From TeamTalk:

Meanwhile, former Newcastle playing legend Peter Beardsley has joined the club's youth academy coaching set-up, initially until the end of the season.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Answers

It would seem the perfect start?

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

So that's what he was alluding to when he was chatting to Mike Neville. Thought so.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

From NUFC.com. Apparently Beardsley has been coaching at Boro as well. Natural for him to work with the strikers, hopefully he can go some way towards making sure the promise shown already by Chopra, Offiong etc is realised in terms of value to the first team squad.

Initially until the end of the season, Peter now has a specialist coaching role with the young strikers at Newcastle, allowing the likes of Michael Chopra, Richard Offiong and Johnny Mann to benefit from his long experience.

The roles of Academy U19 team coach Kenny Wharton and Alan Irvine remain the same.

If only from a PR point of view, this move has to be seen as a positive one by the club, but hopefully he'll impart some of his secrets to future generations of local hopefuls.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

That's excellent news, for both parties.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Woo hooo.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Is he allowed to play as well?

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

I'm sure he would slot in on the left of midfield and still work harder than some of the current team. Perhaps why Robson was so reluctant to have him anywhere near the first team, because he would show up Robson's signings!

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Did Robson actually ever say anything about hom going anywhere near the first team?

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

I know we call him Pedro, but to label him 'hom' is a different matter.

I was basing Robson's reluctance on the fact that he is not coaching the first team, tenous link established to make the ironic statement!

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

Even more ironic is if Bobby has to play Beardo because we don't have a single fit mid-fielder. ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2001

According to this morning's Journal, Beardsley has not yet signed any agreement to join the Toon coaching staff, with further talks scheduled for next week. Indeed they suggest that for the second time there are some misunderstandings, or even disagreements, as to Pedro's potential role.
It seems Peter felt he was to be asked to work with United's senior strikers like Carl Cort, whereas the role envisaged by BR is for him to work with the younger strikers like Coppinger, Offiong and Chopra.
Looks like another PR screw-up in the making.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2001

You're right Clarky. If that report is correct, then you just have to ask "WTFIGO???"

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2001

What annoys me, apart from being at work on a Sat morning is that you go to the IC Newcastle site to read the Journal article and it's not there.

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2001

Can't help wondering if the club actually led Beardsley to believe he would be involved with the first team, or if Beardsley is maybe spitting his dummy cause he thinks he's too good to work with the kids. Sure he's got a fantastic record as a player, but he's still new to coaching. What record does he have in that department? How many times has it been said that great players don't necessarily make great coaches? Starting at the 'bottom' at NUFC isn't exactly like being asked to coach Cowdenbeath's youth team. Indeed, by coaching kids like Chopra and Coppinger, he could set himself up quite nicely when they become successful. I don't think the whole story is being told here. Not unusual for NUFC!!

-- Anonymous, March 03, 2001