9th 4th 2005
 I'm
a big fan of Jermaine Jenas and have saw enough in him to convince
me that he has all the attributes to make it yet watching him lately
all I see is an average player struggling badly who, based on these
performances, just isn't going to make it. And that saddens me because
Newcastle United have invested £5m into bringing a hugely promising
youngster to Tyneside, one who has shown he has all the ability in
the world. Winning PFA Young player of the year, scoring some terrific
goals along the way and overshadowing players like Patrick Vieira
were all notches on his burgeoning rise to super stardom.
Two and a bit years later however and the only rise he gets is a win
bonus, and up until recently they were as infrequent as a good performance
from the 22 year-old. Where has it all went wrong for the former Nottingham
Forest Captain? Why has he stopped developing? I refuse to take into
account his ability or as others would argue his lack of ability because
he has it in abundance from where I sit. Like I said, I've seen enough
and while we could all argue the toss over his ability or lack of
it with equal arguments for and against, I believe tags like "he's
not good enough" or the blind comments like "he's going to be great"
to be lazy and counter-productive.
I know what he can and cannot do but I want to explore why he has
delivered one rotten performance after another without having to take
the easy way out, that he is indeed not good enough. Save a brief
and unspectacular resurgence under the guidance of Graeme Souness
in his first couple of months in charge, Jenas' performances if anything
are getting worse and worse and have been well below par for 18-months
now and that's a problem for the club, the manager, himself and of
course us lot. If a former PFA young player of the year has stopped
developing, a £5m investment no less, what hope for the rest of them?
He can't be accused of having a bad attitude. He hasn't courted any
bad press. Everyone speaks highly of him. He always conducts himself
well to the media and he has never once complained nor sulked, unlike
some. It's not that. So what is it then? What thing or things have
hampered his development from a highly promising youngster with the
world at his feet to an average, overrated headless chicken who is
of no use to United whatsoever and on current form that's exactly
what he is, of no use.
What happened to the exuberant full of energy 18 year-old who could
make the net bulge with a 25-yard rocket, who could run all day, who
would often be in the thick of things? Jenas today is a pale shadow
of that player who had almost everyone connected with the club raving
about him. He looks physically and emotionally shattered. If he was
a horse he'd be put down. But he's not, he's a Newcastle United player
and it pains me to see such a good young player looking so shot.
Is it pressure? He's regarded by his peers, his club manager, his
national team boss, his team-mates and some (decreasing) quarters
of St. James' Park as a world-class player in the making. High praise
indeed. Could it be that he's simply crumpled under the huge weight
of expectations and is struggling to live up to these crazy tags?
He is only 22 after all and having been compared to the likes of Steven
Gerrard and Patrick Vieira, two of the game's finest midfielders,
genuine world-class players who would walk into any side in the world,
must surely be an added burden to deal with which leads me onto my
next point.
Playing in front of 53,000 Geordies can be a daunting task especially
when their beloved team is having a shocking season, have had to deal
with one catastrophe after the other and have a manager who nobody
wants or rates. For a 22 year-old out of form, lacking confidence
and having the added burden of expectation on his very narrow shoulders,
it must be like walking the plank with Great White Sharks circling.
When Toon fans have something to grumble at or about we can be very
unkind and very harsh. Moaning and groaning whenever Jenas misplaces
a pass or loses possession is even audible to the deaf. So you can
bet he'll certainly hear it and it shows in his performances. Having
to witness fellow team-mates who have disgraced the club getting standing
ovations must also grate on his conscience. He has become somewhat
a scapegoat like Shola Ameobi and Andy O'Brien while others remain
untouchable or see their stock rise regardless.
Unlike those two other scapegoats though a lot is expected of Jenas
who doesn't have a set position at the club. He gets played right
left and center... even at left-back. Only the truly great shine when
played our of position or look remotely qualified to play where they
are asked to. A 22 year-old central-midfielder out of form and low
on confidence with unbelievable things expected of him and with large
sections of the crowd on his back all the time isn't going to help
make him a better player or bring him out of his slump. It's going
to make him shrink into his shell further and further.
And when he does get a chance in his preferred position he doesn't
have anyone experienced alongside him to help him, to guide him. A
father figure, someone who can take the pressure and responsibility
off of him like the magnificent Gary Speed did last season and before
that. He has alongside him either Lee Bowyer, Kieron Dyer, Nicky Butt
who is struggling for fitness and form himself or Amdy Faye, a new
signing trying to find his own feet at the club. Hardly guardian angels
are they?
Younger players need the freedom to express themselves so they can
cultivate a game all of their own. At Newcastle United there is no
freedom whatsoever unless you are a Geordie centre-half or a No.9
legend. You perform or you are crap, end of. If we are frustrated
on the stands, just how frustrated must Jenas be? No player can perform
if they are frustrated. We have seen what frustration can lead to
with Bowyer and Dyer's punch up. Jenas will be fighting with himself
in every game. If he loses the ball he'll be beating himself up over
it in his head and subconsciously he will try harder and harder not
to lose that ball because of it. This clouds focus and natural responses
as well as natural expression. By focusing so hard on this one thing
he loses focus on other things, on other duties, like attacking. Basically
he's a frightened little bairn out there and we in more ways than
one are to blame for that as are Newcastle United for failing to nurture
and to help their young star.
While it's hard to feel sorry or even sympathy for any footballer
today given their ludicrous salaries I truly feel for the likes of
Jenas regardless of what he earns because he goes out onto the pitch
to give his best, to try and become that player he showed he could
be not so long back and even when his head has dropped and the abuse
has got at him he still works hard for the team. This tells me he
has a good and honest character, an unselfish attitude and it's nigh
time we stopped being so selfish ourselves.
In the modern game it's all me me me. I want a win. I want to see
good football. I want those not playing well shipped out, replaced
or sold. The game is hard nosed enough, do we need to be as hard nosed,
as ignorant and as out of touch? What happened to patience, understanding
and a degree of fan intelligence? Or has Sky bought that too?
Here we have a young lad, 22 years-old playing for a great club, a
player with huge promise yet I will say here and now that his Toon
career is over, finished. He will not recover, we will not see the
best of Jermaine Jenas in a Black & White shirt and I fear neither
will the game. That's another waste of money, resources and talent
to add to the cradle of others like Kieron Dyer, Hugo Viana and no
doubt many more in the Academy and reserves. Who's next. James Milner?
Steven Taylor? Does Darren Ambrose have a future at Newcastle? Does
Shola Ameobi? Does any youngster with promise?
The trend has to be reversed otherwise it will be Newcastle who don't
have a future because we can't afford to compete at the top end of
the market nor can we afford to throw away money at youngsters only
to discard them when they simply don't perform. It has to start working
NOW. The club have spent over £100m on youth and potential over the
past few years from transfer fees, agents fees, Academies, coaches,
scouts, wages, contract renewals and have absolutely nothing to show
for it. Nothing!
Attitudes need to change, expectations need lowered and demands need
to be tempered by realism. Otherwise we'll always be known as a club
who had potential but didn't fulfil it. Just like the youngsters we
buy and produce.
We are our own worst enemy and now is the time to make peace and to
form a United front. Give Jenas and Co. the biggest cheer you can
muster and encourage him and the whole team at all times good or bad
because they are fighting our battle out there. If our troops are
wounded they'll lose the battle. Self inflicted wounds as we know
all too well, will cost this club. That's if they haven't already.
Fingers crossed, for Jenas, the club and our dreams. |
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