We like it when Derek LLambias gives his interviews to the press, because he tells us a lot of things that are going on at the club behind the scenes, and the things he talks about are very interesting to Newcastle fans.
The last time Derek talked was after we had brought in five French players in January, and Derek talked about the players and the scouting system, and how Mike Ashley had invested the money to ensure Newcastle stayed in the Premier League – and at that time we were only 2 points above the drop zone and 5th bottom of the league.
Since the club released yesterday’s excellent financial figures for our last financial year through last June, he has given a number of different interviews.
In this one today in the Newcastle Journal, Derek says that Newcastle are serious about trying to win the Europa League this season, and we’ll play our strongest side in every game.
This is what Llambias said:
“We want to win it. The club, us as owners and the managers and the squad want to win it,” “We’ll be putting out our best teams every game. It’s getting more lively now, Champions League clubs have dropped down.”
“There will be difficult games – people forget we’ve already had difficult games. Anzhi were one of the favorites, they weren’t a mug side.” “We did extremely well there – it was a last-minute goal but make no mistake it was a good result. We’re going to give it a real go.”
“If we win it, we know we’re in it and we’ll learn from our mistakes.” “We need a bit more depth, we’ve got a bit more depth. Postional-wise, if you look across the back four we’re a lot stronger than we were in the summer.”
It would be massive if Newcastle could win it – and it would be our first trophy in 44 years, since we won the equivalent of the Europa League back then in 1969 – the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup – and I watched the first leg against Újpesti Dózsa of Hungary at St. James’ Park – we won 3-0 and then won 3-2 in Hungary.
And we’d be in Europe next season too – and we could attract some excellent players in the summer.
That’s if we can win it of course – but there are just five more games to play if we were to win it, and it’s very possible we can beat Benfica over two legs.
Comments welcome.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and +1 us on Google+:
You can also reach Ed at admin@nufcblog.com
=============================================
147 comments so far
hatemorloveit
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Comment #81Btw im a londoner obviously
ichrisho
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Comment #82Really Jamsha? I dont know about them… its the massive WONGA label on the front that has me worried… I am not sure I can go around promoting them Loan Sharks… thats why I bought the new Virgin one long-sleeved (Future proof) although got Sissoko on it so that may not be that future proofed if Arsene Wenger gets his way…
Sack Llambias
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:34 PM
Comment #83Ibizatoon- Back By Popular Demand
I don’t think we’ve spoken before. Debating blog censorship favoured by some,including Tsunki , I took the view that just plain ignoring certain posters was the best policy. Don’t let Mrs Brown’s boy get to you. Strong personalities are always going to attract hostility. Hope that’s not sucking up. Keep posting.
Assam Toon
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Comment #84Take a look at this EPL prediction. Nice!!!
http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/fourfourtwoview/archive/2013/03/28/premier-league-prediction-2012-13.aspx?
Sack Llambias
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Comment #85Ibizatoon- Back By Popular Demand.
And don’t you forget it.
ichrisho
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Comment #86@83 – where is your name SackLlambias?
hatemorloveit
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Comment #87I hate the word ‘prediction’ in football
Mister Tuff
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:43 PM
Comment #88What the hell is going on today. We apppear to have two Ibizas’, one a prima donna
the other who has had a bash on the head. Which one is which – I’m totally confused.
We have Tsunki escaping the Toon for London -apparently he is now a toad. The phrase “educating pork”
has been mentioned -a reference to others being so thick they cannot be persuaded by other arguments -or pig headed.
Recently we’ve had bwave warriors and I’ve been described as an elderly poster whose is a mate of someone with an elasticated waistband. JfA in relentless pusuit of real or imagined multiple personality posters and the threat of a Mackem imposter. What a cast of players:-
Two Ibizas’.
A prima donna.
An Ibiza who has suffered blunt trauma to the bonce.
A toad.
Pigs.
Bwave warriors (what the hell is that all about).
An elderly poster -me presumably
A person with an elasticated waistband.
JfA in “hot pursuit”.
Multiple personality posters
A Mackem imposter.
oops just seen there is also a limp wrist in the cast, Mrs Browns boys and a post from Sack Llambias – now I wonder who that is.
You couldn’t make it up. Just a typical day on the blog.
Sack Llambias
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:44 PM
Comment #89robin
Your reference yesterday to a blogger as a nancy boy was that lifted from Orwell’s, Down and out in Paris and London? If it was well done good to see taxpayer money paying off!
JAMSHA
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Comment #90ichrisho
hahaha yea would prefer virgin… the wonga sounds funny to… .. but hope thats the real kit…
robin
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:46 PM
Comment #91Tsunki, you really have to snap out of this mackem fixation. Its not only you that is unhinged Carl, “lets all dance” seems a bit carefree and merry for a football blog. I would have thought a poetry or knitting blog would be more suitable for him.
Ibizatoon - back by no demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:47 PM
Comment #92We are going to get tortured by benfica at the stadium of light, lets be honest our team is nothing special. I mean we got beat off wigan
ichrisho
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:49 PM
Comment #93YO – Im Out of this – the blog has been invaded by a-holes. Hopefully the actual NUFC bloggers are on tomorrow. Good luck with today’s Mind-F*ck…
ichrisho
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:50 PM
Comment #94Yo – Am out of this for today… pack of mentallers on this blog… hopefully normal toon fans on tomorrow… catch ye then…
bills-son
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Comment #95Me agreeing with Stuart09 again – wonders never cease.
I don’t think we can win the Europa for the same reason as Stuart – we probably haven’t got enough firepower. Had HBA been fit and flying I would think differently. HBA can change games in an instant, scoring spectacular goals and creating something out of nothing. Without him we lack that real cutting edge.
However, dafter things have happened, and none dafter than when we won the UEFA Cup back in 1969. LIke Ed, I was at that game, and we beat a side who had defeated the great Leeds team of the time home and away in the semi’s. Bob Moncur, who hardly ever scored, got two in the 3.0 home win and the crucial away goal in the first few minutes of the second half after we went in 2.0 down at half time. We went on to win 3.2 and an amazing 6.2 on aggregate.
Miracles CAN happen!
Carryingcoals
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Comment #96tuff
what a post! ha ha
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:53 PM
Comment #97I step away from the blog for 20 minutes….honestly you lot 🙂
Not sure I’ll ever catch up, so am starting anew.
First!
Mister Tuff
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:55 PM
Comment #98carrying @95 -glad you appreciated my intended humour.
DokToon
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:56 PM
Comment #99tuff,
im prob on the elderly line with you 🙂
welcome back ibiza, (the real one)… get this sorted out please… its madness here today ….
GeordieRob
Mar 28, 2013 at 12:56 PM
Comment #100Ibiza @57
http://p2.trrsf.com/image/fget/cf/619/464/images.terra.com/2013/03/09/gf2e93916wl011812063526.JPG
Comparing McMannaman to this? I really thought Martinez had some integrity. Disappointed with him and won’t miss them when they finally get relegated.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Comment #101Rob…I wasn’t sure what challenge he meant, but he can’t be serious? That looked like a fair challenge from the picture anyway.
I can maybe see the intent argument, but the more he tries to make out it was a nothing challenge the more wound up I get.
Dok…Get it sorted? I’m just a prima donna (cheers Tuff) 🙂
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Comment #102Sack Llambias…Are you new?
bills-son
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Comment #103A little anecdote on the away game against Ujpest Dosza – I can remember Bob Moncur saying that Dosza had played brilliantly in the first half and could have been four or five up never mind two.
The Toon players went in to the dressing room shell shocked and fearful for the second half. Manager Joe Harvey, a man of few words most beginning with F, rallied the troops by saying “that lot will f…n collapse if we score a goal”. He was right. Moncur scored from a corner after two minutes and they fkn collapsed just as Joe had forecast!
Ben Arentoft scored a great equaliser and then Alan Foggon – our George Best – ran half the length of the pitch, hit the bar, and slammed in the rebound.
Oh happy days – I can’t believe it was 44 years ago. And we’ve never won a thing since.
pawl250
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Comment #104Positive vibes from the club, I like the attitude.
As for the accounts well they are nearly a year old already, they only go up to JUNE 2012. This means it does not account for Smith, Guthrie, Best (sales/wages decrease) or Anita, Bigirmana, Amalfitano (purchases/wages increase) it also doesnt show EL money, albeit as little as it is, I would wager it alone could have paid the fees for Sissoko and Haidara. I would also like to point out although it has been mentioned it does not include Wonga deal, along with the change in wages and buys of Mbiwa, Gouffran, Debuchy, nor the decrease of Ranger, Ba and Xisco.
Basically the accounts go up to how we stand in June 2012, I would argue we should be not be far off, if not better this year from the extra sales for EL etc.
I think it looks promising.
This year we need to focus on a CB to replace Colo, or even just for more options. We need a RB in the mold of Haidara, young and full of potential. We need a CAM/or Winger that can create and we need a striker.
Me personally I would go for:-
Carroll
Douglas
then a CM/Winger like Belhanda?
Clyne type player
We would have a very strong squad to compete then.
Would also sell, or let go.
Gosling
Obertan
Simpson
R Taylor
Harper
and I know these are english players but my last count we had 14!! am sure 4 out will not change much, and if we were to sign Carroll back it would only be 3 lost!!
GeordieRob
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Comment #105Ibiza,
Pretty sure that’s the tackle that unfortunately ended Miyaichi’s season. It was bad luck for him, Wigan and Arsenal. Still, it was not a bad tackle and he and Pops Whelan described it as terrible.
Funny how a week and a different colour shirt changes someone’s mentality completely.
stuart no9
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:10 PM
Comment #106bills – we have to stop agreeing wiyh each other- thats twice in a week , are we going soft or what? but yeah stranger things have happened as you say , in the fairs cup , we beat a great side- moncur scored 3 oh, and big john mac never got sent off, thinking about it ” you never know”
Mister Tuff
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Comment #107bills @102 – a good story. I was at the home leg against Ujpest Dosza -good game -best night out in my time as a Toon supporter. I can remember the game against Vitoria Setubal -their players turned out wearing gloves – most Toon fans had not seen this before and thought they were a load of jessies -which turned out to be the case as we walloped them. Crowd that night was over 57,000.
Carryingcoals
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Comment #108I’ve been in and out of the conversation today, got a bit bored with the multiple personalities… ANYWAY this was on twitter…
Lee Ryder ?@lee_ryder
#nufc will announce one of the biggest commercial deals in club history before the season is out.
A lot of you have talked about a press conference today? Anything out of the ordinary expected?
I am intrigued.
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:23 PM
Comment #109Rob….No surprise there then. Expect it from Whelan, but did actually think Martinez had a bit more sense about him. Clearly not. Oh well, life goes on.
Carrying…That is intriguing. Wonder what the commercial deal could be about? Shirt and stadium sponsor is already sorted.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:26 PM
Comment #110The Ibiza I know is definitely the prima donna 😀 lol
Tsunki
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:27 PM
Comment #111Sack Llambias – hey easy on the unqualified pigeonholing there! I only advocate brutal excommunication I am no Draco! Seriously though, don’t want to add yeast to the old censorship thing but in illustration, I don’t know if you are familiar with Ketsbaia9? He is famed for being kicked off another blog for ‘nuisance posting’ yet we have embraced his fanciful delusions with gusto, and long may he continue to unload his scatterbrained ruminations on us I say. Now, have you heard of robin?…………
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:27 PM
Comment #112Jesper…Thanks for that. I suppose it’s better than a mackem whose been dropped on his head, but that is little consolation 🙂
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:31 PM
Comment #113Ibiza…what’s going on today?
…I leave the blog to celebrate Easter and what happens lol
Sack Llambias
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:31 PM
Comment #114Ibizatoon Back By Popular Demand
I am a long time reader who started posting last weekend. I realise that if you believe a few posters that makes me an instant multi personality poster. Seems to me that’s driven a lot of posters away. Fast believing it’s more enjoyable reading then you can just move on but still view Tsunki as a likeable rogue. Robin is not a lost cause and more entertaining than some. Please advise me when the blog police have cleared me.
Cal92
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Comment #115Hi guys, just as a sidenote would it be possible for any of you to complete this quick survey. Its for my dissertation and will literally take around 1 minute. Greatly apprecited. HWTL
https://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4I6NRlzLlceLvox
Ibizatoon - Back By Popular Demand
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:34 PM
Comment #116Jesper…That is a very good question. When you figure it out, do let me know.
Did you make it to the Blue Van acoustic gig?
Sack Llambias…We fear the unknown. Just running some checks on you and I’ll let you know when you have your pass 🙂
On Tsunki…Likable, yes, rogue, not sure what you mean?
bills-son
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:34 PM
Comment #117Stuart & Mister Tuff – what many fans forget about the Fairs Cup run and win is the first game we played against Feyenoord. At the time they were one of Europe’s top teams and had half the Dutch national side playing for them. They were top of their League and we were near the bottom of the old 1st Division. We weren’t given a chance.
That Wednesday night God reached down and touched a young 19 year old Geordie born Toon player. His name was Geoff Allen, a left winger, who went on to murder Feyenoord’s Dutch international right back (Van Hannegem if my memory serves me right). Allen scored, made two, and we were a sensational 4.0 up at half time, which turned out to be the final score. I’ll never ever forget that game and especially Allen’s performance.
However – in the away game Feyenoord booted Allen all over the pitch and he sustained a knee injury that was to end his career only month’s later. THe Feyennord tie was bitter sweet. We won the tie 4-2 and it set us on the way to our last trophy. But it ended the career of one of the most promising local footballers ever to play for the Toon.
Geoff Allen could have been a great and up there with Beardsley, Waddle and Gascoigne. He was that good.
Tsunki
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:36 PM
Comment #118Likeable Rogue? Now that is the best thing I have been called on this blog ever! 😀
Anyhoo pulling into Kings X gotta negotiate the tube on alcohol. Life is littered with poor decisions…
Later all. Back for the fallout after the press conf where Pards is sacked and Ashley has sold out to Putin.
roshan MAGPIE
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Comment #119hey blue waffle toon sorry lost power here electricity problem
roshan MAGPIE
Mar 28, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Comment #120hey blue waffle toon sorry lost power here electricity problem .