“Newcastle can survive” – Rob Lee.

Posted on June 3rd, 2010 | 52 Comments |

Rob Lee in his playing days.
Rob Lee in his playing days.
Former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee has tipped his old club to survive in the Premier League this time around, even if there are no significant additions to the team over the summer.

Lee is very much the poster boy from the last time Newcastle embarked on a return to top flight football back in 1993, and clocked up and impressive 303 appearances during his ten year tenure on Tyneside.

It’s nice to hear some positivity coming from our former players for a change, especially as a vast array of former players appear to have already written off the current squads chances of survival. Unfortunately it isn’t all sweeteness and light from Lee though, and whilst he does believe that the current squad is capable of ensuring survival, he has also warned that money will be needed in the future if the team are to progress to the next level.

That pretty much sits with my viewpoint, that this team could survive whilst not pulling up any trees. It’s not an indication of my lack ambition, more an indication that my faith in our owner to splash the cash and make a hard job much easier, both on the players and manager Chris Hughton, is significantly reduced since that god damn statement.

Still we soldier on, as we always do, and it is nice to read that someone, somewhere has some faith in the team.

“Chris and Colin have done a fantastic job, absolutely brilliant. They’ve done everything asked of them. They had good players to work with, the best squad in the Championship, but you still have to manage them, to keep them happy,” Lee said. “The players wouldn’t have been used to performing in that division but they got them playing and winning.”

I don’t think that Lee is saying anything that hasn’t already been said about Hughton and Calderwood, although this comment does fly in the face of those fans who seem to think that our squad last season could have managed itslef to to the top of league, which is of course very unfair on Chris Hughton.

The problem is that maintaining a good team harmony is easy when you’re winning, but that isn’t the be all and end all. It’s how you regroup after suffering a defeat that matters, much like we managed to do in the season just gone when it looked like our season could have taken a turn for the worse only for us to bounce back again.

This is where the real test will come for Hughton, although after the season just gone we do seem to have a determined squad who want to work with each other, and that could be vital in not letting morale drop too far. We know it is going to be tough, and working within our alleged meagre budget is going to make it that bit harder, but we can do it.

“The players can play, but you have to make sure they actually do. You need to score goals from all areas. You get a lot of chances in the Championship, but there will be a lot less in the Premier League. You could be playing well, but if you’re not scoring goals week-in, week-out, you’ll lose games,” said Lee.

“Scoring is all that matters. They’ve got good players who can score goals, but it’s up to the players to prove they can do it. I still believe they have a decent squad by Premier League standards, good enough to keep them up.”

So Rob Lee reckons we will be alright next season then, and I think we all hope he is right. Given his experience, he is far better placed to judge just what is needed for Premier League survival than most of us.

I believe we can do it, I have to. If you don’t have belief then what is the point?

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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52 Responses

  1. I have to agree. Although, I wouldn’t mind a wee bit of insurance in the form of a few signings, but I have faith in the current squad to do the job needed to survive.

  2. “Smith was targeted but unfortunately the legend could not return to Leeds, Newcastle unwilling to sell their best player and captain from last year despite Smith’s protests.”

    Another gem from the ever reliable Transfer-Rumours.co.uk, Im sure Ashley would be gutted to get £60k a week for a headless chicken off the wage bill.

    P.S. Yes you did read that right, Best Player…

  3. I wad never a fan of smith but I’m not going to knock him after a decent season, I thought he done well.

  4. haha well thats just an embarrassment, did someone write that on the toilet……in Baghdad? Had a great first half to last year mind, but hey, silly season aye…

  5. We’re going to need Smith this season for sure, but expect his name to crop up at the various transfer windows. Leeds are on the up and up, makes sense that they want to re-sign him. 8 million and he’s all yours…

  6. If I were Smudge, I’d stay in the championship.

    Wait, I AM Smudge!

  7. Aye, I used to score in the Champions League, been a rough few years here. Figured out how to boss the middle of the park in the Championship, though.

  8. Can anyone really say we looked a better team with him in the first half of the season or the second half of the season with Guthrie.

    I love his attitude but he’s a long way from his champions league days and his England debut.

  9. With Butt gone we are going to need smithy, unless we sign someone else. Don’t think he will be in our 1st choice 11 as I think we will see quite a bit of 4-5-1 with guthrie,barton & nolan in the middle. So leeds want him back do they? He got dogs abuse for going to man u & will never be foregiven.

  10. Noir9 – Was just going to say that.

    He is viewed by Leeds as being the biggest judas of all after all his badge kissing escapes, then hi departure down the M62 to their fiercest rivals.

    I doubt he would be welcomed back there at all by the fans.

  11. dont forget , when we got promoted last time only high profile signing was pedro…beresford ,lee and cole where untested from then div1 teams pompey, charlton and bristol city….a smattering of journeymen sellars , venison, brace and the rest was home grown talent clarke, howey , elliot , watson…we managed then …i think we’ll survive…theres only 5 0r 6 teams competeing in the prem , the rest are very ordinary

  12. Off the subject a bit, but an interesting comment from a scouser spokesman re Benitez departure to sunny Milan..

    …”no manager should be undermined by the financial situation of a football club and that is what has happened”.

    Are they all off there heeds ?

  13. dead right big_gaz, maybe we can do something similar again this time round. Mind that was a hell of a team your quoting there ! Happy days !

  14. Toonsy
    ‘He is viewed by Leeds as being the biggest judas of all after all his badge kissing escapes, then hi departure down the M62 to their fiercest rivals.’

    I remember reading quite a bit about this and from what I understand, Smith had no option when he was sold to Manure. Leeds were about to financially implode and they needed to raise funds mega quick. Selling their prize asset at the time was their solution to bring in the desperately needed readies. It was all done and dusted within days and Smith was sent packing with the judas calls ringing in his ears. If what I read is true, he has been unfairly pilloried for years by the Leeds fans.

  15. Smithy may have had little choice about his sale but kissing the man u badge is un-forgivable for the most deluded supporters in the world. Remember last season pre-season friendly?

  16. Fletcher gone to Wolves for £6.5m!!

    I can’t believe we haven’t signed anyone by now…it’s an utter disgrace we are taking so long to sign someone!!

  17. Smith is the same as Butt.

    All very well being able to make a good tacke and win a ball, but its no good if you gift the ball back to the opposition two minutes later with a poor pass and then get yellow carded and give away a freekick on the edge of the box every game…

    Not worth his wages, not worth picking him as 4th choice central midfielder. If we get any sort of offer for him – which we won’t because no manager wants him, we should sell.

    If we could sell him for 2mil and use it towards buying someone like O’Hara, our midfield would look excellent.

    Guthrie, O’Hara, Barton, Nolan. Looks far better doesn’t it…

  18. JJ – You’re not allowed to say that Peter Whittingham would be a decent punt to sign. You’ll get lynched 8O

  19. “toonsy says:
    June 3, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    JJ – You’re not allowed to say that Peter Whittingham would be a decent punt to sign. You’ll get lynched”

    Toonsy, I usually get lynched anyway!

    I just think a midfielder who scores more goals than any of our strikers and has more assists than any of our midfielders for a weaker team in the same league would be worth a real punt Toonsy. :)

  20. My mate works for an estate agents in the toon & apparently Kempson was in looking for a two bed end-terrace…so I thought it was nailed on!!

  21. geordie deb, you are bang about smith, i was just reading through the posts and was going to say the same thing, until i saw your post. smith openly said he didnt want to leave leeds. it was all about finance in the end.

  22. Whittingham has contributed 63 goals in 108 appearances for Cardiff over the last three seasons as a midfielder. And he’s only 25 years old. And hes a left footed player.

    Not bad if you ask me.

    Yet we get people saying he’s no good – Charlie Adam has one good season, and people say he’s the next Maradona.

  23. Craig, just think it’s a shame the way he was treated by the Leeds fans when he left as he had no choice and the myth gets perpetuated that he just wanted to join Man U.

  24. Everybody knows levan kenia is the next maradona, don’t talk shite JJ :grin:

  25. It’s all very well saying “sell smithy” but who is going to buy him? If he was coming to the end of his contract you could maybe see him taking a longer contract at a lower wage but I think he has 2 years left @ 65k. Also wasn’t moyes after him? if he’s good enough for them isn’t he good enough for us?

  26. jay jay if levan kenia was any good surely someone on this blog would have mentioned him before ;-)

    geordie deb ref Smith,unfortunately thats the way of the football world.The way they’ve treat him I doubt he’d want to go back anyway.

  27. Do ppl think were more likey to sign young talent like 17 to 19 yer olds for the future more than established names, if ch has transfer budget could c using it try n sign tom cleverly on a permant maybe 4m he has made no secret of how highly he rates him

  28. big_gaz says:
    June 3, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    “dont forget , when we got promoted last time only high profile signing was pedro…beresford ,lee and cole”

    Only, Gaz? One of the greatest midfielders and second strikers in recent English history, a midfielder of the rarest type, ie a solid defender who could playmake with the best and a Premier League goal machine who went on to play for Manchester United? And that’s not counting the many others you mention. If we could get players like that in todays conditions, we’d be laughing.

  29. Worky – Think the pont was that at the time none of them, aside from Beardlsey, had played in the top level, and they thrived in it.

  30. Think you got his comment wrong worky, he said the only big signings were pedro and beresford, and that lee and cole were untested at top level.

  31. Forgot to mention, saw a Sports Direct lorry in a bad smash on the M1 last night. No injuries, but the vehicle was a mess.

    Wonder who he will sell to pay for that ;) :lol:

  32. toonsy says:
    June 3, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    “Worky – Think the pont was that at the time none of them, aside from Beardlsey, had played in the top level, and they thrived in it.”

    I knaa what the point was Toonsy. But if we could sign players like that again, it would be a miracle.

  33. i see yaya toure has agreed to join a premier league club for next season but there not saying who maybe jus maybe fingers crossed its us lol

  34. It`s not as if we actually need a lot of reinforcements, three decent pl quality signings an a couple or three pacey young loanees would transform this side into a competitor.
    I would like to see,
    O`Hara as the new midfield engine room,
    Onuoha, @ RB, completing a decent young back four.
    A midfield playmaker, McGaidy or ?
    Each has a bit of pace, something we can use.
    Cleverly and Van Aanholt, would give LB coverage and a pacey playmaking midfielder, who can score.
    Thats probably both more than our owner would want to pay for, then there`s the question of wages, none would come for less than their present wage packet.
    But there you go !

  35. We will more than just survive, top 6 beware!!
    Tooooooooooooonnnnnnn!!!!!!!

  36. toonsy (46) – how did you know the lorry had been in an accident? I saw a Sports Direct shop the other day and it looked as if it had been in a smash!

  37. well as i live & breathe thats wor batty @ 39 long time no see m8…how ya diddling ya sly old dog.

    imagine getting paid 6 million quid just to f@ck off….nice work raffa.

    …then draft in king kenny & ian rush just to make matters worse..it’s not looking good for the liverpool scallies.