet all that counted for nothing.
The modern-day sceptics on the Gallowgate say Redknapp is too similar to Sam Allardyce, just another journeyman with no real star quality.
It’s a type of football snobbism, very prevalent in this day and age when aimed at managers who are considered a little old-fashioned. Yet there was no more old-fashioned a manager — or man — than Keegan.
You can only assume they have failed to notice the way Redknapp, 60, gets his teams playing “proper” football.
Except this deduction must be wrong seeing Pompey hammered Newcastle 4-1 at St JamesÂ’ Park not that long ago.
As Redknapp weighs up his options, he knows there are many reasons why he should stay put.
He and wife Sandra have a wonderful home in Poole (when itÂ’s not being stormed by police at 6am) and a close network of friends.
He also has a tremendous rapport with Pompey fans and acknowledges they bit the bullet when they allowed him back in after his brief stint up the road with the unmentionables.
But what is PortsmouthÂ’s future? Talk of a new ground has been going on for so long no one can be sure it will take place. And Redknapp doesnÂ’t have the time.
Newcastle offers him a wonderful chance to prove his man-management skills and ability as a coach are such they can even survive the managerial graveyard that is St JamesÂ’.
Harry and the Geordies: What a rollercoaster ride that would be. Get me a ticket.