Miles Starforth with the Shields Gazette has published an interview with Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles.
Here is some of what he said about what has certainly been an abnormal pre-season.
“It’s been an interesting pre-season for us, obviously, not having a manager to start off with.
“But now the gaffer’s in, things have been going well. The boys are enjoying his training sessions, and I think we have done pretty well in the games we’ve played.
“The boys have really enjoyed it – I definitely have.”
We do get the impression that the squad have enjoyed this pre-season since Steve Bruce has come in. They seem to have insulated themselves from any distractions since they came back to start training. Though at first Jamaal gave a hint to being a bit apprehensive as to what he was returning too.
“I thought I was going to have a real tough job on my hands.
“With Ben (Dawson) coming in as head of the Academy, I thought maybe the boys might not listen and some of them could sack it off.
“Maybe that could happen with other teams, but in fairness to the boys, we remained professional, really respected Ben, and we’ve all really respected the gaffer since he come in.”
We were very concerned when the players first returned and looked for any signs of unrest or discontent. However, the players got to work and have all acted completely professionally.
It is a testament to the leadership and integrity of this group that none were negatively affected by the situation with the manager.
Once Bruce did come in, the players seemed to relish a return to normalcy and then worked to learn the intricacies of the new head coach. They seem to be a content group and the new signings have also bedded in quite well.
“We weren’t sure how it was going to be, but he’s a lively manager, the door’s always open, he has banter with us, but when we train, we work hard.
“It’s been really professional. We’ve been doing a lot of running, and we’re all really fit and we’ll be flying on Sunday.”
While this has been on the whole not what the fans of this club had ultimately hoped for. It’s up to this group of players and this staff to get results on the pitch. We should soon see a new right-back in Emil Krafth come in. We’re not too sure that there will be anyone else but hopefully another player will be signed as there is plenty of money available, or at least there should be.
If not, it has been a decent window with Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin, and Jetro Willems as impact additions in key areas. We are a little concerned about the players up front but there were a lot of chances created in pre-season. Miguel Almiron and Yoshinori Muto will also have their experiences from last season to build on. While it’s far from a perfect squad, it should be an exciting one to watch.
53 comments so far
Mad Frog Boom 22
Aug 7, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Comment #1Relegation battle here we come………
kilcline
Aug 7, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Comment #2Schick targeted, maybe we will get a striker
Mad Frog Boom 22
Aug 7, 2019 at 5:58 PM
Comment #3…long and hard season coming, Ashley out now!
Mad Frog Boom 22
Aug 7, 2019 at 5:59 PM
Comment #4Two games away from crisis, deeper crisis
toon22
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Comment #5Business as usual
Mad Frog Boom 22
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:05 PM
Comment #6Bigger clubs Leicester and Gunners are looking defenders, who Big A sells, is it Schar to Arsenal, is it? Ashleys DL day surprises for us, most lucky fans on dreamland!
Markaccus
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Comment #7Reports that Schick turned us down.
Who is he, by the way? Never heard of him
Ron Knee
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:12 PM
Comment #8Keith Downie@SkySports_Keith
Sheffield Wednesday & Wigan are both trying to sign Newcastle’s Rolando Aarons. The winger is surplus to requirements in Steve Bruce’s 25-man squad #NUFC
geordie157
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:12 PM
Comment #9BBC have said its 3 from 6 to go down, us, Norwich, Sheff Utd, Villa, Brighton and Burnley.
Which is understandable but unless a few signings come in, I would say it’s 3 from 8 and add Southampton and Palace to that. I don’t think either of them have added much and Palace certainly lack a striker.
Our Toon
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:13 PM
Comment #10Schick is some talent, surprised we even made an offer as he’s way above anything we would normally target. Not gone aswell for him in Italy but a highly rated youngster though
RUNAWAY777
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:14 PM
Comment #11Great there spending some money on players but we all no its in vain we will finish between 15th amd 20th which will keep ashley happy and to top it off for ashley there’ll ne no cup run so to we need to keep the pressure on ashley and still boycott games as we all know deep down nothing will change but every fan needs to make there owen decisions stay or boycott
TomaKaThor
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:14 PM
Comment #12Never seen him play and his goal record is pretty bad, but I would of took him from what I’ve read lol
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:17 PM
Comment #13Patrik Schick (born 24 January 1996) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Roma and the Czech Republic national team.
ramboreilly
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:18 PM
Comment #14Looking at Krafths stats on the Chronicle website,is not good reading. Average in Lique in 1 in everything doesnt dribble or cross or even tackle,or get past the halfway line.Not sure what we see in him,although he is cheap.
TomaKaThor
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:20 PM
Comment #15I think he wants him for if we play a flat back four he wants a rb who can actually defend
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:21 PM
Comment #16he might be one of those Krafthy players …
i’ll get me coat …
😀
CAG
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:22 PM
Comment #17Think one more coming in and by the looks of it gonna be a striker . Would be nice , looking quite physical in the box . Guys if your looking for cheap now tv pass check out here .https://www.cdkeys.com/top-up-cards/nowtv , £3.99 day pass £4.99 week pass .
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:23 PM
Comment #18According to Sky Sports, both Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan are trying to sign Newcastle’s Rolando Aarons.
This comes from Keith Downie, who claims that the winger has now been told he is surplus to requirements and will not be included in the club’s 25-man squad:
lesh
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:23 PM
Comment #19Trump’s saying he’s ‘against supremacy of any kind, he’s against hate – particularly the hate that’s directed at his very good friend, Mike Ashley!
‘Mike Ashford’s doing a great job, he’s trying his best despite the attention of those Geordie terriers who set out to break a great institution, Noocassel United’.
‘Mike’s a great guy and there’ll always be a welcome for him at Trump Towers along with Boris Kemal Johnson-Trump and Nigel Farage-Trump’. Those Geordies just don’t know what a great guy Mike Ashtray is.
lochinvar
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:24 PM
Comment #20Striker = goals = need = Charnley where are you ?
Munster Mag
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:25 PM
Comment #21This mirrors what some if us were saying. There is no post rafa player panic. There is no denigrating of Bruce by the players. They like him and Ritchie said his assistants were top men. Thats real life, not the meltdown of a bunch of blokes who listen to a frog on a blog.
Bills Son Is Back
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:26 PM
Comment #22OLG,
You need to come down off your high horse.
You are haranguing me about the Strawberry Place money as if I know where it it’s gone.
I’ve told you, I’ve haven’t got a clue.
But…
I’m not the one making statements that Ashley is defrauding, concealing, siphoning money from the club and making shady deals to friends, family and SD.
So…
I have no real reason to go foraging into the accounts.
Do you not get that simple situation??
The fans making the accusation need to look at the accounts and prove their accusations.
So…
Don’t ask me any more questions because I’m not interested in trying to answer them.
MarkBro
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:27 PM
Comment #23Well im looking forward to the new season.
Could of done a lot worse, weve signed some decent players and retained all but Perez who wanted out. We could of lost a few.
We’ve got a decent defence, midfield and a new forward line.
Hoping to see some attacking football with our defence keeping it tight at the back
Support the team not the regime…
Bills Son Is Back
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:29 PM
Comment #24On Kraft,
Some are saying he’s like a RB Dummett.
If he is, that’s exactly what we need.
If we are defending a lead or a point in the last 20 minutes the big weakness in the defence was always Yedlin or Manquillo.
If we need to change from a back three to a four having a Dummett type RB to bring on makes perfect sense.
jane
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:30 PM
Comment #25the reason Cabella wasn’t playing for St Etienne at the weekend (as you may know) is because he’s gone to Krasnodar for £10.8m and is playing against Porto in the Champions league now.
bill
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:32 PM
Comment #26We definitely need a striker, probably two. Joelinton might surprise us all and score a hatful, but that probably won’t happen. If we get off to a bad start then I fear the worst as far as being in the Premier League is concerned. I think Rafa generally had the tactics spot on, and I think Steve Bruce is going to find out the hard way. I doubt that he has the ability to get us out of a hole as Rafa did year on year.
Jib
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:33 PM
Comment #27Yes we knew Jane
Thanks anyway
oldarse
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:35 PM
Comment #28Keep out of the shower Jane
oldarse
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:36 PM
Comment #29Norman/jibs about
Jib
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:42 PM
Comment #30Bill
“I fear the worst”
should be the blog motto
toon22
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Comment #31Ohh
The PR are out in force, I’m betting till at least 6 pm the morra
toon22
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:44 PM
Comment #32Bills
The voice of reason
Hahahahaha
Markaccus
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Comment #33Just reading that schick was never a target.
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Comment #34monday monday …
Markaccus
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Comment #35Who knows what’s true
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:48 PM
Comment #36just read Schick aint that good they say we aren’t missing owt on much any way …
geordietom
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:49 PM
Comment #37marka …
nowt according to the frog …
ronaldo aarons
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #38I remember players commenting on how good and enjoyable training was under McClaren…
ronaldo aarons
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:52 PM
Comment #39Graves has said ‘Nufc sources’ say we weren’t even in for him.
Bants
Aug 7, 2019 at 6:59 PM
Comment #40gtom
Just caught your reply to me on the last thread.
Of course I knew you weren’t going on Sunday. You haven’t been to Newcastle this century ffs.
Good to see you haven’t lost your accent though!