Giovanni van Bronkhorst is not in the running to become Newcastle’s new manager, as the Chronicle report the club ideally want someone with Premier League coaching experience.
The former Arsenal player had made his interest in taking over from Rafa Benitez known, according to earlier reports, but with no experience in the English top flight, he is not being considered.
The report in the Chronicle is the first real idea of what Newcastle are actually looking for, with no word or hint being made known before now.
Of course, many of the names said to be on the shortlist also have no experience of coaching at Premier League level.
Report leaves some questions over new manager appointment
So while it is good to hear something about what we are looking for, it also raises a few interesting questions.
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Would that rule out Steven Gerrard, who before becoming Rangers manager, was coaching at academy level?
Mikel Arteta has been an assistant manager at Manchester City, but is that enough experience to keep him in the St James’ Park frame?
Does it mean they must have managed a Premier League side before?
If the answer to that last question is yes, it could see someone like former Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores – previously linked – currently out of work, as the new favourite for the job.
Sean Dyche and Roberto Martinez also tick that box, but with them both in roles at Burnley and the Belgian national side respectively, the Sanchez Flores would be a much easier – and cheaper – appointment for a hierarchy who hate spending a penny more than they have to.
Whether an appointment of the Spaniard would be someone the fans could rally behind is very doubtful – regardless of his qualities.
Fans were hoping for an ambitious, young manager like Gerrard, Arteta or Vieira, who they could take to, in the way they did with Kevin Keegan and Rafa Benitez.