Jim's view - continuity is the recipe for Alberts success.
Posted by JamesB in Albert Luque, Glenn Roeder, Newcastle, Premiership | 8 February 2006
James B - RLN
The signals coming from the club, and especially Glenn Roeder after Saturday regarding Albert Luque seem positive. A player asking to return "home" for a weekend due to not being named in the match squad sounds like a potential problem, but Glenn Roeder's handling of the situation seems excellent. Now hopefully he has the Spaniard on his "side" and they can work together to get the best out of him on the pitch.
What is worrying however is that soon another managerial change will be made, and with it will come a whole new set of coaching staff. With Luque recently moving to the country and playing in the league for the first time, he desperately needs continuity on all fronts if he is to settle in. For example a coaching team in place who aren't going anywhere and aren't under too much pressure to get something out of him right this minute. He also needs continuity in terms of where he plays on the pitch. Its difficult enough moving leagues and trying to establish your place on the pitch in a new country, but having to do it in two positions is silly.
Roeder made the right move taking him out of the squad. He hasn't been performing and with the reception sections of the crowd have been giving him it would be surprising if he had any confidence left in him. As Glenn said he hasn't had the best of starts at United, and Luque himself would admit that.
Lets hope that Roeder can work with him and help him continue to adapt and maybe we can see something like what he is actually capable of. Then after that, well who knows.
