Wizard from Oz?I guess you’ve got to look out for some positives in all of this uncertainty. Well we could look no further than the fruition of our glorious leader’s preference to ‘develop’ rather than ‘dabble’. Our new youth policy has been one thing which most fans, albeit some begrudgingly, have recognised as being a beacon throughout this whole sorry affair.
Pre-season friendlies are an ideal opportunity to blood youngsters and this term has been no different with several of our kids getting decent run-outs against Darlo and Huddersfield. Kadar was impressive in his centre half role in the latter game and Lua Lua’s willingness and ability to get at the opposition in both games.
Last night, admittedly against lesser quality but no lesser willing opposition at Hillheads where we were entertained by Whitley Bay, Newcastle gave more of our youngsters the chance to impress in front of the watching management pair Hughton and Calderwood and the pie-purchasing Peter Beardsley (I assume he also ate it but that is unconfirmed).
Aussie-born and highly rated Brad Inman, in particular, stood out in an eagerly contested and entertaining game. (more…)
Visitor's BeyeUndoubtedly, the most exciting thing to happen at our game last night wasn’t the actual football. It was the handbags at half time and at the end of the game.
The first tussle involved Habib Beye who was incensed enough to remonstrate with Huddersfield skipper Peter Clarke following an earlier disagreement. Whether that was something said at a free kick or a challenge either one of them didn’t like, is unclear.
Certainly I didn’t see the flashpoint because I was halfway up the stairs to get my pie (which incidentally were out of stock!). But both players looked fairly agitated and keen to get at each other. Which resulted in a 20-man melee (I love that word) that involved police and stewards and continued down the tunnel. Beye didn’t reappear for the second half but as I suggested in my earlier report of the game, I got the impression that was the original plan regardless.
The second incident involved Coloccini and former Gateshead forward Lee Novak with the striker reportedly suffering a cut to his chin. It came as a surprise to me just how close these two actually got and that there was physical damage as it was dispersed relatively quickly and there didn’t seem to be much in it. The exact cause of that incident is also unclear. What is clear though is that this was a relatively bad-tempered affair considering the nature of the game. (more…)
Butt InjuredAfter just a couple of friendlies we’ve picked up our first injury of the season. According to the official club site, Nicky Butt will be out for 4 weeks and will have a hand operation to repair the partially dislocated thumb he received during the Darlington game. This of course means he’ll miss the start of the season.
I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. We seem to have had a particularly injury-prone squad in recent seasons and I was beginning to wonder whether that’s just down to bad luck or whether there’s something wrong with the training / physio regime.
According to The Chronicle, the players have been told that they can expect Hughton to be in charge for the start of the season, which is no real surprise given the way things seem to be dragging on. The article also suggests that the Malaysian consortium that was recently given a tour of St James’ Park has fallen by the wayside, although I’m not sure how The Chronicle knows that because all that Ashely’s PR man had to say on matters was: “we can’t give out anything on the record“. (more…)
Duff wants Shearer. Damien Duff is the latest Newcastle player to complain about the drawn out takeover process and he called for Alan Shearer to be made manager while doing so. According to The Guardian he said:
“For me it definitely has to be Alan Shearer. The eight weeks I had with him I enjoyed them thoroughly. It was unfortunate we didn’t stay up but it was the most enjoyable eight weeks I’ve had [at Newcastle]. The training was great and there was proper professionalism. I think discipline was lacking over the last three years but he came in and changed things. Anyone who does come in and buy the club, he should be the main man.
“Time is not on our side. There are obviously [transfer] windows to think about. There are most likely going to be big changes but the start of the season is just three weeks away so we need him in now, not in three weeks’ time or four weeks’ time.”
Shearer certainly seems the popular choice amongst the players despite most of them saying he’s strict on discipline.
The club chose to respond to claims that only 15,000 season tickets had been sold with a press release of their own that reads as follows: (more…)
Beckford - will we get him?Good morning. We begin today with a story from The Guardian about how Shearer’s tearing his hair out about the lack of activity at Newcastle United. The Guardian only quotes ‘a source’ who supposedly witnessed Shearer’s follicular assaults but I can believe it anyway because us fans feel the same way.
The same story claims a group of Austrians shown round the ground recently are from Bwim, an online gaming company, but they suggest that these might just be potential sponsers to replace Northern Rock rather than potential buyers of the club.
The Chronicle seems more convinced that Bwim wish to buy the club. Although a Bwim official told them that
“As a rule we do not comment on rumour or speculation“,
The Chronicle have of course found a ‘source close to the company’ who said:
“It’s no surprise that Manfred or Norbert have been linked with this.
“If they were spotted in Newcastle it’s not a big deal, because they could be there one day and on the other side of the world the next.
“Their links to global sport are there for all to see.” (more…)
