“Newcastle can survive” – Rob Lee.
Posted on June 3rd, 2010 | 52 Comments |
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?
First?