Steve McClaren says Newcastle United's start has been 'a little bit like a car crash'
The former England manager's side sit bottom of the Premier League table
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Your support makes all the difference.Steve McClaren used the term “car crash” yesterday. It provoked an intake of breath, whiplash almost, given the usually strategic control from those in charge at St James’ Park. Newcastle are bottom of the table after spending £50m in the summer.
There was, of course, a context to the unusually evocative description from McClaren, but even that was muddled slightly, between the defeat at West Ham on Monday which sent Newcastle to the foot of the Premier League, and the situation he inherited.
For McClaren to be given time, there has to be a reminder of the relegation scraps that have blighted two of the previous three seasons. There has to be a nod towards the run of one win from 11 games at the end of last season.
There also has to be a tip of the cap towards the club’s recruitment policy, which steadfastly revolves around two key factors, age and nationality.
Newcastle, led by their managing director Lee Charnley, under the instruction of owner Mike Ashley, sign players with potential resale value from abroad.
Georginio Wijnaldum is 24, Aleksander Mitrovic 21, Chancel Mbemba 21 and Florian Thauvin 22. All four arrived in the summer without a minute’s experience in the Premier League, yet McClaren is now part of that system, if not necessarily 100 per cent behind it.
“In the process of a new team, and new players in the Premier League, and in trying to change things around in a football club, during that process it is a little bit like a car crash,” he said. “You know it is going to happen, and you can’t do anything. You just wait for it to happen.
“The key to Monday was how we reacted after the second goal. We reacted to the first goal and recovered. The reaction to the second was a disappointment.
“The first eight fixtures looked a bit of a nightmare for us. You try not to think of what comes next. We knew it would be a tough start.”
McClaren was asked directly if he wished the club had bought proven Premier League players, given his eagerness to sign Charlie Austin. “In hindsight it is great, but the policy of the club is not going to change,” he added. “We are going to sign young talent whether that is here or abroad.
“I think it is a young team, one of the lowest average ages. It is a young team and I think that showed in the second half on Monday. What we have to do is make it grow up.”
Of similar concern is the legacy of what he inherited. He accepted words such as “brittle” applied to a squad that was losing games long before his arrival at St James’ Park .
“I think you have to be tough in this league, not just physically but mentally tough too,” said McClaren. “And that can be an adaptation for new players, an adaptation for everyone.”
There is growing concern, even five games in, on Tyneside after two draws and three defeats. Seeing their team lose regularly over the past three seasons has become increasingly difficult to stomach. “Is there more pain to come? Absolutely,” McClaren said. “Don’t think it is going to be rosy all the way.
“We didn’t expect that. We don’t want to talk about last season coming in but we have to learn about the team.
“The new signings have to come in and learn about the Premier League and it has been sometimes two steps forward, one back, one forward, two back, in the first five games. We expected this. It is painful.
“I was waiting for it. It’s kind of saying the 10 things that are gong to happen.
“One of them is that you are going to get beat and everyone is going to overreact. The key is the reaction. Do we get one, do we not?
“We are learning. About the best team, the best players. The best team may not necessarily be the best players. We have not found it yet. “
McClaren was also asked if his squad is better than their position at the bottom of the table.
“Yes,” he replied.
It needs to show it today against Watford before the car crash turns into something more serious.
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