It was the tour of America last year at this time that set the tone for the season, and created that tremendous team spirit that won Newcastle so many points last season in the Premier League, when our lads simply refused to give up, when things got tough.
John Carver and Alan Pardew last season
At this time last year, players like Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa, who was coming back from his terrible double leg fracture, were largely an unknown quantity, but all three went on to have magnificent seasons for Newcastle.
And the rest is history with Newcastle finishing in 5th place, qualifying for the Europa League and amazingly, only narrowly missing out on a Champions League position.
We’re sure Alan Pardew will be hoping for the same kind of tour this summer, although the American experience turned out to be a little tiring for the players, with long plane journeys from the central plains to the East coast – well it’s a big country after all.
This is what Alan said today to the local press corps:
“It’s a completely different environment, of course, but a good environment.” “I’ve been to Germany before on a pre-season. It’s hot, and a bit stuffy, but the facilities are fantastic.”
“It’s top-quality European opposition, and gives us a little taste of Europe, which I think is important.” “It’s no good going to America or Asia, we needed to get some European experience, which we haven’t had for three or four years.”
“Portugal – two European teams, and again a hot climate. Really, the Cardiff game is going to be about the Premier League.” “Cardiff away is a Premier League game, to a degree. It’s the closest we can get.” “It’ll be about getting back to what we know.”
This is what we think the pre-season schedule is for Newcastle this summer, although not all these games have been announced by Newcastle - yet – but it will give the lads some good games in preparation for what is a vital first week of the season.
Newcastle play Tottenham and Chelsea in the league, and in between we have the first leg of the qualifying round for the group stages of the Europa League.
| Date | Team | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 13 July KO 6;30 pm | Chemnitzer FC - Lost 1-0 | Stadion an der Gellertstraße - Chermnitz, Germany |
| Mon 16 July KO 7:00 pm | AS Monaco - Won 1-0 | Landsberg am Lech, Germany |
| Sat 21 July KO 7:30 pm | Fernerbahce - Drew 1-1 | Sonnenseestadion, SC Ritzing, Austria |
| Fri 27 July KO 8:45 pm | Olympiacos - Drew 1-1 4-4 on penalties | Algarve Stadium, Faro, Portugal |
| Sat 28 July KO 8:45 pm | FC Braga - won 2-1 | Algarve Stadium, Faro, Portugal |
| Sat 4 August KO 5:00 pm | Den Haag - Drew 0-0 | Kyocera Stadium, Den Haag |
| Tues 7 Aug KO 7:30 pm | Hartlepool - Won 5-1 | Victoria Park, Hartlepool |
| Sat 11 Aug 3:00 pm | Cardiff - Lost 4-1 | Cardiff City Stadium |
Comments welcome.
NUFC News 24/7
53 responses so far ↓
1 geordielad95 // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:35 AM
First
2 Ben Arfa (Either love him or Hatem) // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Well done you posted first.
Now go copulate!
3 shirtonapole tinooo // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:42 AM
mornin all, i´ll be at the game tomorrow
do any of you´s know if the team´s left
yet and are the first teamers all coming???
can´t find anything at all on the web…
also chemnitz fan forum are commenting that every uk site seems to think the town is called chemnitzer it´s chemnitz!!
chemnitzer fc = fc of chemnitz
sorry to be pedantic
4 ROSHAN MAGPIE // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:44 AM
am I the only ghost in this blog cause no one reply s to my comments
5 graham cwarr // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:45 AM
My childhood footballer of the day is Brian deane. Now can anybody tell me what’s special about him without
googling him
6 graham cwarr // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Did somebody say something?
7 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Cwarr…No
8 ash-out // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:50 AM
First goal on prem?
9 ToonDownSouth // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:54 AM
shirtonapole
Drop Ed an email about it mate, I’m sure he’d be keen to fix it!
Isn’t Gateshead usually our first friendly game? (Somebody correct me on that if wrong) I imagine you’ll see Simpson, Colo, Williamson & Santon. I’d imagine the two new boys will get a run out as well, seeing as Cabaye & Hatem aren’t back till later in July. Ba will surely start up top as well.
10 jesperfuglsang // Jul 12, 2012 at 11:55 AM
My fortune cookie wisdom of the day:
“The worst bankrupt in the world
is the person
who has lost his enthusiasm“.
Fortune cookie of the day boys and girls
…that’s an odd to you my friend cwarr 
hehe
11 graham cwarr // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:01 PM
@ash out correct. Who did he play for and who was the goal against?
@jesper cheers buddy.
12 shirtonapole tinooo // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:03 PM
cheers tds
yeah, good idea i´ll mail him
hope for 6 -0 tomorrow and no bother afterwards….
13 check the toastie // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Looks to me like our pre-season schedule mirrors our transfer activity, lerching from one country to the next, getting a few knock backs and then pretending that we are in complete control. So far its all been a bit sh1t. Seems ike we cant even compete with the ‘Big Boys’ in organising a decent pre-season kickabout.
14 roadfighter // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:12 PM
not that we were actually looking at Guidetti but there have been articles where he apparently suggests he wants to go to Italy…
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2012/07/12/3236872/guidetti-admits-to-serie-a-dream-amid-lazio-rumours?
15 graham cwarr // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:13 PM
@shirtonapole like a person from Berlin is a Berliner
“ich bin eine Berliner”
16 roadfighter // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:15 PM
and when is Leon coming of the banner?
nice guy, did a decent job when needed but come on Ed 
17 graham cwarr // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:17 PM
@roadwarrior Eds a busy guy though
18 shirtonapole tinooo // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:28 PM
@cwarr exactly
love on the chemnitz website they´ve got a banner going round flashing black and white with the text alternating between: 1989 Juventus Turin /2012 Newcastle United!!
Guessing they don´t get big games that often
Also going to Landsberg game on Monday, phoned them up to tell them we´re not called New Castle United, lol….
As i say i´m a bit pedantic
19 martoon // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Another quiet NUFC news day and Ed is scraping the barrel for stories! I suspect Hoilett will choose QPR as he knows Mark Hughes and they are probably offering more money. What time is KO tomorrow?
20 phoonck // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:34 PM
I suddenly had a vision(with Debuchy & Douglas coming):
Krul(GK)
Debuchy(RB) Coloccini(CB) Douglas(CB) Santon(LB)
Tiote(CDM) Gutierrez(CDM)
Cabaye(MC)
Ben Arfa(CAM)
Ba(ST) Cisse(ST)
4-2-1-1-2: We have got 2 very attacking full backs in Santon and Debuchy, and doing it well, so they can roam and support in attack with open flanks in this formation. Tiote will sit deep and prevent opponents from counter-attacks with the ever-superb tracking back Gutierrez. Cabaye will be the one orchestrating the play, with support on both flanks in Debuchy and Santon, Ben Arfa in front to help unlock the oppositions’ defence, or he can always bring Gutierrez in to play and build up attacks. Ba and Cisse will be lethal up front with their intelligent off-the-ball runs and goal-scoring instincts.
This should strike fear into any teams in the BPL!
21 toonking // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:35 PM
last post had lots of thoughts on teams for next season
and since pardew has said he still won’t really be able to spend money for extra players how about this as a team for early europa and cup games
________krul_______
perch_willo_colo_ferg
________tiote_____
___vuckic_____marv
oba___________sammy
______shola__
22 WWYCD // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Is the game tomorrow likely to include first team players? I saw Jonas in the metro yesterday late afternoon so if they are they must of flown over today
23 Toon in Nairobi // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Doing rounds on facebook
Leon Best vs Leon Worst.
all in all Thank you Besty without you we would have been beaten by fulham lost to Aston Villa and drawn wth QPR last season. Thank you BESTY
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=462098910475810&set=a.454950164524018.108434.355700751115627&type=1&relevant_count=1
24 hainesy // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Confirmed but we’re not playing Ado Den Haag
25 hainesy // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:50 PM
WWYCD – They fly this afternoon
26 shirtonapole tinooo // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:51 PM
WWYCD i hope so, don´t fancy doing a 12hr road trip (there and back) to see the reserves….
on the chronicle website that tit Lee Ryder does a short video preview and he seems to think so, we´ll find out tomorrow i suppose
27 phoonck // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Going by the formation and line-ups, we are still left with a very strong 2nd string!(can’t imagine I actually said this!)
Adopting a 4-4-1-1 formation as its best suited for the 2nd string:
Harper(GK)
Tavernier(RB) Williamson(CB) S.Taylor(CB) R.Taylor(LB)
Obertan (RW) Perch(CDM) Abeid(MC) Marveaux(LW)
Vukic(CAM)
Ameobi(ST)
I seriously think this line-up is too bad as well! Won’t win the big boys but definitely good enough to play against the mid table teams and below!
28 ROSHAN MAGPIE // Jul 12, 2012 at 12:59 PM
http://mobile.nufc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=2840613
29 phoonck // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:00 PM
*line-up is not too bad as well! Won’t win~
30 Magpie from Lithuania // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:02 PM
http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120712/united-heading-for-germany-and-hungary_2281670_2840613?
31 XtraTimeAndPens // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:04 PM
I think it’s a pretty well balanced pre-season tour actually. It seems like a good mix of opposition and like Pardew says we’ll be playing in a nice variety of settings. Will be interesting to see us playing Fenerbahce, Braga and Olympiacos especially because they’re the sort of teams we’ll be seeing in the Europa League. Looking forward to seeing us playing again anyway, it’s been too long!
Also, got a new blog up at
http://www.extratimeandpenalties.com if you want to give it a read. All about Villas-Boas at Spurs.
32 robinhungary // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Sat 21 July Fernerbahce Vienna, Austria
I think this is in fact in Sopron, Hungary. Much better, and much cheaper than Austria!
33 WWYCD // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Ah right that makes sense lads cheers. Any idea whether it will be viewable for us lot stuck in the toon?
34 santoooooooooon // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Not to convinced with Pardiola saying that we might only get 1/2 players in… imo we need a FB and a WM, and a CB especially if he is just hoping S.Taylor will be fit for 50 odd games…
If we convert jonas to a CDM we may not need another CM as we will have tiote jonas cabaye bigirimana gosling abeid perch, raylor who can cover there and marveaux, we would probs survive.
However for the WM positions we would have marveaux hba oba amalfitano, fergie(is a LB) so imo hoilett would be perfect, as marveaux could easily get injured for the season again…
FB is obvious we have 2 young players in tav and fergie who will be great in 2 years however we need 3 proven players imo santon simpson and another needed…
CB is a big issue we only have 3, saylor is a liability so this is a must
35 ilovetoon8788 // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:08 PM
Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is planning to lure Crystal Palace duo Wilfried Zaha and Nathaniel Clyne to St Mary’s in an £8million double swoop and is also keen on Tottenham defender Kyle Naughton, according to the Daily Star.
by @skysportsrobp 2:37 PM
—————
we should just go in for them. 8m for 2 promising players who will add more quality to our already extremely promising youth development squad and their cost may triple under our club guidance into top players hopefully. good gamble we should take.
36 ilovetoon8788 // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew remains confident Demba Ba will stay at St James’ Park this summer, with the Magpies boss also awaiting a response over his interest in in-demand Junior Hoilett following his Blackburn exit. We will bring you more on this shortly.
by @skysportsrobp 2:19 PM
——-
Seems like we are indeed interested in Hoilett and it has substance. But whether we are serious in getting him is another story.
37 toonincheek // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:21 PM
We are at the stage now where it needs to be a fairly big signing to warrant regular first team action.
And anyone below that – have to be a younger player looking to get experience and up his game.
Anything in between – they will be looking for regular first team action that they aren’t goona get, so they will think long and hard before coming.
38 newcben // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Cabaye is arguably our best player and he needs to play where he s going to dictate the game. Last year he came under abuse on here because he faded into the background, he needs to play higher up the pitch.
Having just Tiote holding and two up top leaves us to exposed especially with the attacking wing backs we have. But may be ok against the lesser teams, I still feel we need Anita unless Bigi is showing his worth already in training (who knows). And we need a CF for when ACON is on…..to much pressure for just Shola maybe?
My ideal line up for next yr would be.
——————-Krul—————-
DEBUCHY–STaylor–Colo–Santon
————Tiote—ANITA————
HBA———Cabaye——–HOILETT
——————Ba——————–
Bench:
Elliott
DOUGLAS
RTaylor
Jonas
Marv
Cisse
What CF is gona come to us and maybe not even have a spot on our bench thats what worries me…..
39 newcben // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:27 PM
For France he ran the show having Diarra hold in behind him….one of the players of the tournament (hence the links with Barca true or not to even have a rumor about you must mean your good)
40 Szarka // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Fener match will be in Sopron , yeah !!!!
I must go.
Aldo i was thinking a Wien trip too, not farther really but much more costly. Sopron is cheap.
41 Hatem's better than Messi // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:38 PM
The Fernabache game is to be played at the Stadium Sopron, Hungary not in Vienna. Austria as Ed has in his table.
http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120712/united-heading-for-germany-and-hungary_2281670_2840613?
42 bigirimana // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Any tv matches UK ?
43 check the toastie // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Anybody who doesnt put Cisse in his first team is seriously mental.
44 toonincheek // Jul 12, 2012 at 1:58 PM
newcben –
Have to agree about Anita.
He’s small, but then so are Tiote and Cabaye.
May be a problem winning high loose balls in midfield.
Everything seems to have gone quiet – maybe that’s a good sign?
He could be the missing piece, allowing Cabaye to do what he does best,
And he’ll still be doing his bit in midfield, challenging and fighting for the ball. Closing people down.
45 shearermania // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:01 PM
thought ill give my 2 cents on a line up …ill reckon we will play the dutch model this year so instead of a 4-3-3 i reckon it will be more of a 4-2-3-1 with ba playing in the hole and obviously benny on the right and papisto up front. the central midfield pairing dosnt need mentioning so its really only the full back positions and left sided mid that needs filled in my opnion….i really think the 4231 with Ba playing the ghost striker role like Tomasson did for Denmark will really benefit his goal tally….
46 toonincheek // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:21 PM
….mania-
“the central midfield pairing dosnt need mentioning”
I think it does.
With Anita, our formation could be 4-2-1-3, with Yohann in the ‘hole’ behind the three forward players.
Mehdi, Biri and other options as rotation.
Sakho would be immense to strengthen the defence, but I think too many problems trying to get him, cost and salary being only two of them.
47 shearermania // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:27 PM
i reckon the 4231 as pardew mentioned ba in a central role….in regards to Anita im staying out of that one – same with debuchy and dejong…
I cant comment on possible formation when they are not even our players yet or may never be…
Have been burned too many times arshavin, gervinho etc
48 estechco // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:34 PM
bigirimana@42 – Monaco (16/7) & Fernerbahce (21/7) both on ESPN I believe
49 rknufc // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:35 PM
Does anyone know if the game tomorrow will be televised? also what time is kick off
50 Beattie25 // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM
I’m sick of this
Every time I come on here its Newcastle this and Newcastle that
Can we not have a decent conversation about politics, celebrities or fashion?
Anything but nufc!!
51 voodoo85 // Jul 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM
@48, yeh its listed on the espn tv guide on their site
52 t00ntime // Jul 12, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Wth is going on lol :S ado de haag are already selling tickets to there freindly vs nufc and nufc havent even mentioned it :S
According to ado it cant be the reserves cause it mentions being able to see cabaye+ krul (used to be ado player)
53 martoon // Jul 12, 2012 at 3:22 PM
newcben @38 Are you mad? You would drop arguably the hottest striker in the second half of last season.
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