Joe White is determined to put a frustrating pre-season behind him in a push for first-team football. The midfielder suffered a knee injury during the U21s win over La Liga’s Elche but has recently returned in a bid to impress Eddie Howe.
In an interview with The Chronicle, the 19-year-old revealed he is still not fully fit but has returned for the U21s. He is also a part of the first-team setup and continues to train with the senior squad.
“I’ve been up there (first-team training) every day since I came back from injury. I am still not at full fitness. That was my first full game at Barnsley but for the last two weeks I have been up there most days. That further enhances my first-team chances.
“It happened in Spain in pre-season. I picked up a niggle and didn’t manage to get to Austria because of that. In Spain I tore my lateral meniscus. I did it before the Elche game but played through it, I didn’t think it was major so I had a scan when I came back and the scan came back and showed a tear.
“It was disappointing to start the season like that and that stopped the loans going through. Which obviously I wanted to do.”
White would have been one of the youngsters Howe brought to Austria for the training camp. He missed a golden opportunity to impress in pre-season; an opportunity that fellow teenager Elliot Anderson used to his full advantage.
Anderson is now fully ensconced with the first team having made his full debut in the Carabao Cup win at Tranmere. He has three impressive EPL cameos this season as well. That is where White wants to be in the future.
Like Anderson, Joe spent the second half of last season on loan in League Two. He made 16 appearances for Hartlepool with 3 assists. That experience has stoked a fire in him for more first-team football, whether on Tyneside or another loan.
“I don’t want to be playing Under-21s football anymore. Unfortunately, I did not manage to get on loan this season so these games are important for me to see where I am at and hopefully get out on loan in January.”
“I think after last season, playing first-team football at Hartlepool, in the second half of the season I enjoy the EFL Trophy nights. That’s all I want to do now. The initial aim is to get into Eddie Howe’s first-team squad. And I have got three months to improve as much as possible and play as well as I can.
“I need to be the best player on the pitch for the Under-21s in each game. I think I need to stand out in these games which will help in January.”
White will likely head back out on loan in January. With a compact schedule until the World Cup break in November, he may get a chance to make some matchday squads over the next couple of months.
The teenager, who signed from Carlisle in 2016, signed a new contract until 2025 in March. So Newcastle have faith he can progress into a first-team regular. The young midfielder certainly doesn’t lack the determination to make it on Tyneside.
He is also thrilled to be working closely with Howe, who he cites as the primary reason he committed his future to the club. This is what he said about training with the first team:
“You have to be totally switched on. You need to be switched on if you go up there. Eddie is the best really. He is the reason I signed the contract in January.
“He spoke to me a lot and he is a massive help to everybody. Everybody I speak to down here in the Under-21s and everybody I speak to up at the first-team. Especially the guys who have been with him the longest like Matt Ritchie with Bournemouth. They sing his praises but I have nothing but kind words to say about him.”
White has suffered a few injuries that have stalled his progress over the past few years. He continues to work hard and will hopefully get a loan move in January and be ready to fight for his place next summer.
53 comments so far
The Taco Taker
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:14 PM
Comment #41“A moral responsibility” – That does remind me of when Piers Morgan used to go to prisons and interview female convicts (Killer Women the show was called) – I remember watching one episode “and thinking this Woman has a moral responsibility to bludgeon him to death with her chair”
Toon fans bad
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:17 PM
Comment #42NY,
Yeah, we need to see it with our own mince pies, can’t trust a journo’s account of what happened on anything in society really.
I watched all the games in WC 2018 and the Euro’s last year and for me Southgate just wasn’t good enough.
He struggles against decent national sides. WC 2018 we beat Panama, Tunisia and got beat off Belgium in the group. Got passed Columbia on pens in the last 16, beat Sweden in Quarters and then got beat off Croatia obviously in the semi’s, and then beat off Belgium again in the 3rd place play-off. An easy route to the Semi’s. There was nothing there that made me think Southgate was a good manager I’m afraid.
Nijmegen-toon
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:22 PM
Comment #43I think Southgate’s managerial prowess will really come to the fore when he gets offered a club job, I’m sure some Dutch or Portuguese side will offer him a role, he may well just decide management isn’t for him after all. I honestly don’t see which PL club give him a chance and surely after his, let’s face it, England success, I can’t see him starting back off in the Championship.
Nijmegen-toon
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:24 PM
Comment #44Thank goodness for the TO, he’s just the type of manager Ashley would have taken the FA’s hand off for 😳
The Taco Taker
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:25 PM
Comment #45TFB, I would agree with that and the Euros were similar really, a couple of decent results but nothing to shout about given the players at our disposal.
I suspect we won’t beat Germany tonight.
Nijmegen-toon
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:26 PM
Comment #46It’s funny to hear Howe’s comments on how he would have taken the job even under Ashley, I wonder how long it would have taken Ashley to sack him when he realised he was popular.
The Taco Taker
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:28 PM
Comment #47Nijmegen, good point it would be interesting to see how Southgate got on in club football.
Toon fans bad
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:29 PM
Comment #48jane,
I agree, we know Southgate is expected to do interviews and answer questions on a variety of current things going on, and he does speak eloquently, but he’s too involved with it all for me. However the FA certainly got the right bloke in Southgate to deal with it all.
Nijmegen-toon
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:29 PM
Comment #49People keep saying the players at our disposal, we’ve never had a smaller pool of players in 60 years, pretty much any English player who makes it in the PL now is linked with England. There was a time when arguably one of the best CB’s of his generation, like it or not Steve Bruce, couldn’t get in to the England team.
NY Mag
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:29 PM
Comment #50TFB,
I’m not saying he’s a good manager…far from it.
I said he’s earned the right to take the squad to Qatar, which I think he has…..and I’ll be backing him and the lads all the way.
The WC is the tournament I will always remember, I remember everyone of them since Mexico ‘86 (I can remember before that, but not with so much clarity)
I’m looking forward to this one as much as any other…..if we are cack, he’s gone – if we’re great, he’s gonna be a national hero….I just want us to play well 🙂
Toon fans bad
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:51 PM
Comment #51NY,
I don’t think anyone thinks he’s actually a good manager to be honest.
29.8% win rate as Boro boss is almost Bruceyesque!
He was a young manager though in his defence.
I’ll be right up for the WC pal, and I’ll be fully behind Southgate for the tourney. I really hope we do something special, but Southgate needs to take the right players in form and put the right players on the pitch. It’ll be interesting to see the Qatar squad when it’s named.
Nijmegen-toon
Sep 26, 2022 at 5:58 PM
Comment #52How many English LB’s play in the PL. Matt Targett and Ben Chillwell off the top of my head.
cyprus
Sep 26, 2022 at 6:47 PM
Comment #53The man is hard working, humble, has achieved as much if not more than others.
We always think we have a golden generation and we always almost make it. We first don’t believe we can do it, then we start thinking well maybe this time we will, then we lose. That’s how it goes. Nice predictable ride.