"I Want To Stay"First the good news – Papiss Demba Cisse wants to stay at Newcastle United for “many years”. And what’s more, that news is actually backed up with direct quotes from the player speaking to Sky Sports. So this isn’t “a source close to the player” or “a source close to the club”, this is Cisse himself, on the record, saying he wants to stay.
He told Sky Sports:
“I am very happy in Newcastle and I want to stay there for many years.”
“We were close to a Champions League position so next season hopefully we will qualify for that and everyone will taste the Champions League.”
“I am looking forward to next season.”
This news is particularly heartening given the recent press speculation that clubs like moneybags Manchester City are apparently keen on stealing our star forward. A bid might still come in of course, and it might be of sufficient size to tempt the United “Board” to cash in. But it’s always a good start if the player himself wants to stay and is happy here. (more…)
Will he still be smiling this time next year?My esteemed colleague, Jimbob, has already taken a look back at the season past, you have already voted Fabricio Coloccini as our “Player of the Season,” but now it is time to look forward to next season.
Being the hopelessly deluded, stereotypical Geordies that we are, Alan Pardew seems to think that our expectations will go into overload now that we have finished fifth, and that he needs to embark on a mission to “educate” us to lower our expectations now that a new European front has opened in Newcastle United’s war for supremacy.
Well let’s find out how deluded we really are!
Undoubtedly, we had a very good season. However, though we did well, perhaps our expectations have been just a little on the low side if anything. Our fifth placed finish wasn’t, perhaps, quite the miracle some have thought bearing in mind what Pardew had at his disposal. Bearing in mind previous catastrophes under the current regime though, it has been understandable that expectations have been lowered somewhat by experiences in recent years. (more…)
"No regrets"The Newcastle Journal have recently published an exclusive interview with Chris Hughton, in which the ex United Manager reflects on his time at the club and gives an insight into what is, I suppose, his side of the story and his feelings – both at the time of his sacking and in the period since.
Chris was relieved of his responsibilities in December 2010, a moved that was greeted with a certain degree of incredulity by the United faithful, as he had actually done a very good job in pulling the team together and winning promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
He was replaced by Alan Pardew, a move which it is fair to say was also greeted with a degree of scepticism by the fans. (more…)
"Satan's mirror has two faces."Well, Newcastle United have finally managed to finish in the top half of the Premiership under current owner, Mike Ashley.
This is our first top ten finish, and qualification for European competition, since Glenn Roeder’s Intertoto “Dream Team” managed seventh, and Europe, after a storming finish in the 2005-06 season.
However, we fans are constantly reminded that this can only come at a very high cost, that the name of the club’s traditional home, St James’ Park, must be sacrificed to become a free publicity vehicle for Sports Direct, that we must also be subjected to a myriad of fit inducing signs publicising Sports Direct throughout games, that we must pay a £25 membership fee to purchase a season ticket, or even just one away ticket and so on…
Mirroring the spin department of the current administration at 10 Downing Street, everything is blamed on our previous administration for allegedly taking us to the edge of the financial abyss, with neither the world economic crisis, nor relegation to the Championship playing any part whatsoever. Even after five whole years, when controversial decisions are made, the spectre of the Byker Beelzebub himself, Freddy Shepherd, is constntly raised, and the club’s current owner is hailed as a messiah who has somehow led the club from the verge of complete extinction. So, now that the club has completed it’s fifth season under its current ownership, I thought I would put this to the test, measuring the performance of the current owner, both on the pitch and on the balance sheet, against his predecessors under the leadership of Shepherd. (more…)
Wants to stay?The Sunday Mirror carried a story today with quotes from Newcastle United right-back Danny Simpson which suggest that he wants to stay at the club. As we know, Danny has one year left of his current contract but United are looking to agree a new deal now, rather than let him leave as a free agent next year.
An offer is allegedly on the table but Danny and his advisers currently do not feel it reflects his value.
Danny told the Sunday Mirror:
“I’m not a greedy player and I just want to be on par with the other players around me. In football terms, what I’m asking for is by no means outrageous, I want to stay at this club and I’ve been saying that all season. I’ve recently had a baby, I’m happy here and so is my family.
“Hopefully me and the club can find some solution. I want to stay but if I have to move, then I will accept it and move on. But it’s a great club with 50,000 screaming Geordies at the game every week. Why would I want to leave? There is speculation but I want to state, like I have all season, I want to stay.
“Over the last two years I’ve played nearly 80 games and started most of them. I’m not being greedy, this club is on the up, the manager and staff are brilliant – I want to stay.” (more…)
