When was the last time...

[Zippity]

...you think we were attractive to watch?

My thinking is that it was under Sir Bobby. Here's a list of the managers we've had since Shepherd acted so disgracefully:


Steve Bruce 17 Jul, 2019 20 Oct, 2021
Ben Dawson 01 Jul, 2019 17 Jul, 2019
Rafael Benitez 11 Mar, 2016 01 Jul, 2019
Steve McClaren 10 Jun, 2015 11 Mar, 2016
John Carver 31 Dec, 2014 09 Jun, 2015
Alan Pardew 09 Dec, 2010 31 Dec, 2014
Chris Hughton 01 Jun, 2009 06 Dec, 2010
Alan Shearer 02 Apr, 2009 31 May, 2009
Joe Kinnear 29 Sep, 2008 02 Apr, 2009
Chris Hughton 08 Sep, 2008 29 Sep, 2008
Kevin Keegan 16 Jan, 2008 04 Sep, 2008
Nigel Pearson 09 Jan, 2008 16 Jan, 2008
Sam Allardyce 15 May, 2007 09 Jan, 2008
Nigel Pearson 06 May, 2007 15 May, 2007
Glenn Roeder 02 Feb, 2006 06 May, 2007
Graeme Souness 13 Sep, 2004 02 Feb, 2006
John Carver

Some of those managers don't count as they weren't in position long enough e.g Shearer and Keegan second time round). And that season we were 5th under Pinocchio had some thrilling games-but, were we an attractive side to watch? Hughton and Rafa played functional football and, again, gave us some fantastic moments but were we good to watch other than in some notable games? I'm not sure we were.

Under Sir Bobby, there were more than a few echoes of King Kev's entertainers and I'd argue that that was the last time we played entertaining football on a consistent basis.

I say all this because, if Howe gets things right, I think we'll be a team people enjoy watching again.

Thoughts...?

[bix01]

That last half season under Rafa was decent enough. Almiron gave us a bit of a lift attacking teams and we scored a few more goals than we previously had.

[ex_pat_magpie]

That last half season under Rafa was decent enough. Almiron gave us a bit of a lift attacking teams and we scored a few more goals than we previously had.

Agreed about that and also Chris Hughton's second spell should count but there's nothing to compare with the two periods of KK's entertainers and Sir Bobby's period. Freddy Shepherd should have been shot instead of Bambi.

[HughieG]

I loved it when Rafa was here, but sometimes people see what they wanna see (including myself of course). In all honesty, we hardly ever played entertaining football during his era, and although the addition of Almiron gave us something different, we still mainly passed the ball sideways or hoyed it up front hoping someone would get a hold of it. This was quite effective when we had Rondon and Perez running around behind him, but entertaining? Not really if we are to compare it to Keegan's style or other modern managers such as Pep and Klopp, but obviously those styles of football could not have been implemented here succesfully with the players that were here then.

Still, I liked Rafa's tactical approach when he was here, even if his subs were off at times. He achieved results with defensive tactics and managed to create a unit, a force that beat the likes of City (which pissed the pundits off, to my pleasure). I don't think a lot of the top teams in the league generally found it pleasant to face us as they knew, on a good day, we would be very tough to beat.

Bruce also employed defensive tactics, he just hoped that would be enough, stopped coaching the players and managed to finish his time here with a completely fragmented side containing zero confidence and having no idea on how to play coherently.

I'll say out of all those managers, Rafa deserves a mention along with Chris H. The rest can bugger off.

[trinitoon]

We were exciting to watch at times under Partdue in the season we came fifth.

We were good every Partdue November.
We were exciting in Papi'ss Cisse's first 14 games, man... he was on fire and we were on fire.
The season before Carroll went to Liverpool, we were fairly tidy (don't ask me when).

[toonviking]

For me, the only time under Ashley it was attractive to watch us was that season under Pardew when we ended 5th.

Other that that I would have to say the Sir Bobby Robson era.

[Marat18]

For me, the only time under Ashley it was attractive to watch us was that season under Pardew when we ended 5th.

Other that that I would have to say the Sir Bobby Robson era.

Yeah, Pardew hit jackpot with Ben Arfa being fit and Cisse/Ba scoring for fun. But the whole team was alright.
We also didn't lose any key players in the summer (or I can't remeber any) but didn't build on that success.
I partially blame Ba as he wanted to be main striker and Pardew started playing Cisse on the wing - as far as I remember the situation back then.

[Zippity]

Yeah, Pardew hit jackpot with Ben Arfa being fit and Cisse/Ba scoring for fun. But the whole team was alright.
We also didn't lose any key players in the summer (or I can't remeber any) but didn't build on that success.
I partially blame Ba as he wanted to be main striker and Pardew started playing Cisse on the wing - as far as I remember the situation back then.

Aye...we bought Anita for £8 mil that Summer and that was it. Then Pardew had his moment of 'enlightenment' and pushed Tiote further forward and brought Cabaye deeper. Ruined both players.