We had been wondering why Nile Ranger had been missing form the two games the England U19 team played last week, and now we know he’s had a virus.
Nile Ranger – struggling with a virus
Nile missed the England Under-19s’ latest round of European qualifying matches because of a virus, and it turnbs out the 18-year-old remained on Tyneside last week to recover from the problem.
The youngster is now working his way back to full fitness, at Newcastle’s Benton headquarters.
Interim boss Chris Hughton talked about Nile today to Newcastle United TV:
“Nile has been struggling for a week or so with a virus so unfortunately he had to miss the England games.”
“He’s still recovering now but is feeling a lot better.”
The England team won both games 3-1 against Finland and Slovenia, with 17 year-old Haris Vuckic playing for Slovenia and Ryan Donaldson getting his first start and playing the full 90 minutes in that game. Ryan also scored his first goal for the side, and is pushing himself into the England U19 set-up nicely, after starring at U17 level.
So Ryan has taken his chance at the U19 level well, when he was given his chance. He came on after 72 minutes against Finland, but then starred against Slovenia.
England have already qualified for a place in next year’s Elite Round of qualifying, and the finals will be in France next summer. The U19s play their final game tomorrow night against  Slovakia, and it would be good to see Ryan get another full game at this level.
It’s good to see our youngsters playing for their countries at this age, and we look forward to several of them breaking though at Newcastle – in the near future. That would help the playing side of the club enormously, during these difficult times.
Comments welcome.
12 comments so far
batty
Oct 13, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Comment #14 nil
Solaidback
Oct 13, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Comment #2Well there’s no chance of any of our youngesters breaking into the 1st team if we get loanees like Harewood playing… All were doing is giving a player who can’t get into his own teams 1st eleven playing time & then he’ll be back off to Villa & our youngesters won’t get a chance, I don’t see the point in this & then because they don’t get time in the 1st team, bit like Krul, he’ll be sold in January & we have to do the whole sorry process again!!!
I say let Nile, Ryan Krul have there turns, give them 1st team places & let them learn, so that we can count on them when we’re promoted back to the PL next season, that way we won’t have to buy other teams dross & our team will nit nicely together for a few seasons to come 🙂
Lets start being a selling club of the future instead of a buying club of the present!!!
Mags
Oct 13, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Comment #3I have been asking the same question about Nile myself Ed over the past week but getting no answers.
Weird because the official site had no mention of him on the injured list or on the list of players selected for their country. Why this was only they can answer.
DJG
Oct 13, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Comment #4Harris Vuckic and Slovenia have been eliminated. Brad Inman scored for the scots and went through as did Shane Ferguson for Northern Ireland. Magpie youngster Patrick McLaughlin played in that game I think he could be the next Nicky Butt only better.
punk skunk...
Oct 13, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Comment #5We just didn’t want Ranger to get injured, so we concocted a story to get him out of it, like all the other clubs do!..
…Ho’way, don’t be naive!..
😉
punk skunk...
Oct 13, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Comment #6Some of the kids are gettin’ some game time…
…They’ve gotta be eased in, as the peterbourgh game proved!..
…There’s a long way to go, in fact, a whole premier leagues worth of games, plenty of time!..
Mags
Oct 13, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Comment #7Hmmm punk – you are more forthright than me, I was tip toeing around it. I just hope it is that and nothing more sinister.
I agree too with your statement that these kids need to be eased in. Too much too soon can be disastrous for their development.
punk skunk...
Oct 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Comment #8Mags,
i’m sure it’s the case mate…
…Look at gerrard et al, basically, manure, liverpoo etc players, they won’t/aren’t playin’ for england, or whoever, in the next game…ut you can bet your last buck they’ll be back for the next prem game…I’mjust glad we’re learnin’ to take that path, ’bout time!..
…Defo on point 2 mate, ease the bairns in over the season!..
…Ho’way!..Toon Toon…
ark13y
Oct 13, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Comment #9…whats with all the full stops…
punk skunk...
Oct 13, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Comment #10Manipulation process?..
Freedom of expression?..
Punctuation exercise?..
Poetic license?..
Need to be different?..
What’s with the no.’s?..
ark13y
Oct 13, 2009 at 4:03 PM
Comment #11The missing apostrophe doesn’t make my sentence hard to read, your sentences never end.
punk skunk...
Oct 14, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Comment #12Well spotted ark13y…
😉