Chief sports writer of the Newcastle United Blog – Ed Harrison – looks at the summer, and what Newcastle need to do if we survive in the Premier League – Ed is the Chief Sports writer because he’s also the only writer on the blog. đ
These are things Ashley and Llambias must do this summer
Newcastle could be safe even if we lose our last two games of the season, and we’re safe if Wigan cannot win one of their two away games at Arsenal and Aston Villa.
We don’t want to think about things too much – but here briefly, are a number of things the club must do if we are safe:
Those are some of the things Newcastle must do this summer if we are to be in a better position come next August, than we were last August.
- Issue apology to the Newcastle fans but taking them though hell and high water, and having such a disastrous Premier League season
- Complete a through review of the season to pinpoint exactly what went wrong, and then fix those things that need fixing – and they will include some of the items on this list
- Decide who will be the long term manager and coaches at Newcastle – if it’s not Alan Pardew we need to recruit a new manager quickly
- Decide on Fabricio Coloccini future – surely we need to make every effort to keep him – if he leaves we need to bring in a top center-back
- Unload fringe players at the club including Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Romain Amalfitano, Dan Gosling, Gabby Obertan and Mike Williamson
- Create a sizable transfer fund to give the manager some decent money to recruit other top players this summer to really strengthen the squad
- Review transfer policy – do we have too many foreign players and do we need to recruit more British players?
- Recruit two top strikers (not one we need a couple), given the results of the transfer policy review above – Andy Carroll may become a higher priority now
- Recruit a number of top youngsters and unload those younger players – like Brad Inman among others – who will not make it at Newcastle
- Bring in a top coach who has a PhD in set-plays – we need to fix why we haven’t scored from a corner for eons and eons
- Place ridiculously high transfer fees on some of our top players like Yohan Cabaye and Ben Arfa, so we either keep our top players in the summer or get silly money for them
Have I missed anything?
Comments welcome.
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151 comments so far
Transfer Sage
May 11, 2013 at 11:50 AM
Comment #41In fairness to Douglas
Santon is a shockingly bad fullback. Makes so many mistakes and doesn’t bust a gut to get back when losing the ball.
He was good under mourinho though so maybe he can come through. But he has been very poor..made as many costly errors as willo who gets dogs abuse
Transfer Sage
May 11, 2013 at 11:53 AM
Comment #42Catchy
In fairness pardew did well last year. The football might not have been what people like to see but managers are judged (by owners anyway) on results and I really think he did well with that squad to get 5th.
The problem was this year the plan from last year of defend at all costs then score a wonder goal didn’t work this year. The mistake pardew made was not seeing and adapting to this and apply the same formula that worked last year.
That’s why I advocated giving him time and buy around end of feb had had enough as it was clear, in my eyes, by then that he wouldn’t change his system no matter what.
Transfer Sage
May 11, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Comment #43Charlie
This is going to be a very exiting summer for managers and players moving all around Europe.
Can’t wait for it.
MosesNUFC
May 11, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Comment #44I only want pardew to be sacked if it means hiring a manager with good technical tactics and can get the best out of every player, can get our team playing good football.
breno95
May 11, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #45Topics being posted on the blog currently are nonsense. Especially this last one from Ed the chief sports writer.
I appreciate he needs to post articles but to post the obvious constantly or suggest certain actions to be taken by the club that in the main wont happen is a waste of time. Can anyone see the club issuing an apology?
The facts are Pardew is NOT very good.
We must win tomorrow and guarentee PL safety.
Once that is sorted then a review of managerial and coaches should take place.
Personnally if the win is obtained at QPR i would sack him tomorrow with no second thoughts or doubts.
As for what happens in reality we can all post opinions and suggestions of who should leave and who should be signed but its all hearsay as none on here have any influence full stop.
All we can do is support the club/team whoever is leading it and wearing the shirt.
catchy in norway
May 11, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #46transfer ,
but this season , he got a new comtract, and the football and results have been shit, he should not have lasted xmas
northernirishtoon
May 11, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #47Catchy
Alright mate we get the point. You were right. A lot of people on here were wrong. Any chance we can move on
Jail for Ashley
May 11, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Comment #48catchy
were you on the train from Aberdeen yesterday afternoon.
catchy in norway
May 11, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Comment #49northern
nothing to do with being right, its about asking for something that should not be needed to be done,
no jail , but you know that
TimKrulFan
May 11, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #50Pardew sucks eggs.
Jail for Ashley
May 11, 2013 at 12:09 PM
Comment #51breno,
Mashley has never once thanked the fans for turning up in their thousands he’s definitely not going to apologize you’re dead right there.
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 11, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Comment #52Ed
Why keep a player like shola, he is a fringe player too. What does that signal.
You only have to be able to play 20 mins to earn your weekly wage.
What do people who give their hearts out for full 90 think of that
matias
May 11, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Comment #53It`s not beyond Pardew`s abilities to do again what he did last season with (most of) us cheering. If gets the boot we need to have international top drawer manager ready or it`s fight for places 12-17 in PL next year again.
ToonDownSouth
May 11, 2013 at 12:26 PM
Comment #54Just waiting for Pardew to be removed and replaced with Curbishley, Hughes, Di Matteo or Mclaren.
Exciting times ahead for us!
matias
May 11, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Comment #55TDS: That`s eaxactly what I visioned. I think Pardew has more chance to succeed and entertain than that lot. It`s Pardew or some top name for me.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
May 11, 2013 at 12:30 PM
Comment #56Afternoon ladies and gents, how are we feeling today?
I’d agree that an awful lot of that list is pretty obvious, but I’d imagine a lot of that list will not be implemented.
We will certainly not get an apology, Pardew may not lose his job and I seriously doubt we will be seeing a mass exodus of fringe players because if that happened then the owner would need to open up his cheque book to buy more fringe players.
Our younger players aren’t coming through to such an extent that any of them are realistic options for the first team so if we sell the likes of Gosling, Obertan, Willo, Amalfitano, then the only way we could replace them is with new signings, is that likely? I’m not too sure.
We can speculate all about what we think is going to happen but I agree with Breno, win tomorrow, secure safety and let the chips fall as they may.
Oh and mojo from last night,
What crack pipe are you smoking if you believe we were “The Entertainers” last season, and yes, a much better goal difference of +33 in the 1996/97 season would indicate an attacking style when compared to the goal difference of last season which was only +5
What is difficult to understand about that?
Laurent Robert 32
May 11, 2013 at 12:32 PM
Comment #57Matias. Unfortunately for all of us it is beyond his abilities. Look at his CV. He got the hole-in-one last season, but now he’s back to what he does. Clueless tactics, awful form selections and terrible footballing philosophy, without the points.
Hoping that your talented players can nick something in the game from all the defending is not the way to base your game-play. Especially when he doesn’t actively try and create more chances for Cisse.
catchy in norway
May 11, 2013 at 12:38 PM
Comment #58ruddy
well said
the only thing i liked last season, some of our goals , they where our of this world
Charlie in the Gallowgate
May 11, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Comment #59Transfer
Must go called out of retirement to play cricket for Prudhoe
Yeah I cannot wait – league could be a whole lot different next year – hope we are in it to enjoy
WWYCD
May 11, 2013 at 12:45 PM
Comment #60An apology from the club? Haha Ed u joker more chance they’d blame us for it and ask for an apology than give one
DevonMag
May 11, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Comment #61ToonDownSouth your pessimism, in this instance at least, tells a cautionary tale: remember when Hoots got the sack and we all said ‘MA must have someone of real quality lined up; someone with proven European pedigree.’ Most of us though Jol was coming in. We then got Pardew…suffice to say we was underwhelmed.
I’m desperate for Pardew to go and have allowed myself to dream of Benitez and Blanc, and more realistically Garcia and Girard, but MA’s choice of manager over the years has been, for me, his chiefest failing. Everything crossed we don’t end up with someone from your list.
sparky55
May 11, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Comment #62Catchy…Not that many good team goals though…lots of individual brilliance, lots of brilliant Cisse goals from nowhere but very few good team goals with tap-ins due to carving open the oppositions defence.
Last year there was a footballing link between defence and attack…this year that link has been a hoof ball up to cisse whilst surrounded by 3 defenders and we wonder why the goals have dried up.
Pardew is the worst manager we’ve had for years irrespective of that 5th place finish which unfortunately bought him some extra time at the helm otherwise he’d have been sacked at xmas based on this seasons results alone.
We missed a trick there…the previous season should NOT have been taken into consideration because we’ve basically got the same team and with that same team he’s taken us from 5th top to 5th bottom in the blink of an eye purely because he’s changed a winning formula and the players have lost faith with the new system and the manager…a downward spiral that needs stopping now by sacking the manager.
Korean Magpie
May 11, 2013 at 12:56 PM
Comment #63I just wish we would sack Pardrew, even if we do survive and bring a decent manager. Personally,I think we should bring in Senol Gunes…He reached the semis od the WC with Turkey and also did well wirh Trabzonspor…he also plays the way in which KK and Sir bobby would appreciate
NUFCarter
May 11, 2013 at 12:59 PM
Comment #64Aston 1-0 up
Cisse's Big Toe
May 11, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Comment #65pardew blames ashley for this season!
NUFCarter
May 11, 2013 at 1:00 PM
Comment #66Aston villa are playing like a top 6 side lovely football!
MrMojoRisin76
May 11, 2013 at 1:01 PM
Comment #67Ruddy
I responded to you last night.So according to you we need to beat teams by 2 clear goals to be dubbed “entertainers”?,and since when does + Goal difference=good attacking football
I’ll let Yo-Yo answer the question for you if you don’t want to listen to me
Mojo
GD does means not crap defending â even though your right and ir doesnât equate to âentertainmentâ.
I remember the âboringâ Arsenal days and they were pretty dire to watch. Iâd still prefer to see us play boring football and be 5th than where we are now, though entertainment is what we pay for really.
When i say “entertainers” i don’t mean THE entertainers of the Keegan era,it’s a term used for a team that plays good attacking football.Please pay a bit more attention to my posts.
So if i have been smoking crack,you have been on the Jeffrie’s
geordie157
May 11, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Comment #681. Sack Pardew get benitez or zola.
2. Sign Scott Sinclair, Sakho, Carroll or mbokani, Tom ince and Liam bridcutt.
davetoon
May 11, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Comment #69seen as we’re prematurely looking to next season… I thought i’d have a look at the relegated teams (assuming Wigan go down)
Wigan – McCarthy, Maloney, Kone
Reading – Le Fondre
QPR – Hoilett, Mbia,
Very slim pickings, especially QPR who have many average players over 30 who will be hard to offload
MrMojoRisin76
May 11, 2013 at 1:04 PM
Comment #70Catchy
“the only thing i liked last season, some of our goals , they where our of this world”
IMO you are a disgrace to this football club,how dare you call yourself a fan?
MrMojoRisin76
May 11, 2013 at 1:07 PM
Comment #71Ruddy
Why don’t you try answering this from last night âIn my view, itâs wrong to adopt a âletâs wait and seeâ approach because I think he will never have the same fortune to enable him to ever finish 5th again. On reflection, a lot of our football last season was defensive and negative that relied a lot on luckâ.
Explain to me how you can finish 5th in the hardest league on the planet playing negative,defensive football,and since when has luck been a bad thing
âThat has carried on into this season, however, weâve suffered worse injuries, an added competition, key players under performing and a manager who has shown his incompetence in dealing with said circumstances, all of which has contributed to us being 17th.
How do you deal with what is left after those reasons you gave?,Key players under performing,added competition and worse injuries.You forgot to mention Ba leaving and no investment in the summer.The only thing you can do then is buy and we did
catchy in norway
May 11, 2013 at 1:07 PM
Comment #72mojo
that round thing is a football
just so u know,
Cisse's Big Toe
May 11, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Comment #73would love us to get benteke
Ben3arfa
May 11, 2013 at 1:10 PM
Comment #74Pardew exposed as an absolute flop in national newspapers ..
https://twitter.com/nufcfans/status/333170560093786112/photo/1
davetoon
May 11, 2013 at 1:12 PM
Comment #75To talk about luck this season and last is one thing but to say “good players are underperforming” as some external factor of why we are 17th doesnt make any sense
MrMojoRisin76
May 11, 2013 at 1:16 PM
Comment #76Catchy
All i know is,the views you have on here are not the views you would have in the real world,which is sad,you wouldn’t stand up,in a room of 50 die hard Newcastle fans and say”Last season was rubbish,i only liked some of the goals” because bad things would probably happen to you.You are a sad,sad man.What’s the matter?,are you that boring in real life that you have this online persona?,to me your a troll,that’s it.
Andymax
May 11, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Comment #77Is it only me or have all our new players from the past few years started playing well but then hit bad form? Not a coincidence but bad management, constantly playing wrong formations and players out of position. As a few have stated this was evident last season even though we finished 5 th total crap football was played due to poor manager.
northernirishmagpie
May 11, 2013 at 1:24 PM
Comment #78sell santon? your surely joking?
MrMojoRisin76
May 11, 2013 at 1:26 PM
Comment #79Andy
I keep asking the question to the people who keep saying we played crap football last season.How do you play crap football in the hardest league on the planet and finish 5th?,name me 1 team in the last 10 seasons of the prem that has finished 5th playing crap football.
ToonDownSouth
May 11, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Comment #80To be honest, it’s absolutely disgraceful of a national newspaper to be stealing glimpses of teams tactics and publishing them.
That’s disgusting, it really is. 1 guess which paper it is.
Also, some of the comments on here are outright embarrassing. Just because you don’t like Pardew does not mean that every time he says something you need to take it, cut out various bits, spin it in your own way and moan about it.
It’s genuinely embarrassing the lack of intelligence of some. There’s plenty to moan about – you don’t need to make things up.