Our new captain Geremi, who has made the Newcastle midfield look very solid in the first 5 games of the season, talked today of the squad and the fact that he himself is not guaranteed a starting place every game.
He sets an excellent example by saying he has to keep earning his stripes to remain in the first team. With Joey Barton (17th September) and hopefully Emre coming back from injury shortly, competition for places in central midfield will certainly heat up.
Let’s see what Geremi told the Journal this morning.
Allardcye and Geremi – shown during serious match strategy discussions 😀
Geremi told Paul Gilder of the Journal:
“Being captain doesn’t mean you’re in the side every week,†“You still have to work and you still have to earn your place. Being captain is a responsible job. You have to be the man and set a good example.â€
“I decided to leave Chelsea because I wanted to join a club where I would get more games. I wasn’t a regular in the team at Chelsea and, when I got the chance to come here, I didn’t have to think for long.â€
“I spoke to the manager and he told me his plans and I agreed to come. It wasn’t a difficult decision. I was delighted when he made me his captain. But I won’t be in the Newcastle team unless I deserve to be.â€
Geremi’s performances so far this season have been solid, but with Joey Barton yet to play in a competitive fixture, the competition for places will further increase as we mentioned.
It is something the club’s captain welcomes and the former Chelsea man fully expects there will be times when he is asked to sit on the sidelines this season.
Geremi went on:
“There are lots of matches in this league and there are the other competitions as well,†“We need a big squad and we need cover in all positions.â€
“If you’re not playing, you need to rest and make sure you’re right when you get your chance. What we have here is a squad that can compete in all the competitions.â€
Sam has built a squad in a short 3 months that will have competition for places in almost every position. The singing of two more big strong defenders before Friday’s deadline, Beye and Faye, both Senegalese players was welcomed by Geremi, as we went on:
“It was important to make those signings before the deadline because we’ve some injuries and we needed to strengthen,†“To be a team with big ambition you have to have a good squad. We’ve signed two more great players and we will need them.â€
“So far the season has gone well and every thing’s good. We’ve got a new squad and we’re trying to gel together. What’s good is that even while we’re doing that, we’re getting results. By the time we’ve all gelled together, we’ll be even better.â€
There really has been a promising start to the season because we think Sam was a little concerned that it may take a few games to have the team gel and play well together. Of course, when defeats happen early in the season the hatchets usually come out – as they have in the past. But new chairman Chris Mort seems quite understanding and patient, but with the good start Sam and his squad made there was no negativity at all. In fact the exact opposite has greeted the results.
Most of our readers (60%) think Newcastle can finish top six this season. If we can achieve that it will have been a terrific first season in Sam Allardcye’s reign at Newcastle and then next summer will be an exciting time again, in the transfer market.
Comments welcome.
14 comments so far
gingergeordie
Sep 6, 2007 at 9:52 AM
Comment #1great posotive attitude just what we need to take us forward
cant wait til bartons fit i think we lack his flair in the midfield at the mo
come on the toon!
Toon Chicken
Sep 6, 2007 at 9:59 AM
Comment #2Brilliant attitude. BSA has always said he holds as much importance for players attitude off the pitch as he does for their performance on the pitch, and this proves it.
Compare Geremi’s comments to Craig Bellamy’s views on having competition for places after we’d made an audacious attempt to sign Wayne Rooney…
“But if Wayne Rooney comes, I will have to review my position because I am not sitting on the bench anywhere.
“I like Wayne Rooney a lot because he is a great player.
“He is my sort of player and it would be great for the club, but no good for Craig Bellamy.
“If he does come, I will have to consider my position.”
So glad we don’t have to put up with idiots like him and Kieron “Bling” Dyer anymore.
good,the bad and the beardsley
Sep 6, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Comment #3i thought when geremi signed for us that he would prove 2 b 1 of the signing of the summer n so far so good.am also pleased that BSA is playing him CEN MID rather than RB cos 4 me this is where hes more affective.although he never played much at chelsea a rememerber him at the smoggies where a thought he was fantastic,maybe SJP is jus the place 4 him 2 get bk tat sort of form.once joey barton bk ad play gerermi holding jus behind him(FORMIDDABLE)!
Lamesley Mag
Sep 6, 2007 at 11:29 AM
Comment #4Great attitude, good player and playing well so far……
BSA did well to bring him to Tyneside!
Dingo
Sep 6, 2007 at 11:29 AM
Comment #5too right chicken… BSA has a team of workers now. thats gonna reflect on our team position and also players coming in in the next few windows. From what I have seen so far we are a strong unit… 5 more games into teh season when we play the big boys and we should have gelled a bit more. If the whole work as hard as they do now and lift thier game a bit for the top 4 then we have a very good chance. I tip my hat to Sam. :p
Ian
Sep 6, 2007 at 12:03 PM
Comment #6Geremi’s comments are spot on (e.g. Vs Bellamy) but let’s not read too much into this. Nowadays, positive comments may say more about how media-savvy a player and who his PR advisors are than they reveals any real insight into the player’s character. Plenty of players (not saying Geremi is one of them) will say all the right things to please the fans in public – but behind the scenes are working their ticket.
In Bellamy’s case he just wore his heart on his sleeve and foolishly publicly said the things that many players were privately thinking.
Ian
SS
Sep 6, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Comment #7Right – lets not forget that Geremi left Chelsea because he wasnt getting enough games and wasnt happy to sit on the bench – how is that different to Bellamy, except that Bellamy said it out loud. (allegedly)
Bosck
Sep 6, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Comment #8Because SS, Geremi stayed at Chelsea for 3 seasons and competed for his place, and worked for the good of the team, rather than saying, as bellamy did, before a player had even been brought in that he would leave if they were. There is nothing wrong with staying at a club to fight for your place then once ou realise you will never be 1st choice moving on after a while, but saying you will leave without even trying to compete with people in your position shows a bad attitude, and i’m saying this even though despite myself i quite like bellamy as a player, tho not sure about his off pich attitude.
Toon Chicken
Sep 6, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Comment #9SS – very true. But Geremi didn’t come out with ridiculous comments while he wasn’t starting for Chelsea, he got his head down and worked hard in training, and after a full season of limited opportunity he decided it would be best to move on for the good of his career. Unlike Crazy Craig who was threatening to put in a transfer request the minute his place was under threat. (by the way – I got the quotes from BBC website – but I remember him saying it at the time cos it was live on Sky).
Toon Chicken
Sep 6, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Comment #10Bosck – cheers, thats what I was trying to say – you beat me to it.
Aussie geordie
Sep 6, 2007 at 1:00 PM
Comment #11Brilliant attitude and its the sort you want from a captain for sure. He’s just cemented his postion in my book and I think Butt is the one that is going to make way for Barton. Smith and Emre may well have to fight it out but well see how we go with injuries and I’m sure everyone will get a game.
adam
Sep 6, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Comment #12so wat if a player says hes not happy sitting on the bench. would u be? bellamy was a class player for us when he was playing under bobby, wont forget those champs league games. geremi coming to newcastle for more game time is a good thing, says that he doesnt want to be paid for sitting on thier ass. ie marcelinho.
Dirk
Sep 6, 2007 at 5:06 PM
Comment #13i neva wanted geremi as captain and still dont i think sam could hav picked sum1 else better for the team, never the less geremi is thriving under this position and has a gr8 attitude to boot.
PHILLIPSY
Sep 16, 2007 at 1:34 AM
Comment #14good,the bad and the beardsley u have not got a clue as geremi had over 53 apps for chelsea and his natural pos is RB we got to play him there as carr is the worst RB i have ever seen at the toon so shut your hole and eat ya pies.