The Zog (Charles N’Zogbia) doesn’t give many interviews, but he has today talked at length with the Evening Chronicle, and the one thing that stands out in the interview, is that Charles seems so upbeat about things at the club.
Charles N’Zogbia – positive interview
In a rare and candid interview, N’Zogbia told the Evening Chronicle today:
“We have been under a lot of pressure.” “But this has given us a lot of confidence and everybody is happy. The whole dressing room was a very happy place after the game.”
“Hopefully we are going to repeat this when Tottenham come here at the weekend.” “Going into the festive games we feel we can really build on this.”
“It was an excellent win for us.” “Not just for the players, but for everybody connected to the club and all the fans.”
“We really wanted to win at Portsmouth.” “I know Portsmouth tried hard to score, but we are defending very well at the moment.”
“In the second half at 0-0 we knew we could then play our game and get our attacks in.”
“When Michael scored it filled us with confidence and we felt we could get more goals.“If you look at the goals they were all quality finishes.” “There were a couple of chances for Oba and Michael, everybody was trying to get in on the act.”
“Danny Guthrie has got his first goal now so it’s all good.” “We waited a long time to get this victory but now we want more.”
“All we need to do is keep training very hard.” “The players at Newcastle really want to do something this season.”
“Now we are moving away from the bottom of the league we are feeling good.” “When the confidence is back it really makes the world of difference.”
It’s really good to hear young Charles, who is still only 22 years old after all, so upbeat, and it may well be that the youngster is maturing quickly at the Newcastle club, right under the eyes of the supporters.
Charles has been at the club since he was 18 years old of course, and Sunday’s game was N’Zogbia’s 15th appearance of the season for Newcastle.
Comments welcome.
58 comments so far
nightfall
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:26 PM
Comment #41i like zog..but with these rumors of him leaving every single TW…don’t know…ask him and get mcgeady if he’s so uncomfortable playing for us…
Boater
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Comment #42Glad to hear people not just writing Dyer off as a lush. When he first came he was the golden boy in British football and his pace and drive had us singing from the terraces. He went on to be a consistent clever technical midfielder who – dead right – formed an incredible relationship with wor nobby down the right side… alas his glass swan body saw him crooked half the season a la Owen.
He created so much space for his team-mates even if he did squander chances. I remember the hallmark of the Robson era was Dyer, Belles and Robert running into acres and acres of space behind defences – don’t see that now -we hold such a deep line behind the halfway mark. Still times change….. When we replaced Dyer with Smith – our football changed overnight… still now Barton likes to sit deep and spray the ball whereas Guti seems to be under strict orders to sit on the halfway line or cut inside.
Boater
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:35 PM
Comment #43On the nostalgia tip… would anyone take a punt on Bellamy if Owen does one?
Big Dave
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Comment #4439 beyethegreat They where the times mate getting really excited everytime he got the ball. Boater at 37, I would take them 4 anyday
beyethegreat
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Comment #45boater
not sure if he came i would support him but i am not sure i could forgive him over the shearer text message he was without doubt though a quality player
Big Dave
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Comment #46Boater i think Bellamy has still alot to offer. I think if west ham had all there players fit they wouldnt be where they are now. just thinking i got excited when bellers got the ball as he was electric
Stardust
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Comment #47Saw Bellas on the line in the box on Saturday for WH, cut back in when he had no right to – just like the old days – if his injury problems were behind him – Id have him back in a flash.
I will be controversial here – on his day a far better player than Martins (as Bellas can control th ball lol)
beyethegreat
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Comment #48big dave
yeah i wish they were back
we didnt have great players other than given and shearer
but it seemed to work probably coz they complimented each other well
1 of the greatest days for being a toon fan was against psv (i think it was psv i always get them and feyenoord mixed up lol)
i actually missed that game (but i was listening on the radio) anyway i sprinted bk home for the last minute thinking we had been ko’d but just as i walked through the door bellamy scored
beyethegreat
Dec 16, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Comment #49we probz had the 2 hardest groups to qualify aswell
toon(great club)
juve(extremely succesful in 1 of the hardest leagues)
kiev(gd)
psv(gd)
barca(one of the biggest clubs in the world)
inter(1 of the biggest clubs in the world
toon(great club)
leverkusen
Macas
Dec 16, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Comment #50Hmmm well I have to say i agree with sirjasontoon here, Dyer promised much when he first came but to be honest his attitude was appalling most of the time. Remember him leaning against the post and watching as the ball went past him? He had the potential to be a great player but never lived up to that unfortunately, although he did have the odd decent game for us. And dont get me started on Jenas. I remember nearly getting chinned in the toilets of the Cooperage for daring to suggest Dyer and Jenas were hopeless. This was after we had been humiliated 5-1 at home by Man U and neither of the two had even come close to making a tackle all game. Jenas at Newcastle was useless, never having the confidence to push forward with the ball, and if he did his decision making was always poor. Granted he has improved a bit since then but he showed absolutely no signs of that when he was at Newcastle. N’Zogbia is another who has promised much but never really improved his game since then. At times he looks great, at others he is a headless chicken. He wants to keep his mouth shut and concentrate on proving he deserves a regular first team slot.
fostino
Dec 16, 2008 at 6:36 PM
Comment #51re: macas
jenas was a revalation at newcastle when he first came, what are you talking about!! i can remeber his debut against sunderland and he went on to win the young player of the year, he lost the passion tho for us in the end and left, doing an average job for tottenham!
Boater
Dec 16, 2008 at 6:53 PM
Comment #52Fostino.. well said man. Funny how people forget – I remember everyone being stunned by his composure on the ball under pressure. SBR had a special gift for spotting decent young’uns. I also remember being at SJP and seeing Souness ranting ‘JJ GEEEET BACK!!!’ the love affair was over then.
Macas… the leaning against the post is a bit harsh – you make it sound like he was standing in a smoking jacket with a pipe or summat… shame you don’t remember more of his cracking match winning displays. Jenas has scored almost 1 (18) in 4 (82) for the spuds… we could do with something like that from a midfielder…
Macas
Dec 16, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Comment #53Jenas a revelation? Well he scored a goal soon after he came but thats about it. I think we must have been watching different players, Jenas was a good athlete but not an outstanding footballer. It was never a case of him losing the passion, he just wasnt good enough at the time, and I dont think many fans were disappointed when he left.
And him leaning against the post wasnt harsh at all, I’ve never ever seen a professional footballer look so disinterested in keeping the ball out of the net. He may as well have had a pipe for all the effort he put in. Yes he did have some great games for us, but they were few and far between. On his day he was electric, but he rarely reached those heights.
As for Jenas, he has learned to find the back of the net at Spurs, but he never showed signs of that at Newcastle. He spent most of his time in front of the back four making 2 yards passes to the side.
sirjasontoon
Dec 16, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Comment #54Well said Macas I was glad to see the back of both of them Athletes Yes, Footballers No.
As for cleaning toilets Bloater yeah thats my trade after you have been bent over them getting shafted by mackems.
fostino
Dec 16, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Comment #55re: Mascas
yes ……a revelation when he first came, in his first two seasons………i dont think im the only one who holds that opinion……………or maybe de experts called out the wrong name when he won the 2002–03 PFA Young Player of the Year award whilst playing for hmmn….NEWCASTLE!!
Macas
Dec 16, 2008 at 8:23 PM
Comment #56Well I can only go on what I saw week in week out at St James, and he was consistently one of our worst players in my opinion. I dont care what anyone else though, I just go on what I see.
sirjasontoon
Dec 16, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Comment #57Jenas and Dyer are hardly prolific now or then.
They think they are but we know they are only kidding themselves,Dyer has probably had more time on the treatment table than on the pitch,weak failed athlete.
clinta
Dec 17, 2008 at 2:54 AM
Comment #58were all on a high now players and fans alike, but the sad truth is that a loss or draw against spurs and once again we’ll be back to were we started- that is relegation form..