Ireland: Finally ready for action?Newcastle United’s usually tightlipped supremo, Alan Pardew, has been giving a rare interview in which he says that on loan midfielder, Stephen Ireland, has it all to prove in the next six games if he hopes to make his move to the club permanent. He also announced that he will get his first chance to prove his worth to the club in Tuesday’s match against Premier League leaders, Manchester United.
Ireland, who has yet to make a first team appearence for the club since he was signed on loan from Aston Villa carying a knee injury, was originally set to make his first team debut for the club against Everton on the 5th March. However another injury, a thigh strain picked up in training ended up ruling him out once again for a while.
Pardew began by saying how Ireland has already proved himself as a player from his performances with Manchester City, but that he wants to ensure he can produce similar form in a black and white shirt, observing: (more…)
Pardew: More patience required with injuries?In the last few days, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew has been bemoaning the size of the Newcastle squad in the wake of recent injuries, suspensions and last Sunday’s defeat to Aston Villa.
Amongst other things, he said of our capitulation in that game:
“We didn’t have the options we should have for a club our size. That is a little note for next year.
“We don’t want to get in that situation again. Villa bought on the likes of Reo-Coker, Heskey and Pires and it makes a big difference.”
Yet, in terms of numbers in the first team squad and the value of the players, Newcastle United are by no means amongst the weakest in the Premiership. We have one of the larger first team squads in the Premiership in terms of numbers (29, which is four larger than Aston Villa’s) and are lower mid-table in terms of squad value. However, putting aside the suspension of important players for the last game, our biggest problem has been the amount of injuries which have gradually started to deplete the squad since Alan Pardew took charge in December of last year. One thing that Pardew didn’t mention in terms of the “options” Aston Villa manager, Gerard Houllier had in that game was that there wasn’t a single injured player in his first team squad on Sunday. (more…)
Pardew: “More than enough to see us through” Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew has been speaking once again on the long awaited return of wonder wing man, Hatem Ben Arfa, along with the loss of in form striker, Leon Best, who will now be out for the rest of the season after being told he needed an ankle operation. Talking to The Shields Gazette, he also filled us in on the other injuries which have ravaged the squad recently.
Pardew, who previously said that he would like to say that he “would like to say we won’t need him before the end of the season”, then added that he may be looking to use him in the last three games, is now suggesting that the game against Liverpool (the fourth last game of the season) is when the French Tunisian will start to figure in his thoughts.
He started on the situation regarding Leon Best, saying:
“I had an inkling last week all was not well. It’s best to get him right and ready to rumble next season.” (more…)
Ireland: One of several players rushed back too soon?Newcastle United are currently having injury problems, and the journey to the end of our return season in the Premier League may be longer and harder than expected with key players out. Of course, injuries happen in football, some are unavoidable, however some are the inevitable consequence of poor training methods, including pushing players too far too soon. Has this been the case with Newcastle players such as Dan Gosling and Stephen Ireland?
Ireland, who was carrying a knee injury when signed on loan from Aston Villa was all set for his debut against Everton last Saturday, however a thigh strain picked up in training has ruled him out for another stretch, with the midfielder looking certain to also miss Newcastle’s next match against Stoke. Obviously, a thigh strain isn’t the same as a knee injury, however after such a long time on the sidelines, it’s a possibilty that the thigh strain was a result of the player being pushed too quickly after a fairly long spell out.
Speaking in a recent interview on the Ireland injury, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew also conceeded that this was a possibilty, saying:
“We knew when we took him he was injured but this thigh strain, like anything when you’ve been out for a long time, you pick up these little injuries,” (more…)
Pardew: Bringing in top players, apparently.Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, has been been speaking on many things regarding himself and the club (as usual).
Amongst these, he has reassured fans that both himself and “all Newcastle staff” (including the tea lady?) will be out looking at players in readiness for a bonanza of summer transfer activity at the club. He also dropped a strong hint that he will be looking to make Stephen Ireland’s loan move to the club permanent, though the controversial player has yet to make an appearence in the Newcastle United first team through a thigh strain.
Firstly, on the subject of scouting for new players he told the club’s official website:
“I’m off to a couple of games this weekend. I will go to watch Stoke on Saturday, and am then going to a game abroad to watch a couple of players.
“All our staff are out looking at players, because that is important. We have to make sure that we bring in top players to this football club.(more…)
