Archive for tag: Newcastle United Twitter scandals.

Friendlies, Twitter and Pardew: how does it all fare for next season?

August 1st, 2011 | 72 Comments |

How does the 2011 summer affect Newcastle United's coming season?
A little respect (just a little bit)
Newcastle United have had a trying summer both on and off the pitch but how does that bode for the season ahead?

It’s a fine old kettle of fish isn’t it? This pre-season, that is. We’ve had some poor results on the pitch and the various missives from people like Nolan, Barton and Enrique have done little to enhance things off the pitch.

First up, the friendlies we’ve had. I’m not convinced as to how much of a yardstick for the coming season such games really are, but let’s hope they’re not a particularly accurate one.

One school of thought says friendlies are all about experimentation and that players don’t really get out of third gear for them, but another school of thought says that’s nonsense and that when players are on the pitch they’ll play with all they’ve got for a win.

When my mate – who currently lives in Hong Kong – visits, we traditionally have a ‘friendly’ 4-way competition that involves darts, pool, table football and – bizarrely – tennis. Whereas we might start off with a friendly game of darts, I can tell you that by the time we’re huffing and puffing in the fifth set of a tennis match it’s anything but friendly! (more…)