Andy Carroll he is not guaranteed to get his place straight back for the game at home to Wigan a week come Saturday.
Andy Carroll – congratulates Tim Krul at Everton
But there again manager Chris Hughton has made it clear that not one player on Tyneside is guaranteed a starting position in the team – not a single one.
And that’s the way it should be, but certainly hasn’t been at Newcastle in the past, when our big stars when fit, would be automatically included in the side, if only because the club paid so much money for them, and often way over the odds.
Andy Carroll came through the ranks at St James’ Park, and is now wearing the famous number 9 shirt on Tyneside, but that doesn’t mean he will start every game, when he’s not at his best.
That happened on Sunday, with Shola Ameobi being preferred because of his great performance at Stamford Bridge, and apparently in training last week he continued to be outstanding – and so he got the start – and in those circumstances so he should have.
Chris Hughton now has players challenging for a start at Newcastle all over the pitch, and he talked about what his job is, to the Daily Mirror today:
“What I have to do is pick players who are going to win a game for Newcastle United,” “Andy had a touch of a virus last week and if you look at his last performance, he had perhaps lost that edge.”
“Shola Ameobi had done well at Chelsea and is pushing him hard. That’s the competition we have and Shola started against Manchester City.”
“Andy is a massive part of this club, but we have to have competition in all areas. These are the things we see week-in, week-out.”
It’s all part of the training and guidance Andy is getting at Newcastle to become a top-class player, and it could be that his dropping for the Sunday game swayed Fabio Capello not to pick the Newcastle striker for the England squad yesterday.
Fabio instead went with 33 year-old Kevin Davies of Bolton Wanderers, for his first ever call-up.
Seems like Fabio is building for the future doesn’t it, and we cannot imagine the England FA is too happy with the squad he’s selected, with so few youngsters included.
Comments welcome.
7 comments so far
Davies
Oct 5, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Comment #1You sound bitter about Carroll not being included in the England squad Ed. I really don’t understand that at all.
He has four goals this season and three of them came in one match. His performances otherwise have been mixed. If he isn’t guaranteed a place in our squad, we can hardly expect Copella (tasty) to pick him for England.
NUFC_Richyg01
Oct 5, 2010 at 11:38 AM
Comment #2Needs a little asterisk at the end of the headline Ed.
“Not One Player Guaranteed A Starting Position At Newcastle*”
*APART FROM KEVIN NOLAN
wynsleap
Oct 5, 2010 at 11:56 AM
Comment #3As far as that headline goes I think we all know that’s not quite true is it?
NUFC_Richyg01
Oct 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM
Comment #4what ever do you mean wynsleap??
DarloGeordie
Oct 5, 2010 at 12:03 PM
Comment #5Agree Richy, Nolan is the only player guaranteed a starting position this season so far and he hardly touched the ball against shitteh…
Irie-Magpie
Oct 5, 2010 at 9:59 PM
Comment #6This is a good move but to be honest i don’t want CH to be tinkering with side and have it backfire, our side on sunday played very well all things considered.
Brutooon
Oct 6, 2010 at 12:58 AM
Comment #7no one guarantee a starting position?
PERCH is another guarantee one!
dont care if he make mistake or score an OWN goal, he is still in the team!
We got Ryan Taylor and even Collocini that can play there!