Sorry to bring things back to earth. Just found this article in the Irish Independent. Have a read of this pertinent paragraph. Wonder which defender this was? "Had he been at St James' on Friday night, Benitez would have witnessed the latest home defeat, the under 21s losing 4-1 to West Ham. Across the first team, under 21s and under 18s, Newcastle have played 78 games this season, won 18 and lost 46. A fortnight ago the under 21 manager, Beardsley, had to deny there is a "losing culture". There seemed to be grumbling everywhere. As things soured, one defender went down the Goodison Park tunnel after the 3-0 defeat shouting: "No one gives a ****."
To be honest there does appear to be a 'loosing culture' from the top to the bottom of the club. The whole place is rotten and I can only pray the we stay up so that Rafa stops and does something about it. Club legend or not, I fear that its time for Pedro and the likes to be moved on. The academy doesn't seem to be producing anybody of note.
At least we wont sell all of our best players.................... we haven't got any. We will get relegated though, I fear.
Ah! The brilliance of the NUFC fans - whinge and moan, whinge and moan, whinge and moan. Rafa has been here less than 48 hhours and it has already begun! Hopefully this young lad will soon see a change in mentality at the club.
I read the full article which was actually produced on The Mags website, very negative but all about the under 21's, nothing to do with the first team squad, the reaction from fans on there roundly slated the negative attitude being followed by them in the light of Rafa's appointment
I had hoped that this was an area that McLaren would have improved and think that it is something the club should be ashamed of. Newcastle and the northeast has always been a hotbed of youth football and it is ridiculous that we do not have a steady flow of young players coming through. Think we would be wise to pay someone to come in and review the whole process by which we try and find and develop young players and what the purpose of our academy and youth teams is.
We all loved Beardo the player - but the coach is an absolute cancer and can barely speak without sounding like an even more spasticated Quasimodo.
If colo and mbemba are back we might scrape through but otherwise were doomed. You cant plug holes with air
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......uh oh doom again.............Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
You've only just got Category One status after finally upgrading your facilities, this will improve you youth recruitment capabilities. The only person to blame for youth system being ****e is Ashley. Would be harsh to send the ugly hunchback **** packing when it's been the infrastructure which has been to blame. Now you've got status one and have the full recruitment freedom that comes with it, you'll be able to judge fairly within a few years if that side is being ran properly. Recently you've been last in the pecking order while clubs with better better status' have been skimming the cream.
Have they? Think you're living in the past. It's been ****e well over a decade. Our academy is fantastic yet we've produced very little, you've had ****e facilities and produced very little. Fortunately we've readdressed the way the academy has been run and look on the verge of our own golden generation and you lot finally have a top category academy so all recruitment restrictions have been lifted so things should improve in future years for both.
I am concerned by this "loosing" culture. If we don't even have clothing that fits properly, it sends out the wrong message. Rafa looks a classy sort, I'm sure the first he will do is deploy a Taylor...
I honestly think we need to win 3 of our next 10. Sunderland, Norwich & Villa. The teams around us have caught up to us mostly through draws, not outstanding wins. If we nab 9 points, we can survive. With us playing a different style tonight we could even show Leicester.