Something we’ve been waiting to hear for several years is now going to happen.
Finally Newcastle United are investing to improve their training ground facilities and the fitness of their players.
Very encouraging is the investment being made in reducing injuries and reducing recovery times once injuries occur.
Newcastle Chairman Chris Mort – how can we cut down on all these injuries we keep getting?
While we all thought the facilitates at Benton were World Class, our new manager Big Sam soon put a dent in that claim. He said they were no better then a converted Squash Club and Sam vowed to improve them quickly when he came on board in mid-May. Looks like new Chairman Chris Mort has followed through quickly to ensure Sam’s promise is fulfilled.
This looks like very good team-work to us with the new management of Newcastle. Excuse us if we are a little taken aback  😀
But seriously this is a solid and intelligent investment the club is making. All we’ve heard these last few seasons is that our injury problems have wrecked our season but was anything done about it? No. It was almost like it got used as an excuse and we we were just so unlucky. We never believed that and now, at least, we are trying to fix the problems that have plagued us for many seasons. We applaud the new management for these positive actions.
This is the statement Chairman Chris Mort placed on the Official Newcastle United web-site this afternoon:
“In addition to the Academy and the first team squad another area we have been looking to make improvements is at the training ground.”
“We are refurbishing the training ground facility and bringing in additional staff with specialist expertise.”
“This is intended to raise the fitness level of players, to increase their competitiveness on the pitch, reduce the chances of injury and reduce the recovery times of players when they do get injured.”
“These investments should help to ensure the players are available for selection more often, and hopefully have to spend less time on the treatment table.”
Since injuries have decimated at least our last two seasons – and we still head the league with the most number of injuries (7) just pipping Chelsea (6), it’s a very wise investment by Chairman Mort. We just have to move down this particular league quickly.
Here are the injuries we currently have:
S Given – Groin – no return date – very doubtful
A Luque – Groin Strain – no return date – unknown
C Babayaro – Groin – no return date – unknown
M Owen – Thigh Strain – 18th Aug 07 – very doubtful
J Barton – Broken Metatarsal – 17th Sep 07 – unknown
B Emre – Ankle – 18th Aug 07 – doubtful
D Duff – Ankle Surgery – Nov 07 – unknown
Here is the web site where you can check out how we are doing in this league – our aim is to very quickly get to the bottom of the league  😀
Thanks to one of our readers – roscoe – for giving us the link to this injury table – we should keep checking this table – the worse we do the better.
 Comments very welcome.
28 comments so far
Soren
Aug 8, 2007 at 5:51 PM
Comment #1Its good to see Newcastle invest in the training grounds and acadamy. This will only help on the way to become a trophy winning club.
Shaun
Aug 8, 2007 at 6:08 PM
Comment #2I agree, but some players would be good also
stk
Aug 8, 2007 at 6:16 PM
Comment #3what many of us have been thinking for years now. =hope the situation can be rectified
Graham
Aug 8, 2007 at 6:31 PM
Comment #4Just think that if Ashley had taken over the club a couple of years ago and wanted to put this in place – we could still have Souness as manager! What an awful thought…
George@NUFC
Aug 8, 2007 at 6:45 PM
Comment #5Just what EXACTLY is wrong with the current training ground, what is causing these injuries and what are the major improvements that are going to be introduced?????????
People keep on about the training ground being poor etc, but just exactly what do peeps expect??
GeordieJamie
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:36 PM
Comment #6I’m also sure that Souness had the surfaces changed etc. And we’re yet to see any change from that. Honestly think some of the recent injuries have been psychosematic rather than serious.
Dave
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:39 PM
Comment #7George@NUFC – I think they’re putting softer grass down and padding round the posts and corner flags. I’ve also heard that they’ll reduce the pitch size to have a positive effect on fatigue over 90 minutes. It’s all good stuff.
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:39 PM
Comment #8George – I don’t know but those are good questuions. It would be nice to know what the specifics are. Remember Souness thought it was the new synthetic grass that caused all the hamstring injuries we were getting and he moved the traing from benton. But we do seem to get a lot more injuries than other clubs – so there’s something wrong somewhere. I hope we can nail some causes – then correct them.
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:40 PM
Comment #9Dave – where is there info on this?
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:40 PM
Comment #10Graham – very interesting point 😀
Ashton
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:42 PM
Comment #11what about this ” Barca tell Newcastle £15M for Deco ”
http://www.thesoccerblog.org/premiership/barca-tell-newcastle-chelsea-15m-for-deco/
Dimitri
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:50 PM
Comment #12Everything abou the club has just got me so excited these days. I can’t wait for our first game on Sat where I hope Sam gets one over on his old club. They may be more fit then we are, but with him knowing the club and its players, I hope he has the edge to make sure we win there and start out season off to a great start.
Even though Owen is injured just look at what we have the fill the gap in Martins, Smith, Viduke and Ameobi… Add to that a midfield that looks rejuvenated (regardless of the injuries)…
Lets just hope this new defence jells quickly and provides some solid rock at the back.
Howay the lads…
Will be watching in Lucky Bar in Washington DC come 10 AM for any of you that are living here….
Dave
Aug 8, 2007 at 7:54 PM
Comment #13Ed – I beat these particular gems out of Alan Oliver himself :-).
Seriously though I think the real work needs to be done on the type and style of training, last season proved that beyond doubt. If new facilities help enable that, then all the better. If players are coming to NUFC from top European clubs or even domestic clubs then they’ll expect NUFC to have top facilities to hone their skills. If we can’t provide that, it could be off-putting and should be addressed.
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 8:04 PM
Comment #14Dave – agree. But Sam will get the players so fit this year that they should have fewer injuries – I was really serious about checking out how we do in the injury table this year – and then compare our injuries at season end with the last 2 years then see what type sof conclusions we can make etc etc. I hear Sam is so thorough that’s the type of thing he does. It’s not just facilities I agree – but we are also investing in staff skilled in specific fitness areas – according to Mort’s statement – that’s good and it seems to be backing Sam big time – which is also good..
Craig Allen
Aug 8, 2007 at 8:04 PM
Comment #15What’s with the Drago conflicting stories?
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 8:08 PM
Comment #16Craig – think we are all waiting to hear what Drago wants to do – and he’s made no statement yet on whether he’ll come here. A lot of the stories are regurgitating old news. Last week he said he wanted join Newcastle – early this week he said he was thinking of staying at Sevilla – so those stories are still doing the rounds – as if they are new news – but they’re not. Seen nothing new from those two conflicting statement yet this week – which is causing the confusion.
Danger Mouse
Aug 8, 2007 at 8:28 PM
Comment #17Dimitri, If I am not at Sunny’s in Arlington Ill see you at Lucky’s. HOWAY THE TOON! Smudgers, Owen and Zog in a 3-0 mauling.
Gallacher the Horse
Aug 8, 2007 at 8:50 PM
Comment #18Shaun, you’re quite right about having players, so getting the behind-the-scenes facilities to the highest level possible will do that for us.
Last year we ran with an average of 5-6 key players injured every week (I believe – correct me if I’m wrong). If even half of those injuries had been caused by not being fit or strong enough to compete due to training with substandard facilities, then improving those facilities and reducing injuries we are in effect adding three or more plyers to our FIT and PLAYABLE squad.
As I’m sure you appreciate, sometimes you have to look inside a team to make improvements as well as bringing people into it from outside. It really does look as if we are beginning to be run like a bunch of professionals rather than FFS saying ‘I’m a fan, me’ and not thinking like a chairman.
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 9:08 PM
Comment #19Gallacher – agree completely
Hammy
Aug 8, 2007 at 9:20 PM
Comment #20Off subject…..I don’t think Sevilla will be desperate to get rid of Drago…Chelksi and Real Madrid seem to be in a tug of war for Alves, another of their stars…..
hadrian
Aug 8, 2007 at 9:23 PM
Comment #21the training ground is just a modified squash club .
as a kid i lost out on a great free (sneak thru hole in the fence) tennis court when the toon moved in .
the buildings themselves have a tiny footprint , big sams backroom squad will be like sardines in there !
glad to see some work being done .
Hobs
Aug 8, 2007 at 9:27 PM
Comment #22Just wondering.. Is there as many injuries in the reserve squad? I suppose they train at least as hard as the first team, and on the same pitches?
Ed Harrison
Aug 8, 2007 at 9:33 PM
Comment #23Hammy – hoping we’ll hear something on this tomorrow.
rich
Aug 8, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Comment #24J Barton – Broken Metatarsal – 17th Sep 07 – unknown
EHHHHHHHHHH??????!!?!?!?!?!?!?!
i was under the impression he would miss the first 3 odd games?!?!?! not 6-8!!!
FFS, 17th of SEPT?
rich
Aug 8, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Comment #25http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_2648684,00.html
other teams wanted Capaca, he chose us! good lad!
Alex
Aug 8, 2007 at 10:33 PM
Comment #26The training facilities need improving, yet sam seems to have already improved the fitnesse of the players already.Carr inparticulor.Sam has also said that the squad was deconditioned.That then begs the question how much of the last two years injuries were down to training facilities.Or was it just poor trainers!
geordie_jordan
Aug 9, 2007 at 4:28 AM
Comment #27@danger mouse: owen is not fit!!!!!!! he will not be in action….
@dmitri: i just moved out of dc to of all places… china! so i will be watching the game on p2p. + now you have to pay 300RMB (20 quid) per month to watch 2 games per week on tv!… 🙁
doby the mag
Aug 9, 2007 at 9:46 AM
Comment #28Hobs – Good question! I was wondering the same thing. Are there any stats on this??