Steve McClaren has been on board for about a month now and he has already made a difference in the climate at Newcastle with his professionalism and enthusiasm, but also because he seems straight and down to earth and tells things like they are – and doesn’t sugar coat everything.
His appearance on Monday night at the Fans Forum went over very well, and if you look at the minutes of the meeting it was almost a one man show from Steve as he talked to the fans – asked them questions – and seemed to tell them almost everything he knew on certain topics.
Lee Charnley and Steve McClaren on Monday night
Lee’s thinking how can I sign Wijnaldum and Mitrovic by Saturday?
He got an early morning plane on Tuesday to Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam)
It seems like a breath of fresh air.
One of the representatives at the Forum was Paul Loughlin, who has represented the St. James’ Park’s East Stand since last summer, and he has been interviewed about the meeting on the Newcastle web-site:
“I was pleasantly surprised that Steve was here.” “It was a great statement of intent from the Club to bring him to the meeting itself.”
“The Club has talked about not dwelling too much on last season and looking forward and Steve set the tone, ethos and culture of where the Club wants to go.”
“He obviously has an idea of what he wants from the players and a plan in place. It will be interesting to see what he does from here.”
“Bringing Steve to the meeting is refreshing and hasn’t been done before. There has been a step change in how the club wants to communicate.”
“It was great to get the answers from the horse’s mouth in that level of detail.”
We are hoping this is not a one-off but that the Fans Forum meetings will be scheduled around Steve’s calendar, so he can attend every single one of them.
The head coach certainly seems to have made the last Forum meeting really special, as he answered most of the questions and let the members know what his thinking was on lots of topics.
Coming from the head coach – that has to be good.
Now if we can get two players signed tomorrow – 24 year-old midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum of PSV, and 20 year-old striker Aleksandar Mitrovic of Anderlecht – we could be flying.
Here’s hoping.
Comments welcome.
66 comments so far
optimistic prime
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:25 PM
Comment #41I think we’ll win the World Cup, again!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #42Anyone passed a medical yet?
JamesToon
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:27 PM
Comment #43Jesper
Wijnaldum completed his medical
BandB
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:27 PM
Comment #44The sooner Wijnaldum signs on the dotted line the better.
It makes a statement.
I don’t want us to invite a stand-off with both of them waiting to see if the other commits.
Without Wijnaldum we are still a nearly-relegated team which is the only one in the league not to sign a player.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:28 PM
Comment #45James…when is the Serbian kid due?
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:35 PM
Comment #46We’re just going to lie in the weeds and pick the low hanging fruit. You lot will see the light at the end of the window. Plenty of low hanging fruit out there……No, really Lee has them all lined up!!!
Polarboy
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:35 PM
Comment #47I’ve seen the quote from Anderlecht which seemed to pretty much be a bit of last minute price hiking but I haven’t seen this quote from his father or where it came from, which is more worrying if genuine. His agent seemed pretty definite about him joining us though, so it’s hard to know what the truth is.
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #48The Serbian kid’s dad says there are other clubs still interested jesper mate. He doesn’t hang low enough for us apparently.
beermonkey
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #49bandb
just read the 5 things we learned in the chron
and they said this on wijnaldum
Apparently Wijnaldum had wanted to be at the International Stadium after passing his medical and inking a long-term contract with Newcastle. Without the deal being announced or finalised that wasn’t deemed wise
Polarboy
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #50@GeordieTwo. What are you blathering about mate?
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:37 PM
Comment #51The truth???? You can’t handle the truth Polarboy mate!!! The truth is Charnley is a tw@t and will bugger this up, one way or another. (nice film quote eh?)
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:39 PM
Comment #52He’s not a low hanging enough fruit Polarboy mate. Probably wants assurances we’re a decent, well behaved club with real ambition or some other load of bollocks. Harrumph.
Polarboy
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:41 PM
Comment #53@GeordieTwo. Well I’m going to give him a case by case basis, a trail run if you will, if he manages to sign 4 really good players or more he’ll have passed. Blathering like a loon isn’t very becoming GeordieTwo.
BandB
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:42 PM
Comment #54beermonkey,
Bird suggests they (Mitrovic and his dad) are waiting on Porto, who are claimed to be unwilling to match our current bid.
However, if our current bid isn’t the asking price, Anderlecht may choose to wait and see.
Hopefully we’ll see Wijnaldum with the shirt tomorrow.
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:42 PM
Comment #55I passed a medical at one time jesper mate. They said I was in tip top condition…..able to outrun a honey badger in heat….. That sort of thing…..
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:44 PM
Comment #56That’s a very nice loon reference Polarboy. I object to the blather bit however. I’m very much in the know. People on here are very aware that I get them the down and dirty on a regular basis. Ask YCMIU, ask BandB….go on…….I’ll wait.
Polarboy
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:46 PM
Comment #57@GeordieTwo. You strike me as someone with far too much time on there hands, so I’m going to leave it there 😉
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:46 PM
Comment #58What is our current bid for Mitrovic btw? Does anybody know? For an up and coming 20 year old from a different league? Hmmmmm. This sounds like the time for a very strategic sneaky low bid…..
BandB
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:49 PM
Comment #59You drive me up the wall sometimes as well G2.
And sometimes you are what the blog needs to diffuse a situation.
And if Markaccus doesn’t change his name back soon I’m going to start calling him YMCA.
Which is deeply hostelist.
GeordieTwo
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Comment #60It’s a common problem with me BandB mate. I drive everyone I know up the wall. But sometimes I amuse them enough to forgive and forget. Off now. Good evening to you all.
BandB
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Comment #61Goodnight chuck.
Blackley and Brownlie
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:57 PM
Comment #62Hahaha Cordone. He was my doppelganger when I had long hair.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 10, 2015 at 11:59 PM
Comment #63So the Mitrovic was never closer or what am I to believe?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Jul 11, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Comment #64*deal
Bri
Jul 11, 2015 at 12:21 AM
Comment #65Don’t get to excited, it’s going to take a lot more than Wij for our team to move forward.
Spellcheck
Jul 11, 2015 at 2:12 AM
Comment #66You couldn’t make it up, still contrary and stiff like boring. Geordie 2, keep it up very good when your bored clearly. More importantly, we ain’t signed anyone yet. Flights in. Footage watched blah blah….. We need the likes of for mentioned midfield Dutch nouse to finally fill cabaye void. Mitrovic, let’s face it looks shit hot in front of goal. Unlike tried and tested This evenings joggers up front. Crack on though all, just try to stay positive. In McLaren we trust now.