We couldn’t quite believe just how poorly the team played in the second half of last season under John Carver, and as well as having injuries, we also picked up some stupid suspensions – such as Papiss Cisse getting banned for a massive seven games for spitting – and that didn’t help at all.
As well as injuries and suspensions, the team played very poorly and the players played nowhere near their best – and nowhere near how they played earlier in the season.
We had a six game winnings streak and then a few games later we beat Chelsea 2-1 at home – the third time running we had won that fixture in the league.
Steve McClaren – new head coach at Newcastle
That was Chelsea’s first defeat in the Premier League last season and also their first defeat since the previous April, when they were beaten 3-1 by Atletico Madrid in the semi-final second leg of the Champions League.
So the players were pummeled in the press – especially in the Chronicle – but a coach’s job is also to get the very best out of the players he has available – and nobody can accuse John Carver of being successful in doing that.
We don’t want to put the responsibility too much at John’s door, and the players have to take responsibility for their terrible form and even their attitude was poor, as some of them seemed like they couldn’t care less at times.
That’s simply unacceptable at a club like Newcastle – and if they don’t want to give 100% for Newcastle – they should leave or be sold this summer.
John Carver and Steve Stone paid for that terrible run of 13 points from 19 league games, and they were both fired earlier this month.
Ian Cathro – Newcastle assistant manager
That leave a clean slate for Steve McClaren and it was a bit of a coup that we have signed 28 year-old Scot Ian Cathro as the assistant manager – and he is highly respected in coaching circles for one who is not yet 30.
Steve is also likely to have a (very) strong coaching squad, so they should be able to get the best out of the players we already have., never mind the new players we will be bringing in this summer.
We have to remember that in the first 19 games last season we still had 26 points after a very poor start, so if we had kept that up and got 52 points for the season, Newcastle would have been in 10th place and made the target of a top 10 finish – but Alan Pardew had had enough and left quickly at the end of last year.
So the players we have cannot be that bad, and we think Steve McClaren and Ian Cathro and the other coaches can get the best out of those players, and can get the lads much better organized than they were this year under John Carver.
That’s one reason we are fairly confident about next season.
Last season was one of the worst seasons ever for injuries, and we were again easily at the head of the injury league, where a club gets one point for every game a player misses.
Steve McClaren is bringing in Alessandro Schoenmaker as head of Sports Science (or whatever his title will be) and he’s been with McClaren at the other clubs he’s managed.
Schoenmaker’s top job will be to reduce the large number of injuries Newcastle always pick up in a season.
Most of the injuries tend to be hamstring problems, and it’s been a bane at Newcastle for at least 10 years.
We remember Graeme Souness thought it was the training pitches that produced all the hamstring problems, and he had the lads train on the Academy pitches – but we still picked up injuries.
That’s an area and problem that just has to be solved – and just imagine if we had few injuries such as Chelsea had last season, we could have fielded a much stronger team and picked up more points.
So that’s the second reason we have confidence about next season.
And the lads seemed to be short of confidence and inspiration when playing under John Carve, and the good news is that Steve Black is coming back into the club as part of McClaren’s coaching staff.
Steve is also among other things a motivational speaker, so hopefully he can persuade the lads they are the best players in the league at their positions – before the games and during the week.
That should get improved performances from them.
🙂
But the main two reasons that should make a big difference next season are much better coaching and organization, and hopefully a huge decrease in the number of injuries we pick up.
Comments welcome.
81 comments so far
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 6:21 AM
Comment #41http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/9893206/premier-league-ins-and-outs-all-the-moves-in-the-summer-transfer-window
If you look above it hardly sets the world on fire.
Journalists must be tearing their hair out.
I think Sky have it right , over 90% of contracts expire 30th June , expect it to go crackers from July1st onwards.
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 6:40 AM
Comment #42Have we actually already brought in 2 new players?
Considering Darlow and Lascelles were immediately loaned back to Forest for last season, can they be categorised as new players now?
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 6:49 AM
Comment #43Expatmag
The 2 lads have been on our books since they signed the loan backs don’t effect the situation they cannot be classed as new signings.
I was also going to make some remark about them yet to meet their teammates but there were strong rumours they joined the lads in Abu Dhabi for the winter break , alledgedly that was why Stuart Pearce was unhappy and dropped them for a while.
Chris
Jun 27, 2015 at 6:54 AM
Comment #44@39
yes, and the problem with that sea of green is that most of it represents money that was expected to be sitting in the club’s bank account but isn’t there yet.
When MA was initially deciding on the size of the summer transfer kitty I expect he would have been taking into account the cash flow forecasts for the summer months. The problem is that they would have been based on the assumption of a fairly normal level of season ticket sales – of course that hasn’t been achieved, and it will have resulted in a significant cash shortfall. I just hope it doesn’t mean that the transfer kitty will be trimmed accordingly.
Jail for Ashley
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:01 AM
Comment #45Oh great, the 19th richest club in the world have to wait till the sales start to pick up a load of freebies, other club will have structured their wage set up to accomodate the extra TV money, there will be a queue for these freebies.
stan anderson
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:04 AM
Comment #46has the penny dropped as S/Ts sales are’nt looking good are they.
Ashley OOT
SUTTY1978
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:05 AM
Comment #47Don’t know why anyone is excited about cathro, I mean the lad got turned down for the job at Scottish championship Rangers a couple of weeks ago, he’s hardly the most “in demand” inspiring coach out there is he? I’m hopeful he will be better than the woeful Carver & Stone but at the same time doubtful he & McLaren will have us playing like Barca before the season kicks off….
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:06 AM
Comment #48JIB
Fair enough. Just a thought. I still think that we have a fairly decent squad that a competent coach like McLaren can improve.
If you look at last season, we were up in the top 10 despite the playing style, awful start and inept coaching when Carver took over. Lack of discipline and confidence allied to a major injury list was bound to impact. Having to play Alnwick for those 7 games really affected us. Losing goalscorers and creative players like De Jong and Cisse for long periods was obviously going to effect our already threadbare squad.
sparky55
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:14 AM
Comment #49no way the fat fcuker is waiting for season ticket money to come in to pay for new players / coaches etc…he and the club are awash with money…it’s all down to the rather pathetic negotiating skills of charmless who is without doubt a rank amateur.
Every deal has to be a good deal in Ashleys eyes before it can be done…he wants pound for pound value even if every other person in football would consider it a good signing…because it’s not just down to money…it’s down to the contribution they would have made to the overall picture. The machine won’t work unless all the component parts are there. Some parts are absolutely essential and some parts peripheral…IMO Cathro is an essential…he’s the oil and he’s such an important component you just pay what he wants because he’ll also help attract good players and he’ll make every existing player realise this is a new dawn from the perspective of the quality of coaching at newcastle and that players have an opportunity to improve rather than go backwards which every single player has done under carver and Pardew.
This shouldn’t be a negotiation…in fact he should be able to walk into room and they just shake hands and say it’s a pleasure to have you on-board rather than him walk out and think “what a bunch of tight tw@ts…they just don’t get it do they?”
Rank amateurs the lot of them
will die for the toon army
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:16 AM
Comment #50Silence is how NUFC operates we should jst get used to that. But they r doing their work.
I think nothing is going to happen until McLaren sees the players in pre-season. Have u guys forgotten McLaren is also on the board so his decisions are nt jst for a Head Coach. He will need to look at his tools first.
I will visit till September.
firebug666
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:18 AM
Comment #51I don’t expect this to be any different to any of the other transfer window. The press had had us linked with over 70 players now in an attempt to sell more papers.
Charnley will be sitting wringing his hand and wondering how he is going to tell Ashley that Bendy Wendy has dropped this months jar of coffee and he needs to buy a new one.
McClaren has gone quiet after reading the small print in his contract and realises he no longer owns his own soul.
Carr has been dispatched to scout out some new locations for Ashley to open up some more Sports Defect shops.
Moncur was last seen wandering around Newcastle trying to get directions back to the old folks home.
Ahh the blissful summer transfer window, No change expected till deadline day when we will nearly sign someone.
Slank
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:19 AM
Comment #52Jib @ 41
That list from Sky is pretty underwhelming.
It looks like lots of speculation around all the clubs but the reality is, with the odd exception, very few players have been bought.
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:27 AM
Comment #53One player that hassnt been mentioned much this pre season is Lacasette. Last I heard, he was a cert for Liverpool
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:31 AM
Comment #54I think Lacazette’s valuation have gone up this season exponentially that’s why he’s not the news attraction this time around!
LGFUAD21
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:35 AM
Comment #55Will die…
Well said.
Mcclaren is a proper coach so he’s going to want to assess the players before buying willy nilly.
There could well be some players he can get performances out of.
On sako it could be a good deal.
A big problem of ours is that we don’t get men forward and we always play to one goal threat. Sako lacks the skill of other wingers but he gets into the box and would appear to suit a 433. I think we should be looking at wingers that play as forwards.
Also of note, Mcclaren loves his diagonal balls and that is something cabella is capable of but we never saw it.
If you go back and watch his time at Montpellier it’s almost as if cabella tries too much here. If he scaled back his game he’d be twice as effective.
I know there was that thing about him not wanting to come in December because he didn’t want to be “Ben arfa’s replacement” maybe he is overcompensating
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:40 AM
Comment #56Jesper
But arent Lyon strapped for cash?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:43 AM
Comment #57Expat…then they’ll probably just offload some other player and hold out for the big money for Lacazette 😉
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:45 AM
Comment #58To be honest, a quality centre back and a 20 goal a season goalscorer should be our priorities.
We have a fair amount if creativity in the side in Aarons Dejong Cabella and Sissoko at present and when coached properly by McLaren, just watch the improvement.
Hell, I could even see Obertan coming into the same form as last year prior to his injury.
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:47 AM
Comment #59Jesper
I suppose it depends on who comes in for him and how much they are willing to pay. I am pretty sure it wont be us.
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:53 AM
Comment #60I see Manu Riviere is in the Sunlan Echo making positive noises , good to see he’s not hiding.Seen enough of him to think there may be potential there.Same with Saylor , making very positive noises , hopefully Supermac will help him calm down and think a bit more about the game.
The French press is full of Cabella going on a seasons loan to Marseilles to replace Payet who signed for West Ham with Thauvin coming in the other direction to us, seems like a clever and thoughtful solution to both clubs needs.
Slank
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:54 AM
Comment #61LGFUAD21 @ 55
‘Mcclaren is a proper coach so he’s going to want to assess the players before buying willy nilly…’
Not Willy Nilly, he’s hopeless.
mickalfas
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:56 AM
Comment #62Can I just say that I hope our board/transfer negotiators have a great stress free weekend and that they recharge their batteries
I mean after sorting out all of those contracts for the incoming players/coaches this week ,they surely deserve a break !!
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:57 AM
Comment #63Just to cheer myself up I looked at this
Of course there are a couple of Toon players in it.
http://www.90min.com/posts/503844-the-25-worst-strikers-in-the-history-of-the-premier-league/1-markus-allback
leonado_keng
Jun 27, 2015 at 7:58 AM
Comment #64Who trust Mike will spend money for team ? I think it may be impossible to do after finished until now we will not see some chances to get new signing deal at all if he lies many fan club refer to last interview. How will we protest ? I think he doesn’t care fan clubs which will even disappear becauae he will get new huge benefit from TV, it can compensate fan club against him absolutely
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:04 AM
Comment #65leonado
Well said
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:07 AM
Comment #66Anyone else think Leonado-Keng and Jail for Ashley are the same person ?
mickalfas
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:07 AM
Comment #67Jib
Sarcasm?
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:08 AM
Comment #68Slank
I liked Willy Nilly’s cover of “You were always on my mind”
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:09 AM
Comment #69JIB
Considering Cabellas father came out and said he was staying at Newcastle 2 days ago, I would imagine the french press are just as good at speculation as the english press.
Tsunki
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:13 AM
Comment #70So no Biffy Cathro yet? All this stuff is just talk isn’t it? Best value pound for pound again mike? Great. Nufc is going to (that kid starting the new school term in his older brothers hand me down uniform again
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:13 AM
Comment #71JIB
Lay off JFA mate. It is so unnecessary.
expatmag
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:17 AM
Comment #72Tsunki
It is still early days but on the coaching side, I would imagine McLaren would have a few strong words to say if these so called negotiations arent finalised pretty damn soon.
On the playing side, I would expect movement both in and out in the next 2 or 3 weeks.
Laurent Robert 32
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:19 AM
Comment #73We need extra players, not to just swap them for a player we already have.
Cathro seems like a shot worth taking. McClaren will have had all this fanfare at his other clubs. How did his last four appointments go…?
I am interested in seeing what changes he can make to the playing style, but that is about it.
Ashley out.
mickalfas
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Comment #74It would make sense to have the coaching staff in before preseason starts in what 4 days
It can only happen here
will die for the toon army
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:26 AM
Comment #75It looks like the deals are in place but we are awaiting access from McLaren so I give it 2 to 3weeks tops. We will get our signings.
We lack creativity. We never have plan B wen we lost De Jong Cabella Aarons Obertan we jst fell flat. So more creative players and a CB and Stricker me. I will b good.
will die for the toon army
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:29 AM
Comment #76I think e coaching team is in place. We knew abt McLaren long before it was officially announced so I think that is done and dusted. We await announcement on monday or next week.
Lindisfarne
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:30 AM
Comment #77Do they do International Citizen Arrest Warrants?!!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:32 AM
Comment #78Expat…I am not counting on it to be us either 😉
mickalfas
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:34 AM
Comment #79I have a strong feeling that the club will be making an announcement around the 4th of July ,at the very latest the morning of the 6th,I don’t know why
Could it be the fans forum on the 6th?
Bad atmosphere averted !
Well done Bishop
Jib
Jun 27, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Comment #80I expect Supermac to sign both these players from Go Ahead Eagles who have just been relegated from the Eredivisie in Holland.
Glynor Plet and Wesley Verhoek
They are both 6 foot plus forwards not top notch players but the type of loyal uncomplaining workhorses every club needs.
McClaren has bought them both before and they have done a job for him.They could be paid for out of the tea money tin.