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Readers Letter: Newcastle United Need
Guus Hiddink
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Newcastle-Online.com forum member 'Alan Shearer 9' writes in extolling
the virtues of a crayshee Dutchman going by the name of Guss Hiddink.
The popular, highly successful and quite strange, PSV Eindhoven and
Australia manager who, according to the man himself, would one day
love a crack at managing a Premiership club.
In
all the commotion surrounding Souness and our current plight, people
have been calling for a foreign coach, someone with experience and
class, and most people see Ottmar Hitzfeld as this person.
Well, the other night I saw Australia Vs Uruguay, and I saw one of
the most inspiring pieces of management I have ever witnessed in football
from one man; Gus Hiddink.
Australia were 1-0 down on aggregate against a team who boasted far
superior players all over the pitch, both technically and physically.
But the Socceroos started the game playing neat, organised one-touch
football with a clear and intent direction.
I could have watched them play like that all night, it was that entertaining
and yet efficient and they created many chances, with players like
Mark Viduka looking hungry and motivated, a feat seldom seen on Teeside.
Their defence was solid too and they didn't muck about either, Uruguay
just never looked like scoring apart from one chance when the ball
fell kindly to Recoba, but even then his shot went a yard or two wide.
Then, at around the 40 minute mark, Hiddink (who had been brooding
calmly on the touchline up until this point) decided to introduce
Harry Kewell, taking off one of his centre-halves to make way for
the Liverpool man.
Within seconds, Australia scored a fantastic team goal, with Kewell
heavily involved in the build up. The Aussies were ecstatic, and I
was left awe-inspired as Hiddink calmly celebrated the goal with a
slow motion Karate strike.
At half-time, Guus gave a calm speech telling his players to stay
cool while his boys all encouraged each other, a sign of the great
team spirit he has engineered, nurtured and maintained within the
side despite numerous egos.
In the second half, Australia started off on the back-foot, grafting
away, but not once did Uruguay look like scoring. The Aussie's defence
was incredibly solid and well organised, and it was compromised of
footballers who if linked with NUFC, you would go into a rage (at
least I know I would).
Hiddink had made tactical changes throughout and the Australians were
now playing a counter-attacking style of football and had several
good chances to increase their score, catching Uruguay on the break
time and time again.
The 90 minutes passed in what felt more like 15 minutes due to the
nature of the football being played. It was entertaining. I've never
been so entertained by such, well to be frank, by such shite players.
Australia saw out the game comfortably, but as it was 1-1 on aggregate,
extra-time beckoned. When the players came out for the first 15 minutes
they were in a huddle in the middle of the pitch, with Hiddink at
the centre. You very much get the impression when watching one of
his side's play, that the players and manager are a solid unit, every
decision he makes affects how they play and the sum of the parts becomes
greater as a whole, which is the best compliment I can think of for
a team.
Australia went on to win 4-2 on penalties, a thoroughly deserved victory
and one of the best management displays from the touch-line I have
seen as I previously mentioned.
Now as PSV sit top of the Dutch table yet again, and we are in crisis,
yet again there is confusion. People are calling for various managers,
Hitzfeld, Le Guen and Allardyce have been mooted, and I can't help
feel that people are being rash in their choice of manager, made all
the more rash by Souness' antics.
I can't blame them, in fact I feel the same way myself, incredibly
fed up, pissed off, and at times apathetic. The words Jesus wept fail
to encompass how I feel when I see a horror show performance like
the ones against Wigan, Spurs or Liverpool. I'm asking myself, how
many of these performances are acceptable under a manager?
Yet still Souness remains at St. James's. I believe, barring a complete
shocker Vs Mansfield, Souness will remain at the club until nearer
the Summer. If he is sacked now, then basically, I don't believe we
will see a top manager coming to Newcastle.
I hope to high heaven I'm wrong on that. But the thing is, I believe
Hiddink could be prized away from PSV in the Summer. We all know PSV
is a selling club, and in recent times, Van Bommel, Park Ji Sung,
and Lee Young Po (or whatever the lad's called) have all been sold
against Guus' wishes.
He has stated "I don't want to have to rebuild the team every year",
yet he has done and brought them continued success. Right now, they
lie 1 point ahead of Feyenoord. Their chances for the title are tentative
at best. The heart of their team has been taken, most of their best
players sold. If we were to offer him a highly lucrative contract
and the promise of cash backing, I think it would be possible to lure
him here.
This might be too big a jump for you to take with me, but I'm thinking
this guy likes a challenge. Why the fuck did he start managing Australia,
or Korea? I genuinely don't know, I hope it's not because his mum
is an Aussie or he likes to eat dogs or something because I'd like
to think it's because he likes a challenge.
After 45 years at the top of the coaching world, he is proving himself
(in my opinion) to be the best manager on the planet right now. He
literally shits on Jose Mourinho. Mourinho thinks he's the special
one? Seriously I would love it if Hiddink came to England because
he would soon establish himself as nummer een.
Alan Shearer 9
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