Newell admits approach

Luton Town boss Mike Newell has admitted he has been contacted about the vacant managerial position at Leicester City.

You have to admire the man. His manner is calm and sometimes matter-of-fact to the extemt of irritation, but he tells it as it is. That’s a very refreshing trait in a sport where most managers blame the referee, or the opposition fouling, for defeat. When it has been a poor display he has said so; When, on the rarest of occasions he even mentions a referee, he has been correct and merely stated the facts; and, when he has commented on other contributory reasons, (e.g.the second best team in Hertfordshire dropping like flies to waste time,) he was again 100% correct.

It is not surprising therefore, when asked by the BBC Three Counties commentator, the direct question, he has been honest enough to admit it.

He replied, after a long pause to collect his thoughts, ‘I wouldn’t lie, and I have been contacted, but that’s as far as it’s gone.

‘I haven’t been offered any jobs, I’m in a job and that’s all I’m concentrating on.

‘It’s natural to be linked with jobs. It’s always flattering because they’re obviously looking at what’s gone on here at Luton in the last two or three years and they’re impressed by it.

‘We’ve still got a lot to do here and I’m committed to this job. Until someone comes and asks me to be their manager I don’t have to think about it.

He has also been quoted elsewhere as saying,‘When the chairman says he’s 100% committed to keeping me here, I don’t know what he means by that. He hasn’t said anything to me about it yet.

‘Put it this way, if Liverpool offered me the manager’s job tomorrow I’d be gone.’

This is not good news. It is all right for Mr Tomlins to come out with kneejerk reactions to pacify the fans’ thirst for news, but the fans wanted to hear that Mike is going nowhere. The rhetoric was there, but when Mike Newell’s comment shows that Bill Tomlins’ political, true statement does not give the whole truth, the fans will be worried.

Let us look at what was said.


Bill: ‘We have had no official approach from Leicester,’

‘I can understand why there is speculation, but I do not want to lose him.

Mike is a former Leicester player, but he is very happy at Luton and we have a very good relationship.

He is a very good manager and we are 100% committed to hanging onto him.’

Tomlins added: ‘There may come a time when Mike moves on – but I imagine it would be to a club in a higher league.’

So, Leicester haven’t made AN OFFICIAL approach, but there has been an approach to Newell, according to Mike.

Secondly, ‘Mike is happy at Luton and we have a very good relationship, we are 100% committed to hanging onto him.’

Yet Mike says, ‘When the chairman says he’s 100% committed to keeping me here, I don’t know what he means by that. He hasn’t said anything to me about it yet.’

That, to me, does not smack of a good relationship, and suggests that Tomlins hasn’t even spoken to Mike before giving out his statement, let alone told him we desperately want him to stay! Does he even know Mike’s mobile number?

Thirdly, it’s time the board offered Mike an extension to his contract, and a raise, if they really want to keep him, although comments like ‘hang on to’ and ‘There may come a time when Mike moves on – but I imagine it would be to a club in a higher league,’ reek of resignation toward losing him.

Also, if there has been no official approach, ie Leicester have ‘tapped him up’ without permission, then why, now Mike has admitted they have spoken to him, is the board not jumping up and down about an illegal approach?

And, if this is an illegal approach, will Mike’s integrity, which forced him to speak out against agents doing the wrong thing, allow him to go to a club that flouts the rules, and does he wrong thing. Will he go as far as to resign, (in the manner of Harry Redknapp) to be ‘available’? His arrival at Luton was not, by any stretch of the imagination, without its peculiarities!

Mike is loved by the fans at Luton; he is doing well in difficult circumstances; he is inexperienced and fairly progressive. ( I mean – tell the truth – how progressive can you get? ) Leicester City have done the up and coming progressive young manager thing before. Remember Peter Taylor? Didn’t work for them then and it won’t now.

If Mike Newell does move to Leicester City, he is stuck with the squad that is floundering in the league; he will be looked on as the Messiah in the short term, but, if results go against him, the crowd will be on his back, morale will get even lower, and if relegated (and there is a good chance)probably the sack. Why take the risk?

Leicester City need a firm hand with a lot of experience who will be hands on and be able to deliver a few well placed size 10s up a few rear ends. Mike is not that kind of manager.

MIKE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE! GET SOME EXPERIENCE AND FEEL THE LOVE AT LUTON. REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO MICK HARFORD, THE LAST PROGRESSIVE UP AND COMING, DESTINED FOR GREAT THINGS, LUTON MAN? WHERE IS HE NOW? THINGS CAN GO MAMMARIES SKYWARDS IN NO TIME.