Alan Pardew selects the menu every week, when the team get together for lunch at their Benton Training headquarters.
Alan Pardew – served up pie and peas and sausage and mash
Last week it was Africa Day and curried goat, and that seemed to do the trick against Liverpool, and yesterday it was England Day and sausage and mash and pie and peas – lovely!
Alan is big on melding the squad together, and he obviously thinks a lot about ensuring the squad are a happy bunch of players, and we have to remember that at any one time, most of the players will not be in the starting eleven.
Alan wants to keep everybody involved, and he has talked today about Peter Lovenkrands as a good example of the characters Newcastle have in their squad.
Peter is out for the season, and has probably played his last game for the Magpies, but he was delighted as anybody when the lads returned to training on Monday, after Newcastle’s fantastic 2-0 win over Liverpool.
This is what Alan said today:
“You have to be mindful and careful you manage the group on an even keel.” “ I don’t think I lean towards players who are not playing more, nor do I lean towards those who are.”
“I am just trying to keep everybody in a good place and that is an important job for the manager of a football team.” “I feel for some players when they do not get a chance.”
“Like Peter Løvenkrands, who is coming to the end of his contract and the fact he has a terrible injury which means he’s not going to play.” “His situation put him under terrible pressure to play for a contract. “
“All these things come into my mind.” “When you talk about team morale there was no one more happy in training on Monday morning after the Liverpool result than Peter, you would have thought he played.”
“That is the sort of character we have here.”
Newcastle will need to show today at Swansea that their great 3-1 win on the road at West Brom wasn’t a fluke, and the game could be similar to that at The Hawthorns, with Newcastle looking to make fast breaks against Swansea today.
Newcastle have three wins on the trot and we hope to make that four today. Whether those sausage and mash and pie and peas have done the trick, we will know around 6:30 pm tonight.
We have to hope the lads can come away from South Wales with all 3 points, and show that we are indeed a team to be reckoned with this season.
Comments welcome.
5 comments so far
Klatoon
Apr 6, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Comment #1Havent seen him on the bench like Best and Tayls, or did I just miss him?
sammydolan
Apr 6, 2012 at 9:43 AM
Comment #2Sometimes I think its more about the person in the squad that the ability. As shown at Man Utd, a few seasoned pros is good to have around the camp, as opposed to Arsenal who have none. Look at the different of seasons each club have had etc.
Graeme
Apr 6, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Comment #3Got the makings of a great game AND its being shown live here in Nigeria – more converts to the cause lol.
If we play today like we did against Cesspoo and, to a greater extent, like we did against WBA, I can see the same result – TOON to win 1-3
moonraker
Apr 6, 2012 at 2:32 PM
Comment #4Am I going mad or did Lovers come on as a late sub in a recent match? I’ll swear he did, but just read that he’s out for the season!
Faddj
Apr 6, 2012 at 2:58 PM
Comment #5I know I posted this all of yesterday and I’m aware it might annoy people but I need some recognition so I’ll keep annoying everyone until everyone’s seen it! haa
I’m a young photographer and sat pitch side at the game on Sunday on behalf of the ‘Wembley to Soweto’ project, please take the time to have a look at my photos from the day on my blog, thanks!
http://faddj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/wembley-to-soweto-st-james-park.html