North-east derby - Middlesbrough v Newcastle Utd: A few months ago Bobby Robson was expected to be in charge of Newcastle for life, now that possibility looks less tenable. Michael Walker
There are times when the north-east of England feels less like a hotbed than a tight corner. When Middlesbrough host Newcastle United today both clubs will want to see evidence that that corner is being left behind. Neither wants to get lost, as Sunderland did.
Fifteen Premiership games have brought only three wins between Boro and Newcastle this season. Only Leicester and Wolves are below them. Both Steve McClaren and Bobby Robson made positive noises yesterday about current form - Boro have won three from four and Newcastle have one defeat in six in all competitions - but defeat today would mean uncomfortable evenings for both chairmen, Steve Gibson and Freddy Shepherd.
Newcastle are forever churning out statistics of dubious relevance and Wednesday's UEFA Cup win over NAC Breda was Robson's 100th victory since he took over from Ruud Gullit. Not mentioned was that it was his 207th game, meaning a win percentage of 48.
On Teesside there is general surprise that McClaren remains a favourite to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson when his Boro Premiership record reads 27 wins from 84 matches - 23 per cent. McClaren's net spend over two and a quarter seasons is £31 million. His predecessor, Bryan Robson, spent £34 million over the seven seasons he was in charge.
More significant is that the mood and the goodwill both managers have built up at each club offers them protection against rash boardroom action.
Yet there is tension, particularly at Newcastle. Craig Bellamy, a fundamental part of Newcastle's rise under Robson, blows "hot and cold" over his knee injury, according to Robson yesterday. But Bellamy, who is not in today's squad, has "no chance" for Fulham on Tuesday and is already "very doubtful" for Portsmouth next Saturday. Newcastle's unhappiness with Bellamy is profound.
Then there is Alan Shearer. Robson is thinking post-Shearer, though the story that he tried to sell the striker to Liverpool in the summer continues to be denied. Shearer may well be thinking post-Robson.
Then there are results. They have been such that less than three weeks ago Robson had Shepherd by his side amid rumours of a managerial resignation. Five days earlier Newcastle had lost at Highbury and the after-shocks of the aftermath are still uncertain.
Scotland Yard detectives arrived in the north-east on Thursday to speak to unidentified people, some of whom are alleged to be professional footballers. The term "gang-rape" gets no better with familiarity.
What is not disputed is that certain Newcastle players went on a night out in London after a defeat. It raises questions about discipline and responsibility at a club where the chairman felt obliged to initiate a new code of conduct recently. It has been noted that for the reported £480 price of Kieron Dyer's Cristal champagne, you could buy a season ticket at
St James'.
"The mood is muted, subdued, and the off-field antics don't help," said Mike "Biffa" Bolam, co-editor of the intelligent, independent website NUFC.com. "There is an element where fans think 'honey-trap', 'News of the World plot'. But you can't forgive everybody everything because they wear a black-and-white shirt. But people would love to."
Middlesbrough fans are sure to make their feelings known today on that topic, but for Bolam what matters more are events on the pitch. "I don't think supporters are overly downbeat, but the next 10 days are massive for the club," he said. "Middlesbrough, Fulham and Portsmouth in the league, then West Brom in the Carling Cup - a trophy we now want to win.
"If we win the first three then we could do something in the league this season. If not, we are back to those 11th-place finishes we thought we had left behind. In years to come books will be written and, unless there is an upturn, Partizan Belgrade will be the point people will trace everything back to."
It felt too brutal to point out that when Newcastle are playing at Loftus Road on Tuesday night Partizan will be in Madrid preparing to face Real at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Champions League elimination by the Serbs has hurt so much no one talks about it. Filling the void is a constant conversation about who comes after Robson, and when.
"The 'who-follows-Bobby' debate has always gone on," says Bolam. "So now you hear Souness, Steve Bruce. A few weeks ago I would have thought Bobby would go on and on but now . . . "
Boardroom muttering on the subject only gains weight when private thoughts mutate into policy. But there is muttering and Shearer's name is back in the frame.
One man intimate with north-east football but now back in Ireland is Niall Quinn.
"Bobby Robson's position should not even be the subject of debate," he said. "For what he has done for Newcastle it is highly disrespectful. But if people in Newcastle are talking about who might come next then Alan Shearer must be a contender.
"Until someone goes into management, of course, you don't know how they will fare but Alan Shearer strikes me as someone who possesses half the qualities needed already.
"People get the wrong impression of him and assume a coldness that doesn't really exist. Over the past weeks people have been talking about football for all the wrong reasons but Shearer stands out like a beacon. He is the epitome of what we all wished to be. He has that strength of character that supersedes the bullshit that slops around stars. He saw through that a long time ago."
