Housework isn’t finished for boss
MORE PLAYERS NEED TO MOVE ON PRE-SEASON
WHAT we are witnessing is the end of an era.
The passing of a time when Mike Ashley was content to pack Newcastle United’s side full of good Championship players and have them fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Dwight Gayle moving to Stoke City saw him follow Ciaran Clark, Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick out of the door.
And manager Eddie Howe has admitted that Matt Ritchie could well follow. For me, so could a few more. There is still a lot of housework to be done.
United are having to cut their losses and literally give players away either on a loan or a free transfer to clear the decks.
Ritchie needs to play games before his career comes to an end. He has been a good servant to Newcastle, a player who would always take responsibility no matter what situation he faced, even when Steve Bruce played both him and Jacob Murphy as fullbacks, which was a liability. Ritchie was a captain without the armband.
As for more following Gayle and him out of their Newcastle comfort zone, I have picked my starting eleven for the opening game of the season against Nottingham Forest, and what was interesting were the names NOT in it.
First and foremost here is my team as things stand without further signings that I pray come: Pope; Trippier, Burn, Botman, Targett; Bruno, Longstaff, Joelinton; Fraser, Wilson, Saint-Maximin.
By the way I would seriously consider playing Murphy ahead of ASM – he is the best crosser of the ball in the club – but I know that isn’t going to happen.
If that side was picked then those left out would include Jonjo Shelvey, Joe Willock, Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Martin Dubravka, Miggy Almiron, Paul Dummett, Federico Fernandez, Emil Krafth, Jamal Lewis, Chris Wood and Murphy.
See what I mean? The likes of Fernandez and Lewis could easily go, along with spare keeper Karl Darlow, but I could also make a case for jettisoning one from Lascelles, Shelvey and Almiron.
Then there is the case of Elliot Anderson, a kid with a most promising future.
I see that he has gone on record as saying he would prefer to stay rather than go out on loan again and fight for a permanent place in the squad. Good for him.
Anderson has a real chance and he will learn an awful lot by training daily with experienced first teamers in Portugal at the moment.
United are due to play Benfica on Tuesday and that will be an experience in itself. This is the original Stadium of Light, not the one so named down the road at Sunderland, and it is a magnificent ground full of history.
I played there a couple of times for England and I also played against Benfica at St James’ Park when the great Eusebio was in their side.
I recall a free-kick Benfica were awarded.
I lined up our wall and took up my position on the inside end of it. All I could see was Eusebio walking back into the far distance. Oh no, I thought, and my knees were literally trembling, which didn’t happen too often on a football field.
I knew what was coming. I tucked my chin tight on my chest, put my arms behind my back, and closed my eyes. I could feel the draft as the ball whistled past my ear and turned to see it clip the top of our crossbar.
He was some player was Eusebio.