When Steve Bruce was the manager at Newcastle for a couple of seasons, his team selection was strange.
Several good players like Sean Longstaff and Fabian Scharr didn’t get many games under Bruce, before the new owners bought the club from Mike Ashley and were even considering leaving Newcastle to get more playing time elsewhere.
31-year-old Fabian Schar who is away with the Switzerland squad during the International break has talked about what a great job manager Eddie Howe has done over the last two years (although Fabian keeps saying it’s 3 years).
As we know Eddie Howe and his team have improved quite a number of players who were already at the club when he arrived.
This is what Schar has said as reported in the Chronicle:
“It has been the story of improvement from not just the club but every individual. In the last three years, we have been on a brilliant journey to be fair.”
“And everyone has stepped up. As for the togetherness in the squad, I have never had this before. It’s unbelievable really. I’m just really happy to be part of it.”
“That’s the same for many other players. We just try to fight for each other and I think we have been so much better and made so much improvement in three years that, it’s great to see.”
“They made getting more from inherited players possible with the coaching and the way they put this group together. The togetherness we have now is down to them.”
“I wouldn’t be in the position I am in now if it wasn’t for Eddie Howe or the club for bringing him in. I just try to give them everything back.”
When Eddie Howe came in on November 8th, we were second bottom of the league with 4 points (4 draws) from our first 11 games.
Howe took some time to get the team playing well, but then in early 2022 we won six games out of 7 and then we won six of our last 8 games – so that was 12 wins and 36 points and we finished in 11th place on 49 points.
Howe had 13 wins and 6 draws in 27 games in that first season – 45 points – a tremendous achievement by the head coach and his team.
The next season we finished in 4th place with 71 points and we are currently suffering from injuries and the lads will have to pull together in the 10 games we have before the January transfer window opens on January 1st.
This is when our team spirit and fighting for the cause has to show through.
Comments are welcome.
20 comments so far
The Mighty Quinn
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Comment #1Come on without
Come on within
You ain’t seen nothing like Micky Quinn.
CLINT FLICK
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:18 PM
Comment #2What a striker!
Fenham to Chalfont
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:18 PM
Comment #3Good first Quinny lad 😉
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:24 PM
Comment #4A definite success story 🙂
Fenham to Chalfont
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:28 PM
Comment #5It’s so refreshing to see players having the best time of their professional careers since Eddie arrived, or they signed for NUFC aft were Eddie’s arrival.
As per Ed’s article, Schar is loving life at the moment, it’s the best part of his professional career. You could most definitely add the following to that list: Murphy, Joelinton, Burn, Pope, Botman, Lascelles, Longstaff, Bruno, Almiron, Gordon. Ffs I’ll be here all day, let’s say the whole squad (maybe apart from Trippier, obviously Tonali and Barnes) are having their best seasons of their careers so far, that is testament to how Eddie man manages his squad. With Graeme Jones and Jason Tindall helping with the togetherness and harmony it’s a great ingredient and it will show as our backs are to the wall with the injuries. They’ll come out and fight tooth and nail for the cause. I’ve always said it though when players are playing with a smile, loving life and their confidence is sky high, that’s when you get the very best out the player(s).
Uncertain Toon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Comment #6Aye Dr Ed,
I noticed he kept saying 3 years as well pal. Bruceless will read that and claim he was part of the clubs rise to the upper echelons of the EPL 😆
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:30 PM
Comment #7Bruce’s management extended as far as asking Lascelles who he preferred playing with, Clark or Schar.
Wor B
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:35 PM
Comment #8Turn your back for a day or so and two avatars have changed! 😮
Nice one Uncertain, suits you!
TMQ, the mighty one’s ‘tache is a sight to behold for sure, but FFS man, have you no understanding of your target audience?
Bring back Scarlett before there’s a rebellion!!!
Essex Geordie Bill
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:40 PM
Comment #9Uncertain Toon
Well done mate, now I only have one avatar to totally ignore! 🙂
Certain Toon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:45 PM
Comment #10Thanks Wor B and EGB
mctoon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Comment #11“We are the only club with money to be aware and follow the rules of the game”.
It’s a noble statement for sure, but one born in hope rather than fact.
Man City, Chelsea and Everton supporters would have been singing from the exact same hymn sheet up until the point that the shit hit the fan. (excuse the pun)
Like every supporter of every club, we don’t know if our club is operating within the financial rules of the game.
We can only hope and have the belief that they are.
FFP though is a discriminatory rule, it only strengthens the powerful and stifles the ambitions of the weak.
Like any form of discrimination, it should be challenged. Preferably legally.
But baying for blood against teams that fall foul?
Be careful what you wish for …
A problem for the club now is that expectation is rising, fans are already starting to moan about recruitment strategy and progress.
Defeats met with ever louder derision.
We’ve had our FFP honeymoon period, trust the club when they say that it’s now hurting us and will continue to hurt us in the short and medium term going forward.
We’re being made to play to a completely new set of rules that have are being set by the clubs above us.
Patience and understanding is key.
Davas,
Yeah a certain Mr Platini was the instigator of FFP. A man known to base his footballing decisions on the size of the backhander.
Say no more indeed.
Uncertain Toon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Comment #12Wor B & Essex,
I must make it clear though, other lagers are available 😆
Fenham to Chalfont
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Comment #13Bill,
I’d say there is more than one avatar to avoid. The freak has a few alts mate, definitely 3 potentially 4. Where do such freaks of nature find so much time?
jane
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Comment #14Wales equaliser just before half time. long throw and own goal.
Uncertain Toon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:53 PM
Comment #15FFS, it didn’t take the irk long to spoil it again. Proper stalker.
Certain Toon
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:55 PM
Comment #16The fat knacker must have finished beating his wife
#pandaeyes
CLINT FLICK
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:55 PM
Comment #17McToon
Weren’t we virtually the only football club in the friggen world that operated in the black, under What’s his name?
While we’ve steadily increased our revenue in recent years, as far as i’m aware we operate within the regs!
i’m pretty sure the powers that be would be letting us know and changing rules to slow us down…ah!
😉
JohnJ
Nov 18, 2023 at 2:56 PM
Comment #18I like the new avatars – very smart I must say!
Wish we had a Micky Quinn just now! Oh and a pint of Carling wouldn’t go amiss either!
mctoon
Nov 18, 2023 at 3:17 PM
Comment #19CT
All clubs will utilise ‘creative accounting’.
The bigger the accounts, the better the accountant, the more creative they can be.
Some get caught by overcooking them.
Lets not lose sight of the fact that the current intentions of FFP are just plain wrong though.
lesh
Nov 18, 2023 at 3:38 PM
Comment #20TMQ
Since you found out to change your avatar, yiv been like a bairn with a new toy. We’ll need to think of a plan B for ya Christmas box now!