Our goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is recovering from a knee injury he picked up at Southampton in what turned out to be our last game before the enforced suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And the UK is now in total lockdown mode (police-enforced) for the next three weeks to help prevent the disease from spreading.
If the season does start up again, it’s almost certain that Martin will be fit to play.
The season will not start before April 30th, according to the PL, so he should definitely be fit by then.
Martin has his girlfriend Lucia with him, along with their French bulldog Shay.
It looks like Shay is shy of the camera.
But that seems a familiar name he’s given the dog!
Sorry about that.
And yes, we think he named their dog Shay after the great Shay Given – one of Newcastle’s best ever goalkeepers.
Martin has been interviewed on the Newcastle website and the site, and this is what he had to say:
“Every morning I’m visiting the clinic with Mike (club physio Michael Harding) and spending the time with him to heal my knee.”
“I’ve also got my program in the gym, so I’m trying to be fit and ready as soon as possible. I think I’m doing similar things to my team-mates.”
“I’m trying to spend time with my girlfriend, as she is the only (family member) in England for me, and it will be tough for her as well.”
“So we are trying to spend time with our dog for long walks in the woods where there are no people.”
“There’s not much to do in this time where you have to be careful – you have to stay at home most of the time, you have to stay away from people.”
“But we are obviously very active people so we are trying to do as many things as we can, especially around the house.”
Everybody is in limbo at the moment, but it will be a good rest for the players.
If the season does start up again, most of our players will be fit.
Or if it doesn’t start until next season, they will all have had a well-deserved rest.
Comments welcome.
20 comments so far
RobLeenio
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:09 PM
Comment #1No wonder he always looks happy.
That dog’s lush!
😉
DaveD1000
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:11 PM
Comment #2The girlfriend isn’t too shabby either
Jib
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:14 PM
Comment #3ha ha ha
durty owld goats
RobLeenio
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:15 PM
Comment #4😉
Ron Knee
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:16 PM
Comment #5A priest who gave the ventilator his parishioners bought him after he was diagnosed with coronavirus Covid-19 to a younger patient has died.
Giuseppe Berardelli selflessly gave the life-saving piece of equipment to a complete stranger who was struggling to breathe.
The 72-year-old, who had underlying medical problems, passed away at a local hospital in Casigno, in Italy’s hardest-hit Lombardy region. (Daily Mirror)
RobLeenio
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:17 PM
Comment #6Whilst we’re bashing certain companies and praising others, here’s a note from my company’s Slack channel.
“Big respect for Hertz car rentals. my Mother is a social worker who lives in South Shields but works in Cumbria. Her car has broken down today and Hertz are renting her a car for £1 a day for 3 months as she is a critical worker”
Jib
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:20 PM
Comment #7£1 a day —– robbing barstewards !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ron Knee
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:20 PM
Comment #8Lewis Goodall@lewis_goodall
NEW: I’ve been in touch with employees of six separate companies who work in call centres and telesales. They’ve each been informed their work is “essential” and been asked to come into work today, despite their employees’ protests.
DaveD1000
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:21 PM
Comment #9Jib
I am waiting to be engulfed in “Bloke ist” flames
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:24 PM
Comment #10Bill’s son
From previous…….You’ve got a deal. A virtual elbow nudge to seal it?
Big Bruce Stars.
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:26 PM
Comment #11Ashley is by far the most prominent schemer trying to profit under a dire crisis but there are loads of businesses out there stooping to unprecedented lows who will be less than fondly remembered for their behaviour. Most of them have had to be forced to climb down grudgingly under a mask of decency but I think people will have long memories and some of these businesses might not bounce back so easily An example of one holding out is Secret Escapes, the discount holiday booking firm. If you check out review sites like Trustpilot you’ll see the good times gave them almost 5* ratings, but it’s dropping points by the hour now because they apparently aren’t refunding anybody any money for trips they can’t make and that your and hotel operators can’t provide. They day the tour company will refund, the tour company say they haven’t been paid. Dodgy dealers making money from misery that’s how low you can go. 🙁 Plenty more where they came from I’m sure they will come out of the woodwork as time goes on.
I really hope people remember these shameful firms and stay away from them but we know people are infinitely stupid and will go back to places like Sports Direct and get their heads straight back in the sock bin as soon as this is over. If it is ever over 😐
RobLeenio
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:27 PM
Comment #12Really interesting short video on the balance of nature vs nurture in predicting talent, whether sporting or otherwise.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/is-innate-talent-a-myth/p086wjwk
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:27 PM
Comment #13Jib
Howay man, you know as well as I do that the £1’s a figure needed to go through Hertz’s books.
hibbit
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:30 PM
Comment #14lesh/bill
well done lads setting a great example with that decision 😀
toon22
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:31 PM
Comment #15Lesh
I know what you mean with the DM article any bad news is good news 😉
As for JIBs opinion on the £1 its more to do with making Jabba look not that bad as loads of other people are just as ..etc
Pure human garbage
toon22
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:33 PM
Comment #16Jeff Stelling brilliant as he slaughters Mike Ashley and calls for Police to take action against him
https://www.themag.co.uk/2020/03/jeff-stelling-brilliant-as-he-slaughters-mike-ashley-and-calls-for-police-to-take-action-against-him-newcastle-united-sports-direct/
carltoon
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:34 PM
Comment #17I agree about Dubravkas girlfriend have sat close to her, and believe me even without make up she’s stunning. I think she was a beauty queen from wherever country he’s from. But she seemed really nice.
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:42 PM
Comment #18Big Bruce Stars
It’s not just the big companies.
Friends of ours had booked and paid a £240 deposit for a May week in a cottage in East Dean, East Sussex. It was to be their thirteenth year travelling down from Tyneside.
However and given the covid epidemic, they thought better if travelling and contacted to owners to cancel the booking with a view to coming down when things are safer.
Could they postpone transferring their deposit to a date to be confirmed? ‘Nope’. Could they have their deposit back? ‘Nope, non refundable, terms and conditions etc’
It’d be wrong to name names and I’m sure that Beachy Head Holiday Cottages wouldn’t too happy if it were the letter.
Caveat emptor
lesh
Mar 24, 2020 at 3:45 PM
Comment #19carltoon
But there’s beauty and there’s beauty and real beauty’s more than skin deep.
Munster Mag
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:30 PM
Comment #20Nonsense Lesh, she’s a babe full stop. With a face like that she can drown kittens for all I care 🙂