Earlier this week, Newcastle’s Under-23 boss Neil Redfearn spoke out about Elias Sorensen’s loan spell to Carlisle United. The comments came on the heels of the 20-year-old striker making just one substitute appearance in the League for Carlisle over the past five games.
This is what Redfearn had to say:
“It’s a difficult one. I know I have said on the record in the past that he needs to fight it out, but obviously the idea of him going out on loan is that he plays.
“So if he’s on the bench and not coming on, it’s not what we want, it’s not what we need.
“The reports that we are getting back are that he’s working really hard and desperately trying to do the right things to get in so we are getting that, but there is no getting away from the fact he needs to play.”
These comments by Redfearn were very reasonable. While Elias may be getting some benefit from his loan spell, ultimately he is there to play football. Getting a substitute appearance every other week is just not going to provide the 20-year-old with the experience he needs.
Pressley and Sorensen– where did it all go wrong?
Carlisle manager Steven Pressley has been under pressure lately as they are in 20th position in League 2 with just 1 point from their last five matches. This is part of the issue with why Elias has not been getting into games.
Pressley is trying to keep Carlisle in league football and also trying to keep his job. He’s going for experience on the pitch and that is one thing Sorensen cannot provide at the moment.
Speaking to the Carlisle United official website, Pressley sympathized with Redfearn’s frustrations on Elias:
“I think Neil is right to say that. If I was Newcastle United and I was Neil Redfearn, then my concern would be for the development of my young player who is out on loan, and if he’s not getting game time then fully understandably I’d be thinking that the situation would need to be reviewed.
“That would be the same for any young player who goes out on loan over a period of time and who doesn’t play on a regular basis. Newcastle’s concern has to be the development of their players but, what I must stress, is that our concern has to be the development and progress of our own team.”
Pressley and Carlisle have survival issues to contend with at the moment. They hover just one point above the relegation zone. Pressley alluded in these comments to being more concerned with his overall team right now than the development of a youngster on loan.
While that is understandable, Newcastle have to be concerned with the progress of Sorensen. We sent him to Carlisle to play first-team football. While that also involves learning what it takes to be a professional, the most essential aspect of a loan spell is getting time on the pitch.
Pressley went on in this manner and stressed that both clubs have different interests that they must contend with:
“When it comes to the game time, there’s an argument there that he hasn’t been given a clear run of games to prove himself, and I understand that. However, when you’re in the situation that we’re in and you’re looking for results, then we always pick the side that we think can win us the game.
“Unfortunately Elias hasn’t been in that side and he’s obviously disappointed with that. He hasn’t shown that, and I will say that about the kid. I spoke to him a number of times early on and he’s gone about things in a great way, and credit to him for that.
“Again, I have to say that Newcastle know what we’re trying to do with him. Shola [Ameobi] worked with me at Fleetwood and the reason he was keen for Elias to come here was because he knows how hard I work with young players, and how much I want to help them develop, so that isn’t the issue for Newcastle.
“They understand that we work closely with Elias and other players, and they haven’t got a problem with that. They have a problem with his game time and I accept that. I’ll repeat again, if I was Newcastle loaning a player to Carlisle I would want more game time than he’s getting, so I have no issues with the noise that’s coming out of Newcastle about this.
“They have to look after the best interests of their own young player, but I have to look after the best interests of our football club.”
We understand the stance of both clubs. Newcastle sent the youngster on loan in the hopes that he would be playing week in and week out. That has not happened so far and is not a situation that can continue for much longer.
We also understand that Carlisle are going through a difficult stretch at the moment. The manager must pick the side he believes will get them the results they need to survive.
However, the manager has not gotten the results with the more experienced players he has selected thus far. He finds himself in hot water, so to speak, with many Carlisle fans wanting him out.
Though, it is ultimately Newcastle’s responsibility to do what is best for Elias Sorensen. If he is not playing at Carlisle and that is not remedied soon, then it’s time to bring the lad back home.
How Will Newcastle Do At West Ham On Saturday?
- Lose (44%, 511 )
- Win (33%, 378 )
- Draw (23%, 267 )
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42 comments so far
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:01 PM
Comment #1Young Elias looked OK in China in July vs Saturdays opposition
W Ham – he’d be better back at Benton training with the seniors
and playing in the FA cup in January
Mister Tuff
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:05 PM
Comment #2Before he left Rondon was after £240,000 per week.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:06 PM
Comment #3Rondon is also proving to be a bit of a flop in China
He should be scoring goals for fun in that league
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:11 PM
Comment #43 in 7 is a flop Jib?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:12 PM
Comment #5Demba Ba scored 5 in 17
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:12 PM
Comment #6Papisse Cisse 17 in 31
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:14 PM
Comment #7Hulk 44 in 79 so I’d say he’s about on par.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:14 PM
Comment #8China Jail
Try confused.com
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:18 PM
Comment #9Hulk is 4 years older – doh
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Comment #10Paulinho who played for Spurs and is older than Rondon
and a midfielder has scored 31 goals in 54 games in China
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:40 PM
Comment #11Sky (Murdoch) must be bloody furious that ITV have the RWC
Apparently there was only a couple of million required to secure
it – but Sky tried to haggle
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:42 PM
Comment #12Regardless of age, they were the same age when they arrived there. A 1 in 2 looks like a very decent return and he isn’t far off that at all. Your defence mechanism of calling someone thick when you’ve been proved wrong is getting very old Jibbers.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:44 PM
Comment #13We have to hope Ralph Hasenhüttl survives
The last thing we need is for Southampton to get
new manager bounce
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Comment #14Courtesy of Wiki, Fellani has 7 in 20, he’s 31, would he have scored more if he was just 30, is he a flop?
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:45 PM
Comment #15Jail
I didn’t call you thick
I don’t have to
Your posts are sufficient
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:48 PM
Comment #16Fellaini is playing as a midfielder in China
12 goals in 30 games is pretty cool
Big Ron is a striker
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:50 PM
Comment #17I’ve just realised
Jail doesn’t know the difference between a midfielder
and a striker
Ha ha ha
toon22
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:50 PM
Comment #18JIB
Your average toon fan who defends Jabba any way possible
Has access to pre public release of PR pics
Posts here 24/7 with as many alts as yer arm
Wish i was as big a toon fan
toon22
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Comment #19Will employ every PR tactic in the book to keep talk away from protests or blaming Jabba for anything
Will try and say he isnt asset stripping us
Its like this blog is more about JIB and his defense of Jabba than anything else
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 6:54 PM
Comment #20Jib,
I can’t be bothered to go through all the strikers but 3 goals in 7 games isn’t a bad return. Just another case of you slagging another fan favourite because he said Mikey was clueless.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Comment #21toon22
Wish i was as big a toon fan
I just wish you were A TOON FAN
Nufc-83
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:01 PM
Comment #22Toon the one who said he wants Ashley over Kenyon.
PR at the highest level. Say Hi to Keith for me. Hiya toon.
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:02 PM
Comment #23Jib,
He was sometimes used as a striker and was a big presence in the opposition box.
toon22
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:12 PM
Comment #24It’s the JIB and his alts blog
toon22
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:13 PM
Comment #25Jabba the turd that won’t flush
He started with the PR on day 1
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:13 PM
Comment #26So unless you score as many as Paulinho you’re a flop. Give over.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:14 PM
Comment #27Michael Owen and Alan Shearer could face an awkward reunion in an Amazon Prime TV studio after the Premier League’s newest broadcaster announced a huge roster of 43 hosts, commentators and pundits to front their coverage this season.
Owen and Shearer are at the centre of bitter feud that went public on social media last month after Owen claimed, in his new autobiography, that Shearer had unfairly blamed him for Newcastle’s relegation in 2009.
The pair exchanged barbs on Twitter but have not spoken in person for years – and now both of them are on Amazon’s list of pundits set to start work in December.
Nufc-83
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:20 PM
Comment #28Hiya toon. PR at the highest level.
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:24 PM
Comment #29Starting to get really excited about the RWC final
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:26 PM
Comment #30Don’t forget
Wales play the All Blacks tomorrow morning for the bronze medal
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:27 PM
Comment #31I wonder what Brewcey will do when Ritchie returns, does he drop Willems or play Ritchie back on the wing in a 4-4-2. He’s got his first real managerial headache coming up
martoon
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:28 PM
Comment #32Lesh I hate talking politics on the blog but it is nufc related. So why else would an Arsenal supporter be interested what is happening at Newcastle?
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:32 PM
Comment #33The cat and dog have legged it to the fields and the Mrs has gone to her sisters house!
Jail for Ashley
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:34 PM
Comment #34martoon,
He’s obviously fishing for votes but Newcastle is labour anyway.
Moonraker15
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:45 PM
Comment #35Jib @ 13
Are you seriously suggesting we need Southampton and 2 other teams to keep losing to keep us in the prem?
I would suggest we try winning some games and get to 40 points although we will have to spend money in January for that to happen.
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:54 PM
Comment #36Jail
Brucie has his first real managerial headache coming up, really, sorry but I had a little chortle at that.
I doubt if he’s been headache free since he took the job!
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 31, 2019 at 7:58 PM
Comment #37Moonraker
Agreed, if we are pinning our hopes on three teams finishing below us then we might as well not have a club, a big club aiming for just above the basement, is wasting it’s and the fans time.
Moonraker15
Oct 31, 2019 at 8:00 PM
Comment #38Essex
SB actually looks scared stiff standing on the touch line at matches.
It must be daunting even for top coaches but when you are basically winging it with no real strategy like SB, it must be unpleasant especially with the fans being hostile to him!
Jib
Oct 31, 2019 at 8:00 PM
Comment #39Corbyn getting slaughtered in the polls
I fear he has dropped a major bollick
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 31, 2019 at 8:04 PM
Comment #40toon22
I’m not disputing your assertion that the PR started on day 1. I am curious as to what you consider to be day 1 and what form the PR took?