On the latest episode of NUFC Matters, Newcastle United reporter Liam Kennedy has been speaking about the vacant director of football role at St. James’ Park.
Since the new ownership arrived on Tyneside, it has been suggested the club would undergo a rebuild and one of the key features of their plans was to bring in a director of football.
Would this be a good appointment for NUFC?
Yes
No
And one of the names to surface as the leading candidate for the Newcastle job is the former Chelsea man Michael Emenalo, who had spent 10 years with the London club.
The Nigeria-born former player has been out of work since 2019 after parting ways with AS Monaco as their sporting director, having spent just under two years with the Ligue 1 side (via Transfermarkt).
Discussing what he knows about the 56-year-old, Kennedy had the following to say on the potential arrival of Emenalo on Tyneside and what he could bring to the club.
“It seems at the moment that Michael Emenalo seems to be leading the way, and what I would say on that one, and there may be questions on that subject also, but my opinion on that would be that it would be an incredible appointment. And that would be the type of game-changing appointment that really shows that this takeover and the people who’ve conducted it really mean business.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s rebuild…
The latest reports suggest Emenalo has agreed terms to take over in the role, following initial claims he had held talks with the Toon hierarchy earlier this week.
Going by their torrid start to the 2021/22 campaign, there seems to be an awful lot of work to be done on the pitch at the Tyneside club to see them keep their Premier League status.
However, with Eddie Howe now appointed as the new manager, it would seem the club are also taking steps to address their issues off the field, too.
Steve Bruce was in charge of the club for their opening eight games of the season before being sacked, and it seems apparent by the recent reports that a new director of football is desired.
With the January transfer window quickly approaching, it would seem the Newcastle owners would like a proven figure to oversee the club’s potential arrivals and departures.
In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Absolutely staggering’ – Lots of NUFC fans fume over ‘horrendous’ footage