Newcastle have unveiled Glenn Roeder as their new manager.
Roeder took caretaker control of team affairs after Graeme Souness
was axed in February and the team embarked on a stunning run of
form under his stewardship.
A final day win over Chelsea secured The Magpies' place in the
Intertoto Cup and prompted the club's board to plump for Roeder
over higher-profile candidates.
A spanner was thrown into the works when it emerged Roeder did not
possess the requisite Pro-Licence badges.
Newcastle navigated their way through the obstacles by securing
special dispensation from the Premier League for Roeder to pass the
tests while at the helm and the 50-year-old was unveiled at a press
conference on Tuesday morning.
Roeder has been handed a two-year deal and admits he is honoured
and elated to have secured the top post on Tyneside.
"Obviously I'm very elated to be given this opportunity," Roeder
said on Sky Sports News. "Especially being an ex-player and captain
of the club.
"This is an amazing achievement to be offered the chance to manage
Newcastle.
"I know what the expectations are here and it is elation and
looking forward to the future.
"In the last three months we have turned the season around and
secured the results this club expects.
"The plan will be over the next couple of years to get similar
results and be at the right end of the table, the end of the table
where we should be."
Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd has admitted Roeder's efforts in
the last three months made it impossible for him to ignore his
claims.
"It has been building up over the whole season," said Shepherd. "We
have looked at other candidates and had other applicants, but let's
be honest Glenn has won the job by the results he has achieved and
is the highest placed English manager in The Premiership this
season and we felt he deserved the job.
"It's a two-year contract and it is not a holding job."
Roeder says he did not set out to take permanent control, but
admits the position grew on him.
"There was never a precise moment, it just grew over the weeks," he
added. "At the start I took it one game at a time, but privately
the more I worked with the quality of players here the more it made
me think about it.
"I had been hoping the chairman would give me an opportunity to be
the new manager and sure enough he did. But he made me wait quite a
long time!"
Roeder is happy with the length of contract given to him.
"We are building for the future; I am happy to be offered two
years," he added. "If I had been offered a longer contract I would
not have felt as comfortable.
"Two years keeps everyone on their toes, particularly me, it will
keep me motivated and hopefully I can bring a cup back in the next
couple of years.
"We have not had everyone fit this year. I have not had Michael
Owen fit this year and have got him to look forward to. We have
Scott Parker to come back and other players and I don't see why we
can't keep progressing."
Roeder is likely to sit down with his chairman to discuss the
summer transfer budget in the near future.
"I haven't had a chance to discuss things," he stressed. "I have
not sat down with the chairman to talk about new faces, or faces
here leaving, but I won't be taking my holidays for some time yet
and that discussion will take place shortly.
"If there is a possibility of bringing in new faces, maybe some
will be leaving in the summer."
Shepherd says Roeder will not be forced to work on a shoestring,
but has admitted failure will not be tolerated.
"No Newcastle manager has ever been starved of money," he said.
"Perhaps some have had too much money. I don't think we can be
accused of holding funds back on any manager.
"It has got to be top six for Newcastle, especially with the
quality of players we have here.
"All the ingredients are here and we expect any manager to achieve
that. They (the players) are paid huge wages and we expect top-six
performances from them."
Shepherd also confirmed that Alan Shearer, who retired at the end
of the season, will act as sporting ambassador for the club.
"Alan's official title will be sporting ambassador for Newcastle
United and it is exactly what it says on the tin and what he will
be doing worldwide."
