Jamaal Lascelles has been interviewed on the Newcastle web-site and we can truthfully say the 22 year-old was absolutely delighted to have been captain against Bohemian yesterday in the 6-0 win.
I feel ten feet tall – I feel so proud – it took me breath away are just some of Jamaal’s words about being captain.
You know there’s a little hint there the youngster would like to be the Newcastle captain.
🙂
Newcastle need a new captain now that Coloccini has left the club and Jamaal could get the job long term, so if that happens it would say that not only has Rafa Benitez got great faith in the lad’s leadership abilities but as a player as well.
Jamaal Lascelles in action against Crystal Palace
This is what the 22 year-old had to say on the Newcastle web-site after the game:
“I feel so proud.” “I was getting hints in training but the manager didn’t actually tell me. Then when I arrived at the ground and went into the changing room he told I would be the captain.”
“It took my breath away because it’s such a big thing for me.” “It’s unbelievable to be wearing the captain’s armband for Newcastle United, even in a pre-season friendly.”
“I class myself as a leader but wearing the armband made me feel ten feet tall, like a proper leader.” “For Rafa Benitez to give me the captain’s armband shows how much trust and respect he has for me and I will never forget this moment.”
“We will see what happens in the season but either way, whoever the manager picks as captain for the season, will be the right person.”
“It’s a great start,” “We’ve been working hard in training, we’ve been waiting all week for this and we came here today with our heads on the right way and a professional attitude.”
“Anyone who watched the game could see how quickly we pressed the ball after we lost it and that is something we have been working on all week.”
“We put Bohemian under a lot of pressure and from the back looking forward, it was really impressive to see the forward players doing that.”
“There was a difficult period at the start, but we did what we needed to do and were clinical with our finishes.”
“We lacked a bit of threat in the final third last season but for six individuals to score shows what we’ve got in our team.”
“Everyone stuck to their jobs, we were positive going forward and solid at the back so I’m really pleased with everyone.”
From what we have seen of the game the lads were very impressive.
And Jamaal can be a big player for us next season and in the future and he certainly improved once he got some playing time under Rafa Benitez.
The former Nottingham Forest defender had played before Rafa arrived and he had always looked good in the first team – but never kept his place.
One of the things Rafa does well is to give the youngsters their chance when they are good enough.
It was also good to see young local lad Jamie Sterry have a very good first half yesterday in the 6-0 win over Bohemian.
Comments welcome.
62 comments so far
The overrated Frenchman
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Comment #1Good to see Jamaal referencing XTC….
Jail for Ashley
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:17 PM
Comment #2Going to be very interesting to see who the new captain is, surely it can’t be Sissoko if he stays.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:19 PM
Comment #3ToF,
?
geordie157
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:19 PM
Comment #4Lascelles is a bit of a breath of fresh air, one of the few players actually worth listening to.
Rafa didn’t give away much when asked about Thauvin that’s for sure but if he wasn’t showing the right attitude and impressing in training then I doubt Rafa would have played him.
The ones in Ireland will be our squad the ones missing will leave.
Belfast
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Comment #5Yer right Buster!
It can’t be Sissoko because he’s desperate too leave. Lascelles for me.
Our Toon
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:26 PM
Comment #6Good for Laschelles, think a lot are getting carried away though, the lad is young has good qualities but far to early for him to be captain. His first task should be to help the back four play as a unit and be vocal within that. A good young player but not captain material just yet
jimmysmith
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:27 PM
Comment #7That team had Collo, Jonas, Nolan, Barton, Harper, and Carroll and Ameobi, who in tandem both battered and terrorised opposition defences, as well as a number of able deputies, but also one or two who wouldn’t get a sniff in the current group.
Nolan, Barton, Smith, Carroll and Ameobi, were very well suited to rigours and style of Championship football, while Collocini and Jonas just too good for that level. This group has potentially the better quality football in it though, even more accomplished players, and more depth. The league is also probably better though now than it was then, with more money sloshing around, making it harder to replicate such a good season, but on paper, we probably should.
Toon Tang
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:28 PM
Comment #8I bet no player fcuked with him when he told them a few home truths towards the end of last season eh hahahaa
They woulda been cowering in the corner the damn lot of em.
Toon Tang
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:31 PM
Comment #9Thats something our previous mute of a captain could only dream of being able to do. He’d probably have the PR team run him up a badly worded document which would in turn be emailed out to each players representatives.
nufc13789
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:34 PM
Comment #10Don’t know if anyone has already said but Curtis good played the first half for the under 21’s today
Our Toon
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Comment #11Laschelles was as much to blame as anyone else for our relegation last season, the Everton game being a stark reminder that he’s still a bit raw. Some good performances were in that as well but unlike most I want our talking done on the pitch and not giving interviews to the media which is to get the fans onside with obvious statements.
It’s all good coming out and talking the talking but you have to back it up with solid performances……consistently!!
jimmysmith
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:39 PM
Comment #12They have different personalities. It would be great if Lascelles does turn out to be the inspiritual and vocal leader we’ve missed, but it’s a bit rough hammering Collo for being less so. He was offered the captaincy without seeking it as far as I know, and would have done his best with it, when there was no obvious better alternative.
jimmysmith
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:45 PM
Comment #13He’s very young and not guaranteed a place. If Sissoko goes, and Widjnaldum stays, I’d play him centrally and make him skipper. Lascelles will be vocal when he plays whether captain or not. If Sissoko stays, it becomes a more difficult choice, but if he stays and is on board, he’s likely to get it. Benitez has said as much.
Our Toon
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Comment #14Jimmy
Captains of all teams have different ways of dealing with dealing with the added responsibilities. Joe Hart talks a good game but wouldn’t make a good captain, he comes out and gives an honest opinion which is good but that’s all its good for though.
A true leader and can’t think of any better than Terry and Kompany in the prem, back it up by having an aura and commanding respect through performances. I like Laschelles for his honesty and he’s a potential future captain in the making but that’s all he is.
As for Colo, he gave our club a lot of career and was a good servant, often a scapegoat but declined a lot with age as all players do. It’s not colo’s fault the club didn’t sell him last season when they knew he was finished at this level. I want to see action on the pitch and backing the chat up from young Jamal not pandering to the fans and telling them what they want to hear!!
jimmysmith
Jul 17, 2016 at 10:58 PM
Comment #15I think Colo did have that season in him, and another in the Championship, personal issues aside if that’s possible. He had the injuries as things turn out, which can happen, and the group wasn’t the finished one and was quite badly mismanaged, which I think was a far greater problem than his lack of leadership skills, but of course a Terry, or Company type might well have saved us.
BandB
Jul 17, 2016 at 11:07 PM
Comment #16Jail
XTC
It’s a boy band. For boys. And girls who like boys.
Like the Beatles might have been, if they’d had a crummy record deal and never had a proper hit.
And hadn’t been more into boys who like girls.
welshgeordie9
Jul 17, 2016 at 11:27 PM
Comment #17There’s quite a few stories on newcastlenewsnow about how Liverpool want to sign Gini by Thursday, also according to some reports Benitez hopes to have another player in before Wednesday’s match.
welshgeordie9
Jul 17, 2016 at 11:29 PM
Comment #18Gini though it looks like anything between 20-25 million.
welshgeordie9
Jul 17, 2016 at 11:31 PM
Comment #19Oh yeah and lascelles should be the new captain without shadow of a doubt.
Shadow_Shearer
Jul 17, 2016 at 11:55 PM
Comment #20Lascelle is the right man to be captain. It doesn’t matter he’s still young. Name me another man in the team who even deserves to me captain???
Sissoko?? Wijnaldum?? Shelvey?? Janmaat?? Tioti??
None of these guys have the same fire or desire in them, not even the right attitude, they would all jump at the chance of leaving us.
If we were a goal down, could you see any of these guys shouting at players, telling others to go an extra mile??
I couldn’t see sissoko telling them to chase the ball, never mind go the extra mile.
I’ve captained teams before, not big teams, but enough times to know a natural leader doesn’t come with age or experience, you either have it or don’t.
lesh
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:29 AM
Comment #21Jimmy
lesh
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:33 AM
Comment #22Damned phone! I’ll try again to say to
Jimmysmith, that if Sissoko does decide to stay, he should never be rewarded with the captaincy. His behaviour since we were relegated hardly exemplifies the leadership one’d expect of the role.
expatmag
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:35 AM
Comment #23Wijnaldum to Liverpool by the end of yhe week apparently……..anywhere between 20 and 27 million quid, if reports are to be believed
expatmag
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:38 AM
Comment #24LESH
As far as I am concerned, like Wijnaldum, Sissoko can fux off too as long as Rafa holds out for the macimum amount and reinvests in the team
Our Toon
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:00 AM
Comment #25Expat
The person you are championing for captaincy was behaving the same way as the ones you mention you don’t want. Unfortunately we view things with blinkers, wasn’t long ago lascelles was playing very well and earned his move to nufc. We sent him back on loan and he got dropped for abject performances, forest fans blasting him for his performances and not caring or giving 2 $hits about his performances……a poor attitude is what he accused of, that followed an assault charge off field which was dropped eventually!
It’s important a captain is someone who is respected but more importantly it’s important to have at least 2 or 3 leaders in a team!!
emphraser
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:13 AM
Comment #26Rafa will select a captain who has the necessary ability and leadership qualities – ability won’t be cast to the wayside simply because some young lad seems a good leader. Lascelles talks like a leader, but don’t give a rats arse about what comes out of his mouth, if he’s not starting XI quality then he shouldn’t be in a position to lead anyone. Captain needs to be first on the team sheet first, talk a good game second. If it’s Lascelles, great. Luckily Rafa will know this and the experts who’ve “been captains enough” to know what it takes will be limited to making self-glorifying blog posts while their mam’s fix them supper.
lesh
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:16 AM
Comment #27Expat
Good old Liverpool. At least Gini’s departure gives the transfer kitty a bit more headroom.
lesh
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:21 AM
Comment #28Our Toon
Maybe Rafa should offer Mother Theresa the armband with the Dali Lama as vice?
manxpie
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:27 AM
Comment #29lacelles is the only captain at the moment no if’s or buts!
tell me one other player that has shown captain material!?
colback maybe but i’m sure most of ya don’t want him as captain let alone playing (i disagree)
tiote has wanted out for years and he is to shagged out too constantly to give a fusk
who else is there?
keepers all injured or too new
mbemba no as we have never seen him speak really (great prospect tho)
janmaat again probably doesn’t wanna be here and obviously too hot headed
sisko just doesn’t wanna be here
gini again doesn’t wanna be here and i wouldn’t wanna follow him!
mitro is an option on passion but again far to much of a hot head we would actually need rotating captains
lascelles is the best pick he’s strong passionate and understands the fans which i feel actually gets lost
as i said earlier today he actually says the same as fans
which means he actually thinks like us!
how long has john terry been captain of chelsea!?
it doesn’t matter how old you are its all about attitude and jamaal has tonnes of it, it seems and i think he has all the talent too!
future england captain imo
manxpie
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:34 AM
Comment #30ourtoon sorry but a young person lives and then learns
no other way tbh
and for me he has learnt, no trouble here so far, and also built his way as a starter and captain and telling the numpties how shite they were last year is a plus imo!
and i feel he suffered more to the fact pearce didn’t like the fact he was sold under his nose than anything else tbh
jimmysmith
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:36 AM
Comment #31Plenty of vigorous support for Lascelles. More power to him of course, should he get the nod.
jimmysmith
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:42 AM
Comment #32From your perspective obviously then Lesh. Rafa may take a different view, an insiders view.
manxpie
Jul 18, 2016 at 1:47 AM
Comment #33jimmy it should be his to lose tbh
who else is there?
pearce’s biggest gripe was he would have been worth a hell of alot more a year later
and imo he was right
he has all the attributes to be a top top player pace, strength, power and a great headerer of the ball
also he’s moved from Nottingham 🙂
The overrated Frenchman
Jul 18, 2016 at 2:16 AM
Comment #34BandB@16. Are you sure you are not thinking about Blur?
expatmag
Jul 18, 2016 at 3:28 AM
Comment #35Between Lascelles and Shelvey with Dummett as an outside bet.
The overrated Frenchman
Jul 18, 2016 at 4:57 AM
Comment #36Or OMD, BandB.
cyprus
Jul 18, 2016 at 5:19 AM
Comment #37I think of people like Buffon as ideal captain material. Does age and experience make a difference? Well yes.
This fella has yet to cement a starting place, has not had enough battles. Captain material yes, now no.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 18, 2016 at 6:34 AM
Comment #38Lascelles was as much to blame for our relegation as anyone else???, is that including Mikey and his merry men and the cut price CL players he bought.
Ron Knee
Jul 18, 2016 at 6:47 AM
Comment #39The Torygraph:
“The 25-year-old (Wijnaldum) moved to Newcastle only last summer for £14.5?million. Newcastle have set a fee of £27?million, but Liverpool are confident they can settle on a deal nearer to £20?million and there is some optimism on Merseyside that talks could advance significantly over the next few days.”
Jib
Jul 18, 2016 at 6:50 AM
Comment #40Cyprus
Buffon is a good call.
Sometimes a complete newcomer to a club can make a good captain because he has no previous form.
I like goalies as captain , they have a good view of the entire team and who is not doing their job.
Matz Sels has a reputation as a vocal player.
I wouldn’t have a problem with him as captain.