My old strike partner Alan Shearer will walk into the Newcastle training ground and most of them will know him as a player. He has been a good player but now he needs to earn his stripes as a manager, like Paul Ince did and Tony Adams.
Everyone knows what you are as a player but sometimes when you walk through that dressing room it is a different kettle of fish.
I think he has always said that at some stage he wants to boss Newcastle, it was just when it was going to happen. Every time they change a manager he is top of the pecking order to take over. He had resisted the temptation to take over but has looked at the predicament they are in at the moment and thinks he can lend a helping hand.
It’s good to see him back there because he will raise morale in the dressing room.
Iain Dowie is going to take the coaching sessions, the set pieces and all that because he has been there and knows what it is all about. You might say it is not a good thing that he has so much experience of relegation battles but I think it is a good thing. I’m not sure how many times Alan has been down there in his career but Iain has, you know. His experience will be vital. He is going to be the training ground whizz if you like.
They have only won one game this year and you look at that and it doesn’t put them in good stead. Most times a manager goes into a club you get that automatic lift and I think that’s why he has taken it on because he knows he will be able to give them that lift. If you see his players start performing then people will say ‘why weren’t they performing for the last 12 games?’
You will have 55,000 or more Geordies hanging from the rafters on Saturday against Chelsea, getting behind the side. Arsenal won at Newcastle but they rode their luck and Newcastle could have gone ahead with the penalty. It could be different on Saturday.