News today that Newcastle young midfielder Mackenzie Heaney will leave the club at the end of the season.
It’s just a little worrying because he is a good young prospect and this follows 16-year-old Lewis Gibson leaving the club last summer.
Lewis was one of our very top prospects but decided to leave the club to move to Everton for a fee that could eventually rise to £6M.
The Chronicle is reporting that Heaney was capped at schoolboy level for Scotland but has since been capped at the England U18 level, and he has six caps.
Mackenzie Heaney – in England colors
However, Heaney is not getting the playing time he needs on Tyneside to improve and has made only seven appearances for the U23 team this season.
It looks like he’s moving on to rekindle his career.
The Reserve (U23) side has also had a rough season, and currently, the U23 manager Peter Beardsley is suspended.
And the Newcastle U23 side are currently second bottom of Premier League 2 Division 2 with only four wins in their 16 games – West Brom are the bottom club in the league.
Mackenzie Heaney is from Walker, and there is already interest in him from Norwich City.
Rafa Benitez has released most of the young reserve players whose contracts run out at the end of June, and he is not satisfied with the quality of players at the U23 level.
Not many players are coming through to challenge for a position in the first team, and that has got to change.
Rafa wants to improve both the Youth Academy at Newcastle and the quality of the players in Newcastle’s reserve side.
We could even see new appointments coming from the manager in the summer of coaches at both the Youth and U23 levels.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
14 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:03 AM
Comment #1What’s happening with Beardsley, the whole set up needs shaking up.
ronaldo aarons
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:03 AM
Comment #2It would not make sense getting rid of him, he is only 18/19 and turned out for the u23s a few times already. He needs a loan, not put on the scrap heap.
ronaldo aarons
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:07 AM
Comment #3Beardsley needs being put on the scrap heap. Forget the bullying/racism claims, he has had plenty of time too as the coach and hes proven to be quite poor. No room in sentiment in football, fantastic player but terrible coach. His browning of ashley doesnt help either.
Jib
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:12 AM
Comment #4Beardsley is accused on two counts
Bullying and Racism
Football academies just like any
organisation meant to train young
men are always going to be accused
of bullying (just look at the armed forces)
The rumours in the club are that a lot of
the players released by Rafa were involved
in the racism accusations.
It wouldn’t be the first time a person who
is disliked has had the race card played
against them.
Munster Mag
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:19 AM
Comment #5Dunno jib, too much smoke involved here to have no fire. I was disappointed rafa kept beardo all this time. At one stage Beardo said that results didn’t matter, only performance. Balderdash.
Munster Mag
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:21 AM
Comment #6I’m also surprised that an internal investigation into the racism claims has taken this long. Wtf are they doing?
ronaldo aarons
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:27 AM
Comment #7Jib
to be fair, its not the first time these accusations have been put toward beardsley but i prefer not to comment on this until something concrete comes out or is found guilty. Putting that aside, judge him on his peformance as coach he has been very poor and should not be in the position as coach.
Munster
Actually i would agree that at youth level, results do not matter as much as first team and performance is key. Youth level should always be about developing, learning and getting better. Forget the pressure of winning\losing etc. In theory, results should follow.
Jib
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:28 AM
Comment #8Munster Mag
I’m also surprised that an internal investigation into the racism claims has taken this long. Wtf are they doing?
Probably taking their time over what are pretty damning accusations
and
not just rushing it through as some on here would
magscar
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:31 AM
Comment #9The way Ed spins it ( haven’t see original article) seems more like he isn’t happy with his playing opportunities?
Another Ian Bogie or Fraser Forster? Rafa doesn’t blood youngsters in relegation battles or promotion chasing teams so not likely to get a chance anytime soon.
Don’t follow much other than 1st team these days so could it be he simply isn’t getting much U23 time or is wanting some regular first team playing time. Odd one as I thought he was rated?
magscar
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:34 AM
Comment #10On Beardsley – my all time favourite Newcastle player but don’t think I would shed any tears if he was moved out of coaching set up.
Perhaps Rafalution takes time and after Carr and Moncur have moved on Beardsley is in line but current accusations are making it awkward? may be end of season shake up?
Munster Mag
Mar 19, 2018 at 9:48 AM
Comment #11I disagree Jib. A corporate investigation into bullying or racism, involving similar numbers of individuals wud be moving more quickly. I appreciate the seriousness but this is slow
G
Mar 19, 2018 at 10:11 AM
Comment #12Heaney has been offered a new deal, however, after being over looked for so long, he prefers to try his luck elsewhere. He very nearly joined Wolves last year, only for the club to relent last minute and take the further years option on his contract.
nufc_ac
Mar 19, 2018 at 11:56 AM
Comment #13I can categorically confirm that Heaney has not been offered a new contract. He along with Lewis McNall, Callum Smith, Owen Gallacher and a host of others were released by the Club. All the released players supported El Mahanni with his racism and bullying claims levelled at Beardsley and within two weeks of giving evidence have even shown the door. NUFC are on extremely dodgy ground thinking they can sweep this under the carpet. Beardsley told Heaney two years ago he would never play for the reserve team whilst he was in charge. The club are in disarray and their handling of these complaints is further evidence of this.
toonincheek
Mar 19, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Comment #14nufc_ac
Very very sad if that is true.
It’s NOT how we want our club to be.