Monday 6 December 2010 21:38, UK
Were Newcastle right to axe Chris Hughton? Sky Sports News HD asked some former Toon stars...
Were Newcastle right to part company with manager Chris Hughton? That's the question that Sky Sports News HD posed to a number of former Tyneside favourites after the news broke that the Magpies chief had become the first Premier League managerial casualty of the season. Having steered Newcastle to promotion from the Championship at the first attempt, Hughton has taken the team to 11th place in the top flight. He has enjoyed thumping home wins against Sunderland and Aston Villa, as well as a famous victory away at Arsenal, but after picking up just two points from the last 15 the club's hierarchy have pulled the trigger, insisting they want somebody with "more managerial experience". But is this a wise decision by club owner Mike Ashley? Sky Sports News HD asked some former Newcastle players for their reaction...
Nothing should amaze you at Newcastle United, but this is one thing that does. He's done a tremendous job to get the club out of the Championship and into the Premier League and he'd done very, very well up to this point.
I don't think he could have done anything more. They've beaten Arsenal away, they've had the biggest derby win for many years against Sunderland and they had a great result against Chelsea. They've had a few iffy results recently, but they've had a few players injured - Barton and Nolan have been out. If you look at it, the decision was probably made a little while ago when his contract talks stalled. They've probably been thinking about this for a while and decided they wanted someone more experienced in. Chris Hughton certainly couldn't have done any more.
Mike Ashley was beginning slowly but surely to get the club on a good footing and the fans were beginning to, perhaps not like him, but accept him and what he was doing. But I think this is another decision that will bewilder most Newcastle fans. He's probably taken one step forwards and a couple of steps back with the Newcastle fans. Maybe he knows what he's doing. Maybe he doesn't. Time will tell.
I can't believe it. I know Sunday's result [a 3-1 defeat at West Brom] wasn't the best away from home against a team they believe they should be doing well against, but people forget they've just come up this season. It's going to be a tough season for them and I think it's a little premature.
He's got them promoted and it seems to be a manager's curse - you get your team promoted and then you seem to get sacked. The Premier League's one of the toughest leagues in the world and they're in a decent position four points above the relegation zone. He's doing alright at the moment.
I think Chris Hughton's done a magnificent job. You always find it tough when you're a number two and you go in and take over the manager's job, but the players responded magnificently for him. They won the Championship and now they've got to stay in the Premier League, that's the main policy. They've had a decent run in the Premier League so far, so I don't understand why the panic button's been pressed at this moment in time at Newcastle.
I think it's a crazy decision at this time of the year. Why now? I just feel sorry for Chris Hughton because I thought he was doing a decent job.
