We weren’t sure that Davide Santon was the best left back we have at Newcastle at the moment, so last Tuesday we put out a poll on various players who can play at left back, but unfortunately we (again) screwed up a little, because initially we left our Massadio Haidara, who has been out injured all season, but is thankfully now fit again.
David Santon – tops our poll
So Massadio could have received even more votes than he has at the moment, but for those of you who haven’t yet voted here’s your chance – one vote per reader.
Santon is leading with local lad Paul Dummett next in line, but we’re surprised that Vurnon Anita has such few votes since he played a full season at left back for Ajax, and he’s a tidy full back on either side.
And Mapou probably has his best chance at a starting position on Tyneside in either full back position.
What do you think?
Comments always welcome.
80 comments so far
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:15 PM
Comment #41tads
we currently have too many around the squad who don’t contribute. Those who are young should be loaned out if they aren’t getting a chance of regular football with us and those who are older and not getting near the side should be sold to free up wages and bring in some money.
I think you don’t start learning until you leave youth football, can get the basics but when 18 you need regular, first team games to progress to the next level.
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:20 PM
Comment #42tads
loans are vitally important, it gets kids playing with better players and having some genuine responsiiblity and learning to deal with pressure too…if your side is bottom of the youth league its embarrassing and that it…if your loan team comes bottom well you have let a whole fanbase down.
I think spain has the best system for development where clubs B teams can enter the league system, good for development but would deprive some genuine clubs a spot in the leagues.
I’d like to say some creative ways developed to improve our youngsters in newcastle and england in general. other countries dont use a quota system like the FA want, they just produce good kids from grassroots football and they naturally get there way into the top sides.
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:22 PM
Comment #43no offence to players like tav but he is 22 this month and he is no nearer the first team than when he was 18….he is a one who needs to be moved on I feel.
Nothing against the lad, i’m sure he works hard just he doesn’t cut it.
mindshaft
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:46 PM
Comment #44We have a number of youngsters who could probably do a job including Dummett, Sa.Ameobi, Tavernier, Cambell etc however in order to do this they need actual game time rather than a cameo here and there.
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Comment #45mindshaft
exactly…they learn nothing bu just training and playing the odd under 21 game for the club…they need real, competitive, first team football against men.
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:54 PM
Comment #46Sage
Mate completely agree on all points, the reserve league is a shocking standard, plus they are playing with and against other kids
On loan they are involved in the first team training, there player with seasoned professionals who they will learn from every game, there learning to cope with playing in front of tens of thousands of fans and the pressures that come with that
No one is going to convince me that it’s better for them to hope they simply make out bench one week!
And agree about the Spanish leagues and I think it’s something they also do in Germany and we all know the talents Spain and Germany produce!!! Anyway unfortunately we don’t have that in England so must rely on sensibly utilising the loan system
Also agree on tav and I’d go as far as putting fergie and vuckic in a similar catergory, tav for me simply isn’t up to standard and fergie doesn’t seem to of progressed to much over some decent loan spells, vuckic unfortunately is a promising player but a complete sick note, very dyer-esque!
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 2:57 PM
Comment #47Mindshaft
Which is exactly why we need to up our game with the loan system, and tbf you can see the confidence that sammy and dummett have bought to the team this season after there loan spells
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Comment #48tads
Yeh vukic has great potential but he hasn’t been able to fulfill it due to injury, he may never have cut it but he had a good chance i thought, shame as injuries can really crush a lads spirit at that age.
I think we need to look at why clubs don’t pick english players, not force them too it. It’s endemic in our country, we do the same with trying to improve diversity in the work place. Government bodies use ‘positive discrimination’ to attract more ethnicities, genders, sexalities, etc instead of looking at why they aren’t pushing through in the first place. There is always a reason for something.
I think the same is true for football, the kids don’t play as they aren’t good enough, maybe forcing clubs to play them will get more in the system and get us a few better players but unless we look at why we need to force clubs to play english players we will never address the root of the problem.
We simply need to improve the quality of coaching and set up of competition kids play in. Fund more coaching courses in local areas, make it in people’s interest to take these courses, invest more in local pitches, even in indoor/footsal areas…it all helps, works a treat in south america to produce flair and develop kids.
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:04 PM
Comment #49TS
Well it was Keegan who scrapped the reserve team I seem to recall? Then Shepherd seemed to be more interested in a marque signing every summer rather than bringing them through.
Actually, surely this is an area that has been handled a lot better under Ashley? We know that players have regularly been bought to go into the youth team. We haven’t had a huge number coming through, in order I think; Shola, Saylor, Krul and Carroll.
You’re right, it’s been poor, but we’ve currently got Shola, Saylor, Krul, Sammy and Dummett in the first team squad. I don’t think that’s too bad and I think things are getting better.
Transfer Sage
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:20 PM
Comment #50TDS
well can only really say, shola, saylor, krul and Carroll have come through and contributed properly, get the odd other one like sammy, dummet, etc but not established.
And i think the club is doing better with the academy but we are much worse than our local rivals sunderland and boro for producing kids consistently which is a worry.
We need to work harder to get better coaches, better loan systems with linked clubs, etc.
I do think it will take time as it was neglected for a good while but i still would like to see more done, seeing as thats what we are looking to do long term, not just bue players in.
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Comment #51if we could lose the dead wood at newcastle ……
ala pardew ,kinnear ,ashley,tavernier ,gosling etc…..
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:33 PM
Comment #52Think it’s far far far too early to say the youth side is handled better under Ashley yet, where’s the proof if that apart from catergory one?
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:34 PM
Comment #53toonarmydownsouth
Like I said, Haidara has just come back from injury and Dummett is needed as cover for the first team. He had all of last season as a first team player too. The likes of Campbell, Tav and Vuckic should clearly be loaned out if they are fit because they all have the potential but need to step up soon, Tav especially.
I just don’t agree with any criticisms about Haidara or Dummett because I think we’ve done exactly the right thing.
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:36 PM
Comment #54have i missed that we have cat 1 status
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:38 PM
Comment #55toonarmydownsouth
I’m thinking of the number of players brought into the youth teams from outside of the region. We know that there have been lots under Ashley but very few before then.
lewisnufc
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Comment #56Has anyone seen that article in the daily mail that says remy was in a crash on saturday? funny that I thought he was on international duty.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2460916/Taxi-drivers-cab-written-smash-Newcastle-United-striker-Loic-Remys-100-000-Audi-R8-busy-junction.html
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:44 PM
Comment #57no but i saw nakedgirlsrow
Ibizatoon
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:45 PM
Comment #58Never a dull moment…
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/8973704/ligue-1-montpellier-chief-feels-sorry-for-mapou-yanga-mbiwa
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:46 PM
Comment #59TS
Who have Sunderland brought through the youth system though?
I just looked at their squad on transfermarkt.co.uk and I can’t even see one in their first team.
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Comment #60the name escapes me but he is at liverfool
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:49 PM
Comment #6120 mill
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:50 PM
Comment #62TDS
Tav is nearly 22 and hasn’t played above league 1 and even at league 1 they decided not play him at RB, he’s not even close to stepping up, Campbell has never played consistently and a professional level so have no idea what that is based on
Haidara played the full season, yes as did bigi before we signed him and as did dummet at St mirren, so how does them going from regular football to 10 minute cameos progress there career, simply having them knocking around just incase of an injury is a very short sighted and blinkered view
Yes haidara is back from injury, what’s your point clubs can still loan players
As for the amount of players we’ve bought in how many is that, and what have we done with them? Taken them out of regular football and put them in the reserve league? Over 6 years? Like I said absolutely no basis to say it’s better yet until it starts producing
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:53 PM
Comment #63JT
You’re right, Henderson was brought through. He’s a local, just like Carroll.
We can only work with the talent that we have in the local area and apparently there is more being invested in that area, but we know there’s a problem with young English players up and down the country, hence the fact that only 1/3 of minutes played in the PL are by Englishmen! Ridiculous!
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 3:57 PM
Comment #64toonarmydownsouth
We’ve been bringing in players at about 16 years old so it’s bound to take a few years before they’re ready for the first team. We don’t have the status of Man Utd or Chelsea to get the very best youngsters either sadly.
We’ve obviously had a gap from Carroll but hopefully Dummett and Sammy will do something this season.
Haidara is just back from injury but he needs to be properly fit before he gets loaned out.
I just don’t get this as an area of criticism. If clubs are interested in taking out players on loan and they will be able to offer them regular football at a good level, why wouldn’t they go? If there isn’t the demand for those players then they don’t go.
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:02 PM
Comment #65theres that other midfielder ginger colback
John Tudor
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:02 PM
Comment #66decent
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Comment #67Ok. But Henderson and Colback doesn’t make their youth products better than ours. Carroll was sold for £15M more than Henderson and I’d rate Saylor or Krul above Colback.
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:09 PM
Comment #68Andy
Hit a nerve have I? Would almost think you were Ed himself with the way you responded.
Good to see that you read my blog though, you could always add to the comments section, or maybe you’re afraid of venturing out of the comfortable boredom of Ed’s blog.
Tads
Ed has been contacted numerous times, also there have been umpteen comments in his own blog about the march, as well as a number of articles written about it in the Chronicle.
Ed knows about the march and is deliberately avoiding writing about it. Perhaps he thinks the fence that he is sitting on would collapse entirely if he clambered down off it and actually gave an opinion. Far be it of me to state that his style of writing is shockingly unimaginative at best.
Sour? No I’m inspired. If these articles can manage to reach thousands then I’m pretty sure I can match that 😉
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:10 PM
Comment #69On the young players debate, has there ever been a confirmation from the club whether we achieved the Grade 1 Academy Status?
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Comment #70I wouldn’t expect there to be an announcement regarding getting cat 1 status because it wouldn’t be greeted as good news, it would just encourage comments like “it’s about time” or “hardly worth crowing about it when Boro got it a year ago”.
The only evidence we have it is that we’re in the under 21 league again and there have been no reports to say that we failed the evaluation that was scheduled a few months ago.
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Comment #71TDS
So you think , as a club, when it comes to loans, we should simply sit back, wait by the phone, and if nothing happens hey oh back to bench you go?
Stunned mate well and truly stunned
Know a fair few people involved in in youth coaching and know a couple of lads involved with Leyton Orient and they actively seek out clubs to work with them be that loaning players out or in
If you think it’s purely one sided then there’s little to bother discussing with you, and yes this why JFK is failing in his role
At the moment the ONLY club we really work with in development is Gateshead, that says it all
And why is there obviously a gap? And why will it take years for 16 year olds to start to show? They should be showing by 18/19 that’s 3 years Ashley has been here for 6 years in that time the only players to come through are sammy and Carroll both of whom were here before ash
Haidara and bigi can in no way be attributed to the youth academy, both were established first team players before coming here
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:18 PM
Comment #72So the club isn’t required to communicate these sort of issues with us? C’mon man, you really cannot believe that.
If we’ve got Category 1 status why haven’t the club told us? I hardly think the media team at NUFC are thinking, “let’s not tell the fans, they might get angry about some good news”
It is yet another example of the club disregarding the fans by holding back information.
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Comment #73toonarmydownsouth
We’ve had a decent enough partnership with Carlisle over the years too and it’s good to see us loaning Newton back to St Mirren this season.
I’m not saying we have no part in getting players out on loan but the demand still has to be there. I just don’t see this as a huge failing considering:
– Haidara and Vuckic probably aren’t fully fit
– Tav and Campbell went out on loan and came back after injury
– Bigi specifically said he doesn’t want to go out on loan, though I think he will anyway
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Comment #74Ciaran
Well i couldn’t say about Ed being contacted tbf as that would be through private emails but fair enough if he has and has chosen to ignore it then really it’s up to him tbf
And yeah there have been comments but have you read the comments the last 5 or so weeks, couldn’t blame him for not reading them!!!! 😉
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Comment #75Campbell wasn’t injured on his loan spell, he just couldn’t manage to break into a League One team. When their regular striker came back from injury Campbell was no longer needed.
Interesting how you slate me for getting my facts wrong, yet you consistently do it.
UpAndHatem
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Comment #76NEWCASTLE ACADEMY CAT 1 STATUS
Fellas, read the second paragraph at the link below from the premierleague.com website for confirmation of Newcastle Academy Cat 1 Status. Strange indeed that there does not appear to have been confirmation from the club itself…..
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/jul/barclays-u21-premier-league-fixtures.html
Ciaran
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Comment #77Tads
It is up to him, but he reports even the most banal rubbish yet neglects to mention a protest march? I know I have an agenda when it comes to writing my articles, now it would seem that we know what Ed’s agenda is.
Have you read the articles over the last 5 weeks or so? I’m not surprised that the comments are rubbish! haha
Ibizatoon
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:28 PM
Comment #78Ciaran…What does a man have to do to get a response on your blog? 🙂
TDSarf…Not sure that’s a balanced way to look at that at all. You don’t expect the club to announce news as it would be received with criticism that it wasn’t done sooner? The same criticism they’re getting anyway? Surely it’s in their interest to give good news, even if it is deemed late? Forget their interest for a second, isn’t it their duty to keep us informed?
Surely you don’t really prescribe to that view as this falls in to the problem category of bad club communication which we both agree needs addressing?
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:29 PM
Comment #79Honestly…I’m not all that fussed. It may be that it hasn’t been rubber stamped yet, it may be that the inspection has been delayed again. Yes it would be useful to know, it should have been a question on the Fans Forum too. But it’s only a problem if we are awarded cat 2, until then we operate as a cat 1.
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 15, 2013 at 4:33 PM
Comment #80TDS
Yeah… Wow……Two clubs, St Mirren only recently
Yup that’s an expansive network we’ve got ourselves there, a league one club and only recently a SPL club, considering Ashley is supposed to of overhauled the entire youth set up it’s hardly come on leaps and bounds and barring the academy status there aren’t many signs of improvement, same coaches, same predictable use of the youth and it’s painful to watch the club continually let down the youth players