Guus Hiddink, the Anzhi Makhachkala manager and former interim manager at Chelsea, has come out today and told Sky Sports that Newcastle are now a strong team – and that he saw replays of the the game against Swansea – and to use Hiddink’s own words – Newcastle were dominating, dominating, dominating at Swansea and only lost to a very unlucky goal.
This is what the well respected coach told Sky Sports this afternoon:
“We are going to have another very interesting and very tough contest against a team who reinforced themselves in the past weeks dramatically in a positive way.” “It’s a strong team.”
“We have seen them in their contests in Europe, but also we have seen them in the games they have recently played in the Premier League.” “When you see the last game against Swansea, they were dominating, dominating, dominating and they got a very unlucky goal in the last part of the game against them. But you could see it’s a modern team, so it’s a big challenge for our players.”
“In my opinion, Newcastle are a stronger team, first of all because they play in the English Premier League, which looks to be a stronger competition than the Bundesliga.” “Also, they have recently had a good improvement in their results and they have made a good upturn in the table, and also they have high-quality national team players in their line-up.”
“But we will be looking to play our own game. We also have some high-quality players in our team.” “Regarding ourselves, we are very happy, of course, that we have reached our aim that we set at the beginning of the season, to survive the winter-time in Europe,” he added.
“Then we got a good result against Hannover in the two games and then you are in the last 16 in Europe, which is a very good success.” “But having got there, we are so eager to see what we can do to make the next step, and it’s also good to see how our team is in comparison with teams who have the experience already of playing for many years in a tough league, plus sometimes Europe.”
So if anybody didn’t think Newcastle deserved to win against Swansea, it seems that Hiddink certainly did, and he saw the power of Newcastle United in that second half – when we really should have scored at least a couple of goals.
Oh well – it’s water under the Tyne Bridge now. 🙁
It will be a tough game tomorrow night, but there you have it – Guus Hiddink thinks Newcastle now have a strong team – after our five great Frenchmen came into the club in January.
Howay The Lads!!
17 comments so far
Dagwoodz
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Comment #1Hiddink is going to have his players primed for this match. Dream for a win, hope for a draw, but think Pardew’s going to try to park the bus and play counter attacking football. Unfortunately, when he has us park the bus, it’s too deep into our half and we never get the chance to counter.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:09 PM
Comment #2Hiddink is very nice guy 🙂 watched the game and I wouldn’t say I agree though…
…we came into the game well and played a good second half, but we didn’t really look deadly at any time that game (thought it would be a draw to be honest and was slightly disappointed to loose)
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Comment #3Hiddink is obviously as clueless as Pardew then? Are there any good managers left in the world?
Dag….But Benny might be playing! No such thing as “too deep” when Benny is on the pitch 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:13 PM
Comment #4Jesper…Maybe not convincingly, but If I had to say a team more likely to score in the Swansea game I’d have said us….but then I guess I would.
A draw would have been fair. But you know what they say? If my Aunt had balls…
Dagwoodz
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:13 PM
Comment #5This is true…at least we won’t have to worry about having our striker called offside 7-15 times tomorrow with Cisse staying back.
Oh wait…Strolla is most likely playing…
I’ll take the 7-15 offsides calls instead please.
Dagwoodz
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Comment #6What’s this about Aunt’s and balls?
toonLYF
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Comment #7good words from Hiddink, shows he has actually bothered to watch us.
Unlike alot of managers/pundits who still think Newcastle are a big aerial threat and dangerous from corners and set pieces.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:15 PM
Comment #8Dag…It could be Sholas night?
Deja vu…
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:17 PM
Comment #9Dag…
…she’d be my uncle.
LYF….Who thinks we’re dangerous from corners? 🙂
Dagwoodz
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:18 PM
Comment #10I think we’re a danger Ibiza…
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to ourselves of course
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:20 PM
Comment #11Ibiza…do tell do tell 🙂 what do that say about your aunty lol
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:23 PM
Comment #12Dag…If you’re talking corners then you’re absolutely right.
Mind you, you never know, tomorrow night, Shola from a corner? 🙂
toonLYF
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:23 PM
Comment #13Ibiza…..the world of football apparently. I think it was an ESPN commentator in one of our Europa matches this season kept on saying how good we are from corners; and then he seemed genuinely stunned when we done f all from them. He obviously still thinks it’s 2010, i’m surprised he didn’t announce the game by saying, “no Barton, Nolan or Carroll is a blow for Newcastle tonight”, before continuing to painfully attempt to pronounce some of our French lad’s names. Commentators man, getting paid huge amounts, to essentially sit there and be absolutely clueless.
Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Comment #14Jesper…Her name is Rebecca.
Krul to be Kind
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Comment #15every round after this is a bonus, i feared for us against Metalist but we managed to scrape through.
I don’t fear too many teams left in the comp as there are a few tasty ties in this round that will see some good teams fall out which would increase our chances of progression from the quarters if we can get past Anzhi
Teams to fear imo
Stuttgart – Lazio
Benfica – Bordeaux
Spurs – Inter
Plzen – Fennerbahce
and 4 will leave this round as they all play each other… and i only add Plzen because any team that can beat Napoli 3 nil in Italy have to be feared!
Krul to be Kind
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:27 PM
Comment #16toonlyf @18
spot on haha
and we played quite a few league games on ESPN this season too, you think they would be clued in!
DokToon
Mar 6, 2013 at 7:39 PM
Comment #17corners are dangerous… as a youth, i spent many hours standing in them…