Philippe Albert played for Newcastle in the Kevin Keegan era and was on Tyneside from 1994 through 1999 when the center-back played 109 times for the Magpies with 8 goals and he is still revered by fans at Newcastle.
Philippe is now a pundit on Belgian TV and knows all about Aleksandar Mitrovic and Chancel Mbemba after watching them a number of times over the last two years as part of his job.
Philippe Albert today
In short he thinks Newcastle have made a great double signing of the players, who made their home debuts in the 61st minute in the narrow 1-0 defeat yesterday against Borussia Monchengladbach at St. James’ Park.
This is what the now 47 year-old said in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Sun today:
“I think Steve McClaren has made two very good signings.” “I have watched both as a TV pundit for the last few years so I know them very well from their last couple of seasons with Anderlecht.”
“They are two young players with a good mentality and are positive on the pitch.” “Newcastle fans deserve them because they will do very well.”
“If I could say something to them it would be to give 100% every game.” “If you do that even when the team lose the fans will be positive with you on Tyneside.”
“That is how Newcastle fans see the game of football.” “They want to see quality players of course, but it’s no good having quality if you don’t give 100%.”
“If you do that even when the team lose the fans will be positive with you on Tyneside.” “That is how Newcastle fans see the game of football.
“It will be positive for everybody.” “They will have to behave on and off the field too.” “If they give everything they have they won’t have a problem with anybody.”
“If Mitrovic gets the goals he will be a success because they lacked that last season.”
“In Newcastle the fans want to see the team giving their all, if you lose, then lose 3-2 or 4-3, not like last season when they were well beaten and that wasn’t the case.”
Both of our new players were stars in the Belgian League, but they will need a little bit of time to adjust to the physical rigors of the English Premier League.
But for £21M in total they look to be excellent buys, and have been brought in to fix the problem positions for Newcastle – center-forward and center-back.
We look forward to Chancel stopping the goals and Aleksandar scoring the goals next season – starting against Southampton a week today
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
169 comments so far
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:07 AM
Comment #41slank
if after all the overwhelming evidence to the contrary it’s still willo and saylor, no one can say SM wasn’t warned.
Ron Knee
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:08 AM
Comment #42Can anybody tell me how many goals Cissé has scored since he came back from suspension – excluding the penalty against Gateshead?
toon kk
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:09 AM
Comment #43Firebug666
I agree, but it’s the same player’s whom lack pace and quality. I know many people like to think we have a good squad but erm I don’t think so.
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:09 AM
Comment #44season
I quite like the idea of Pav coming back. Would be a very popular move.
Magpie Season
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:10 AM
Comment #45In case anyone forgot,
Southampton have a Europa League qualifier just 3 days before our match. It’s an away game as well to Chelsea Juniors (Vitesse).
Hopefully we can play with a higher tempo to exploit any fatigue they may have & grab a result.
Slank
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:14 AM
Comment #46Rotonda @ 40
I think McClaren has few options at centre back.
Colo is injured. If he isn’t he certainly is not match fit.
Dummitt is the same as Colo.
Mbemba is not match fit enough for 90 minutes.
Lascelles is a risk having had no Premiership experience.
Good and Satka are just not at the races.
firebug666
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:14 AM
Comment #47Magpie Season
I agree, but it’s not something that you can rely on, an in these early games in Europe managers rest some of their bigger players for the premiership games.
Still it does add to the home advantage.
toon kk
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:15 AM
Comment #48De jong has good quality and stands out, he is needed as a game starter but maybe to protect him from injury he should be used as a sub he’d make a great game changer.
JAMSHA
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:17 AM
Comment #49GINI already looks a player who will Take Nufc Foward..he was impressiv in all our matches
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:20 AM
Comment #50kiline……..leeds made an for willo and he is the only play we have had an offer on boro ask about him and were told 2m was the asking price (they never want back)
outsidethebox
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:21 AM
Comment #51some positive notes from yesterday…gini looked class will become fans fav…mitrovic will be a handful and will score goals mememba looked strong and athletic …anita and colback chased and harried all game ….nailed on for midfield sun…aarons hairdrier and perez great promise…and the other positives are steve cannot have failed to see the need for competent centre backs …dumett a certainty when fit
toon kk
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:21 AM
Comment #52What was Mitrovic like yesterday? Would he be ok as a lone striker.
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:23 AM
Comment #53oh and keman should be in the championship on loan playing every week learning his trade not sat on a bench
Chawne
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:24 AM
Comment #54Firebug, think you are being a bit impatient. It was always going to take time to recover from Pardews reign, unless we were to buy around 8 EPL proven players but we dont have the cash for that. If we can get another 1-2 defenders in by close of window, that will give SM plenty of time to improve the defence and climb the table. We are not trying to win the league, so if we have a slow start it’s not the end of the world. Look at Crystal Palace for instance – they were in a terrible position at Christmas but finished top10. There is no instant fix for our team unfortunately
Magpie Season
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:26 AM
Comment #55firebug,
True. Just saw Southampton also ahead 3-0 on aggregate & probably will rest their main players for it. So maybe it was a moot issue.
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Comment #56toon kk…..mitrovic look big and strong bit rusty needs a game or two…… if he gets the services will do the job
expatmag
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:27 AM
Comment #57In my opinion, we should have enough up front with Mitrovic, Cisse and De Jong as well as attacking midfielders in Sissoko, Perez, Wijnaldum, Cabella and Riviere to chip in with enough goals.
We clearly need support in defence and whilst I feel Abdennour and Rudiger are out of our price range, the likes of Veltman and Van Dijk are not especially uf we can sell Colo to Palace and compromise with the transfer fee to Celtic for Van Dijk by offering Taylor or Williamson as part of the package and Good or Satka on loan for the season.
sweendog
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:28 AM
Comment #58http://metro.co.uk/2015/08/02/newcastle-united-make-bid-for-arsenal-transfer-target-clinton-njie-5323258/
Slank
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:28 AM
Comment #59outsidethebox @ 50
Individually the players you mentioned are good.
The key question is whether McClaren and his coaches can mold them into a winning team. If he can’t do it I don’t know who can. I have high hopes. Just need an experienced, commanding centre back who can lead and organise the back four.
Jamseyd24
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:30 AM
Comment #60Cant understand why Williamson & taylor are starting before lascelles, yes he is a bit green but he wont get better sitting on the bench. Throw him in at the deep end,
For me De Jong has to start, if he is fit enough, there is room in the team for both him and Gini.
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Comment #61slank and a lb and cover for rb
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Comment #62expatmag
Excellent, sounds a plan there. would love that.
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:33 AM
Comment #63jamsey
my comment at 27
Some people seem to have written lascelles off already. How’s he going to get any experience if he’s not played.
We all well know willo’s and saylor’s deficiencies so why not take a chance with someone who with the right coaching could come good rather than persist with 2 serial failures who may have experience but at their age are sadly never going to improve
martoon
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:33 AM
Comment #64LGFUAD21 & Tsunki – Nice to see some well thought out and astute postings on here. I was at the game yesterday and saw some encouraging signs in our patterns of play and building from the back. Yes our defence is still a bit shakey but people should remember that Saylor is coming back from a long term injury and still getting up to match fitness – also Aarons didn’t do him any favours for their goal either!
will die for the toon army
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:35 AM
Comment #65I think Mcclaren thinks Colo can do the job. Tiote, Dummett and Colo are not on yhe physioroom short list . Do they know something we dont know?
Jamseyd24
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:36 AM
Comment #66Does anyone know whats happening with Tiotie?? I think he will improve us if he gets bk to his best.
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:36 AM
Comment #67martoon that’s the problem with taylor he is always coming back from an injury
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:37 AM
Comment #68slank
sometimes you have to take a risk. you can’t keep them in cotton wool forever.
Given the record amount of goals we’ve leaked over the last 3 years are Lascelles and mbemba really going to do much worse than willo and saylor who yes have experience but not of being good competent PL standard CBs in anyone’s language
beermonkey
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:38 AM
Comment #69expat
were clearly after a better class of player
are the players we want available
no1 seems to have gone after van dyke at celtic I would offer them colo he would prob go there in a shot he will win a trophy or 2 and play in Europe for a season or 2
Rotonda heights
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:41 AM
Comment #70martoon
saylor’s mistake was hardly in isolation, he’s been doing it for years even when he barely plays 10 games a season but obscenely still gets a loyalty bonus!
I certainly saw promise in some areas yesterday but how we have routinely ended up with 2 duffers like ST and AW still defies belief.
Take a Chancel on me
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:44 AM
Comment #71beermonkey
Dunno if you read what I put earlier but it’s TFL here I updated to Windows 10 and lost everything.
You say a better class of player, I hope one of those is a CB 🙂
Slank
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:45 AM
Comment #72Rotonda @ 67
Yes, I agree that at some point you have to take a risk often because there is no alternative.
I’m not sure the game against Southampton is the right time for Lascelles as the team as McClaren acknowledges is no where near the finished article. I would start off by playing Lascelles is the League Cup.
toon kk
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:48 AM
Comment #73Stevie has come in and been fair to every player and given them all a chance, after a few weeks he’ll have a decent first team to put out.
I just find it strange why like most fans why they don’t bring quality defenders in when a blind man could see they’re desperately needed.
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:48 AM
Comment #74i just dont get why people on here are trying to justify playing taylor he has let us down as many times as willo
Jib
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:49 AM
Comment #75Magpie Season
I’ve just seen that Soton have a friendly against Espanyol today at 3pm , I cannot think they’ll take that very seriously.
beermonkey
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:50 AM
Comment #76take a chancel
no didn’t read what you put earlier lol
should never update till the 2nd or 3rd patch is out windows never works properly when its released
bit late to tell you that
I really meant what we have bought already I am not sure whether we still trying to buy or not
its easy to buy an obertan or a willo as there clubs mostly want shot but its tougher to get a gini mitrovic as there clubs wanna keep them and more clubs want them
hibbit
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Comment #77if we need one player we need a quality cb
Slank
Aug 2, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Comment #78beermonkey @ 68
I watched a bit of Celtic last season and saw the game yesterday and Van Dyke looks very classy, almost Beckenbauerish.
He is very impressive going forward. My doubts are whether he looks good only because almost everybody else looks poor (Vuckic at Rangers for example) and I haven’t seen enough of him defending to say whether he would stand up to Premiership forwards.
martoon
Aug 2, 2015 at 11:02 AM
Comment #79The trouble with defenders is that you only remember their mistakes. Yes Saylor has made mistakes but he has also made a lot of good blocks and interceptions over the years as well. I agree we need another CB before the window closes but just trying to point out that Saylor is not as bad as some make out but you can’t deny the fact he is injury prone these days!
Take a Chancel on me
Aug 2, 2015 at 11:02 AM
Comment #80Beermonkey you coulda told me that 24 hours ago lol
we deffo need another CB and a right winger, Sissoko is useless on the wing