Newcastle United Football Club Blog

Newcastle Is Closer to London Than Middlesbrough

shearyadi — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:02:39 +0000

When talking about the highest level of diplomacy in football over the past decades, Kevin Keegan must be the mastermind of negotiating with player, as long as he was the one who is in full charge.

It may be long enough and probably not suit enough to todays way of negotiate, but I still think that the King still has the charismatic performance when dealing with player, he still has that magic of influence and can be the master of negotiator.

Unfortunately, his such high charisma would mean nothing if no sufficient back-up from current Toon board of directors, and these days, we have many of them that Keegan would see it more difficult to handle than the old days at Newcastle.

Keegan was also has the eye of the tiger when targeting his player to play for him. Back in September 1992, Kevin Keegan was successful in signing Charlton Athletic star Robert Lee for a fee of £700,000. At that time, Lee is rated one of the best players outside the top division.

After appearing more than 300 occasions for the Addicks in which he netted more than 60 goals, Rob Lee signed for Toon after hearing Keegan’s diplomacy about Newcastle is closer to London than Middlesbrough, who also keen to sign him from Charlton. Keegan also succeed to convince him to play more conventional attacking midfielder role than as a winger on his time with the London club.

The same role as what Rob Lee has been playing for United is now happening to Michael Owen. Under Keegan, the England striker was reborn after the King made him playing more deeper role in Newcastle’s three-pronged strikeforce. Once again, Keegan instinct is right, and Owen is just like Lee, has scores more goals for United in his new role.

And when Keegan said nearly two months ago that Newcastle board should start negotiating a contract extention with Michael Owen, it was something that is more to Keegan’s basic instinct because he knows Owen can be usefull for Newcastle, if we can make him stay out of injury.

The King is right once again, Michael Owen playing important key in our relegation escape, and the Toon board now looking to put an end to the speculation regarding his future before making moves for another players in the transfer market.

Both representatives of the England international and the club officials begin negotiations last week and arrange the second meeting to take place in the next fortnight. Owen himself is still keen to remaining a Newcastle player and he is full of praise for the work done by Keegan.

“We all enjoy training and playing alongside each other and he has brought a real feel-good factor into the club,” said Owen in an interview on Newcastle World. “Everyone is enjoying coming in to training every day and when you do that you do it better. He knows his stuff and he can see a player, he can see if something needs tweaking or changing and tactically he’s very good. It’s been a fantastic appointment for us and we’ve all really enjoyed his time so far.”

All I can say is, stay with us for more time Mikey, and you will see that Newcastle United is true closer to London (Wembley) rather than from Middlesbrough not very long from now.

Michael James Owen Could Become Toon First Summer Signing

shearyadi — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:33:16 +0000

Despite being injured for most of his time with Newcastle, YMO is still one of Newcastle player that being highly praise by Kevin Keegan and was his biggest priority to have sign for Toon this summer.

Although his appearance for Newcastle since his £16million signing from Real Madrid in 2005, restricted to only 37 league starts, Keegan is insist that Owen can become “one of the Tyneside greats” and identified as his priority this summer with further meetings to discuss the contract extention have been scheduled.

The new talk schedule is also to counter the latest ridiculous rumour from Nikkan Sports that reported J-League Chiba officials were preparing an initial approach after unveiling former Liverpool first-team coach Alex Miller as their new manager and had made contact with Owen’s agent Tony Stephens.

As a young lad, He held talks with Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, before he eventually signed for Liverpool, the club that persuaded him to attend the FA’s School of Excellence at Lilleshall in Shropshire at age 14 before signed professional forms for the senior team just after his seventeenth birthday in December 1996.

After successful playing career with the Reds (1996–2004) scoring 118 goals from 216 appearance, he signed for Spanish giant Real Madrid but being overlooked in his very first and only season among the star-studded Galacticos squad. Owen scores 13 goals from 35 appearances for them.

On 24 August 2005, Newcastle United announced a club record fee of £16 million to take Owen back to premier league. He scored his first goal for United on his second appearance, United’s second goal in a 3–0 away win at Blackburn Rovers on September 18.

Owen scored his first hat-trick for Newcastle in the 4–2 away win over West Ham on December 17 with a “perfect hat trick”, with one goal scored with each of his left foot, right foot, and his head. After that, Owen’s season with Newcastle is full of injury problems.

In the first minute of the group match against Sweden at the 2006 World Cup, damaged anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee kept Owen out of United squad for nearly a year, until April 2007. With an escape clause valued at £12 million in his precious contract before being cleared off this year, Owen has often being in reports he could move on to another club at the end of the 2006–07 season.

After returning from the hernia operation in late September 2007, he scored a late goal coming off the substitutes bench to clinch victory for Newcastle over Everton. In the second Keegan era, Owen scored again in a 4-1 FA Cup 3rd round replay win over Stoke City on 16 January 2008.

With more speculations back in about his future under Keegan’s because of an old burst-up between them while Keegan was the England manager, Owen was later awarded the captaincy by Keegan on 19 January 2008 and scored his first league goal for Keegan on 3rd of February.

Owen’s goals starting to come in the 2-0 defeat of Fulham on 22 March 2008, which also Newcastle’ first win under Kevin Keegan’s second stewardship before finishing with 11 Premier League goals and was the key factor in Newcastle relegation escape in the 2007-2008 season.

If They Can Do It, We Also Should Do the Same

shearyadi — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:32:35 +0000

Kevin Keegan in such full praise to his fellow Everton manager David Moyes for their wonderful achievement to finish fifth this season and get the UEFA spot.

Toon Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Goodison Park saw the difference between a team with something to fight for against Newcastle team with nothing to lose and just play to complete the season off. To have lost Martins, Viduka, Geremi and Barton in the squad makes it even worst as we don’t have enough back-up.

Being out-played and fell behind in the 29th minute, we looked out of inspiration without supplies from Geremi and no Martins to break the Everton defence. Carroll is still far away from being decent Premier League striker although he looks promising for the future.

Michael Owen is being push as the target men once again but couple of times to have misunderstanding with his striking partner Carroll to make it easy for Toffees defenders to keep him quiet most of the game. In midfield, we are one player less with Alan Smith playing as he always be, useless.

“Everton are an inspiration to everyone.” KK said after the game, “They haven’t got a massive squad but they made good investment in the summer with players such as Yakubu, Lescott and Jagielka.”

“They have a got a good squad and a great togetherness and a lot of very good professionals. But if they can do it then why can’t we?” Toon gaffer added more.

True, we have to create the new Newcastle team next season, a team with togetherness and feel responsible in every match. Keegan said we will offload Carr, Ramage and Troisi next season, but what about Smith, Duff and…. N’Zogbia?

About Peter Ramage, I don’t have bad feeling for him, for me he’s such a player as he is but since Keegan have a little too many in our defence, I can understand why Keegan decide to give Ramage the chance for him to look for more opportunities to play more often somewhere with other team.

The same thing with Troisi. Although for some games he looks decent player, but I don’t think he can win first team squad in near future, so it may good for him to look elsewhere. Carr, well…what can I say about him?

Smith and Duff defenitely off, they have finished long before and they should go too. Zoggy, hard to decide. He’s one of the Toon player who is lively yesterday and he also create the one and only goal for us from a penalty spot. I hope Keegan has the plan for him and can keep him next season. Charles still worth to keep in Black-and-White, as I think Duff will packing and leave next season.

Everton 3 vs Newcastle United 1 - Match Report

shearyadi — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:29:10 +0000

Alright Mike, can you see it now how could be United team make any progress next season without significant changes? I don’t think so. With both Oba and Vid gets injured, Keegan is forced to recall dull player like Alan Smith and Damien Duff replacing Joey Barton.

This game also become the first senior appearance for Toon January signing Ben Tozer on the bench. Peter Ramage, Cacapa and Kazenga Lua-Lua also name among the substitutes with Andy Carroll starts in front.

It’s clear enough that we are definetely can’t do much in the early minutes of the first half, with the Evertonians keep attacking us. Yakubu gets past the challenge of Butt in the first 10 minutes with Duff come to covering but only loses out to the Nigerian, poor defending from Newcastle.

Another comedy in our defence happens in 20 minutes of play when Fernandes delivers a whipped free-kick with Harper tries to fist clear, the ball rushing into the path of Osman who turns the ball with his back off the target. You wouldn’t believe how we defending his effort. Faye felt to the ground after a collision with Harper! Luckily, Osman’ hooked effort bounces wide off the target.

It was a matter of time before Toffees finally breaking through and scores. In the half an hour mark, Pienaar deliver his free-kick into United penalty area and it’s the same scenario happening again like the Chelsea match where this time it’s the unmarked Yakubu who climbs highest to head beyond Harper. Oh dear…

In this first period, only N’Zogbia who looks decent and have couple of teasing cross where none of Toon target men was even near to accept the invitations. We also have a bit of luck not to get two goals behid after an offside decision canceling Yakubu seconds.

In the second half, we have another lucky gift when Peter Walton gave us a penalty two minutes from the restart and Owen convert it well under Tim Howard.

But, it was just that. The home side taking the command back soon after that. It takes a combination of Harper, Carroll and Butt to clear the danger that coming from Portugal midfielder Manuel Fernandes free-kick. We have not much chance but have to park the bus once again.

I can hardly believe how poor we are today and keep conceding from set pieces. Their second goal coming from another Toffee’s free-kick, and it’s Fernandes delivering to the far post where Taylor wasn’t able to get enough of it to leave Joleon Lescott turns home for his 10th of the season. Oh dear…OH DEAR…

To make it quick as I’m not really in the good mod today to make a long match report, we are flattened by their third goal 8 minutes from final whistle from a penalty spot. Yakubu nets his second this time. Triple OH DEAR…

So that’s it, the end of our 2007-2008 season which is another season to forget…forever.

TEAMS

Everton FC:
Tim Howard, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville (c), Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Yakubu, Manuel Fernandes, Lee Carsley, Victor Anichebe
Subs: Leighton Baines, Thomas Gravesen, Daniel Gosling, Stefan Wessels, Jack Rodwell

Newcastle United FC:
Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Steve Taylor, Abdoulaye Faye, Nicky Butt, Charles N’Zogbia, Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Michael Owen (c), Alan Smith, Andy Carroll
Subs: Fraser Forster, Claudio Cacapa, Peter Ramage, Ben Tozer, Kazenga LuaLua

Referee: Peter Walton

Newcastle Hope to End the Season In Style and Beat Toffees

shearyadi — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:46:37 +0000

Please Keegan, no Alan Smith or Damien Duff as the starter today at Goodison Park, make Andy Carroll and ‘N Zogbia instead of them. Make both Smith and Duff on the Magpie bench.

Without Mark Viduka (Achilles), Joey Barton (bail conditions), James Milner (foot) and Emre, we will have short options in midfield and one target man up front. I prefer we start with Carrol and Martins rather than let Smith making trouble from the start.

This last fixture of the season could be the last chance for N’Zogbia to proven he’s still worth to be include in Keegan next season rebuilding plans. If we want this such ‘talent’ to stay, I think we better let him start the game, so he can feel still needed by his gaffer and useful for the team.

For the home side, Mikael Arteta (stomach), Tim Cahill (foot) and James Vaughan (knee) are all still missing. But to be honest, they have wonderful home record against us in the last three seasons under the previous managers. We have losts there three times in 2004/05 lost 2-0, 2005/06 lost 1-0 and in 2006/07 lost 3-0.

Our last win there was back in 2001/02 season with goals from Bellamy, Solano and Clarence Acuna. Keegan’s record there while managing United were also not too impressive. Our first 2-0 win there in premierships years was in season 1993/94 thanks to goals from Andy Cole and Peter Beardsley.

Referee for this match is Peter Walton who also incharge in our two away defeats at Derby County and Liverpool, could this will be our third under his command? I hope not!

Below is our complete Premierships record at Goodison Park:
2006/07: 0-3
2005/06: 0-1
2004/05: 0-2
2003/04: 2-2 Shearer 2 (2 pens)
2002/03: 1-2 Robert
2001/02: 3-1 Bellamy, Solano, Acuna
2000/01: 1-1 Unsworth og
1999/00: 2-0 Hughes, Dyer
1998/99: 0-1
1997/98: 0-0
1997/98: 1-0 Rush (FA Cup)
1996/97: 0-2
1995/96: 3-1 Ferdinand, Lee, Kitson
1994/95: 0-1 (FA Cup)
1994/95: 0-2
1993/94: 2-0 Cole, Beardsley

I Came Back To Great Club With Great Supporter

shearyadi — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:36:50 +0000

Yes, that’s the reason why Kevin Keegan decided to make a return to football management in January. He’s not the likes of any other manager who came here before him, they are good managers, they also knows the game but definetely, they don’t know anything about Newcastle United.

If you also following the news recently, when Keegan’s comments on our 2-0 home defeat by Chelsea by saying the impossibility for the other premierships club to challenge any of the current Premier League’s top four clubs has been responded widely and with different perceptions by the press and other premier league supporters.

“I am not scared of saying what I think the situation is, and I won’t change that.” Keegan said, “Part of my job as manager of Newcastle United is to tell fans what’s happening at their club.”

That’s my Keegan. But, to be fair, I don’t think Keegan would say that without any good reason, not because he knows that Mike Ashley probably would not give him an extra big money to spend this summer, not because he can not take Newcastle back to challenge any of the top four teams, or anything else.

I see what Keegan means by boring is that the reality of current premier league is (mostly) corresponded to money and money and nothing but money. Want the truth about it? You can read on one comment on my previous post from a Chelsea fan, who said Keegan and Newcastle will need to spend £300millions to get into the top four.

This league is in danger with the huge gap between the top four with their money and the teams below them who have to struggle with their very limited budgets. Not to mention how they have to accept the reality when dealing with new players, they will simply lost any good player because they can not offering them Champions League games.

And from the meeting with the owner in London today, Kevin Keegan will remain in charge of Newcastle United next season. Dennis Wise, the executive director (football), United chairman Chris Mort and newly-appointed deputy Derek Llambias, together with Tony Jimenez, vice-president (player recruitment) are also include in the meeting to discuss transfer targets, the amount of funding and the separation of duties between Keegan and Newcastle’ directors at St James’ Park.

United chairman said after the meeting that it was a good meeting and was both productive and constructive. It’s good to hear about that. I personally feared of the possibility of Keegan being sacked, but thank god it wasn’t happen. We need more than just money to build this club, we need more of stability, consistency and the man who loves this club inside out to take the hot seat, and it was nobody else but Kevin Keegan.

It’s good to wait and see the implementations of today’s meeting, especially about contract talks with Michael Owen and Steven Taylor. From recent news, United boards appear to have recognised the need for urgency and talks with them are expected to start soon.

HOWAY THE LADS!!!

Mike Ashley Arrange a London Meeting with Kevin Keegan

shearyadi — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:14:40 +0000

I once thought that Newcastle’ new owner Mike Ashley has matched with most of the Toon Army expectations of how this club should be leading to, but several of disagreements from Toon directors especially with previous manager, this club has relegation battle for months.

And after Keegan wrote off United’s chances next season to closing the gap with the Premier League’s elite, Mike Ashley is starting to speak about Toon summer spending with King Kev.

Keegan also branding the League as one of the world’s “most boring” competitions. He insisting we were a “million miles” away from the top four and there’s nothing he can do next year to get near them unless Ashley backed him with major investment in the transfer market.

“I haven’t got enough money and I wouldn’t be able to get the players anyway, so I’ll soldier on.” Keegan said on Telegraph site, “Maybe the owner thinks we can bridge that gap - but we can’t. This League is in danger of becoming one of the most boring but great leagues in the world. The top four next year will be the same top four as this year.”

I believe Mike Ashley has the pride of the Tyne, and if that is the reason why he invite Keegan for a talk, it would be something that would be good benefit for this club future and not the other way end.

Telegraph said, Keegan is understood to have angered Ashley with his remarkably downbeat assessment of the club’s future and in particular the claim that they were “a million miles away” from the top four. I don’t see any reason why Ashley should get mad about what Keegan said.

Ashley was there, at St. James’s Park last Monday when he witnesses the lack of quality in Newcastle squad against the top four team. He also seen how we’re heavily beaten by Manchester United or Liverpool before, so Keegan is trying to wake him up about the current Premier League reality, he was simply being realistic.

From the news today, Keegan wants £80millions to strengthen his squad next season. For me, that amount of money is nothing if we compare to how much the Chelsea’s owner is providing to pursue Lionel Messi from Barcelona with the same amount of money that Keegan want to spends this summer to push for a place in Europe next season.

Kevin Keegan also confirmed on Tuesday that Stephen Carr, Peter Ramage and James Troisi will leave the club at the end of the season. That would make our team even more thinner, we need immediate action very soon from Ashley or we could face another bad season to come.

Howay Ashley! Keegan loves this club, and he will use your money for good and will not waste it like any other Toon previous managers!

My Relationship With Mike Ashley Is Perfect - I Never Speak To Him

Clarky — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:12:09 +0000

Well, now we know the answer. Despite giving Chelsea a helluva battle with a highly creditable 1st half performance, we were steam-rollered in the 2nd half and ultimately couldn’t live with a team in the Champions League Final and within a breath of stealing the Premier League from ManU.

It’s difficult to know what happened during the half time break to so utterly change the course of the game. Certainly without Viduka we seemed to lose all shape and organisation, and never really got back into the game from the restart.

We had worked extremely hard during the first 45 minutes, and seemed unable to continue making the telling runs, retain good possession, or provide support to the man in possession thereafter. John Terry revealed that Avram Grant had given his team a real rollicking at half time, so perhaps it was simply down to Chelsea moving up a gear or two.

Whatever the reason, the 2nd half was a real disappointment after such a thrilling opening 45mins. To be fair to Chelsea, they were excellent during the opening 30 minutes of that 2nd half, during which we were totally overrun in midfield.

I thought Taylor, Butt and Owen were our best performers on the day, although Martins caused Chelsea problems in the 1st half. Taylor handled Drogba terrifically well, and perhaps deserved his official MOTM award.

Butt had an excellent 1st half, being involved in almost everything for us, but like most of the others rather faded in the 2nd half. Owen worked his socks off all over the pitch. He missed a couple of difficult half-chances, but had a goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Terry.

I thought we ultimately lost it in midfield, where Barton in particular was poor, barely making a telling contribution in the entire 90mins. Smith ended up in midfield – I think. He was truly dreadful. We seemed to start the 2nd half in 4-4-2 with Martins and Smith playing up front.

With Chelsea running all over us, Smith dropped back into midfield leaving Martins on his own up front. This left us with no ‘out’ ball, and effectively conceding possession to Chelsea time and time again.

Tbph, I’m not sure what else we could have done in the circumstances, but I felt we’d have been better off telling Smith to stay forward, occupy Terry and Carvalho, and hopefully hold up the ball to allow others to get forward when we had possession.

As always, Smith was utterly useless in midfield, and we couldn’t possibly have been any worse off had he stayed up front with Martins foraging. There again…

Regarding Kevin Keegan, I didn’t see his post-match interview, but almost everything he is saying publicly right now concern me. I really don’t think he is happy with the management support behind the scenes at St. James’s Park, and I’m becoming increasingly concerned that, having kept the club in the Premier League, he may throw in the towel unless he starts getting the support he feels he needs.

One of his his most recent quotes is something like - “my relationship with Mike Ashley is perfect - I never speak to him”. Read into that what you will.

This was a game that provided us with a reality check, if one was needed, and confirmed just how far behind the Top 3 we really are. At our very best we can give them a game: drop below our very best by even a couple of percents and we are snookered.

For me, the game confirmed what I already knew – we have improved immeasurably under King Kev, but our midfield, in particular, is nowhere near good enough to take us back into the Top 6.

PS: nice to see Frank Lampard getting a little round of applause, after a few loons starting booing his introduction. Also nice to see him reciprocating on the final whistle. He seems a decent blerk to me, and has had a tough time personally recently.

Newcastle United 0 vs Chelsea 2, Smith Out This Weekend

shearyadi — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:17:58 +0000

This is nothing to do with helping or not helping the other team to win the title this season, and I can accept the defeat as long as we have been playing well thoroughly the 90 minutes.

It was another wrong player in the wrong place when Keegan once again give Alan Smith a probably his last chance in Black-and-White. He has not giving anything for this team since his move from Manchester United in summer last year. His one and only goal for Newcastle was in the pre-season match but after that he’s just a waste of money.

In the first-half we actually give the visitors so much to think about if they’re trying to play us, and we have an early chance to lead when Nicky Butt plays in Michael Owen with a smart lob and stolen a march on John Terry, with just Cech to beat, Toon skipper can only direct his first time volley over the crossbar.

With only around half an hour, Michael Owen once again has been giving great opportunity to beat the deadlock. Ferreira slides in to try steal the ball from Martins, but the Nigerian poised to strike in, the ball runs for Viduka whose his effort being kept out by Cech.

The ball rolls free again and it was Michael Owen who has the last strike for Toon but see his kick denied by Terry who is back on the line to clear.

But, the real show has come in near the dying minutes. Martins starts to causing problems, his cross sees Beye slash-in an effort wide of Cech’s target. While minutes before that a generous applause from the Toon Army to our Lads for Newcastle move that involving at least 20 neat-passes but unlucky end with a Chelsea goal-kick after Barton tries to get the end of Martins’ throughball.

The good story suddenly come to an end with Alan Smith having replaced Mark Viduka in second-half. Disaster coming in. Starting with the second corner for the visitors, and some sharp Chelsea passing start to cause us some real problems.

They finally works for a chance to an opening for Ballack inside the penalty area, the German is just about to pull the trigger but Steven Taylor arrives in the nick of time to divert the ball behind for a corner.

On the second period, we are never get the chance to get back into the game as good as we did in the first half, thanks to Alan Smith! It was Chelsea who dominate the game and they get the goal they deserve when Malouda is taken out by Faye on the right and received the yellow card.

Drogba clips over the free-kick to the near post where the sloppy defending from United release Ballack unmarked and he guides his header beyond Steve Harper to give the visitors the lead.

Our one and only chance this half coming again for Owen whose ghosted in to beat the offside trap but again his finishing inches away from connecting to level the scores. The game was practically end when they have the second goal in 82 minutes from a slick move from Lampard spring Malouda clear to finish the ball low under Harper.

The Magpies Has Slim Chance to Finish 10th This Season

shearyadi — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:44:17 +0000

Although very slim, but we still have the chance to finish in 10th place this season, something that is hard to imagine regarding to our relegation battle couple months ago.

To achieve that, we must win the last two matches against Chelsea and Everton. If we can do that we will have 49 points in total, with assumption Spurs lost in their final match at White Hart Lane against Liverpool and West Ham also lost at home to Villa.

The best chance we can get is to finish above Tottenham, which I will celebrate it all night long. So let’s concentrate for today match and hope the Lads can give all the very best of them at St. James’s Park.

A win today will also means alot to those who are lucky enough to get into the fortress St. James to watch the game live. According to the official site, United will select a season ticket holder at random from their database and the lucky fan plus a guest will be able to enjoy the first home game of the 2008/09 season in style with a hospitality package in the Magpie Suite.

This special treat is to celebrate more than one million fans passing through the St. James’ Park turnstiles. From our 20 home games this season, including Carling Cup fixtures against Barnsley and FA Cup replay against Stoke City, an aggregate of 988,419 fans have been recorded and the million mark will break through again with a confirmed 52,000 tickets sell-out today.

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