As the dust settles on Allardyces swift departure we are going to take a look at summing everything up thats been going.

The shock leading contender is still Harry Redknapp come Friday morning. He is apparently happy at Portsmouth but as with anything money talks. He is an experienced English manager but hes yet to step up to the plate of a big club many would feel. We also doubt whether he would be totally accepted as a Newcastle United manager.

Couple of positives about Harry would be for his style of play. He certainly plays the right football style to suit us geordies. Certainly couldn’t be any worse than previously that is for sure. Hes always looked as though he has an eye for a player and is happy to try unknowns. Hes operated on reasonable budgets and got great results – something which was said about Sam but I have to say I have far less reservations on Harry. Hes a football man who comes from a footballing family. Hes passionate about the game just like us geordies.

Though one of Newcastle fans main reservations would be he is based in the South coast and seems apparently happy. The papers suggest Harry would be allowed to commute using Ashley’s plane? Not too sure we would accept that. We would want full commitment or he would be off to a slippery start instantly.

One other reservation is the agent bung alegations and police investigations that surround Harry. Out with one in with one so would we have moved in the right direction? Newcastle always seems to attract the wrong headlines.

Harry has obviously stated he has had no contact from Newcastle United and obviously so. Hes certainly not going to come out saying hes spoken as we would be in big trouble. So I wouldn’t read into that in any great manner.

Conspiracy theorists could be hinting that Harry is just a smoke screen for who they are really tying down.

At the end of the day the big picture remains. Ashley wants his own man. He wants them in place so that the worlds 12th biggest club can put together the foundations of good attacking football for next season to qualify for the Champions League. As far as Ashley is concerned its where he expects his Newcastle United to be.

Like Freddy Shepherd before him this is the moment where Ashleys starts to stand or fall on his managerial decisions and how much he backs that manager. It will say quite a bit about his vision and ambition for the club. The business end starts here…