Newcastle United coach Terry McDermott says the fitness of midfield pair Geremi and Nicky Butt will be crucial this season.
Terry McDermott arriving in Mallorca with Chris Hughton and Kevin in disguise
Terry flew out with the rest of the Newcastle squad yesterday to Mallorca, and our new signing 22 year-old youngster, Sebastien Bassong, who appears to be a great lad, will also join them and should see more playing time on the island.
But it’s the older and more experienced players that Terry McDermot thinks will be key for Newcastle this coming season.
Terry told the Evening Chronicle yesterday:
“You need big characters like Nicky Butt and Geremi,”
“Geremi was fantastic at Doncaster and he didn’t want to come off – we had to drag him off in the end!”
“If you look behind the result at Doncaster there were some decent performances.”
“Geremi only trained for five days last week, but he still wanted to play. That shows you the sort of characters we’ve got here.”
Butt has been little short of a revelation these last two seasons for Newcastle, as his career had looked all over when he went to Birmingham on a loan.
And that should have the last we saw of Nicky, had Birmingham not been relegated that season, since a fee of £2M had already been agreed for the player.
But Butt showed his strong character two years ago when he got his head down, and let the football do his talking, and the Newcastle fans responded to what has been become a great comeback at Newcastle for Nicky. All credit to him.
It’s something that Joey Barton could use as an example, in terms of getting on with the job, and letting the football do your talking for you.
So we look to more good play from Butt this coming season, and certainly Geremi had a difficult time in his very first season at Newcastle.
But he came through well in the end and had some of his best games at Newcastle when he came back into the first team under Kevin Keegan.
So we expect that Geremi will have a very good season coming up – we hope so in any case.
Yes, there’s no doubt Newcastle fans are a little frustrated right now by our lack of signings so far this summer, but let’s not forget we have some excellent players already in our squad.
Comments welcome.
27 comments so far
YellowBelly
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Comment #1If our whole season rests on the shoulders of Butt and Geremi, Championship here we come
beessi-kosovo
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Comment #2its true that we need palyers with that characters but also we need a player to sign and they would help us to win
craig chisholm
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Comment #3this whole transfer window is a joke, we have recouped more than we have spent. WE HAVE SPENT NOTHING
51times
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Comment #4We need younger players who can learn from them and challenge their places in the team. Guthrie was a good start.
Pete
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Comment #5I’m with you on this one yellowbelly… Let’s face it, they may have character, but they are both mediocre players at the moment. What really worries me is that we’re getting more and more of these statements.. based on what I read these days we got a cracking squad of world beaters. Consequence of potential disastrous transfer window I guess, gotta sell those tickets
ToonEskimo
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Comment #6I was getting excited when I saw the photo, I thought it was three new signings coming into the Newcastle arrivals lounge.
ToonEskimo
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Comment #7“Geremi only trained for five days last week, but he still wanted to play. That shows you the sort of characters we’ve got here.â€
Yeah as soon as the season finished Geremi was tucking into his fish and chips and downing trays of Kronenburg, should’t these guys be naturally fit by now?
maltese
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Comment #8i’m discuraged at the moment due to the lack of new signings .and espacially we are to lose the batlle for getting a quality player like coliccini cause totenham are after him and they get him cause they have the BALLS not like us . dennis wise is not doing enough niether M.A cause both of them are deeply in totenham fans so championship here we go.
WesToon
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #9KK put your kit on mate,looks like we are gonna need you ON the field!! Geremi & Butt,HAHAHAHa…when people in the club start saying things like that,you KNOW we arent getting any signings
YellowBelly
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #10I feel that they are insulting our intelligence. The coaches are taking it in turns to praise a different player every day and they think we will get all excited, woooo!
There is only thing that will get me excited this time of the year is new quality signings everything else is just PR bullsh1t.
Ashley I think you need to spend your money and get a group of PR Directors rather than new signings that would be money well spent.
normski1930z
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Comment #11well lads on another thread i have just been called a moron for saying the same things that you lads are saying now…by someone who calls himself stardust so basically lads we all must be morons…
HATE PRAWN SANDWICHES
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Comment #12If we have to rely on Geremi were knackered! can’t cross a ball, set peices, corners, lost lots of pace! get rid! if we are rely’n on players like geremi we will end up in the fizzy pop league!
benny
Jul 31, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Comment #13gosh, we are all a little down in the dumps today.
kev
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Comment #14craig chisholm your right its ridiculous no money has been spent what does ashley hope to achieve.
Swift nextsoccerstar
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Comment #15Whilst there is still time I’m prepared to be positive. If nothing happens and we go into the season with this squad then KK is all set to be the fall guy – and he just doesn’t deserve that.
bowburnmag
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Comment #16There is plenty of time for my theory to be blown out of the Tyne but for fear of stating the obvious this frustration is born purely out of a massive contrast in our policies and a complete re-structuring of our business. We’ve just gone from one extreme to the other without any transitional stage and it’s basically a bridge too far for some supporters. I think we may just need to get used to it and get on with it. But I wait hopefully for some £15m deals to be pulled out of a sleeve or two and wipe my theory clean out of the Tyne and prove that it’s all a temporary asylum and we’re getting wound up for nowt.
Dave76
Jul 31, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Comment #17Give Butt credit, thought he was one of our better & consistent players (also Beye) once KK changed the formation, he held the midfield together in a lot of games. ]
Geremi also showed some consistency and contributed with assists.
Think out of the 2 Butt will play more games
SAMTHECAT
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Comment #18In a 442 where exactly is Geremi going to play?
sirjasontoon
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Comment #19Normski ignore Stardust,
too many people slating others on here and claiming they know it all.
sirjasontoon
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Comment #20If we are relying on Butt and Geremi god help us but will be suspended after a few games anyway he is like a yellow card magnet.
Geremi a few assists..not exactly going to set the place alight though..decent squad player at best : (
clinta
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Comment #21Good call that last sentence ed! let’s be positive lads we’ve got some fantastic and potentially exciting players at the toon,
geremi’s played for some of the great teams in the world and against the best this world has to offer so for him to nearly have to be pulled off the park at little ol’ doncaster speaks volumes about his commitment to the toon.
Ah, yeah MA bashers if you want to point the finger who’s to blame for a disappointing transfer window you need to look back a little further in toon history to the freddy shepards and co. there why we find ourselves in our current position not MA, give the guy a chance to put there mess right!
GREGGS STOTTIE
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Comment #22I am so gutted about the whole thing. Thought this summer would be the new birth of our great club, with the doors of Newcastle Airport opening up every other day with a new signing . I know its hard to get players in and its pointless to get players in just to say we have got this crock of shite in. Ie Roeder with his last day star spangle banner signing which turn out poop.
Please just another 3 good players and then I will feel at least we have a chance. I feel we will never see european football for a long time at this rate.
My message to Ashley is ashley turn in to that harry enfield character and lets shout “loads of Money” put please go in spend it, otherwise you will no doubt get loads of shite when you visit the pubs and clubs of our great town next time.
Please , please , please do something .
Lets all pray
Dear God
Who art in St James Park
Hell o be get us some players
Then you work will be done
We will have won
On earth in the premiership and the fa cup and in heaven
Amen
YellowBelly
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Comment #23I am optimistic about the forthcoming season, even if we do not sign another player we are still stronger than last year, fact! If you add up the hours played by the players gone, we are stronger!
Butt and Geremi are good players no problem.
My problem is the way they are handling the fans. There was a media blackout for weeks, what was all that about? Then seasons ticket sales are down so they think lets start the press releases again praising how good are players are one by one, that will work all football fans are thick!
What we need press releases about are things like :- We have a five year plan….., Our youth academy is not going to be a puppy farm…., We expect to be 10th this year, in the UEFA cup next year and the Champions league the year after….
What are Ashley’s ambitions, Money or Glory. Tell us!
I think Ed should run a daily poll on which player they will praise the following day.
NufcRob
Jul 31, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Comment #24awww man!
ive been to Mallorca about 6 times and now i cant afford to go watch the toon 🙁
Parma airport that picture was taken!
up the toon!
Piers
Jul 31, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Comment #25I like the disguise kev haha! …… Ya both Geremi and Butt are good role models and character guys…..but they are not world beaters. We need more help….2 good signings might do the trick.
Brazilian Geordie
Jul 31, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Comment #26Oh man, acording to the Newcastle’s Staff everybody will be ”KEY” for next season. We heard Les talking about KK, KK talking about the great youngs, McDermot talking about Geremi and Butt. So, think we have a ‘key’ squad for 08/09!
MrWinstonChurchill
Aug 1, 2008 at 12:48 AM
Comment #27Geremi is a f*********g RB.