Mitrovic can impress on the biggest stage of all
SERBIAN SHINING AT WORLD CUP SHOULD BRING A CASH DIVIDEND FOR THE MAGPIES
I, LIKE everybody else who loves football, am delighted the World Cup is finally here. Newcastle’s sole representative in Russia is Aleksandar Mitrovic, a man who you will be well aware if you have read this column before that I have aired my opinion on in the past. Mitrovic and Serbia kick off their campaign in Russia against Costa Rica tomorrow and, to be fair, he seems to do quite well at international level. He has done very well at Fulham, who have a Serbian coach, so it seems to me like he responds to Serbian coaches well. I never really understood the way he was behaving on the pitch for Newcastle. It was quite obvious to me he would rather have the physical battle than winning the ball. In the Premier League possession is everything and he just did not have Premier League thinking – and I don’t think he has Premier League abilities. In all honesty, by going down to the Championship with Fulham, I think he found his level in club football.
That is his level in this country. International football is something entirely different, though, and he can shine this summer.
It seems like he does quite well for Serbia and scores a few goals.
So good luck to him. In wishing him well, and I hope he does do well, I hope what that does is push Fulham to pay Newcastle’s asking price.
If a player shines in the World Cup then teams will start queuing up and wanting their services and I hope that happens with Mitrovic.
If I was Newcastle I would not push too hard on the fee.
I think Fulham were prepared to go to around £15-16millon but Newcastle pushed the price up a bit more.
If Newcastle take Fulham’s money it all adds money to the pot for Rafa Benitez to bring in the players he does want and who he feels will do well for Newcastle. The last thing United need is having players hanging around who do not want to be there and who the boss does not want to be there because they can become troublemakers. The Premier League fixtures were released on Monday and by heavens have Newcastle been given a tough opening two or three months. Benitez will want to have the problems sorted out in the close season and move them on so they can bring new players in. He needs to know as soon as possible what side he is going to put out in these opening matches. Newcastle need to get their busi-
In wishing him well, I hope what that does is push Fulham to pay Newcastle’s asking price Malcolm Macdonald