We've got the best man for job: Shepherd
By Alan Oliver, The Evening Chronicle, May 16 2006
Freddy Shepherd has revealed that Glenn Roeder made it impossible for him to turn him down for the job of managing Newcastle United.
The United chairman did not rush into an appointment and feels that this has paid off as he is confident that he has the best man for the job.
Shepherd says: "We took our time and, yes, we did consider several other candidates and we have always said that we had ruled nobody out and nobody in. "Other people put names forward but none of them came from us. "But in the end results are the most important thing in football and Glenn Roeder certainly did that for us. In fact, managers stand and fall by results and you could say Glenn won the job. After all, he was the highest placed English manager in the Premiership despite the fact that we were 15th in the table when he took over back in February. "And the results apart, Glenn has done the job with dignity and decorum. He now has a two-year contract and both of us are happy at that. "Glenn Roeder was our captain and a great servant as a player and he has a great feel for this football club."
United have been both surprised and disappointed at the opposition from the League Managers Association to Roeder taking the job because he did not have a Pro Licence even though they got 100% backing from the Premiership chairman because of "extenuating circumstances."
And United were not exactly happy when, in a statement on his own official website last Thursday night, LMA Chief executive John Barnwell suggested they had taken the cheap option by appointing Roeder.
This led Shepherd to reply:
"Well, they knew more about it than me last Thursday because I did not sit down and talk to Glenn about it all until Saturday morning. "And a cheap option? Not where I come from. "In fact, I would go as far as to say if Glenn Roeder brings success to this football club he will be one of the best paid managers in the Premiership." Roeder's appointment as manager was the only one which was announced by United today. "Glenn will announce his coaching and backroom staff shortly," added the United chairman.
Nufcmismanagement view:
Interesting words from Mr Shepherd.
Glenn Roeder has claimed that he didn't apply for the job yet you claim above that you couldn't turn him down.
How could you turn him down if he didn't apply?
You claim names were mentioned but never by you.
The fans mentioned names and even held a campaign which you labelled as a batting scam then denied it.
If you were misquoted, why not ask for a retraction?
You claimed that the Newcastle managers job was one of the top jobs in world football.
If that's the case who are all these top managers that you must have turned down?
If you didn't have top managers applying for one of the top jobs, why was that?
Is it possible that top managers don't want to work for you?