Hamstrung by Newcastle's recruitment policy, Steve McClaren can only muddle along

The apportionment of blame for the mess at Newcastle United becomes blurred because of the model the club rigidly sticks to. Steve McClaren has been the head coach – not manager – for six Premier League games and four of those have been lost, the last two to West Ham United and newly promoted Watford, 2-1 victors on Tyneside on Saturday. These are teams Newcastle’s supporters expect to beat.