Alan Pardew last night admitted he has some concerns that his squad now includes a large number of French and Spanish speaking players.
Demba Ba – new striker will lead the line
And it looks like Newcastle-born John Carver, who was Assistant manager in the heady days when the great Bobby Robson managed the club, will be given the responsibility to make sure no cliques develop in the dressing room, and that good team spirit is built up this summer and throughout next season.
Pardew expects to build on last season, as he said last night:
“We are bedding foreign players in and hopefully we will find our feet quickly.” “I expect to build on last year – especially in the second half of the season.”
“We want to take on the top teams and beat them, and deserve to beat them.” ” I am hoping we can get a reputation that we are a tough nut, a proper side.”
“Challenging for the cups and the top 10, then pushing on and keeping the players we want to keep.”
Newcastle have signed Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux, and young 18 year-old French U18 International Mehdi Abeid.
And Newcastle also have Ben Arfa and Dan Gosling also fit again, after recovering from serious injuries last season – Ben Arfa from a double break of his left leg, and Gosling from a serious ACL knee injury.
Pardew hopes to add at least two more players before September rolls around – a left-back if Jose Enrique moves on, and another striker, with Turkish International Mevlut Erdinc their main target.
Another winger is also likely to be drafted this summer, with their top target probably being 25 year-old French International Charles N’Zogbia.
Alan continued:
“Carver has the job of making the gang interact – that they all sit together and mix in,” “We are keeping our eye on that.”“We have three Spanish speakers and now three or four French speakers.”
“It is important for everyone at the training ground this year, with the nucleus of a new side, that we keep the same team spirit that helped us dig results out.”
“Last year, Cheik Tiote walked straight in and settled but others take time. We are hoping these new lads get a fast start.” “When I joined the club, I said we needed a strategic plan – how we break the cycle and get competitive.”
“Financially we can’t compete with the top five in trading players, but we can on the pitch.” “We have gone for players who have an improvement in them and a desire to play for Newcastle.”
“To keep them, we have to put success in front of them. We need to see a progression in our form and consistency and get closer to those teams. We will keep them then.”
“Then, in the third and fourth years, we have to push and people like Jose Enrique and Tiote will be looking for trophies.”
There is some hope still that Jose Enrique will decide to stay on Tyenside, and indeed, if both Joey Barton and Jose do stay, then the side already will look very strong.
We are wishing and hoping Newcastle will have a great season next time around.
But we do that every summer.
😀
Comments welcome.
42 comments so far
Andy
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:19 AM
Comment #1suppose its carvers fault if they fail then – bloody carver!(not that i think they will)
CynicalasEva
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:23 AM
Comment #2geeting us prepped for a poor start??
MacToon(Vive le Neuchâtel)
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Comment #3The spin doctor’s at it again or should I say still. Actually this time it’s state the bleedin obvious.
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:29 AM
Comment #4If we are apparently not making a loss then we can start paying off our debt
09nufc09
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:33 AM
Comment #5Bollance… The debt will not be paid until the club is sold. We are breaking even this year and making a profit next year.
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:36 AM
Comment #6Doubt we will post profits as this will mean we pay tax
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:39 AM
Comment #7First manager to go next Season – Kean at Blackburn
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:40 AM
Comment #8Actually, Warnock before season starts!
nick_9
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:40 AM
Comment #9Never know which blooming article to post on. Anyone listed a 25 man squad excluding youngsters or considered who which two players they would chose for each position out of the current crop?
GK -Krul, Forster
Rb – Simpson and Gosling
Cb – Williamson and Taylor, Colo and Kadar
Lb – Jose and ??????
Rw – Jonas and Routledge
Cm – Barton, Cabaye, Guthrie/Vuckic and Tiote
Lw – Marveaux and Ferguson
Cf – Ba, Arfa, Best and Lovenkrands/Ranger
Add competition for Jose, a centre back, a winger and another striker and we arent far off having good competition. If we got those four players in i would also allow guthrie, lovenkrands, shola and harper to leave or retire. As t is i dont think there is any place in the squad in for the likes of Smith, Perch, Raylor or Xisco.
If we shipped out: and theyre estimated wages:
Shola – 30k
Lovenkrands – 20k
Smith – 60k
Xisco – 60k
Perch – 15k
Raylor – 20k
Haper – 25k
Guthrie – 25k
Surely we would be saving a good 1 mill a month/12 million per season. Then there’s other youngsters like albeid, tavernier, lua lua, donaldson, sameobi to go with ferg, ranger, kadar and vuckic
Tinman
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:40 AM
Comment #10CynicalasEva……you are a nob
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:40 AM
Comment #11Better hurry up and sell Barton and relegate Harper then.
And “3 or 4 French speakers now” You just signed 4! I count at least 6 first-teamers.
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:43 AM
Comment #12Nick
You are proud of your work!
Dont think Guthrie is on too much but then again who knows how much anyone is on!
Who would you loan out? you need a third list
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:43 AM
Comment #13better yet Nick_9 sell Harper to free up his wages. Excellent idea.
Tinman
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:45 AM
Comment #14Dazza, by 3 or 4 french speakers, i figure he means the ones who cant speak english as well, maybe? I know Ba and Cabaye can, pretty sure Albeid can.
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:45 AM
Comment #15In reference to:
“It is important for everyone at the training ground this year, with the nucleus of a new side, that we keep the same team spirit that helped us dig results out.”
Just in case any of you posters don’t read the article 😡
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:46 AM
Comment #16dazza
Toyed with the idea of selling Harper. Loyal sevant to club but unfortunately club is run like a business.
Also will mean Forster or Krul will get chance. We also have Alnwick who will be top draw
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:46 AM
Comment #17Fair point Tinman…sometimes he does make me wonder
Tinman
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:48 AM
Comment #18Just clutching at straws though mate haha.
Bollance, i played football against Alnwick from the age of 8-13… Will be my claim to fame
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:49 AM
Comment #19bollance i get your point but selling Harper would annoy me almost as much as selling Carrol did.
What would be the point of selling Harper. He is by far the best keeper at the club (how many goals will Harper cost us vs Krul?) he’s also the bloody soul of this team!
nick_9
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:49 AM
Comment #20Dont have anything against Harper, he’s been loyal to us but he’s also collected a good wage for not doing a lot other than ensuring Given remained motivated. Krul and Forster are our future, let them fight it out this season before Harper does his back in, poor bloke.
Bollance it would be nice if we was in a position to loan out Ranger, Kadar and lualua but i can only see lualua and possibly ranger going out if another striker doesnt come in. Hoping ferguson is chomping at the first team
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:52 AM
Comment #21Harper and Forster could well be sold netting £3-4million and replaced by Green on a free which would be good business..
bollance
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:53 AM
Comment #22nick_9
which teams have the most players coming through, probably Arsenal and Spurs. They also have the most number of players out on loan. Probably you are right we will not have many out on loan next season but to bring players through they need 1st team experience
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:55 AM
Comment #23is that MA posting as Shot Bru?
bollance add City and Chealsea and ManU
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Comment #24in fact almost all clubs equal amounts of players coming through
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:58 AM
Comment #25I wish i had his money dazza….
Symo22
Jul 6, 2011 at 12:59 AM
Comment #26This sell harper talk is a joke .. he is our number 1 keeper ..need experience in prem and every time krul is in goal i shudder when a cross flies inn!! Id give harps one last season and keep forster and loan krul out to be no 1 to Swansea or Champ Club .. Next season we will have Krul and Forster fighting it out .. and i see Forster as the better keeper at present!! IMO
nick_9
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:00 AM
Comment #27Shotbru each to their own but id rather have Forster than Green, the bloke doesnt seem confident in his own ability and seems so downhearted all the time.
Bollance Chelsea, Arsenal, Totenham and man u have plenty of good youth coming through but i think we also have four or five who have great but because they play for us they dont get the same recognition
MacToon(Vive le Neuchâtel)
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:19 AM
Comment #28Shot Bru @ 21, we don’t want any more “free’s” they cost too much.
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:29 AM
Comment #29Nice one Mactoon….to be honest Green gets a bad wrap because of 1 poor game for the poms in the WC….the 2nd half of the season for the hammers he was pretty good….
MadAboutToon
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:32 AM
Comment #30Shot Bru, yeah great business, sell harper are best GK and replace him with a liability. i rather have any 3 of ur 1st team GK’s over green and anyway what has some of yous got against harper? is it his age? if it is answer this, what age is van der sar? imo if any of ur other GK’s want 1st team football then send them out on loan are sell because there not as good as harper and they’ve still got to learn.
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:43 AM
Comment #31Mactoon Krul plays for Holland, WC finalists…..Hrper is nowhere near international quality….last season at Stoke he was abysmal along with Campbell, who has susequently been shipped out and so should Harper…and how can you even compare van der sar with harper is ludicrous..
MadAboutToon
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:50 AM
Comment #32you say harper is nowhere near international and krul is an international but when there in the same team who’s 1st choice?
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:50 AM
Comment #33Apologies Mactoon…last comment was for madaboutoon..
dazza
Jul 6, 2011 at 1:53 AM
Comment #34howay for some sanity
anyways…off now just wishing for that donkey fella to get signed up. like what lee ryda’ had to say about him. now that would be sound biz
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 2:01 AM
Comment #35madabouttoon…fair enough if you’re happy with a keeper who has been content to play 2nd fiddle to Given for decades with no ambition….who doesn’t inspire confidence in his defence because of his inability to come off his line and command his area….slow at getting down because of a dodgy shoulder and the less said about his distribution the better…..Forster aint much better either…just ask the majority of Celtic fans.
MadAboutToon
Jul 6, 2011 at 2:22 AM
Comment #36maybe it’s because newcastle are the only team he ever wants to play for and the reason he was 2nd choice for all the years because it was given in front of him and any time harper had fill in for given he always did a good job and i remember at one stage he was ur 1st choice for most of the season so he can’t be that bad are is given shit to?
Shot Bru
Jul 6, 2011 at 2:30 AM
Comment #37madabouttoon…i guess we have different views and will have to agree to disagree on the keeper situation 🙂
RedMissionBells
Jul 6, 2011 at 6:17 AM
Comment #38English players that play in the PL are overpriced. They are technically not as gifted as the Portugese, French and of course Spanish players.
If we are concerned about having too many foreign players, then we must keep Barton. Barton is easily one of the top 3 midfielders in England. Barton has guts and determination. I will always remember his tackle that got diaby going mad.
jayphoto
Jul 6, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Comment #39players that can’t speak english well: Ben Arfa can hardly speak a word, Collo’s english isn’t great, Jose and Jonas’ english could be better also and Cabaye can’t but has employed an english teacher to get him speaking fast! Reckon he might be vice captain next year with Steven Taylor Captain!
Marveaux, Ba, Abeid all speak pretty decent english from what i’ve heard to be fair to them! Abeid is a massive prospect, huge things are expected of him in France!
Mc-Toon
Jul 6, 2011 at 10:29 AM
Comment #40Dazza
They all speak a degree of english other than cabaye who doesn’t.