What’s in a letter?

Letters from Colo?
Letters from Colo?
A rather flowery and quite sickly letter has emerged, supposedly from club captain Fabricio Coloccini who is allegedly addressing fans of the club who tried to get him relinquished from his contract recently.

In said letter Coloccini – if it is him – tells a story of sadness that no resolution was found and that his dream move back to Argentina wasn’t able to come off.

Personally I have doubts over the authenticity of the letter and the whole thing seems odd. In four-and-a-half years Coloccini has rarely addressed us, even through happier times. Now all of sudden he is writing to fans of another club? Sounds dodgy doesn’t it?

All the same there has been no denial from club or player and it is believed that the United hierarchy are looking into whether it is a genuine letter from Fabricio Coloccini or whether there are other reasons for it, such as more publicity for San Lorenzo perhaps.

The letter read:

“To my San Lorencista family

“I write these lines from a long way away where I am missing my country, my family and my close ones.

“And with sadness of knowing that after a series of meetings held here in Newcastle that my return to Argentina has been momentarily suspended.

“Unfortunately, life does not always end up like you wanted it or needed it to, many times is it influenced by third parties and the rigidities of contracts that are stronger than the will of one’s own desires.

“However, I am convinced that this moment of disappointment need not be an obstacle for me to declare my profound gratitude to each and every one of you for the affection and the support that you all have provided me during these past few months, in every way imaginable.

“Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge the patience and the respect of the media and the serious manner in which they conducted everything during this time for me and my family. I am sure that they have understood the personal situation that I have been going through and can comprehend that the silence maintained by both me and my representative, Marcelo Lombilla, during this time, has not been capricious, but due to the need to keep private certain matters.

“Lastly, I wish to thank the authorities at San Lorenzo del Almagro and especially show my gratitude to the president, Dr Matias Lammens and vice president, Mr Marcelo Tinelli, for all the affection, support and understanding they have afforded me and who from the first moment, without any reservations or conditions, were interested in my personal and family situation and who put themselves at my disposal.

“Essentially, I want to thank the enormous effort made by them, from every point of view, to remove whatever difficulties I may have come in touch with.

“In these times, in which the leadership of the Argentine football appears less challenged by various reasons, it is with deep pride – as part of the San Lorenzo family – I wish to acknowledge to Matias Lammens and Marcelo Tinelli on their personal qualities, for their professional qualities and for their excellent management, their honest work, their seriousness and commitment in placing the human-being over and above other interests, all of which is a heading from the chosen path for our club; and that in the distance, certainly, I am filled with satisfaction.

“Sincerely thank you for both affection,

“Fabricio Coloccini.”

How very pretty and sparkly. And how very dare us for wanting a player who signed a new deal whilst his personal problems were already underway apparently, to honour his part of the deal for another few months at the very least.

Seriously this needs sorting out one way or the other. It can’t be left “in house” as Alan Pardew would say because the longer it drags on the greater the animosity towards Coloccini will become. Can you really have a captain who isn’t fully focussed on the job ahead?

If the letter is proved to be genuine then something needs to be done. It’s as clear as day he wants away and I’ve said all along that it was amusing how Colo’s stance softened once he realised the only way out his contract was going to cost him in the region of £7m.

Colo has been great for us but this kind of thing is risking the very relationship with the fans which has allowed him to flourish in the Premier League and this would undoubtedly be a sour note to end things on.

Your thoughts please…

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

221 thoughts on “What’s in a letter?

  1. Funny, Pardew was a tactical genius last season, but he must have had a brain transplant in August and turned into a bad manager. Or has it been the fact we’ve had the likes of Williamson, Perch, Obertan and Strolla in the side and that’s not even mentioning the young kids like Sameobi, Fergie, Bigi and even fcking Ranger!

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  2. geordie deb-i think we need to spend top wages on the best coaches and training facilities so nufc has the best of everything! at the end of the day its the players that benefit from it. we need to loan s ameobi and campbell out! munich mag-looking forward to seeing sissoko play and mbiwa start on tuesday! im still nervous about the villa game but i hope our luck changes and cisse gets a hatrick. cisse gets his confidence back

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  3. GOUF–CISSE
    GUT–ANITA–SISSOKO–MARV
    DUBA–COLO–MBIWA–SANTON
    KRUL marv on the bench unfortunately

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  4. sorry m8. i just think pardrew might do something stupid like that! 4-3-3 is much better but this is pardrew

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  5. Got to agree with Stu79

    Pards gets a great deal of criticism but the facts are he was cooking a meal for 52k and only had one bag of oven chips this season instead of two.

    Once the first table was served with Mcains Finest low fat fries, he looked in the fridge for extra supplies and there was Lidl’s chunky chips left.

    Apart from the first table being satisfied and giving him a tip, the rest refused to pay and demanded to see the cook.
    The cook was fat Mike and his sous chef Owlheed.

    Fortunately, Fat mike and Owlheed could see the restaurant was about to lose trade at Christmas as the customers threatened not to comeback unless the food improved.

    They quickly went out and stocked up on the finest French cuisine and have opened the doors for the grand opening on Tuesday night.

    They are desperately hoping the customers like their new food and keep coming back. 😯

    Please come and support Mike & Derek’s grand opening and the host will be Mr Pardeiu. 😛

    Please leave your feedback to the chefs on Wednesday once you’ve digested Tuesdays meal. 😉

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  6. TROY STAVERS agree bud we let a lot of 1st teamers go at the end of last season and replaced them with only 1 first team player in anita and the rest were kids,so the real time to judge pards is starting now,we got some decent kids for the future out of it but most wernt ready to step up yet

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  7. TAE

    I think a lot of us underestimated the value that squad players like Guthrie, Raylor, Best, Lovenkrans etc offered the squad. Because we’ve honestly missed them.

    The mere fact Shola has been getting on the pitch shows a disgraceful shortage of depth in the squad. Why we sold Best and not him is beyond me… I suppose no other club in their right mind rates Shola as a Premier League player.

    Amazes me how some are complaining about Gouffran purchase when he scores more goals, has more pace and is better in the air than our back up Shola. Surely he’s a massive improvement to squad depth.

    I think Sissoko and Mbiwa may be a little over hypes (still quality) but they being made out to be superstars when they aren’t yet. But Gouffran for me is the most important because we needed a wide option and pace up front.

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  8. Stu and Troy, not disputing the lack of resources he has had available for part of this season and yes you can’t make the proverbial silk purse out of a sow’s ear, however even when he has had a full team available to him last season, preseason and early this season he has never been a tactical genius by any stretch of the imagination!
    Going forward he no longer has any excuses. He has the reinforcements, virtually all crocked players back again, and tomorrow we face a club in huge disaray with one of our easiest opportunities to secure three points. We have to hope he can pull the points out of the bag and get the lads performing like a cohesive football team and fast.
    Anyway my previous comment wasn’t specifically related to Pardew but to the quality of our coaching that needs to be upgraded.

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  9. Toonarmyelite – I know its greedy but theres alot of pressure now on gouffran to perform. We could use another striker.

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  10. JJ
    to say Gouffran is better in the air than shola is a bit laughable bud, as for the players we let go last summer, imho they need to go but needed replaceing with more than kids.But will agree he adds squad depth dos Gouffran very quick and very direct and 2 footed which is a nightmare for defenders cause you dint nar which way hes going to go,but thinks Gouffran was a bargain at the price 😆

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  11. LIAM SOUTHERN TOON
    agree we could do with another striker but saying that im allready over the moon with the bussiness the Toon have done in this window 🙂

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  12. “Pards … was cooking a meal for 52k” What? “and only had one bag of oven chips …” You what now? “Once the first table was served with Mcains Finest low fat fries, he looked in the fridge for extra supplies and there was Lidl’s chunky chips left.”

    “The cook was fat Mike and his sous chef Owlheed.”

    What the …? And this guy drives a reality train? 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

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  13. In fairness Deb, I believe fans in general need to start looking at the players performances instead of the managers when they are in a bad run of form. It’s the players that go out and play and play badly.

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  14. Pardew said he was more than happy with what he had at the start of the season, anything else would just be the “icing on the cake”. He was the person best placed to see what he had close up in training and to make a judgment. He is the man at the club who is paid to make that call, not Mike. When Pardew got it wrong, and slagged off his own duff pastries after one bad serving on the south coast, Mike has been quick to come up trumps. As Pardew can’t speak highly enough of the likes of Shola, Sammy and Mike, I don’t know why people are laying the blame with them and not Pardew.

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  15. @Bris

    You’re welcome to join the reality train but bring some oven fries. Mcains, not Lidl’s 😉

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  16. Stu – Your comment @ 173 is too simplictic for me. Its a manager’s job to get the best out of the players. He uses tactics and man-management skills. If you do things like asking your goalscorer to cover at full back at times, and you’re not scoring enough goals to win games, your players get down and lose confidence in themselves and the manager. Surely, if you’ve ever played football, you would know that happens.

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  17. @Begas

    I’ve gave you an excerpt from the SJP cookbook. Please give us one from your training and tactics book that you used to quote relentlessly.

    I used to choke with laughter with each mouthful. 😛 😛 😛

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  18. B&B

    I don’t think Ashley is directly the problem. Its more Lambias and Pardew.

    However, Lambias has been excellent with the finance. Pity he is clueless with the football side. We need someone who run that side of things with a bit more knowledge. Carr is great but he doesn’t have enough influence for me.

    Pardew is mediocre for me. Relies on riding the highs and is tactically not much better than Hughton. Both are very poor coaches IMO.

    At the end of the day. If the staff don’t do the job. Its Ashley who employs them that has to take the blame. So indirectly it is still his fault.

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  19. TOONARMYELITE

    Exactly how many headed goals has Shola scored? Have you seen Gouffran play? I’m assuming you haven’t. Because he is FAR better at finishing with his head than Shola is.

    Shola may be ok at flick ons but when it actually comes to attacking the ball. For a player of his strength and height, he is absolutely useless.

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  20. JJ

    The reality is, there’s not one individual who should shoulder all the blame.

    For me, Pards is right in the thick of it allong with Ashley and Owlheed. They are as thick as thieves.

    But the players have to take their share as well.
    It doesn’t matter how unambitious they believe the club were in the summer they should still give their all to the fans.

    I don’t believe they did.

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  21. “Fortunately … the restaurant was about to lose trade at Christmas as the customers threatened not to comeback … unless the food improved.”

    😆 😆 😆

    The chef must have bought a book on French cuisine, eh, Troy. Can’t wait to see the new menu and Pardew in a big white hat. Maybe the burgers outside the ground will be served in croissants now, baked personally by Ashley, no doubt 😉 😉

    Wonderful. Made my day. 😆 😆 😆

    Meanwhile, the rest of us will stick to the football.

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  22. Its funny how as soon as Mike gets involved in the negotiatons personally, we tie 4 deals up in a week.

    for me Lambarse is the problem. 😛

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  23. JJ – The buck always stops at the top, and if we get relegated, he will be primarily blamed for appointing Pardew and sticking with him.

    I’m not sure of your point on Llambias. What do you mean that he is clueless with the football side? I didn’t think he had any footballing input. I thought he simply did Mike and Pardew’s bidding, the financial gopher.

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  24. TAE
    Shola for me has the technique that Heskey never had. But I just don’t know what it is. Despite his size and power. He just looks like he plays in slow motion and with absolutely no determination and grit.
    Is sad because I truely believe if he put in the effort he should have as a youngster he could have been a quality player.

    Perhaps it is injuries. Perhaps lack of ambition. Or his too calm temperment. My blood boils when I see him on the pitch 😕 😆

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  25. B&B

    Lambias has huge imput when it comes to negotiations and contracts etc.
    Its all very well playing hardball, but if you come across as a complete arsehole then that is not “selling the club” to potential players.
    You need to be firm while still maintaining people skills.

    Its the people skills that Lambias lacks. It has proved to be a problem in many negotiations. Like I said. No coincidence when Ashley gets directly involved things actually happened.

    Ashley is a salesman. He can work people… Lambias is not… He should’nt be involved in transfers.

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  26. @Begas

    Hold on fella, just scrolling through your book.

    Yes, page 85, this is the goal line
    ___________________________

    1) kick ball over line and it counts as a goal. 😛

    Brilliance! 😛

    Keep them going fella. I’ve got my feet up and a coffee in hand. 😉

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  27. JJ – I haven’t seen Gouffran but he’s got to be better than Shola with his head. I have to disagree though. Shola is not ok with flick ons. For a big man, he is shocking. When we played everton, Fellaini gave shola a masterclass. All Fellaini’s and Shola’s flick ons found an everton player.

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  28. JJ @ 187 “My blood boils when I see him on the pitch” I’m with you on that. I can’t believe Pardew rates him.

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  29. “All Fellaini’s and Shola’s flick ons found an everton player.” 😆

    I miss the days of watching the ball bounce off Shearer’s head straight to the feet of a Newcastle player, nearly every time. The man was brilliant.
    Carroll could have been similar but its going to take a huge effort for him to ressurect his career. All thrown away for $$$.

    At least it bought us a new team. 😆

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  30. @Begas

    Surely you’ve got the original.

    You wrote it . 😛

    Go on, one more classic. I’m halfway thru my coffee now and there’s a cold draught appeared. 😛

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  31. I know the Jorno says we’re finished in the market now, but I’d really hope that if Reading look likely to get Tom Ince for £7-8m – I’d seriously hope we’d nab him from them.
    Pound for pound I’d say he’s as good as PEA, RVW or Bony.

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  32. Sharpy,
    For me the best player potentially from that lot is PEA. He reminds of Ronaldo (the lesser one/Christiano). Unfortunately has the same attitude and needs a Ferguson to get it out of him.

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  33. JJ – my main concern with PEA is anyone who wears bloody crystal boots has to be a prima dona and I get the impression he may see himself as bigger than the team and the club.
    Of the 4 I’d like to see either Ince or Rip come in.
    I think Rip would probably get us more goals in a season where Ince would probably get as many assists as goals.
    If we fancied either player I think we could probably beat off the competion with a cash + player deal – either permanent or loan deal.
    To mention Bony, I think he’s ok but over priced at £12m from what I’ve seen. He’ll probs improve but overpriced at the mo IMO

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  34. Sharpy,
    I’d never even heard of Bony. From the video someone posted he reminds me of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank. Not a bad thing.

    I don’t see us bringing anyone else in to be honest.

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  35. Sharpy – Ince seems to play a similar role as his old man did. We need a goalscorer. We’ve lost Ba and they’ve put the cheque book away. It’s another gamble. 😕

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  36. B&B – from what I remember of Paul, he played a more central role, bossing the centre circle area and occasionally pushing forward. Tom seems to operate more of a wider role and alot further forward with pace to burn. I’d agree he’s not the out and out CF replacement for Ba, but at £8m he’d be a very good addition IMO.

    JJ – yeah I’d go with that comparison for Bony, do think he’ll end up in the EPL but I just think £12m a lot for him at the mo.
    I agree tho, I’d be seriously surprised if we got anyone else in this window. But then I never expected 5 in this window so nowt ever certain with the toon

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  37. I think we will sign a striker if one becomes available at a good price. but im happy to go with what we have.

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  38. Vegas, take it easy on Troy mate. He will get angry and beat his Reliant Robin with an elm branch 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  39. Ice – of the 4 I’ve mentioned I’d say Ince was closest to that role – what do you reckon mate?

    Axel – yeah don’t get me wrong mate, I’m thrilled with what we’ve done so far, but I do think the board are probably still watching what’s going on

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  40. I wonder if we had to dip into the Wonga money earlier than expected. ❓
    I feel more optimistic of survival now that we have strengthened a bit.
    But we need to score goals now and lots of them. Our GD is pathetic
    Tomorrow night will be a big indicator of whether Pardew has what it takes to get the whole squad firing on all cylinders.
    This is another MUST WIN game at all costs.
    If he starts the match without Mbiwa, Sissoko or Goufran on the pitch, then I will give up.
    I dont even want to see willo on the bench.
    Whats the chances that Jonas starts tho ffs ❓ 😕

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  41. Newcastle return to action on Tuesday night, looking to rid themselves of the unwanted tag of being the only top-flight side without an away win this season. Kick-off at Villa Park is 7.45pm.

    Previewing this game, Alan Pardew reached into his boy’s book of football clichés and said:

    “We have got 15 games left and every one of them is a cup final. We have got to win half those games. And we haven’t achieved anything like that rate so far. Can we win half? I think we can. We are going to have to try.

    “Wilfried Zaha is a typical example of trying to take a young player out of the Championship. I like him.

    I wanted to take him but, seriously, we had no chance. We just can’t pay that. We got four players for that. It suited our needs better to strengthen several positions for that sort of money.

    “It was a case of getting the players that were right for us at the price that was right for us. We wanted players who had ambition in them, not just for six months but for the future.

    “None of them was a knee-**** reaction, otherwise we would have bought a 31-year-old from a squad in the Premier League (whose surname ends in …wingie).

    “We bought players to take us forward. We are happy with the business we have done.”

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  42. SHARPY not sold on since mate not at 8mil they are asking think there better at that sort of price,nobody is jumping out at me. to be honest none that the press have been shouting about anyway

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  43. Terry-Only if we stay up mate, cause Liverpool definitely aren’t going down, even if they won’t win the league like they think they can 🙄

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  44. B+B-How can you buy players to take you forward only to tell your current squad they’re there to replace if you fck up?

    Jonas should be out of the 11, as should Shola as we should be playing 4-3-3 and Shola or Cisse on the wing are a joke. Perch out as well, obviously….Willo not done that much wrong for me so far this season, but he should still be out…And oh look, we have Gouffran, Sissoko and M’biwa to slot into all those positions…

    I can understand not wanting to throw everyone in at the deep end at the same time, but ffs, if we lose at Villa with the current crop then I don’t want to see some of the above mentioned starting again this season..

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  45. It hasn’t worked with what we had (players) to date so why give them another go. Throw caution to the wind and start the new guys. What have we got to lose…that we haven’t been losing already.

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  46. newkie, even if we get a point tommorow its better than nothing. its our home games we should be winning. thats our fortress. if i had my way we would win every game from now to the end of the season

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