Everybody who saw the game last Sunday against Sunderland could see first hand, the leadership abilities displayed by our new boy, Kevin Nolan.
Kevin Nolan – captain next season?
And we wouldn’t be at all surprised, after Michael Owen leaves the club in the summer, if Kevin becomes an almost automatic choice for captain of the club.
He’s a real captain, in that he leads by example, and can also give some verbal support too, when necessary. 😀
Speaking about the former Bolton captain, Joe Kinnear talked to the Evening Chronicle today:
“I wanted somebody with some serious clout who has seen it and done it.”
“Kevin fits the bill. He’s been there when Bolton fought to stay up in the early years.”
“I believe in him. He’s a great passer of the ball and he is infectious around the dressing room.”
“He’s a leader above all things.”
“He did phenomenally well for Bolton and he is capable of toughing it out when needed which is the position we’re in at the moment.”
In fact, by getting Nolan to the club, when everybody is fit – our central midfield could go from being a big weakness to being a strength next season – with Barton, Nolan, Guthrie and Butt all looking good.
One methodology for improving anything is to pinpoint the biggest weakness, and then make it into the biggest strength, and then repeat the process.
And there seems a decent chance we will either get Miguel Veloso from Sporting Lisbon or Michael Johnson from Manchester City in the summer, since the news coming through is that both players seem more than happy to join the Tyneside club.
Kevin could be an important signing for the club longer term, and he has the leadership abilities to work with Joe to get the very best out of the team.
He’s been a welcome breath of fresh air to the club and the supporters, since he arrived, and that was only last Thursday.
Comments welcome.
82 comments so far
Pons Aelius
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Comment #41OHurley – agreed
I’ve advocated him as a right back for a while.
I’m sure Tom Toon thinks the same thing?
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Comment #42Wigaz-
nice call on Ashton, but I’d still rather see us make a cheeky swoop for Gabriel Agbonlahor. Yeah yeah… wishful thinking I know, but still, what a great signing that would be! He’s gonna be amazing in a few years.
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Comment #43He is a better RB agreed, but Beye is about 600x better than Taylor at RB and will be for the next 2 years!
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Comment #44Agbonlahor is so overrated it is incredible, he is the new Darius Vassell.
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Comment #45Tom_Toon-
Agreed- Beye is definately better, but I think Tayls has much more potential as a full back than in center.
Wigaz
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Comment #46Gotta be Ashton all the way Ohurley. Plus west ham are off loading him & Dyer. I know he’s had his injuries but if we could keep him fit imagine how class him & Oba would be together. The new shearer & Ferdinand? Or could it be better?
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:01 PM
Comment #47Tom_Toon-
Totally disagree about Agbonlahor. Give him 3 years and he’s gonna awesome! He’s still young as hell. He’s nowt but 22!
DevonMag
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Comment #48i think taylor should play at right back as well, hes surprisingly good going forward and with ryan in front of him that’d be one hell of a powerful right flank!! just needs to work on his positioning but i like him there- doesnt matter as much when he makes one of his mistakes either haha!
Tom1664
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Comment #49Bassong is the french Jesus but for all his talent (and he has a lot of it) I think we need a leader in midfield to drive the team forward when we’re on the attack and man the barricades when we’re not – I’d be happy with either Barton or Nolan as captains next season.
DevonMag
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:06 PM
Comment #50Tom_Toon i respect your footballing mind for sure, but you are completely wrong about gabby. my mates a die hard villain and we’ve been up the motorway more than a few times so villa park- seen gabby alot of times and he is sheer quality, runs at defenders, dynamite pace, can finish, can cross, and NEVER gets shrugged off the ball! so much strength and good centre of balance for a little man, against aresenal when they beat em 2-0 at the emirates he got robbed of the ball in the opposition box, and tracked back WELL into his own half and reclaimed the ball, so much fight man!
darius vassel? come off it!
Don’t tell me you wouldnt do a little jig if we;d signed him on the last day!
SpartanChris
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Comment #51Taylor for me. His sheer desire and experience for England U21 should be enough.
Wigaz
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Comment #52Agreed Gabby is quality but he wont come here lads. Ashton or Bent is where we should be looking but i personally think Ashton would be the best option. Plus I hear he’s best mates with steven taylor maybe he could persuade him. But i do think he would give us something we haven’t had since the great no 9 hung up the boots.
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Comment #53DevonMag – No, it would be a waste of money, Martins is beter than him, I have a few friends who are Villa fans and that where I get the ‘new Darius Vassell’ from, they mentioned it!
Bent isn’t good enough, all he can do is finish, he is clumbsy. Ashton isn’t worth the risk for the price.
Alex
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Comment #54guys Ashton is a good player when fit , Trouble is he is as injury prone as Owen is . Derdyok (spelling ?) would be a good signing or Kenwyne Jones . (They will go down before we do ) 🙂
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:17 PM
Comment #55Derdiyok is going to Bayer Leverkusen, I’d sign Edin Dzeko.
Toon_Factor
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:18 PM
Comment #56Captain should be Bassong!!!
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Comment #57Wigaz-
Ashton WOULD be a good buy, but he’s hit his peak. He’ll be great for the next 3 or 4 years (assuming he can stay healthy), but Agbonlahor is only 22. He’s got 7 or 8 years of awesomeness left in him. AND he’s getting better.
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Comment #58BUT-
Agreed, Wigaz- Gabby won’t come here. God it would be awesome if he did. The only he needs to work on is his ball control. Once he perfects that, he’s gonna be ridiculous! I’d be happy if we payed 15m for him.
NotAGhostToon
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:30 PM
Comment #59http://www.justgiving.com/matthewjeffries
OHurley
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Comment #60Alex-
Kenwyne Jones would be a helluva signing too. I love the guy’s energy. Always a positive presence on the pitch. Too bad his talent is wasted on the scum.
Wigaz
Feb 5, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Comment #61Think Ashton is only 24 o hurley. TT did you just say all bent can do is finish? isn’t that what a striker is meant to do mate? he doesn’t have as much to his game as Ashton like. Fair point about the injury situation but every other striker we buy ends up injured ironicly maybe Deano would break the curse? I think He’d be a hit in black & White & hope we buy him. Maybe he got knackt at west ham so much coz he was carrying the team on his own for such a long time. He would have Oba to help him out up here.
Toon_Ksk (Huh? u mean David Craig is real?)
Feb 5, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Comment #62Guys, you don’t have to take Tom_Toon’s view too seriously. He might have a little bit of football knowledge but he is not correct all the time and still insignificant as long as he does not manages NUFC. And don’t turn this blog into Tom_Toon-the-Alpha-male-speaks-so-you-listen-and-obey blog.
Magpietillidie22
Feb 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Comment #63Tom_toon – you say bent is clumsy and all he has is finishing? well sign the finisher up! isnt that EXACTLY what a front mans job is?
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Comment #64Owen or Drogba?
Enough said.
However, you could get the best of both world’s like Van Nistelrooy.
Doocey
Feb 5, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Comment #65My site got added to e-soccer today lads.
I’m a very happy man 😀
Good news on injuries, Carroll and Colo still out though?
Paul141726
Feb 5, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Comment #66I think Nolen is a good shout for the armband but who knows? Let him get used to life on Tyneside not only from a playing standpoint, but as regards the area in general. If he settles in to life easily I think he could be terrific. But he is new and hasn’t got used to his teamates yet. I also believe Beye could be good also, but again how does he get along with the other players? Does he have the “stones” to kick someone up the tail if they need it?
alder09
Feb 5, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Comment #67nolan for captain, i have always sed barton as i think he leads the game well.
but from the moment nolan arrived my mind changed. he is the perfect man for the job. him and barton in the middle is also perfect, they are both tough physical players that give ther all game in game out.
owen doesnt deserve the armband he only got it in the first place becoz keegan liked his arse after owen sed he didnt like him.
also i wudnt be at all surprsed if owen left us but i also wudnt be too surprised if he stayed, dependin on who we go after in the summer he might jus look and think actually this club myt be going sumwhere, for the first time in a long time newcastle rnt tryin to buy the world and the well known players they are goin for the simple well established experienced premiership players.
owen knows he is past his best and knows he isnt going to play for a “top four club” ever again. man city wont want him, villa might want him, everton crnt afford his ridicoulous wages and realistically we rr the only ones willing to offer him another 3 year deal at 100+ grand a week.
he has already sed once before tht it is now about his family bein settled and no longer about silverware and money.
The Real Entertainers
Feb 5, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Comment #68Very impressd with his leadership qualities in just one match…….
We lack leadership big time!
However was disappointed that he let Shola bully him out of the penalty 😉 …….. alls well that ends well!
toon84
Feb 5, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Comment #69i think we should wait till the end of the season before we pass judgement . this is going to be one of the toughest end of seasons ever for us and i feel we should see which people can prove themselves and show how much it takes to be a captain of newcastle . don’t agree with micheal owen being captain tho. for someone that commutes to newcastle from his home and his kids go to school in liverpool and he never has shown great commitment . the guy does not care about newcastle enough for the armband .
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Comment #70.
Girth
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Comment #71ehhh, how are people clammering for Bassong to be captain? on what grounds? he’s played great this season? Have a word man, not saying he couldnt in the future but the obvious one is Nolan, however (obviously dependent on if Kinear likes him i.e. if he will be here next season) i would have an outside bet on Barton. They have captain credentials, not Bassong (yet!!!)
vic
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Comment #72beye
Jan Stavik
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Comment #73I like the idea of Nolan as the club captain, he’s pro and stay away from the negative headlines.
XI for 2009-2010:
——————Krul—————–
Beye — Coloccini – Bassong — Enrique
Jonas — Barton — Nolan — Di Maria
———- Martins – Gudjohnsen——
Turkish Magpie
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:40 PM
Comment #74order of favourites for capatincy IMO
1.Beye
2.Nolan
3.Barton
4.Martins
5.Butt
6.Guthrie
7.STaylor
8.Duff
9.Colo
10.Jonas
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Comment #75Di Maira?!? WDF, Im a Benfica fan and until recently he could get a game for us, and since he’s been in the team we can barely score! He is so overrated it is incredible.
Jan Stavik
Feb 5, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Comment #76Overrated might be, but he’s still a good winger. Exciting player, if he’s so overrated he’ll come cheap too. Great 😉
Tom_Toon
Feb 5, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Comment #77No, hes going to Real Madrid for £17mil in the summer.
clinta
Feb 6, 2009 at 12:21 AM
Comment #78A good addition no doubt, probably a bit of a replacement for nicky butt really.
Still thinking the centrasl midfield needs a bit more creativity i it as Bartons the closest to fitting that bill currently, but not creative enouh for me.
Not sure about captain next season? Kevin has the experience yes, but I’ll wait till he plays a few more games before giving hithe arm band.
Seems were all resigned to being without Owen (was going to say losing) next season, thinking most of us aren’t that concerned over it either though yeah!
a young gutsy replacement willing to fight fior the cause- even if he a’int that good would be as welcome if not more by the toon these days i think.
oh and we have oba
clinta
Feb 6, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Comment #79Barton as captain????! while i lovce oba too, he’s not at all captain material and buitt won’t get enough games next season to be captain.
When i see a list up like that turkish mag it does make me start thinking Nolan already too like.
NOVA2967
Feb 6, 2009 at 1:12 AM
Comment #80Team for next year
ASHTON – BENT
A YOUNG – CARRICK – GUTHRIE – BENTLEY
TAYLOR – JAGEILKA – TAYLOR – RICHARDS
HARPER
With STURRIDGE – JOHNSON – ONHUNUA on the Bench