We’ve all heard now of the purple group of players at Newcastle – those are the first teamers who are top stars and generally start games – such as the likes of Coloccini, Krul, Cabaye, Ben Arfa and the like – players of top class who play regularly in the first team.
Kevin Mbabu – more players like Kevin are coming to Newcastle
But news today in the Newcastle Journal that Mike Ashley wants to recruit as many as nine new players this summer – who will fit into two different groups below the purple group.
One is a group just below the purple group of players, such as Gael Bigirimana, Curtis Good, Adam Campbell, Haris Vuckic and newly acquired Massaido Haidara – who are players still developing but who are likely to become first team players in the near future.
Note that group hasn’t performed well this season, because when a lot of our younger players did have a chance in the first team, with so many first team players out injured – they simply didn’t perform, and we may see some of them leaving the club in the summer – and a number of them are now out on loan – which is good, because they will be getting some first team experience.
There will also be a third group of younger players – those such as our new acquisition Kevin Mbabu, a 17-year-old defender who comes very highly rated, and that group will be younger players who the club think have the skill and the character to eventually become first team players at Newcastle United.
And notice that character is a big thing, because we have to have strong personalities who can play for a club like Newcastle United, which is high-profile, and with their fantastic fan support – they demand that players always give 100% when they play in the famous black and white shirts of Newcastle.
Newcastle want to get in as many as nine players to go with the already acquired Mbabu, and we just lost out on 19 year-old Florian Thauvin of Bastia, when he went to Lille, in spite of a decent bid of ÂŁ3M being made by Newcastle last month.
The fact is that Newcastle have not done well over the last five years in pinpointing good young talent, and we don’t have many young players we’ve signed over the last five years that have become first team regulars – in fact we have none.
We have a number of them who have failed such as Ben Tozer, Fabio Zamblera, Ole Soderberg and Tamas Kadar as just a few examples of young players signed with huge potential but who just didn’t come through at the club.
It’s an area that Newcastle have room to improve in – and if we had done a better job over the last few years with our young talent, we wouldn’t have had to suddenly bring in four top players in four days last month – it was a bit of a panic move – but in retrospect a brilliant one by owner Mike Ashley – let’s give him credit where it’s due.
Here’s hoping we can do a lot better with our young talent in the future – and one thing missing from this article – what are the colors of the other two groups? :D.
The second group should be green – because they are ready to go – and you can guess the color of the third group of younger players.
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20 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:22 AM
Comment #1Having Deep heat replaced with his aftersun lotion is too good for Ashley.
wolfshead@toon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:25 AM
Comment #2maybe a director of football to oversee things and have a complete overhaul? as long as we give new contracts to the likes of ranger etc were always going to be fighting fires
WWYCD
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:27 AM
Comment #3None for the first team but development squad players (who will eventually be classed as home grown players I believe?) o rhave I misunderstood?
Also wasn’t it a go ahead for 15 players not so long ago?
Blaydon-Toon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:27 AM
Comment #4Jail good morning …. Q do you make them up as you go or do you have some ready for every day ? Either way they make me smile just like our team does at the moment 🙂
MJCBurke
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Comment #5Long time reader first time contributer, please be nice. Just wondering will signing players like Mbabu get us around home grown player issues in years to come?
Some great comments on here of late with the new resurgence in the last few weeks, especially to transfer sage and torq.
Was also wondering with these new players if we should be looking to develop relationships with clubs in France or Holland as feeder clubs, like we do with Gateshead but at a higher level, thoughts?
TorqToon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:30 AM
Comment #6Pretty gutted we missed out on Thauvin – an excellent player, scored for the France U21’s on Tuesday night…
But we never stood a chance of getting him once he admitted he wanted to stay in France.
Phatoon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:34 AM
Comment #7WWYCD
I believe it was ÂŁ15m to spend (not 15 players). Then recently “10 new players” was the mentioned term, but with no change to the ÂŁ15m.
yo-yo
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Comment #8key word = character
Bigi has got it and I think Dummett too.
Ranger and Sammi hmmm
Put the ones who might make out out into the SPL – a grafters league. They’ll be only a couple of hours from the Toon and the Buddies, St Jonhstone and their like are really good experience. Scottish clubs are bringing on their younger players with more ball skills these days, not just relying on strength.
Maybe one day we’ll even be able to place players with Sunderland to gain experience before they graduate to a higher level.
Jonas's better than Messi
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:39 AM
Comment #9It’s clear our youngsters need to go out on loan.
How many competitive games have they had?
Not many.
Players like Tom Ince are stronger and better players because they are playing in real teams in the league. These academy and development squad games are a poor substitute for the real thing.
WWYCD
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:40 AM
Comment #10Phatoon
Ah could well be it cheers
lewytoon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #11in:
Thauvin
Sakho
Van Wolfswinkle/Aubameyang
De Jong
Owldman
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Comment #12Dont know where all theses transfer rumours come from ! may bored journalists or perhaps reps acting on behalf of clubs just to cause trouble.Seems like someone at Liverpool is at it, how else would would a story about Liverpool wanting ABA in summer start & now the latest Suarez saying he will have to leave if Liverpool dont get Champions League football next season, perhaps this is reason Rogers is making waves concerning HBA
TorqToon
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:44 AM
Comment #13Lewy – No chance on Thauvin I’m afraid mate.
Lilongwe Geordie
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Comment #14Not to dampen the buoyant mood, but before last summer we were told we would bring in 10 players for first team and development. That never happened. Still, hopefully lessons learned, and it will happen.
My main issue here is we HAVE had talented youngsters at the club. It isn’t that we have picked up the wrong players necessarily, it is that as a club we have no idea what to do with them, or how to develop them.
If we are to bring in and develop youngsters the coaching set up and progression model has to be right. More technical coaches, and a higher standard all round of coaching, for the 15/16/17/18 year olds. Loan moves to league 1/championship and Scottish Prem clubs at 18/19 (not 20/21). These loan clubs MUST be carefully selected, and play the right brand of football. Back to the club at 19/20 to challenge for the first team/play cup/european games if good enough, or a further loan for a year.
We have destroyed some great young talent in the past 10-15 years. Time to change that.
nufc 11
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Comment #15Why is it that clubs like Ajax, Barca, Bayern have a conver belt full off talent rolling up to the 1st team yr after yr its not a fluke, the structures need to be put in place but at a club like nufc results are what matters and its very hard to throw untested talent in, id love to see all our youngsters on loan all the time just dosent happened tho they fall into ruts in the reserves and dwindle away time and time again we need to built better links with good footballing teams in championship to get our players out there tell me samey and fergie couldnt do with a season in the championship look what it done for AC maybe nufc as a city is a problem? youngsters get a odd game in the 1st team and fans adore the players around the city and it goes to their heads giving autographs and such and they think they are better than they are, theyre focus goes else where no harm to have them washing 1st team boots instead of living the pamperwed life of acompolished over paid EPL players, thats a problem thast needs fixing.
Lilongwe Geordie
Feb 7, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Comment #16NUFC11,
Barca and Bayern are aided by having second teams playing in the lower leagues, but primarily it is the coaching philosophy that is absent at Newcastle
Somerset Mag
Feb 7, 2013 at 11:07 AM
Comment #17I’d prefer to see a greater commitment to local (even British) talent. Much as I love our foreign imports – you can have too much of a good thing.
taylormade
Feb 7, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Comment #18lil adam campbell is my next door neighbour hope he make first team next year never seen a lad work so hard and dedicated
ArtyH
Feb 7, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #19The local scouting system is to blame for lack of ” Geordie ” players. The scouts are too focused on Wallsend boys and Cramlington boys to bother about any others. I’ve been to trials where the scouts knew the trialists by name and some were just average but came from the above group, in the matches other unknown kids who played better were overlooked and the odd comment of ” good no 2 ” was uttered. Change the scouting/recruiting system and incentivize kids to play and reap the rewards. I would honestly scrap all the current local scouts, its obvious the are not performing and it is due to nepotism.
sfosteruk
Feb 7, 2013 at 11:22 PM
Comment #20The fact is that Newcastle have not done well over the last five years in pinpointing good young talent, and we don’t have many young players we’ve signed over the last five years that have become first team regulars – in fact we have none.
What about Krul??