Raf pointed out he is pragmatic and realistic.
And he’s certainly that.
The gaffer was happy to have signed two good players that will give Newcastle something different.
Miguel Almiron can play as a number 10 but he can also play on the left wing which is one reason why Murphy was allowed to leave on loan to West Brom.
Antonio Barreca is an attacking full-back with a good left foot and he can also play as a wing-back or winger.
Rafa is still to decide on his future but it willing to talk to Mike Ashley about a new contract.
23 year-old left-back Antonio Barreca – on loan
This is some of what he said at his press conference today:
“We are signing two players without experience in the PL. We know it may take some time.”
“We are signing Almiron for not just this month, even if we need him now, he is here for 5 years. He can play in different positions, as a No 10 and a winger, and he has pace”
“Barreca is an offensive full-back who has pace and a good left foot. Almiron is quick and creative. They are two players who give us something different”
“Players like Murphy who were working really hard, he needs to play. I am really pleased for him. We had been thinking he might go if we brought players.”
“Hayden is happy now because he’s playing. Aarons, Sterry and Lazaar, they need minutes too, so it is good for them”
“I did not have time to speak to Mike Ashley yesterday. I was working late and I don’t know if I need to.”
“Now I’m concentrating on Spurs. We have time to talk. I have no problem if he wants to talk face to face.”
Comments welcome.
194 comments so far
The next Mike Williamson
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:12 PM
Comment #1Qatar won the Asian Games cheating I mean beating Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia in the process. This is the most blatant fix I’ve seen since Qatar cheated to get the World Cup. Unless of course they’ve found anotherway of cheating such as giving lots of Brazilians and Africans Qatari passports.
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:16 PM
Comment #2Next Mike
You mean Socrates Da Silva is not a Qatari name?
RobLeenio
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:16 PM
Comment #3Markaccus
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:03 PM
Comment #7
Robleenio
If Balague is Rafa’s mouth piece, does that make Richard Keyes Ashley’s @rsehole?
?
Genuinely made me laugh out loud. Got away with it because it’s Friday afternoon….
😀
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:17 PM
Comment #4Nor is Christiano Bin Ronaldo, or Lionel Al Messi ?
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Comment #5Japan had a sub called Daniel Schmidt
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:18 PM
Comment #6Robleenio
Yeah I couldn’t resist. Was set up so well. 😀
Markaccus
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #7Jib
I would suggest Mr Schmidt may not necessarily have oriental roots
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #8Both Qatar’s goalscorers were born in Sudan
jezza442
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:20 PM
Comment #9Im secretly hoping tha Hayden has a change of heart now hes getting in the team,hes played well for a tew games now and i think with more games could be great playing with young longstaff in the future if they both keep going the way they have.
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:21 PM
Comment #10Rafa is not playing Ashley like a Stradivarius.
But the fat man is playing the fans for fools again.
Ashley realizes the fans are furious but he has just bought them off for a measly 20 million. How easy was that Mike?? That should keep the lid on things for a couple of years until we sell Almiron for 50 million.
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:22 PM
Comment #11Markaccus
You’d be wrong
http://www.jfa.jp/national_team/inc/member/samuraiblue/schmidt_daniel.jpg
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:24 PM
Comment #12The England Rugby coach Eddie Jones
has a Japanese mum
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:29 PM
Comment #13Jimiley
Your lot had better beat AFC Wimbledon at
the Stadium of Plight or you could drop out of
the play-off positions
DubaiMicky
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:36 PM
Comment #14Qatar looked longer term a few years back, built the Aspire foundation and brought in a decent manager and then trained athletes from a young age. Whilst yes, it can be seen that they bought the World Cup (they did, esp thru bribes to the Africans), they have also trained their own. Yes it’s not perfect – but then you think about various people being able to play for various different countries through their grandparents heritage.
No way am i supporting Qatar, but they have trounced every team in this tournament and only japan have scored a goal against them.
Money talks.
DaveD1000
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:36 PM
Comment #15Rafa
https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=news&q=%23nufc&src=typd
toonbrother
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:41 PM
Comment #16Hayden has been excellent over that last couple of games.
Him wanting to stay is arguably the best news of this transfer window
Although it calls into question his stated reasons for wanting to leave in the first place
So it was all about getting game time after all lol
toonbrother
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:43 PM
Comment #17Can’t wait to see Ritchies replacement Barreca in the starting 11
Can’t wait to seee Ritchie on the bench where he belongs
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Comment #18Qatar have about 5 players born in Sudan
one in Egypt
one in Morocco
one in France
one In Portugal
in Tanzania
all with legit claims to Qatari citizenship
The coach has also cleverly built them
round a club side Al Saad
Did Alf Ramsey not do that with West Ham in 1966 ?
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #19Ritchie will move back to his preferred
role on the right wing closer to the action.
A tremendous club man
He just does what he’s asked to do
to the best of his ability and gives it
100%
carltoon
Feb 1, 2019 at 4:57 PM
Comment #20Toonbrother you do realize Richie wears a magic hat.
The next Mike Williamson
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:04 PM
Comment #21China have thrown huge amounts of money at football, but they’re still awful and there’s 1.5 billion of them. Qatar has a population of 1/4 million plus 2 million expats or thereabouts. You could have 3 millions Alex Fergusons giving private coaching to each kid for 15 hours a day every day and they’d still be rubbish. I see a lot of their players went on loans to lower league Belgium and Austrian teams and failed to make a mark. Japan and Korea have top class players, and also spend big money on coaching. Saudi Arabia also spend money and have a far bigger population and are more into football traditionally. I’d believe Qatar could beat one of these teams in a one off fluke, but to beat all them and only concede one goal? It’s practically impossible. As impossible as them winning the right to host the world cup.
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:16 PM
Comment #22Jib
The expert at the cheap shot.
I write that the fans are being duped again. Easily bought off.
The resident Jib expert counters that I must be a Mackem because I am not happy. Stupid boy
ronaldo aarons
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:19 PM
Comment #23Couldn’t care less if Qatar bought the World Cup, they won’t be the first team to have done so and won’t be the last. Only a few months ago platini spat his dummy out and told all how the France World Cup was rigged to have a France and Brazil final. Little bit of uproar and then swept under the carpet.
Corruption goes on and is normal, not right but that’s what happens when cash is king in this world.
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:19 PM
Comment #24Well thats three quarters of the Mitro money spent.
What about Carroll and Wijnaldum and Sissoko and others???
And the 100 million SKy money each year.??
Easily pleased.
ronaldo aarons
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:21 PM
Comment #25Still see almiron being an upgrade on atsu in this current formation we are playing. When we play 4231 expect once almiron is settling he’ll, be the number 10.
But in this new formation we have been playing, almost 541 without the ball, 343 with the ball, both Perez and almiron can play behind rondon. Or almiron atsu, almiron kenedy or muto etc.
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:22 PM
Comment #26Ronaldo
Just wait til Jezza gets in and they have to pay 99% tax.
Even Citee will not be able to afford them and it will be a level playing field again.
Toon league champions?? You can thank comrade Corbyn for that..
Just a fan
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:29 PM
Comment #27Only three players from West ham
Some England manager tried to build a team round the Liverpool team but it didn’t work
Munster Mag
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:30 PM
Comment #28I can’t see Perez being dropped easily. He is a smart presser and runs at awkward angles when closing down and makes defenders think twice. Nearly scored against City from this ability and rafa loves this.
Munster Mag
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:31 PM
Comment #29I notice not so many kermits on the blog since we had a good window. Excellent.
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:31 PM
Comment #30Almiron was bought to pay off the fans and shut them up. And its working. 20 million for some peace for the fat man.
How do you explain he was bought on the last day?
The fat man saw a storm brewing over the fakeover and the lack of signings and had to act.
Nothing has changed. We will not suddenly aspire to anything.
The owner has bought himself some peace for 20 million. Good business by Ashley.
We should be keeping the pressure up with boycotts and not sitting back as we have signed Messi.
Oldgit1
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:32 PM
Comment #31@ jimiley we are enjoying the moment mate, you will not get any hearts with your comments. Ever heard of “ it’s the wrong time”
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:37 PM
Comment #32A good window.
Well we bought somebody who might be half decent. But thats a good window??? I suppose it must be if you hardly ever buy anybody. They all seem to be on loan to me. The only business in the summer will be Rondon for 20 million or more.
But lots of potential IF you buy somebody.
Not happened for 12 years. Anybody expecting the potential to be realized anytime soon under Ashley?
Oldgit1
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:39 PM
Comment #33Can’t see Rafa playing the two new guys for a couple of weeks, it will depend what they show in training, they have to be brought up to speed re tactics etc.
He will slowly blend them in by having them on the bench and giving them a few minutes to get the feel.
Really have a positive feeling about these two.
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:40 PM
Comment #34Looking at Almiron’s Instagram a/c
(he doesn’t do Twitter or Facebook)
NUFC have just acquired a whole new
slew of fans in Atlanta
😀
Mindshaft
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:40 PM
Comment #35Think Rafa might push Perez out to the wing once almiron is up to speed – Atsu and Kennedy are worse than useless 9 games out of 10
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:41 PM
Comment #36Anybody see why I figured the miserable git
called Jimiley for a Wearyside scumbag ?
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:42 PM
Comment #37Oldgit
Thats just my point. Enjoying a decent purchase after 12 years of bollix.
The pressure has forced the purchase and now its like a valve letting off all the steam. It will all go to waste if we sit back and glory in this buy. Lets hope he is as good as Messi because you would think we have bought Messi.
Easily pleased after 12 years of torture.
DubaiMicky
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:47 PM
Comment #38Jib, now that’s interesting, Atlanta getting a load of Toon fans…. Owner wants to invest….
Two and two make eleventy three (Thanks Diane Abbott) and all that…
jimiley
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:47 PM
Comment #39Jib
I was watching the Toon when You were a glint in your grandda’s eye.
Anybody else think I am a Mackem??
I was writing on here 12 years ago so I must be a mental Mackem scumbag to keep the pretence up for 12 years.
Please answer Jibs question.
Anybody think I am a Mackem???
Later on it will be..
oh you may not be a mackem just a saddo. Saddo I can live with.
Jib
Feb 1, 2019 at 5:49 PM
Comment #40Aye I’m a saddo
come and live with me
😛