Oba returns against Orient.In a day that appears largely bereft of Newcastle United news, I’ll have to pick out our reserve win over Whitley Bay as the headline news. Apparently Hughton and Calderwood were amongst the 1,075 crowd that saw us win 3-1 with two goals from Brad Inman and one from Wesley Ngo Baheng.
According to The Chronicle, Oba Martins and Geremi are set to make a return against Leyton Orient on Saturday, although Bassong is complaining of a ‘muscle ache’ and remains doubtful.
I have to admit to being a bit nonplussed about such news because I’m guessing that all three of these players will be clearing off as soon as Ashley’s transfer embargo is lifted. I’m not sure what we’re gaining in the long run by getting them into the pre-season squad and wonder if we’d be better off giving more of the youngsters some first team time – at least they’ll still be here for the rest of the season.
The article also explains how Hughton has been left to contemplate starting the season the season without Nicky Butt. He told The Chronicle: (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…)
Team bondingSteven Taylor has been speaking out again, this time to reassure the fans that the off-field problems have actually brought the team closer together. According to Sky Sports he said:
“The fans at this moment probably think the club is a shambles and the players haven’t got a clue what is going on. They probably think we are fighting in training.
“But with us, it is completely different and I just wish they could even spend one day just looking at the training ground and the way we are going on with each other.
“It’s a much better team-bonding.”
Yesterday’s Sunday People carries an article about how Michael Owen feels like a 21 year old again now that he’s playing with Manchester United. (more…)
“You learn to understand the reaction but if you do step back, you think it is strange or unfair.
“When you are being relegated, nobody is interested in listening to you. But I knew it was all to do with me not scoring.
“If you don’t score and you don’t win, you are wrong to have a helicopter and fly home each week to see your kids. You are wrong to have a business outside of football. You are wrong to plan for the future.
“If the goals had been going in I would have been a great lad, popping home to see my three kids and be a family man on a Tuesday after training. I would have been thoughtful and innocent little things would not be misrepresented.”
Well as far as I’m concerned Owen’s missing the point. His lack of scoring might have been due to the fact that he wasn’t getting the service from a poor midfield but what about his disinterested attitude? Or the fact that as Captain he said little about any responsibility he felt for us being relegated and just cleared off as fast he could to play Champions League football while leaving us to rot in the Championship. (more…)
