Pardew predicts a barbecue summer
Posted on July 16th, 2011 | 6 Comments |
Alan Pardew has been talking again, which will come as no surprise to anyone, but this time he’s been extolling the virtues of the pre-season stint to the US of A.
It’s mid-season for Americas football (‘soccer’) leagues, so we’ll be facing players who are well into their competitive stride. This will be a hard test of our fitness as we look to complete a yankee triple over Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew and Orlando City.
Pardew feels the tour will set us up nicely for the new season though, saying:
“It is not a money-making exercise by any stretch of imagination.
“It is purely a break-even tour, which we feel is beneficial for the team.
“We go there because the facilities will be first class. It is going to be hot, so it will test us.“
Then Pardew turns weather-man and gives Michael Fish a run for his money by predicting a particularly hot start to the season at SJP:
“My experience tells me that for the first game of the season it will be 90 degrees at St James’ Park, so that [the tour] will be good [conditioning].”
Apparently Pardew has come under some criticism for taking the team on a ‘marathon tour’ during pre-season (although I haven’t heard any criticism) and felt the need to defend that, saying:
“And when you say a lot of travelling, I think there are a couple of internal flights of about four hours but, you know. But some of the trips made by other Premier League teams – we are dwarfed by the distances they have gone.
“You know, these Asia trips… God knows where else.”
I’m not sure who will actually be going on the tour, but Joey Barton and Nile Ranger won’t be going anyway as their visa applications were rejected by US authorities.
Referring to Barton’s absence, Pardew said:
“Ideally you want to take all your players, but I do not think it is going to be a major problem for Joey to go to Holland and then to integrate with us. No problems.”
Still, at least there’s some footy to look forward to as we continue to ponder the transfer dealings and Newcastle United’s future. Mostly cloudy with some sunny spells, perhaps.
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.
i predicted – comical alan – would get sacked by crimbo but i’m changing that to – tattie picking week – which is quite appropriate really.
shame – coz i’m gonna miss his patter big style!