Season over - roll on August!Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew talks about yesterday’s 3-3 draw with West Brom and then goes on to explain a bit about the situation with new signings.
Alan Pardew has been talking about our unfortunate capitulation from a 3-0 lead yesterday and seems to think that players like Guthrie, LuaLua and Best struggled after time out with injuries, which might be part of the reason why we could not hold on for 3 points. Pardew said:
“I’m disappointed, it was a funny game. We were three goals up without ever playing that well. There were a couple of big errors from them.
“We were seeing the game out quite comfortably, but we gifted them a goal and never got back up to speed.
“We didn’t look like we were ever going to penetrate them again. I think four or five of our players started to struggle with the amount of time they had been out. Danny Guthrie has been out for a while, Kazenga LuaLua was out for five months, came off the bench and struggled to pick up the pace of the game. Leon Best as well.” (more…)
Artist's impressionPardew claims Newcastle United are close to signing an international player.
Following on from Ashley and Pardew’s summit meeting about club ambitions and transfer targets last week, Pardew has indicated that the club are already close to getting the signature of one new player, allegedly of international quality.
Pardew said:
“I think we’re close on one player which we would like to get over the line.
“And I can say that because he’s an international player – not someone who belongs to one of the bottom four battling relegation.
“There are two or three others we’re monitoring and we know what the figures are to get them over the line.”
The press further speculates that this international player is a midfielder and is based in continental Europe, although nothing in Pardew’s comments confirm that. (more…)
Staying or going?Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton may have some contract issues but Kevin Nolan is keen for him to stay at the club.
I have a stinking cold, which will probably turn into rabies, and I overslept, so I’m not feeling too chatty at the moment. I will therefore simply get down to business and report anything that might be worth reporting.
Rumours abound that there’s a bit of a sticking point with Joey Barton’s new contract, which he has so far refused to sign. This is allegedly over the length of the contract with the club offering two years and Barton wanting four. Pardew said:
“It is up to the player and his agent to settle the deal that’s now on the table.
“Contracts are complicated in terms of how they are paid, tax issues, length. I want Joey to stay.”
That sounds a bit like the club is adopting a take-it-or-leave it approach and I assume they’d therefore be prepared to let Barton go. However, this may just be part and parcel of the negotiation process and some sort of compromise may yet be found.
Barton has previously declared that he’d stay on at Newcastle if fellow midfielder Kevin Nolan stays at the club, so it’s feasible that Joey is waiting to see what happens in that respect. (more…)
Top 10 finish in the sights of both teamsThe season finale comes to Newcastle on Sunday in the shape of West Brom with a top 10 finish feasible for both teams.
I’ve already done my geeky permutations so now it’s a matter of getting out onto the pitch and winning to give ourselves the best chance of a top 10 finish.
West Brom are having a decent run of form under Roy Hodgson, having claimed the scalps of Villa, Liverpool, Everton and the Mackems in recent weeks and they should certainly be up for the game.
The Baggies have only won one of their last 18 games against us (the last one, in December 2010, after which Chris Hughton was sacked) but they have also never lost the last game of a league season. All of that means squat of course and it depends on how well each side performs on the day.
Russian-born, Nigerian international Peter Odemwingie is probably West Brom’s main danger man with 15 goals to his name in 32 appearances this season. (more…)
Toon hierarchy meet to discuss aimsNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew meets with owner Mike Ashley to discuss the club’s aims for the 2011/2012 season.
Mike Ashley was up in the Toon this week talking to Alan Pardew about our aims as a club and how that translates in terms of summer transfer targets. Pardew seemed to think the meeting went well, saying:
“Mike came and we talked about certain players and values and the strategy and how the summer scouting is going to progress. I felt buoyed by the meeting. As a Premier League manager, I was quite satisfied.”
Pardew then goes on to explain that, although there are limitations we have to expect in terms of competing with the Premier League’s elite, Ashley and him nevertheless plan to aim as high as is realistically possible:
“Now it’s about recruitment and making sure the squads stronger. It’s quite obvious at this time we can’t compete with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and the top four.
“We could attract a squad here I know would keep us safe in this division but that’s not what Mike wants and it’s not what I want. We want to try and excel. We have to try and take a few chances with players that will keep us in the division but who might take us on to that next level.(more…)
