Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has played own an issue that was prevalent before he arrived at the club – and it was who should be the captain at Newcastle through the end of the season with Jonjo Shelvey showing in captain Colo’s absence thorough injury – that he is a good fighting captain for the team.
We had thought that once Colo returns he would be given back the captaincy by Rafa, simply because that’s the status quo and giving it to Jonjo could cause some friction within the squad and that’s the very last thing we want right now.
We want all the lads fighting together for the same single cause – to survive in the Premier League.
Coloccini and Benitez watch training last Saturday
This is what the former Liverpool manager said when asked by the Chronicle if he had been left with a big decision to make on who captains the side:
“Not really,” “We knew that Jonjo Shelvey could be captain.” “I don’t see any point in creating something about this. Shelvey is captain now and Coloccini maybe will be in the future. ”
“The main thing for me is whether they can perform on the pitch.”
As Rafa says, when Colo returns from injury he wants both Coloccini and Shelvey to play well (at their best) for the team – and that’s by far the most important thing – and it’s the right approach too and it’s simply being pragmatic.
We have far bigger fish to fry in the last nine games than who will captain the side – that issue can be sorted out in the summer – hopefully when we are still in the Premier League.
Rafa doesn’t want to make anything out of the captaincy “issue” at the club over the last nine games of the season.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
23 comments so far
ilovetoon8788
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:10 PM
Comment #1We did well yesterday. But it’s got to a point where we cannot say we played decent and we have zero points to speak of.
The next 2 games are absolutely massive. Anything less than 6 points from those 2 games and we can say adios to the league and rafa.
Graeme
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:10 PM
Comment #2Collo should have been history, 2 or 3 years ago. He’s little more than an ornament, collecting his loot, delivering nothing. Get rid in the summer along with Taylor and the rest of the injury prone sick notes that litter our club.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:16 PM
Comment #3Graeme
Trouble with that is we have to chuck out most of our players.
I’m hoping that the new coaching set up will eliminate a lot of the underlying causes of our injuries.
They could start by getting proper ice baths and let the rubbish collections be re-started.
ilovetoon8788
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:18 PM
Comment #4@2
We are having far too many championship level defenders in the team. And that is causing us problems. Suppose we sell Dummett, Taylor, Colback, Lascelles, Colo. Can you see anyone of them moving to a premier club??? All of them will move to only championship club guaranteed.
Herein lies the problem. I wonder how much rafa can fix and organise a championship level defenders.
PUMMELLER
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:27 PM
Comment #5ilovetoon8788
we kept Leicester to 1 shot on target so think Rafa organised them pretty well to be fair to him.
Under hairpiece we would have lost that 3/4-0
PUMMELLER
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:28 PM
Comment #6doesn’t mean I don’t think we need to buy 4-5 defenders in the summer if we stay up.
nearly all need to be moved on for us to be where I think we should be. Top 8
NewcastleMole
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:41 PM
Comment #7@ilovetoon8788
To be fair you could say the same for Leicester.
Morgan & Huth & Simpson & Fuchs
The difference between us and them is they play as a team we don’t.
I do agree though id get shot of all our defenders bar Janmaat & Mbemba,
I fail to see what Colback does for the team to warrant a place. Then theres Sissoko who’s ego is bigger than his talent. Mitrovic is a good target man and holds up the ball well but need help alongside him.
As a team we fail to take enough risks in the final third.
Leicester play well because they’re disciplined tactically, they have 2 banks of 4 to stifle the opposition then hit them on the counter. The players are damaged through years of mis-management and mis-coaching.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:42 PM
Comment #8ilovetoon
Do you mean players like Simpson and Gosling?
mindshaft
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:43 PM
Comment #9Didn’t think Shelvey had a great game last night , he did okay but don’t think he was toon motm
PUMMELLER
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:44 PM
Comment #10Leicester have one tactic but to be fair its worked.
If they had injuries this year they would not have been able to beat teams so consistently.
Fair play but a lot of luck on their side
cyprus
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:45 PM
Comment #11We need goals. No one can score. Play Doumbia.
geordie157
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:46 PM
Comment #12Did a quick prediction on our remaining fixtures, worked out that we stay up by a point! That was with draws vs sunderland and norwich….the games that save us being six points from palace and villa.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #13Newcastle Mole
Yeah that’s what I was implying, you got there before me though. 🙂
Colback and Dummett are both young players and will (should) improve.
I wouldn’t just chuck them out with the bathwater.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:49 PM
Comment #14Geordie157 (not your age I hope 🙂 )
That gives us 32 points will that really be enough?
stuart no9
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:51 PM
Comment #15i just thought i would repost this to let the doubters see that all is not lost yet
stuart no9 // Mar 14, 2016 at 11:06 PM
stuart no9 // Mar 14, 2016 at 10:56 PM
I dont understand people saying we are going down ,
We are only 1 point behind 4th bottom , we have to finish 1 point above 3rd bottom , there is a maximum of 27 POINTS LEFT , Why is getting 1 point above sunderland that difficult ?? come on lads . 27 points on the board , from what ive seen tonight , we will be fine
If we had scored just one goal yesterday , we would have been level on points with 4th place going into a home derby on sunday .
Why do the doubters look at this as the ” impossible task ”? far from it , we will only get better under rafa . win on sunday – nip into 4th – put the mackems 3rd and that will set us up just nicely for some very winnable games and let the mackems worry about US.
I am very confident we will be safe before the spurs game.
Tsunki
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:08 PM
Comment #16Strange. Colo isn’t puffing out his cheeks in a ‘that chippie is getting further away every day’ style. I like the puffed out cheeks look for our great leader. Shows he is determined. In this shot he just looks like he’s watching someone digging a trench with an excavator. Mildly interested, but not wanting to get close enough to get dirty. 🙂 Howay Colo! Get yer hands out of yer pockets!
martoon
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:23 PM
Comment #17stuart no9 @15 – Totally agree – I’ve said many times all we need to do is get 2 more points than the makems & Norwich from our remaining games. As we play both of them I think it’s quite possible under Rafa 🙂
Jail for Ashley
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:23 PM
Comment #18Can you imagine the giant told you so if he said he’d be rotating his captains from now on.
Jib
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:23 PM
Comment #19http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-35811254
Wayayman
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:28 PM
Comment #20We really need MBemba back as soon as possible. He’s a massive upgrade on anyone else in that position in my opinion. I’d like to see him and Lascelles given a go. Chancel is quick and mobile while Lascelles’ strength is in the air. In a relegation fight I think this could be the best pairing.
NUFCPaul
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:47 PM
Comment #21Tsunki – I don’t think Colo was training that day, but did turn up to see what drills the team were doing and generally have an idea of what Rafa is doing differently now.
Transfer Sage
Mar 15, 2016 at 4:54 PM
Comment #22Of course we have a chance of staying up as Sunderland and Norwich don’t look like running away from us any time soon. Will be along fight but we need to win the next two, very least take 4 points. So neither of those get a win over us.
We could do with cisse being available (even off the bench), far from the best player but he comes up with goals. 3/4 from him in the last 9 games could be crucial at the end of the season.
goommy
Mar 15, 2016 at 5:19 PM
Comment #23Hope we could get 3-4 new defenders in next market. For me just Mbemba is good enough and he should play as RB instead of CB. I think he will be better than Janmaat.
But first thing first. We have to stay in PRM and I think we could do it with Rafa with us now. HWTL!!