Steve McClaren hit back at a journalist who claimed he was on the brink of the sack.
In a lively pre-match Press conference at the club’s Benton base McClaren was then confronted by the journalist at the end of the media briefing before the pair sat down and had clear-the-air talks.
McClaren woke up to headlines which claimed that some players expected him to be sacked if he lost to AFC Bournemouth this weekend.
He responded: “It’s done by a journalist who for the last 18 months has written nothing but negative things about Newcastle, a journalist who used to work at this club and who four or five years ago was released from this club.”
At the end of the Press conference the reporter left his seat and began walking towards McClaren as he left the room before saying: “Don’t you dare accuse me of having an agenda. You are second bottom of the league. Is this your latest excuse? You’re the problem not me. Walk away Steve, smile, grin.
“He has been out of depth since the moment he walked in.”
The journalist and McClaren then apologised to each other. McClaren also stated the importance of beating Bournemouth as far as his own future was concerned.
He said: “It is football. It is a results business. I know that, and we need results.
“We need to make sure we are in this league next season. We need to get over the defeat at Stoke but have the same fight.
“Every game now is a must win.
“We are coming to the business end and the pressure is on.”