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Nicky Butt says Hughton deserves chance
Nov 1 2009
by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun
THEY don't know what to call Chris Hughton yet, but Nicky Butt says at least his Newcastle United team-mates are now clear exactly who's boss. Or gaffer, manager, coach.
The Magpies finally promoted their caretaker to a permanent position last week.
And while he admits Hughton will have to deal with the constant spectre of pressure and doubt, the threat of the axe and the shadow of Alan Shearer, Butt believes United’s new manager deserves his chance.
An “impressive, excellent” approach in the most testing of circumstances has, Butt says, earned an emboldened Hughton – not so meek as to dodge the issue of once dropping Michael Owen – the players’ unwavering support and justified his ascension.
Clarification of a situation long engulfed by mystery and rumour is a “massive plus”, bringing “relief” and, irregardless as the players are to the ‘sale/no sale’ status of the club, much sought-after “stability”.
Previous uncertainty at both ownership and management level has, Butt concedes, clouded the issue of blame for last season’s relegation, sparing them responsibility they are now willing to accept.
Now, though, with a new modicum of constancy, he acknowledges there is no longer any hiding place.
And – with a trip to Sheffield United tomorrow – Butt says Newcastle must now stay hell-bent on promotion from a predictable Championship and “this mess we are in”.
“It is definitely a big relief for everyone in the dressing room to have Chris Hughton’s situation sorted out and to have stability,” Butt said.
“Chris, along with Colin Calderwood and Paul Barron, have done an impressive job here under difficult circumstances right from the beginning of the season. Chris getting the job now is very much justified. He has done an excellent job. It gives us stability, everyone knows who the boss is now.
“The owner has said the club is not for sale but that doesn’t really bother the players as it is away from our domain. But what has happened on the coaching and managerial side is a massive plus for us.
“He has done well, done it his own way, treated the lads well and let them know every other day what has been going on upstairs. He has shown he is good enough to be a manager. He has got the respect of all the players and the staff and rightly so. He has been big enough to drop big players. He dropped Michael Owen last season. He is not afraid of that side of the challenge. He is definitely worthy of the job in my eyes.
“We don’t know what to call him yet – whether it is Chris or gaffer. We are not sure yet. It’s Chris at the moment until he tells us something different. But I don’t think things will change.”
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