Maple Lions

Shay Given New Deal.

Mike C.

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Man United’s 4-0 thumping of Charlton keeps them in second place and an automatic spot in the Champions League. Arsenal will finish the season in fourth, dropping Spurs to fifth and the UEFA Cup. And the Mags best Chelsea 1-0 to finish seventh, which gives them an Intertoto Cup spot - not much, perhaps, but more than we could have hoped for when the Souness era mercifully came to an end.

Damian P.

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The trailer for Goal! The Dream Begins, the first film in a trilogy about a poor Mexican-American who becomes a footballing sensation, can be seen here.  My fearless prediction: everything that takes place away from the football field will suck like a Dirt Devil, but it will be worth seeing for the action scenes - and because of the EPL team involved.

Damian P.

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It’s official:

Steve McClaren has been confirmed as the new England manager and will take charge of The Three Lions after this summer’s World Cup finals.

McClaren has been working as Sven Goran Eriksson’s assistant since the Swede took the reins in 2001 and he always appeared to be a leading candidate.

The FA had hoped to appoint Luiz Felipe Scolari, but the Brazilian rejected the chance to manage England last week and McClaren was quickly thrust back into the spotlight.

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce had expressed a desire to take control, but The FA opted for McClaren - with his experience of the England set-up seemingly tipping the scales in his favour.

Not a bad choice, I guess, especially considering Boro’s performance in Europe this year.  But I think the last thing we needed was someone already inside the organization.

In other manager news, it looks like Glenn Roeder won’t be allowed to take over the Newcastle job permanently until he gets the required licences.

Damian P.

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The Rovers’ 1-0 win over Chelsea yesterday (which triggered the inevitable whining from Jose Mourinho) clinched sixth place and a UEFA Cup spot:

Blackburn Rovers took full advantage of Chelsea retaining the title with two matches to spare to secure the victory they needed to bring European football back to Ewood Park next season.

The clinching of sixth place in the Premiership completes a magnificent rebuilding operation at the club by Mark Hughes, who took charge last season with the team fighting to avoid relegation.

[…]

Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s manager, praised Blackburn for their impressive rise under Hughes but was less gracious in accepting the way they crossed the European finishing line, courtesy of what he regarded to be over-sympathetic officiating by referee Steve Bennett.

“I can laugh about it because I am champion,” said Mourinho. “But I don’t think the people in Newcastle will be laughing,” he added referring to Rovers’ principal rivals for the remaining Uefa Cup place.

“If I had come here needing points for the championship my career in England might have ended tonight because I probably would have been banned forever,” reflected Mourinho on the rejection of three strong penalty appeals.

Note that Blackburn’s remarkable turnaround started only after Graeme Souness left the team.  As for the Geordies, we’ll have to settle for a spot in the Intertoto Cup if we beat Bolton into seventh place.  Newcastle are three points ahead, but Bolton have a game in hand.

Damian P. 

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He’s denying rumours that Freddy Sheppard has offered him the Newcastle manager’s job permanently, but his record speaks for itself:

Newcastle caretaker manager Glenn Roeder has played down speculation that chairman Freddy Shepherd is ready to offer him the job permanently.

Asked what he would do if Shepherd offered him the job, the 50-year-old Roeder told BBC Radio Five Live: “I’m not expecting him to say that.

“He’s given me no indication he’s going to do that. We’ll have to wait and see.

“I’m waiting to see what the chairman’s new management structure is - hopefully I’ll be part of it in some shape.”

[…]

Newcastle were flirting with relegation when Roeder took the reins but he has turned their fortunes round to the point where they have a chance of a Uefa Cup place.

The club have won 10 of their 16 games under Roeder. [emphasis added]

Speaking of which, the Geordies have to beat Chelsea next week, and Blackburn has to lose its last two matches, for Newcastle to qualify for the UEFA Cup.  (If Newcastle beats the Blues and the Rovers are limited to one point, it will come down to goal differential, a measure in which Blackburn currently has a two-goal advantage.)  So it’s a longshot, but now there’s finally some hope for next season.

Damian P. 

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Spurs supporter Stephen Pollard extends congratulations to his archrivals for their recent accomplishments:
Congratulations to Arsenal, who by salvaging a draw yesterday against Tottenham have guaranteed a place in next season’s UEFA Cup. That’s quite a performance for a scratch international XI.

No doubt their fans will be licking their lips in anticipation of playing teams of Finnish fisherman and part time Moldovian motor mechanics in the UEFA round robin stage at their new stadium. Enjoy it, Gooners!

Of course, some of us are praying for a shot against Finnish fisherman and Moldovian mechanics…

Damian P.

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Another win for the Geordies today: 3-0 over West Brom, who will almost certainly not escape relegation two years in a row.

Newcastle is now even on points with sixth-place Blackburn - with an identical goal differential, to boot - but the Rovers have a game in hand.  Still, the Geordies are on a tear, leading into next week’s match against another club frantically struggling to stay up: Birmingham.   We have Chelsea at home to close out the season on May 7 - which could make the Birmingham match the quintessential trap game.

Damian P.

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Just a few minutes after scoring his 206th goal for Newcastle (against Sunderland, fittingly enough), Alan Shearer suffered a knee injury that may end his extraordinary career three games early:

One of the most famous celebrations in world football may have been seen for the last time yesterday after Alan Shearer scored the 409th goal of his career but then limped off with a suspected knee ligament injury.

The Newcastle United captain scored a penalty to give his side a 2-1 lead at the Stadium of Light. But, nine minutes later, he collided with Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca and had to leave the pitch.

Newcastle went on to win 4-1 but that was almost forgotten amid the fears that Shearer may now be denied the chance to bring down the curtain on his glorious career against Chelsea at his beloved St James’ Park on May 7.

That match is only 20 days away, giving the 35-year-old former England international little time in which to recover.

Damian P.

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Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Sunderland (who probably belong in League One more than Millwall) puts the Geordies into seventh place.

An urgent plea to Newcastle United supporters all over the world: do not, I repeat, do not discuss how this affects our chances for playing on a certain continent located approximately 35km from the British Isles.  Don’t even whisper the name of said continent.  Let’s not get our hopes up until after May 7.

Damian P.

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