Category: NUFC

John Carver, who is in charge of Newcastle United for the time being, says that he is not one of those managers who would let the club board pick the squad for any game.

According to Carver, to make the selections is the job of the manager and it’s him only who should do it.

People were speculating that Mike Ashley, the Newcastle chairman, might be directing Carver whom to pick and whom not to. But, it’s been denied by Carver.

Speaking yesterday, Carver said, “I would not let anybody do that to me. I cannot be told which players I have to choose. It’s entirely my choice. That is what I am here for, to get the combinations right and to make sure the team plays in an organized way.”

“When they called me up for the first time, I had made my stand pretty clear that I would need freedom in my job and they agreed and they have been very cooperative.”

“If you are thinking that I am working on somebody’s directions, I would like to assure you it’s not the case, not in terms of selections. All the decisions regarding the selections are being made by me and that’s how it should be.”

Carver has had the charge of Newcastle for the remainder of the 2014-15 Season only. He might earn a permanent job if he makes the team deliver really well during this period of time.

With 30 points in 23 games, Newcastle stands 11th in the Premier League right now. Since Carver took over, the Magpies have played 5 games and have lost 3.

Carver was appointed as the interim manager of Newcastle once in 2004 as well. He had managed the team in just one game back then.

It’s most perturbing to be a Englishman this summer. After years of watching teams packed with dormant talent performing wildly below their potential, I don’t really know what to make of this lot.

They’re not really very good at football, but they do seem to try hard and that’s all I’ve ever asked as a supporter. It’s actually a lot like watching Leyton Orient, this.

More than enough has been written about those ‘two banks of four’ for me to give tactics a wide berth this week. England’s strength – and I’m being serious here – is their mental fortitude. No, really. To come back from 1-2 down to Sweden when I believed them to be down and out was genuinely impressive.

They don’t panic, they don’t crumble and if they carry on like this, forging decent results in the white heat of pressure, they might just secure the pre-tournament aim of a dignified quarter-final exit.

Of course, the last two matches will mean nothing at all if they lose to Andriy Shevchenko and his cronies in the final game. It’s certainly going to be a risky encounter, especially with that home support.

That said, I’m starting to feel an odd sense of confidence in Roy Hodgson’s mob, a weird vibe that they might be able to stand in front of tens of thousands of baying hostiles and hold the line. I realise, of course, that believing in the English football team is a phenomenon that almost always precedes a crashing disappointment and weeks of self-loathing, but what the hell.

Yes, The Three Lions can get the draw they need to progress to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals. In fact, sod it, they can sneak a 1-0 win. There, I’ve said it. Oh God, what’s become of me?

Score prediction: England 1-0 Ukraine
England to win at 2.05; England 1-0 at 8.00; Wayne Rooney to score first at 5.75.

Ukrainian perspective
The equation for Ukraine is simple: beat England and qualify for the quarter finals or fall at the first hurdle. Without wanting to sound obvious, the key to making that prospect a reality is one man – Andriy Shevchenko. Without the quality of service that the former AC Milan star received in the 2-1 win over Sweden, the Ukrainians looked tame opponents.

Wide men Yarmolenko and Konoplyanka saw little of the ball and when they had the opportunity, their service was woeful. Even so, Shevchenko created his side’s best chances, almost from nothing, and the co-hosts’ fans will be desperately hoping that the national hero isn’t struggling for fitness after two games in a week.

Assuming his captain and main threat is fit, Oleh Blokhin may well be considering some changes in personnel ahead of this match. Andriy Voronin was far from effective against France and might lose his spot in the team to the more physical Artem Milevskiy.

Newcastle United midfielder Cheik Tiote has said that he is very much enjoying his life at Newcastle United and would not be interested in a move in the summer.

Chelsea have been showing a lot of interest in signing the midfielder for more than a year now, and it is thought that they will be coming in with a concrete bid in the summer.

However, the Ivory Coast international has said that he would like to stay with Newcastle United, as it provides him with the best opportunity to play regular football. This news is likely to come as a major blow to Chelsea and their hopes of reinvigorating their ageing squad.

The 25-year-old midfielder has been one of the best players in the Premier league ever since moving to Newcastle United for just £ 3.5 million in the summer of 2010. However, he is expected to cost upwards of £ 20 million if Chelsea were to agree a fee for him. Following the latest statement by the midfielder, though, it is highly unlikely that Chelsea will be persuading in signing the player. The latest football odds make Tiote odds-on to stay at St James Park.

Cheik Tiote has been one of the reasons for Newcastle United to be challenging at the top of the table for a Champions League position this season. The club are currently in the fifth position separated from the top four only on goal difference.

“My future is at Newcastle. I’m playing for Newcastle and I have to finish this season strongly and help the team get into Europe. If we do that, it will be good for the club and the fans. We are in a great position now,” Tiote said in a recent statement.

Yohan Cabaye arrived at Newcastle United in the summer and Tiote has formed a great partnership with him in the centre of midfield.

Newcastle United’s Danny Simpson said that he is extremely confident that Newcastle United can achieve a positive result against Arsenal on Monday night.

Newcastle United will be travelling to the Emirates stadium for the Monday night match with Arsenal.

Arsenal are some of the inform teams in the Premier league right now, and they come into the match with three victories against top teams. Arsenal have won against Tottenham, Liverpool, and AC Milan in their last three matches. The latest in-play Premier League betting odds make Arsenal the favourites for the third position, which would have been almost unthinkable two months ago.

Arsenal were beaten Tottenham by a massive 10 points, but Arsene Wenger’s men have now reduced the advantage Tottenham have to just four points. They will move to within one point of Tottenham with victory against Newcastle United, but Danny Simpson has said that the north-east club are more than capable of destroying the hopes of Arsenal on Monday.

Newcastle themselves come into the match on a good run of form, which has seen them continuously challenge for the top four positions alongside the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool. However, Alan Pardew will be aware of the fact that their top four ambitions will be realistically destroyed with a defeat against Arsenal on Monday night.

“We go there expecting a hard game. But we know with the squad we have got, we will be up for it and looking to get a result. There’s no reason why we can’t come away from the game with something. We’ve picked up two points at home from our last two games, so we haven’t lost and we are looking to kick on,” Danny Simpson said ahead of the match with Arsenal.

Newcastle United are five points behind Arsenal at this stage of the season, which is quite impressive.

Newcastle United striker Demba Ba has said that he is not looking to leave the north-east club at this moment and has laughed off any rumours suggesting that he might move soon.

Demba Ba arrived on a free transfer from West Ham United in the summer, and he has been one of the best signings of the summer.

So far, he has been extremely crucial towards Newcastle United climbing of the table and also making a challenge for the Champions League positions. Luckily, Newcastle United did not miss him for a long due to the African cup of nations, as the striker returned from international duty after this international team got excelled from the competition at a very early stage.

Immediately after his return, Demba Ba scored the winner in the match against Aston Villa during the weekend, thus once again stressing his importance to the club. Demba Ba has quickly enabled Newcastle United fans to forget the memory of Andy Carroll, who moved to Liverpool in a £ 35 million deal just over a year ago. There were questions about the fitness of Demba Ba before he signed for Newcastle United, but the gamble Alan Pardew took with the Senegalese striker seems to have paid off.

It has been recently revealed that Demba Ba could leave Newcastle United for as little as £ 7 million due to a clause in his contract (whihc I personally have been tempted to stick some free Premier League bets on!) but it seems he is happy at the club, especially now his intenational team-mate has joined him in Toon.

“I am really, really happy for Papiss. It’s really important to score for a new club early on; when you come in and score right away you feel much better. It helps a lot and his was a goal of real class on the perfect return to Newcastle for me,” Demba Ba said after the match when his fellow Senegalese player Cisse scored the opening goal.

Newcastle United have agreed to a £ 20 million shirt sponsorship deal with Virgin Money for a period believed to be around two years, after a breakthrough in the contract negotiations between the two parties.

Newcastle and Virgin had been locked in contract talks for weeks before the owner of Virgin Sir Richard Branson agreed to bail out cash-stricken Newcastle based bank Northern Rock and buy all the shares.

According to the reports that were received, the deal was concluded late on Tuesday, the 3rd of January, 2012 when Virgin Money agreed to meet the demands of the club and signed on the dotted line.

The club played its first match with their shirt emblazoned with the logo of the new sponsors in the 3-0 rout of English champions Manchester United on the 4th of January – a shock result that allowed some fans to make serious money by backing Newcastle at some of the best online football betting odds this season.

The new shirt sponsorship deal has gone a long way in securing the club’s financial stability, coming as quickly as it does after a deal to rename the famous St. James’ Park to the Sports Direct Arena was concluded a couple of months back, bringing in extra cash for the club.

Northern Rock, which had been the shirt sponsors for the club for almost eight years in a deal that ran until the end of the current season, was taken over by Virgin Money on New Year’s Day this year and this led to complications in their contractual obligations with the club.

It is believed that Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley will offer Virgin Money the chance to combine their shirt sponsorship deal with the naming rights of the stadium and bring an end to the controversy over renaming the stadium.

Alan Pardew has said that the fans of Newcastle United deserve a special price for standing by the club at through thick and thin. Many expected that Newcastle United will not be able to return straight back into the Premier League after their relegation to the championship a few seasons ago.

However, spurred on by their frantic support, Newcastle United have been able to come back into the Premier League. Even better is the fact that they are now capable of challenging for the European places, and manager Alan Pardew reckons that one of the main reasons for it is due to the support of the crowds.

Newcastle are now at the lowest they have ever been on the Premier league betting indexes, and their fans are widely acknowledged to be the passionate crowd amongst the various Premier League teams.

One of the best examples of their support team in the recent match against Swansea city. Even though Newcastle United struggled to break down the newly promoted Swansea city, there was no disgruntle amongst the fans. This, according to Alan Pardew, was one of the main reasons Newcastle United were able to avoid defeat against Swansea city. Alan Pardew says that he will be repaying their faith by leading the team to victory in the match against West Bromwich Albion tonight.

“I thanked them for their patience on Saturday. No one wants to see a 0-0, especially when it’s freezing cold. The one thing I do know about Wednesday night is that we’ll have the floodlights on. It creates a special atmosphere, and that’ll be an advantage for us,” Alan Pardew said ahead of the match with West Brom.

Newcastle United can claim back into the top six with a victory over West Brom, but it is easier said than done, as West Brom will be looking for victory after last week’s defeat to Wigan. Newcastle face Manchester United in the New Year, and will need their fans to be at their best to help them overcome the Red Devils like Blackburn Rovers did.