One of the best Newcastle youngsters at the moment is 20 year-old Slovenian International Haris Vuckic, who was in the Slovenia squad for the World Cup qualifying game earlier this month, but didn’t get a game after picking up a slight injury while training with the squad.
Haris Vuckic – after scoring against Atromitos
But Haris already has good memories this season of the Europa League, after he came on to replace the injured Ryan Taylor in the 1-0 win at home to Greek Super League side Atromitos, and scored the goal that got Newcastle into the group stages of the competition.
We half expect Haris to get a start up front tomorrow night alongside Shola Ameobi, and the youngster had this to say today on the Newcastle web-site:
“I’m looking forward to the match.” “Hopefully I’ll get a chance and I can’t wait for the game. It’s going to be hard because the conditions are hot but we have a lot of energy in our team so we’re hoping to score as quickly as possible to put us in a good position for a positive result.”
“The heat is a bit hard but then you get used to it. I know it might be hard for us because we normally train in 15 degrees and then we come under the sun but you just have to go through it.” “That’s the Europa League and it’s an experience, so I think that’s positive because in this game you just become stronger.”
“We played well against Atromitos and we created a lot of chances.” “The second game was good for me. I scored a goal and I could have scored a couple more.” “But it was my first goal, which made me very happy and I’m looking forward to Thursday now. I’m here to score goals and hopefully I will.”
“I’m here now, I’ve trained hard and if I get a chance hopefully I will take it. I feel fit so everything is good.”
It will be a tough game for what will be a very young Newcastle side, and we’ll take anything but a defeat, as far as the result goes.
But it would be good to come away with all 3 points, and that would give the lads further confidence for the game at home to Norwich City on Sunday afternoon, after doing so well in the second half at Goodison Park on Monday night.
Two successive wins by Sunday night and Newcastle fans will be in much higher spirits than of late – and that’s got to be good. 😀
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35 comments so far
Carryingcoals
Sep 19, 2012 at 11:56 PM
Comment #1I’m thinking two successive 1-0 wins for the toon in the next few days. Not the prettiest but the results we need.
Big Pappa Cissé
Sep 20, 2012 at 12:05 AM
Comment #2Anyone else think that if Vuckic does not make a significant breakthrough this season he might never come good ?
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 12:14 AM
Comment #3Yeah, I do. He’s clearly a nice player but seems too slow physically and in the tempo of his play for the EPL at this stage and frankly at 20 he has been around for a while. Needs to step up soon or will go the way of the young centre back we released, who tellingly I have for the moment forgotten the name of. Heaps of players have great potential, few make the highest level.
JP...from The Rock
Sep 20, 2012 at 12:36 AM
Comment #4Demba Ba STILL has that contract clause and can leave for a paltry 7M in January!! But why in the hell would Pardew be so foolish as to bring it up!??? WTF is going on?
Check this out:
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/347118?
Thump
Sep 20, 2012 at 1:43 AM
Comment #5That Express article is worrying. It sounds like Pardew is trying to fire the Demba’s up… concerning all the same though.
ilovetoon8788
Sep 20, 2012 at 2:52 AM
Comment #6Why did Pardew bring that up? Unless he’s looking to offload Ba in the January window.
89Norcal
Sep 20, 2012 at 4:19 AM
Comment #7Apparently Ba’s agent is now hinting that Arsenal might swoop him up in Jan.
http://www.theweek.co.uk/football/premier-league/49096/manchester-united-and-liverpool-eye-angelo-ogbonna
So his agent is threatening a transfer if he doesn’t get more playing time. sounds like Ba might be genuinely displeased then, because if he does play more and stays, there’s no paycheck in it for the agent.
mattyNUFC
Sep 20, 2012 at 5:34 AM
Comment #8probably because pardew is doing his job….and that’s to put players in the shop window
…ok yeah that’s an ultra-pessimistic view but he is the ONLY manager who pulls this stuff, and our lack of summer spending insinuates our real ambition…which is zero.
this club is so f***ing frustrating it’s unbelievable. the core we had at the start of this year will take years to build upon again if we finish mid table (we will) this season and the ‘stars’ leave.
frustrated fan right now, sorry, guys, but the lack of ambition is deafening, especially after each poor game we’ve played this year thus far
mattyNUFC
Sep 20, 2012 at 5:37 AM
Comment #9….and i just love how the optimists spoke with such surety that that clause was out after 31 July. bullish*t. you know as much as i do
jesperfuglsang
Sep 20, 2012 at 5:50 AM
Comment #10Morning lads 🙂
I could see Vuckic start tonite mostly because I think the silver ssupremo will only field one forward for most part of the EL.
We will most like change to 4-4-2 or a variant there of later in the game.
So how hot is it in Madeira in the evening? That should be a question for you Ibiza 😉 lol
check the toastie
Sep 20, 2012 at 6:57 AM
Comment #11Vuckic – nice technical footballer but seems to do things a little too slowly,may ake it but needs to improve his energy and zip.
On Ba and Pardew, think Pardew has been told if Ba goes then we will go and get Carroll back, so really in his own mind he doesnt give a shit. Ba out in January Carroll back, its clear Big Andy wants to come back,
Carroll and Cisse would be dynamite. Cisse and ba are just a headache currently, cant play together and Ba spits his dummy if other tactics are tried (tit).
cyprus
Sep 20, 2012 at 7:10 AM
Comment #12Check, often agree with your comments but not this time! You talk of an imaginary front two (I promise you it won’t happen) while you knock what we actually haver right now. Ba is one of the best CF’s we have ever had, he saved our mediocre play (yep!) in the first half of last season, making us look good in terms of points tallied. Top players want to play, HBA felt the same when he was benched for …. Raylor! AP has a big one to deal with and I feel for him. No player is bigger than the club and all that, and I agree, but, it is players who make or break a club, and we must fight to keep this seemingly nice gentleman who is frustrated (like us all) that we can’t find a way to field our best 11. Having said that, the next level, if we want to reach it, is to make squad players feel like first teamers, i.e. AP must instil genuine rotation, not the feeling that this or that is a ‘B’ team.
bills-son
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:01 AM
Comment #13Re Ba, what I also picked up on is that he has had new contract talks but they havn’t been agreed. It has to be remembered that Ba is a write off waiting to happen because of his knee and this was the reason for the transfer clause. If it wasn’t for his knee he would have been a £10M player on big wages probably with another club. Because we got him on a free and lower wages he and his agent negotiated the clause. The problem for Ba is that if he moves he wants a long contract and big wages, understandably, but a the buying club will take a massive gamble especially as they will have to pay a fee as well. Thats why no club came close to signing him this summer. Ashley wont take a big gamble on Ba so any new contract will have clauses in case his knee goes, Ba and his agent wont want that. My bet is Ba will play his heart out until Jan hoping he can get the big money move he wants, another reason why he doesn’t want to be on the bench.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:06 AM
Comment #14Bill-son…what clause does the club need?
…NUFC never needed a clause in his contract; that was something the agent wanted as you said. The only thing NUFC need to do is to insure Ba’s knees.
tarie4
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:07 AM
Comment #15cyprus
I agree with you, this justs looks like the Ben arfa situation again. I have full confidence AP will sort it out. BA will be here at the end of the season. This is just paper talk.. And its funny how toon fans (most) believe a negative article towards the toon, be it selling of players or disagreements between players and management, but when a positive article comes up, they all say its paper talk, publicity, “will believe when I see it” attitude.
It seems we want our team to fail, so that we are proved right about the board etc. I find that quite sad tbh.
bills-son
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:20 AM
Comment #16Jesper, as I understand it Ba is uninsurable, thats why Stoke didn’t sign him. Any premium would be astronomical given that the problem already exists. Its like having a house with subsidence and trying to insure it against the gable walls cracking.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Comment #17Bills-son…you are probably right about the insurance thing 🙂 (don’t think I would want to insure him if I was an insurance company lol)
…but I still don’t quite understand why the club would want a clause in his contract? What would that help? 🙂
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:27 AM
Comment #18Well you could a understand the Ba aituation really, I mean we’re talking alpha males here, the lion of the pride so to speak. Why the f@#k should Ba be Cisse’s bitch. He was the man, he is the man. We’re talkin tribalism, Pards is out of his depth. I predict the shit to hit the fan!
toonarmydownsouth
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Comment #19Tarie4
Agreed!
bills-son
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:33 AM
Comment #20Jesper, the club would want a clause in case his knee goes, if so his contract ends. Ba wont want that type of clause with us or any club. That is the root of the contract issue.
jesperfuglsang
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Comment #21Bills-son…ohh I see where you are going with it 🙂
…I thought you meant something entirely different when you said clause 😀
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Comment #22This knee issue, hasn’t Ba basically been in rude health since he signed. Never misses a game.
check the toastie
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:36 AM
Comment #23Too many people for me trying to make excuses for Ba’s unresonable behaviour, he is a player of a TEAM , and as such should put every energy into making that team function as positively and impressively as it can.
If he thinks his own wants and needs comes in front of the team i would simply get rid, negaitivity breeds like rabbits in a dressing room or any group. Remember this guy was nothing before he came to the Toon.
Cabaye or Benny whinging i could almost accept, league winners in France and clearly capable of playing for a bigger club. Ba simply thinks he is more valuable than he is, proven by the lack of interest in him during the transfer window.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Comment #24That lack of interest in him is weird, he is definitely worth 7 million quid to any club that has it.
toonarmydownsouth
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Comment #25Check
I dont think you can say one statement about how he was unhappy at bieng benched is unreadonable behaviour, the lad got stick all summer bieng called a mercanry despite any proof he wanted to go, came back from the summer break as the in form CF and then is dropped for no reason! Christ we get lads in my friday night league who throw paddys fir bieng benched!
Also funny how ba is a trouble maker and a mecenary but andy carroll is our savior…..
TorqToon
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Comment #26Good morning gents! 🙂
Another beautiful day in France, the toon playing later on and NewsNow have depressed me with this Demba Ba contract / clause / unhappy lark.
So it appears the clause is still active (via Pards!) and he could leave in January. For AP to bring this to light speaks volumes. I would assume (like to think) that a deal for AC could be on the cards should Ba’s fee be met. However, rumblings over here are that Demba wants double the money to form a basic wage (£100k per week) plus a higher level of goal and assist bonuses. I’m sorry…but that’s ridiculous money!!! Truely ridiculous! And if that is accurate – then we DO have no choice but to let him go. He was unhappy about being put on the bench ONCE and all of a sudden this talk comes out. As im sure has been said several times, NOBODY is bigger than the club and if Ba thinks he is…then see ya later lad!
We must all bear in mind there is this article, the truth and everything in between. So Demba bashing on this blog isn’t needed nor productive (although I’m sure will happen – prob over the weekend as is the trend!) so I guess it’s just as case of wait and see what happens. Although you can be certain that Ba will play his heart out until January and as long as he is doing that, and scoring goals, we can’t really complain.
Shane
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Comment #27No player is bigger than the team. I’m sorry but what the f*ck has Ba got to be upset about? He needs to grow up and understand football is a team game. He should also count his lucky chickens that we took quite a gamble signing him when nobody else would. Stop having such a giant ego man you’re not even the second best player in the team (in my opinion). Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to see players become frustrated about being dropped/subbed or not playing as much as they would like, this shows hunger and that’s great. I also appreciate half of this is through his agent but Ba is not denying anything as he has done in the past. I’m sorry Ba, but throwing your toys out of the pram because you were dropped for a mere 45 mins is not on. Do your best till January and you can have your move then.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:45 AM
Comment #28Yeah, I actually don’t think Pards was letting the cat out of the bag there in regards to the Ba clause still being active. Not with Ba’s agent or Ba himself involved.
Slank
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:46 AM
Comment #29Ba wants to be the main man, with some justification. He doesn’t like sitting on the bench or playing second fiddle to Cisse. He is hungry. He is the natural target man but also he works really hard for the team often helping out the midfield whereas Cisse is a classic ‘on the shoulder of the last defender’ forward.
Vuckic is not the fastest but doesn’t have to be if others have pace to burn. He just has to be in the right place at the right time. He has a natural eye for goal and has probably the best left foot and one of the best strikers of a ball at the club. His best position is in the hole between the forward and the midfield.
You don’t see RVP of ManU (and also when he was at Spurs) racing around the field trying to burst past a defender. Ben Arfa can make and take a goal all by himself but RVP rarely does. He is very much reliant on others supplying him. Vuckic is similar.
Jail for Ashley
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Comment #30I think Pards puts players in the shop window because unlike us who cling on to the hope that Mashley might spend a few quid,he knows that unless players are sold no substantial investment will be made.
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:52 AM
Comment #31I think Ba knows his worth and is pushing the boat out, good for him!
jesperfuglsang
Sep 20, 2012 at 8:55 AM
Comment #32Morning Torq…glad to hear it’s a beautiful day in France – the weather is not that great here in little DK 🙁
…the Ba situation (whatever is true) is a sad affair indeed. I just don’t AC returning back home (the bindippers would want too much money and AC’s salary is too high)
I hate second guessing the club and I am willing to give Ba the benefit of a doubt so lets see come January 🙂 until then he’s a NUFC player anyway and I expect him to be a prof. and deliver 😉
Toon-Barmy
Sep 20, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Comment #33My team for tonight:
(4-2-3-1)
Harper
Tavernier S.Taylor Williamson Santon
Bigirimana Perch
Obertan Vuckic Marveaux
Sh. Ameobi
Subs:
Elliot
Ferguson
Anita
Gosling
Amalfitano
Sa. Ameobi
Campbell
(No room for Abeid unfortunately)
toonarmydownsouth
Sep 20, 2012 at 9:05 AM
Comment #34If andy carroll is on season long loan to west ham, who have paid a large loan fee and also have a trigger where at the end of the season they buy him depending on where they finish then what makes people think we can buy him in jan?
It would be far to expensive and confusing as if liverpool would have to pay a recall fee, and in turn charge us more also pretty sure he’s played for pool and west ham so could he even play for us this season??
jawballsaswallwell
Sep 20, 2012 at 9:08 AM
Comment #35I’ve been railing about the lack of quality signings in the summer with the best of them, but I have ta admit the club has depth. There isn’t a single senior player on the books I don’t like. More power to them tonight!