OPINION
The issue is that Newcastle United fans’ demands are unrealistic – Eamon Dunphy is an Irishman.
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Newcastle United has been the subject of Eamon Dunphy’s writing.
The article was actually written two weeks ago, but a friend just sent it to me to review.
The Eamon Dunphy piece is actually quite good overall, with the majority of it praising how well Newcastle United have done in recent years and the progress they have made, though the main praise, quite rightly, goes to Eddie Howe.
Here are a couple of brief excerpts, with Eamon Dunphy saying Eddie Howe would be a’smart choice’ to replace Southgate as England manager.
I completely agree that Howe would be ideal for England, but I can’t see him taking the job because he has such a great project at Newcastle United and clearly wants to show what he can do in club football. So, if Eddie Howe is interested, I believe ten years from now could be the right time for England.
Anyway, as I previously stated, this Eamon Dunphy piece was very good overall, but there is one line in particular that stands out for all the wrong reasons…
Eamon Dunphy writes in the Irish Star on November 10th, 2023:
Southgate’s contract expires next year, and England may look for a new manager for the 2026 World Cup. Who will be the new man?
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is the favorite to succeed Southgate. I believe it would be a wise decision because Howe is the real deal.
He demonstrated this at Bournemouth, and he is also doing well at Newcastle United. Howe arrived following the Saudi takeover, and he has made some wise acquisitions.
However, Newcastle has not broken the bank or enticed global superstars to Tyneside. Newcastle was in the Championship as recently as 2017, and when the Saudis took over two years ago, they were fighting for survival — with only 10 points from 15 games.’
‘Newcastle are a big club in terms of support — owing largely to the fact that it is a one-club city — and this can have an effect on the pitch. However, creating a winning mentality is difficult when the weight of history is so heavy.
Newcastle hasn’t won a trophy in more than 50 years, and they haven’t won a domestic prize since the FA Cup in 1955, so the fans’ demands are unrealistic. This is a club whose self-image contradicts reality. The club’s most recent major trophy was the Inter-City Fairs’ Cup in 1969.’
When Eamon Dunphy talks about Newcastle United fans, the part I’m referring to is “…so the supporters’ demands are unrealistic.”
Eamon Dunphy does not say what Newcastle fans are demanding, or, more accurately, what Eamon Dunphy believes Newcastle fans are demanding, in the article. Or at least what he chooses to believe…
This is the problem.
A false narrative (definition – ‘a commonly held belief that is based on incorrect or incomplete information’) has been conjured up by some / many in the media and then simply repeated by countless other journalists / media, until it becomes ‘fact’.
I believe it is safe to assume that Eamon Dunphy believes / means that the Newcastle United fanbase expects / believes that our club will now win trophies, with expectations of competing for the Premier League, Champions League, and so on.
So, I doubt many, if any, of you reading this are demanding or expecting that.
Eamon Dunphy and others choose to believe what they have said and written in other media, as well as what’some’ alleged NUFC supporters are saying on social media.
Consider the current season.
Before the season began, I believe it is fair to say that the overwhelming majority of Newcastle United fans thought a great season would have been qualifying from their Champions League group for the knockout stages and qualifying again for the Champions League next season, which may require finishing in the top four or top five.
I don’t know a single NUFC fan who expected or demanded that we win anything this season, let alone the Premier League or the Champions League.
The reality is that we all believe that Newcastle have a better chance of success and even winning things now than they did under Mike Ashley, but that isn’t exactly difficult given that there was no hope under Ashley.
