Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THIS TIME.. WE ALL PAUL TOGETHER
Dummett: When we went down in 2016 the mentality was ‘It doesn’t matter..i’m leaving’.. but our group this year sticks together and says : We don’t want to have relegation on our CV
PAUL DUMMETT has revealed the players’ pact which left him convinced Newcastle would climb out of relegation trouble – in stark contrast to the attitude five years ago.
The Toon defender came on as a substitute and was a big part of their nine-man rearguard action to protect this lead. And Geordie Dummett (left) was not surprised by the determination and commitment shown in adversity by Steve Bruce’s men. “The mentality of the players is not to give up,” he said. “When we got relegated (in 2016 under Steve Mcclaren and Rafa Benitez), I think the mentality with the players we had was a bit, ‘If we go down it doesn’t matter because I’ll leave’.
“That was the mentality of some. But the lads have spoken about it and said that no matter where your future lies, whether you’re out of contract, whether you’ll be leaving, or have three years left on your contract – it doesn’t matter because, if you leave, you don’t want relegation on your CV.”
Reliable Dummett, 29, says he is known as ‘Ronseal, it does what it ways on the tin’ by team-mates.
And he added: “With the amount of games we were starting to get beat in, we were under more and more pressure every week, and it was important to get that first win against Everton.
“We have shown again this isn’t a group of players that will give up. We’ve got a good group of players at the club.”
Bruce’s men won this chaotic game despite being two players short for the final 20 minutes of play, and they only had 10 players on the pitch for the last 40 minutes.
Sub Dummett led a magnificent defensive period, keeping Southampton at bay, after Jeff Hendrick was sent off and Fabian Schar’s injury late on meant United had run out of substitutes.
While they won plaudits for their resilience and organisation, there were also encouraging signs in attack when Newcastle let rip in the first half. They showed flair, man-of-the-match Miguel Almiron scoring twice, Allan Saint-maximin achieving two assists on his first start after contracting coronavirus, and they scored three goals.
Victory lifted the pressure on Bruce, whose side had only won once in 13 games, losing 10, before this clash. Now it is two wins in four, climbing 10 points above the relegation zone with a team revitalised and looking up. Arsenal loanee Joe Willock broke the deadlock 16 minutes into his debut and put in a huge shift in midfield. Almiron scored two, but Liverpool
loanee Takumi Minamino and James Ward-prowse, with a brilliant free-kick, kept Saints in it.
Willock (with Bruce, below) said: “I am buzzing to get the win. We needed it and I am buzzing to score as well. I said I wanted to score and help the team. We are looking forward.
“We had to stick together, grind it out, and head every ball. All the lads were geeing each other up. I have not had that in a long time.
“It will bring us closer and we will fight for each other even more.”