Tuesday can sometimes be a difficult day in a Saturday-to-Saturday news cycle. This was likely to be one of those weeks in which the lull was exaggerated. . . until Joey Barton stepped into the breach to save us all from a moribund Wednesday morning read. Additionally, the first rumors are circulating reconnecting Newcastle with a £3m move for summer target Erik Pieters. Following the jump - a number of quotes from @Joey7Barton and whatever else the morning headlines deliver to us.
Joey Barton Goes As E.F. Hutton To Halloween Parties
Joey Barton: Inside the Newcastle madhouse | The Sun |Sport|Football
"My agent got a copy of the contract from Wise and took it to his solicitor in London who put it in a safe. Legally, Newcastle were bound to either sack me or keep me on the contract I was on. "They couldn't renegotiate a similar length of deal with lower money. Once he'd phoned them up and told them about the FA's rules and regulations they couldn't then sack me."
emphasis mine [OSotP]
The very root of tis situation is based on a he-said he-said kind of situation. If this is accurate, however, it represents a major misplay by Ashley/Llambias... not that it really matters much in the long run. Would have been a very interesting oversight for the two allegedly astute businessmen.
"I've got a lot of ill feeling towards [managing director Derek] Llambias and [owner Mike] Ashley, like a lot of fans have, but the football club is always going to be bigger than any said individual. I keep getting told they are really savvy businessmen... but they didn't want me as I ask questions. They promised a number of things and delivered on very few. "When you pull the shirts on you do if for yourself, the fans and the club but if you despise everything that the owners stand for then its very difficult. I'm a man of principles and maybe that's why I am not at Newcastle.
emphasis mine [OSotP]
Agree or disagree with Joey Barton... like or dislike him as a human being, you have to appreciate the players' side of a regularly ugly situation. While I try to view multiple sids of situations more often than not, this is certainly something I had never entertained.
Joey Barton claims Newcastle said take pay cut or leave while in prison | Mail Online
'Chris {Hughton] knew he was on borrowed time from then - yet this was a guy who kept club together when we went down, had no budget, inherited a playing squad fragmented and disjointed and handled himself with nothing but dignity. He did a fantastic job swimming against the tide at boardroom level and got the club back into the Premier League. 'We felt aggrieved by Chris' exit, at the same time we refused to sign the bonus sheet. They decided we were the paid workforce and thought we were sports direct and do what subordinates there do.
John Carver and The Newcastle Local Youth Setup
John Carver on his time spent as young coach - NUFC Latest News - Newcastle United - ChronicleLive
There has not been a shortage of articles on the local youth setup around Newcastle over the last couple of days. I don't know if it's being used as a filler topic, or whether it's a buildup to some kind of more substantial situation... but this recounts Carver's rise through the Newcastle football scene from the local level to NUFC.
The Geordie coach finding a new era of stars - NUFC Latest News - Newcastle United - ChronicleLive
"The aim is to feed kids into Newcastle United – the connection here is huge.
"We’re a feeder club for Newcastle.
"We have ties with Newcastle’s Foundation and local schools so we are branching out into the community.
"We’re looking to introduce local boys and girls into football and hopefully professional clubs.
Newcastle Reserves 2 Ashington 0 - NUFC News - NUFC - JournalLive
Willie Donachie selected another very young team for the reserves. It's a little funny- after an article a couple of weeks ago, about using the Reserves to keep fringe first-teamers sharp, none of them have even been close to the lineup. It worked out this time with Brad Inman scoring a double and the Reserves running out winners after losing their last two.
Squad Bites
Danny Guthrie: We've earned spot in top four - NUFC Latest News - Newcastle United - ChronicleLive
While the goal is not to achieve media/pundit recognition for what the club have done thus far this season, it's getting harder and harder to argue that we're not exactly where we deserve to be.
Cabaye thinks repeat showing will be good enough to beat Chelsea (From The Northern Echo)
"We learned from the City game," said the French midfielder, who could resume his partnership with Cheik Tiote in three days time if the Ivory Coast international finally completes his recovery from a knee problem. "We learned not to give Man United too much respect. "It was important to play higher up the pitch and I think we did well. Against Chelsea, we have to play like we did at Old Trafford."
Yohan spells out what most people I know (well... me) were thinking about the difference between the City and ManU matches. With City, we allowed them a gradual 40 minute buildup and the ability to move the ball unencumbered and we paid. Versus ManU, we started from the first minute fronting the ball and closing on the ball carrier much the same way we had done v. Stoke. It was effective if for no other reason than to stand in front of a squad that expected to roll us and say "WE SHALL NOT CRUMBLE ON YOUR REPUTATION!" We'll need more of the same on Saturday, but it should be easier on the back of the ManU performance to replicate.
Boss says NUFC success down to Coloccini - NUFC Latest News - Newcastle United - ChronicleLive
Pardew told the Chronicle: "It was Colo’s bravery that got him out there, and we wouldn’t have got the results without him – 100%." And Pardew has backed Coloccini to play through the pain barrier again if necessary against Andre Villas-Boas’ under-fire Londoners, while praising the Newcastle medical team. "How he played at Man United I don’t know," he added. "He could hardly walk off the training field on Friday. "His back seized up and the medical team did a fabulous job on him."
There's always a bit of hyperbole out there in sound bites, but it bears remembering that on Saturday morning, the wildfire Twitter reports were that Captain Colo was out with back spasms. Much love to Captain Colo and the defense for that performance and for pretty much being BA.
Not-New Transfer Rumors
Newcastle close on Erik Pieters for £3m | Mail Online
Yes, please.
Alan Pardew poised for Scott Brown swoop | Mail Online
This is not a very popular rumor in the Toon Army, but it does make an amount of of sense. Brown is 26, which puts him right in the frame for a first-team squad acquisition, and he is 100% not involved in the ACON. . . so there are two reasons in the positive column right away. Are there better players out there? Certainly. At £1.5m is Scott Brown good value for the money? Probably so. I'd much rather have a midfielder from the SPL than a "hero-striker". . . Peter Lovenkrands scored goals for Rangers.