United putting best Fut forward as new faces search goes on
NEWCASTLE United rolled nine goals past Burnley in four 45-minute affairs at Cidade do Futebol in what proved to be a stroll in the sunshine.
During the training games sporting director Dan Ashworth watched the team but was still trying to push signings through in time for the new season.
Ashworth is on hand with availability checks on players and various enquiries with things heating up in the transfer market.
Toon head coach Eddie Howe was left satisfied by a series of mini victories for Newcastle’s A and B teams at the home of the Portuguese FA.
However, there is still hope United can add another new face by the time the new campaign kicks off next month against Nottingham Forest.
Here are a few things to emerge from United’s training camp in Lisbon so far.
Dan Ashworth is still very much at the wheel for Newcastle
The former Brighton supremo has not stopped working since fbeing freed from gardening leave at the start of the transfer window.
Since coming in he has helped push through deals for Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Matt Targett.
He has also helped balance the books with the departures of
Dwight Gayle, Ciaran Clark, Jeff Hendrick, Freddie Woodman and Isaac Hayden as the squad continues to be rebuilt.
Gone are the days of a Newcastle manager frantically checking his phone to see if progress has been made on deals.
For Ashworth has travelled with the squad to Austria and now Portugal to ensure work is being carried out quietly and efficiently behind the scenes.
Eddie Howe delivers promise to Dan Burn on leadership
The £13million Geordie barely put a foot wrong last season but faces stiff competition to keep his place if Howe goes with a back four this season.
On paper right-footed Fabian Schar and left-footed Sven Botman get the nod as starters in the eyes of many fans.
Howe has already played that theory down in his summer press conferences and reckons Burn could still play alongside Botman because the Dutchman’s right-foot is just as effective as his left.
Nevertheless, Howe has showed his man-management qualities again by making sure Burn does not have even the slightest of concerns.
In front of the watching Press pack last Sunday in Saalfelden, Howe name-checked both Burn and Kieran Trippier as two of his “leaders” during the 15-minute media viewing of training.
Burn donned the armband in one of yesterday’s wins over Burnley to show Howe was not just saying it for the cameras.
Elliot Anderson continues to build a strong case to stay at St James’ Park this season
The 19-year-old dazzled the defences of 1860 Munich and Mainz 05 in Austria and has now weighed in with some final product in Portugal.
A well-taken goal in the rout of the Clarets keeps Anderson in contention for Howe’s squad this season.
Anderson is making a genuine claim for a place in the squad and could be a very handy option from the bench in the August.
From there it could be up to him to impress as a possible impact sub.
Yes, 40-plus games on loan would also do him good but at the moment Howe does nor have to make that decision until September 1.
Anderson merely has to keep this going in pre-season for now.
Callum Wilson puts Austria misses behind him
Wilson scooped one over against 1860 Munich and then saw a one on one saved against Mainz 05.
However, as they say, form is temporary, class is permanent.
It certainly proved to be the case as Wilson powered home against Burnley to end his drought.
Form for strikers in pre-season can be looked at in two ways.
Firstly, it is good to go into the campaign feeling sharp in front of goal. Yet if there is any time to get missed chances out of the way it has to be in friendly matches.
The clash with Nottingham Forest is when it really counts.
Wilson, who missed a chunk of the season with injury last term, is through pre-season unscathed so far.