Newcastle United interim manager Joe Kinnear seems upbeat today, and thinks the team will soon be out of the danger zone in the league, given the number of good players he now has available to choose from.
Joe Kinnear – with Newcastle fans – we’ll soon be out of trouble
The Newcastle bench on Sunday was extremely strong – Steve Harper, Sebastien Bassong, Michael Owen, Geremi, Charles N’Zogbia, Danny Guthrie, Andy Carroll.
That’s a very talented bench, and shows most of our players are back from injury with only Smith, Viduka and Gonzalez still being out with long term injuries. Owen and Geremi together have a combined total of more than 160 international caps, so that’s a lot of experience to have available on the bench.
And of course we also have some great youngsters at the club, which is so encouraging for the future, with France Under-21 star Charles N’Zogbia, England youth internationals Danny Guthrie and Andy Carroll and summer signing and French Under-21 International Sebastien Bassong.
But don’t we need to start giving Charles some playing time, because he’s far too good just to sit on the bench?
Joe told nufcTV he wasn’t complaining about having such a strong bench from which to potentially change games:
“Absolutely, I won’t be complaining about having too many good players,” “When I first came we were struggling a bit for numbers, but now the likes of Jonas Gutierrez, Joey Barton and Habib Beye are back.”
“That means some other very good players have had to miss out. But that can only be good for competition.” “To be able to call upon Michael Owen from the bench is fantastic, although he is working his way back to fitness.”
“Now we’ve got players who can come on and really change a game.” “I’m sure we’ll soon be out of the bottom three, not only because it’s really tight down there and one win takes you clear.”
“But because we’ve got top players who are capable of putting a run together, like we should’ve done after the two wins against West Brom and Villa.”
Good to hear Joe upbeat again, after the disappointments of last Sunday, but as we’ve said, that’s behind us now and we can get back on track with 3 points on Saturday at St. James’ Park against Wigan.
It’s a game we should be able to win, but nothing is easy these days, for any Premier League side.
Comments welcome.
14 comments so far
It Could Be Worse, We Could Be Spurs! (DC)
Nov 12, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Comment #1It is painfully apparent that A) JK is a second rate manager and B) we have a second rate team.
Bring on the new owners and some new players in January!
Darling27
Nov 12, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Comment #2Well he had the chance to pick Bassong over Cacapa and look what happened.
Whumpie
Nov 12, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Comment #3Post 1 (I can’t even be bothered to copy the name) –
Neither of your points is at all ‘apparent’ as you claim. Go be negative somewhere else.
We are short of a decent squad by a handful of players, and that will take time to sort out. As for JFK, while I’m not making any judgements yet, I’m pretty chuffed with the turnaround he’s engineered. Sunday was exactly the sort of hiccup we’re going to get, that’s all.
This article – and JFK – make a good point about the strength we do have when players are fit. We’re not about to jump up the table by Christmas, but I think we’re better than most of our opposition, which to me means a top-half finish.
That’ll do Joe, that’ll do.
Whumpie
Nov 12, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Comment #4Oh, and Darling27 (how gay is that??) – he made it very clear that Bassong wasn’t properly fit, which is why Cacapa got the nod. Get off his back.
qemin
Nov 12, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Comment #5I have commented on previous post, but apparently its the last comment so I reckoned nobody read it. I’m posting it again. It’s about KK and his pethathic and shambles exit from St. James’ Park.
I have to say, way the go, Spyro. Spot On. KEEGAN IS A COWARD. He realize that NUFC is’nt going anywhere with the current squad. He wanted more players, and to be fair, he deserve a better squad. WE deserved a better squad. but for god sake, he should’nt quit the job. What he think he is? A SUPERHERO or something? that can simply come and go whenever he wants? get real Keegan. You WAS our hero. But no longer. Our Hero is not a quitter. our Hero is a FIGHTER. With brave spirit and enthusiasm. We don’t need a coward that loves to pretend just as if he’s a god. GET LOST KEEGAN AND PLEASE DON’T COME BACK TO HURT US!
If not because of him quitting the job, i reckoned we’re already in top 10 by now. We would’nt lost to fulham. Hull. Totthm(CUP). SUNDERLAND. It hurts. Please, stop continue hurting the land of Magpies. We have Heart. not stone.
toonoholic
Nov 12, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Comment #6if we had such good players on the bench on sunday , what confuses me was why did he make only 1 substitution i.e. owen for jonas ? why not nzoggy and guthrie ?
It Could Be Worse, We Could Be Spurs! (DC)
Nov 12, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Comment #7toonoholic c post 1
Whumpie…I would like to share your optimism but that comment was fresh of watching our last performance, seemed readily apparent to me!
NUFutureCowboy
Nov 12, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Comment #8(dc) your comments show that your a second rate supporter. if a supporter at all
Shores of the North East
Nov 12, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Comment #9We did indeed have a strong bench, however that means very little when the only person you use is recently returned from injury and you leave on tired old players and don’t replace them with fresh young blood. I really would have liked to have seen what Guthrie could have contributed.
Guinea Mag
Nov 12, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Comment #10Can’t understand why only one substitution was made on Sunday against Fulham.
Surely Zog and Guthrie would have been fresh legs to run at Fulham in the last 15~20 minutes if JFK had brought them on…..
Tom_Toon
Nov 12, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Comment #11Zog should play instead of Duff.
Bassong instead of Taylor and Cacapa.
toon
Nov 12, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Comment #12surely he wont start cacapa on saturday even if taylor isnt back?
Auschas
Nov 12, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Comment #13Funny that he says we have players on the bench who can change a game but he doesn’t do anything of the sort against fullham. Ameobi would have been off for Owen had he not scored I’m sure but how can you take him off straight after a goal?
Zog should have had a run and so should Bassong
brutooooon
Nov 13, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Comment #14i m complaining because we got old and almost retired players which will prevent our young and quality player no chance
e.g
Butt
Cacapa