Steve McClaren was both placid and straightforward in his press conference today and kept talking about football being all about confidence and that his players were lacking confidence at the moment and were not playing well.
But one good performance and result and the confidence comes rushing back.
Steve mentioned he had a lot of young players and he had to help pull them through this adversity.
Steve McClaren – we have a good team
And he denied that Newcastle players don’t have the character – even though former players have blasted the current players this week for their lack of effort and commitment to the side.
What didn’t come across – at least to us – was the urgency of the situation and he said he had talked to Lee Charnley earlier this week as he does after every game and this week was very normal.
So presumably nothing untoward was said during their talk after Alan Pardew’s side simply took us apart 5-1 on Saturday.
This is some of what Steve McClaren said this afternoon:
“I was talking to one of the players, we’ve won four or five games in a year and that doesn’t breed confidence or belief. We still have to fight.”
“When these players play with confidence you can see what they can do. They are trying, they are young players.”
“Frustrating is a key word for the supporters. We have to keep going. We have good players here. There is effort there and caring, just a lack of confidence and we have to help them through that.”
Steve is not panicking one little bit, but the press conference was disturbing simply because there doesn’t seem to be the urgency you would expect from a Newcastle manager whose team is second bottom of the league and have been hammered twice in the previous two games.
And now we face maybe the in-form team in the Premier League at the moment – Liverpool – who hammered the Saints at St Mary’s Stadium 6-1 last night.
After viewing the press conference a couple of times, we are now more worried about Sunday’s game than we were before Steve’s comments.
Maybe Steve knows something fans don’t – maybe the players have looked great in training?
One in twenty fans believe we can win the game on Sunday.
How Will Newcastle Fare Against Liverpool?
- Lose (90%, 5,410 )
- Win (6%, 355 )
- Draw (4%, 214 )
Total Voters: 5,979
Comments welcome.
28 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 7:41 PM
Comment #1We’ve won 4 or 5 games in a year and that doesn’t breed confidence or belief. 😆 😆 😆 You couldn’t make this stuff up! It’s amazingly astute by Steve! Well done Steve!!! Have you been discussing strategy with Carver then?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 3, 2015 at 7:49 PM
Comment #2GT…McClaren can always get a job at Carver’s Spa when he’s finished here 😉
toon kk
Dec 3, 2015 at 7:56 PM
Comment #3Pards, carver and now Macca are only following the T&C of being a Newcastle coach.
They know as well as we do where our problems lie but covering up the boards mistakes is all part of the job.
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 7:58 PM
Comment #4Steve McLaren. Towel man. Sounds about right. Carver will be pleased jesper mate. 😆
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:00 PM
Comment #5I’m losing patience!!! Fong them all I say!!!!
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:11 PM
Comment #6Ok, this is serious people! Steve thinks we might be in what you might call a mini slump! That’s right lads. The club has won 6 league matches in the last calendar year and Steve is getting a little concerned…..Hmmmm…..
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:16 PM
Comment #7Is anybody else getting a bit concerned? I think Steve might be exaggerating a bit…..I mean what’s wrong with 6 wins from 34 matches or so? Let me do some quick math here…..That’s almost a point every 1.9 games!!! Steve has such high expectations…..
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:19 PM
Comment #8As long as we stick with the defense we have for a few more seasons I think we’ll be ok. Mike will leave, then we can sack everyone associated with the club and start over. Simples.
Jib
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:26 PM
Comment #9Leslie Nielsen
Mike Myers
Jim Carrey
Martin Short
John Candy
Stewart Francis
Dan Akroyd
Rick Moranis
Mort Sahl
Eugene Levy
All very funny Canadians who couldn’t get out of Canada quick enough.
This always used to mystify me until I came across Geordie2 ‘s humour (?)
welshgeordie9
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Comment #10Not looking forward to the weekends match against Liverpool, doesn’t matter if sturridge is not 100 percent fit for not playing many games, against our crap defence he would probably still score if he was on crutches and still out pace colo.
welshgeordie9
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:31 PM
Comment #11Jib
His jokes are worse than mine and that’s saying something.
Ha ha ha
Jib
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Comment #12I’ve just watched McClaren’s presser on NUFCtv.
Like a breath of fresh air.
Nice to hear some proper footy talk.
If you spend too much time on this blog you tend to get Moronised by the large number of f@ckwits who have their ten pennorth here.
I mean look at the last 50 minutes.
A dialogue between a cretinous Canadian and a Danish doylum.
Gimme a break ffs.
bladeuser
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:37 PM
Comment #13quote from SMAC
I thought we had turned the corner after Bournemouth what an absolute moron this wally Is we were pathetic and on another day would have lost 6-1 he needs to b sacked or resign he has,nt got a scooby
ASH OUT
SMAC OUT
COLO OUT
Jib
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:38 PM
Comment #14Welshie
You lot playing Leicester should be a good game
Monk seems very positive
GeordieTwo
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:40 PM
Comment #15You sound like you’re getting very bitter in your old age Jib/Jeff/Jane. Try to take a more laid back approach. The insulting personal craic really isn’t your strong suit. Although I’m not sure what is.
welshgeordie9
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Comment #16Jib
Little bit worried about them both to be honest mate, Newcastle are going to struggle, where as Swansea haven’t experienced this before since being in this league, this season unless the squad wake up then we are going down, Leicester this weekend followed by Man City.
banjax
Dec 3, 2015 at 8:57 PM
Comment #17Yet again another dyed in the wool Geordie John Gibson has written a very incisive column in the Evening Chronicle. The only name he missed in his list of dedicated Geordie commentators was Kevin Keegan but that said, they are all singing the same song about the malaise that is Newcastle United. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious to realise that Newcastle problems started years ago when KK (rightly) resigned because he refused to be undermined in his authority as Newcastle’s Manager by the likes of Dennis Wise appointed as his boss. A very wise man Kevin although none of us grasped the implications of his resignation at the time, we certainly do now. The problem at Newcastle is the imposition of player choice and the adoption of an alleged Continental style of Head Coach. No self respecting Manager would come to our club without the prospect of at least having some say in selecting and having a final say in which players come into the club. That kernel is the source of all our woes. Naturally a tight control of the transfer budget is a necessity but Liverpool, West Ham, and Spurs don’t seem to have problems with player recruitment. Mike Ashley is the only one who is on a financial hiding to nothing because the TV money is set to rocket next season and the way things look now, we won’t be there to benefit. So Mr Ashley it comes down to you. Only you can change things because by simply waiting and waiting is not going to do it.
jimiley
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:08 PM
Comment #18The managers attitude is spot on. There is no need to panic. A slow gradual recovery is needed. Judge the manager in May.
martoon
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:11 PM
Comment #19How is it Williamson can train and play about 5 matches for Wolves no problem but as soon as he comes back here tweaks his hamstring in training – what the hell are they doing?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:12 PM
Comment #20Jeff…I am sorry but neither of GT and I speak Monkey!
firebug666
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:14 PM
Comment #21Martoon
Maybe McClaren told him he had a chance of playing on Sunday.
After five minutes…. Ooooh Oooooh I think I just pulled my hamstring.
Job done! That one player not getting booed.
lochinvar
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:19 PM
Comment #22Taarabt seems like a good deal.A player overseas on a long contract that needs to come back to the Premiership and recycle his career on good money without having to work too hard.
Why not get HBA at the same time Ashley – another BOGOF from the House of Dire Sports.
Even Baldrick had a plan.
firebug666
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:29 PM
Comment #23See Remy Cabella scored a cracker for his first goal since moving back to France.
http://www.thickaccent.com/2015/12/04/video-newcastle-united-loanee-remy-cabella-scores-a-cracking-goal-for-marseille-v-rennes/?
martoon
Dec 3, 2015 at 9:59 PM
Comment #24firebug666 @21 – I never thought of that 🙂
Munster Mag
Dec 3, 2015 at 10:00 PM
Comment #25I keep saying this, but Pardew was never the key issue, average as he was. It just annoyed me that so many guys on here were so dim that they screamed at him even if we won. Ridiculous stuff, and this has been exposed ever since he went there, even if low hanging fruit like Tuff just cant accept it. Tactically, physically, morale wise, Pardew destroyed us at the weekend, and will do so again. SMC in this press conference showed what he is – a cool calm media man. But thats just about where it finishes. That said, the bigger picture is obviously with Ashleys model, but Carr is a serious problem at this club and has the power to choose both our useless morale-less players, and out current and next manager. Please guys, dont delude yourselves that Chumley has anything to do with it. The football circus that is NUFC is overseen by Carr, end of.
toon kk
Dec 3, 2015 at 10:25 PM
Comment #26Sadly what all Newcastle fans have to accept is our club has basically died, it’s not the club we used to support anymore.
personally its just a joke, so many live in hope we can just win 1 game atm. We don’t belong in the premier league, its over I’m afraid.
Graeme
Dec 3, 2015 at 10:31 PM
Comment #27We are looking at an injection od pace and skill for the Luckypoo game!
“The trio of Liam Smith, Jamie Sterry and Lubomir Satka were all in action this afternoon with the first-team.
Smith is a local 19-year-old lad who, according to the official Newcastle United website, idolises and models his game on Andres Iniesta. He recently signed a deal at the club after overcoming two seasons of injury misery.
Sterry is another Geordie boy. He recently turned 20 and can play at both right-back and centre-back.
Satka is more well known to Newcastle fans. The Slovakian, who turned 20 yesterday, joined the club in 2012 and has flirted with the first-team before. With Jamaal Lascelles and the returning Mike Williamson both injured the rangy defender might get a nod this weekend v Liverpool”.
Bring it on!!
jimmysmith
Dec 3, 2015 at 10:37 PM
Comment #28I expect us to do well this weekend. It’s not hard to get up for a game against Liverpool at St James, and we’ve shown we are capable’. The concern is falling behind early, given we do lack real self belief. But even a win, if it were to signify anything at all more than a single victory, would be only a small step, from a very low ebb. The fans have every right to be very angry and distrusting.