Harewood: Getting stronger all the time.Newcastle United manager, Chris Hughton seems to be very pleased with the progress of rusty on loan hitman, Marlon Harewood after his two goals against Swansea City yesterday.
Harewood, who saw virtually no first team action at Villa this season before arriving on loan, and missed most of pre-season through injury, has been marked out as a target by Newcastle United’s contingent of boo boys as he has struggled to regain full match fitness, though his two goals yesterday will probably shut the petulant, imbecillic section of the crowd up for a while.
On Harewood’s struggle, and his performance yesterday, Hughton declared:
“He missed a big chunk of pre-season at Aston Villa through injury, but he’s getting stronger all the time.(more…)
Sho or no-sho on Satda?Newcastle United’s usually mild mannered supremo, Chris Hughton, has come out with some fighting talk in the run up to Toon’s home clash with Swansea City on Saturday. In the interview, he spoke of Swansea’s fine defensive record this season (second only to Hughton’s own), and vowed to go in with all guns blazing in an attempt to break down their defensive fortress. Speaking to the Sand Dancer’s Gazette, he roared:
“Their record speaks for itself, they’re a tough team with a good shape, and they’re difficult to play against.
“We’re the home side, and we’ve got to force the issue. We can’t afford to take them lightly – they are where they are on merit.
“They’ve played some good teams, and come up trumps with some good results. We’ve got to make sure we’re on our game.”
Meanwhile, on the return of Fenham hitman, Shola Ameobi, Hughton told the club’s official website:
“We’ll make our mind up over the next couple of days but we’re fortunate that we’re on a good run at the moment and there’s not that pressure to bring him back.” adding: (more…)
Pancrate: Fab-ulous?Newcastle United manager, Chris Hughton has been lavishing effusive praise upon new Toon arrival, Fabrice Pancrate on the club’s official website. Hughton has had two weeks in training, and one reserve match against Hartlepool United to assess the ex Paris Saint Germain frontman, and felt he had seen enough to offer the Frenchman a contract until the end of the season, and possibly beyond. Meanwhile, the club were still waiting to see whether Pancrate will be eligible for the away match this evening against Preston North End at Deepdale.
On the coming of Pancrate, Hughton gushed:
“I’ve been impressed with Fabrice since he first came in a couple of weeks ago and that’s why we’ve signed him. He’s done well in training and did very well with the Reserves last week.
On what the fans might think of his style of play, Hughton continued:
“He’s a player who could excite the fans here because he has the ability on the ball, has bags of pace and likes to go forward.
“He has played at a good level throughout his career and that experience will be valuable” (more…)
Last man standing.Of course, just when you think that Mike Ashley’s unpopularity with the Newcastle United fanbase has bottomed out and just couldn’t get any lower, it usually does. However the only man who has offered him any kind of lifeline is Chris Hughton, who has resolutely chosen to ignore wherever possible almost everything at Newcastle that doesn’t take place either on a hundred yards of grass or in a dressing room.
In one of his more revealing interviews since his arrival at Newcastle, Hughton has spilled the beans on his time in Toon. Kicking off with the effect his main goal, promotion, would have on Mike Ashley’s efforts to sell the club Hughton commented:
“Of course, it must be a fact that if this club are doing well and if this club is back in the Premier League it is a more saleable asset,”
Moving on to Ashley himself, he continued:
“Does he have a passion for the club most people don’t see? I don’t think you can have the involvement that he has in this club and not be passionate about it, that is an impossibility. (more…)
Beckford: No moves from NUFC.Quiet man turned motormouth, Chris Hughton, has calmed speculation on a Newcastle United move for Jermaine Beckford in January, and expressed confidence that the recently troubled Peter Løvenkrands will return to form.
Speaking of the 25 year old Leeds goal machine, Hughton said:
“It’s obvious that we will be mentioned with players like Jermaine – we have been linked with him before and he’s a good player, but the answer is no.
“There certainly hasn’t been anything from our side or any contact with Leeds from us. There are a lot of other names that will be mentioned with us before January but Jermaine Beckford is not someone who we’ve made any contact about.
“There is nothing concrete on that at the moment.” (more…)
