Speaking to the local press he revealed that today is the first chance the players will have to get their balls out and have a kick about since their staggered return to pre-season training which started at the beginning of the week.
The past few days have been used purely for medical reasons to give the boys a good looking over, and with no new news of any setbacks it looks as though the players are all good to go and intensify their training ahead of the first pre-season match a week tomorrow at Darlington’s rather expansive Northern Echo Arena.
It also give Alan Pardew the chance to look at a few players up close and personal for the first time. Players like Hatem Ben Arfa and Dan Gosling aswell as the new boys of Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Sylvain Marveaux are all relatively unknown quantities to him so today he’ll be able to see a bit more of what they are all about and how he is going to fit them into his team, which you could argue seems to be his only
“This is the first day we will all train together,” Pardew told The Chronicle. “I’m very excited about it, and it’s nice for all of the guys to be together again with all of the staff.”
He continued: “It is the day we have been waiting for and we get a chance to get the balls out for the first time. It is always a day when you can begin to put your dreams into practice and start working ahead to a season you hope will be successful.”
Dreams? Success? Those are words that seem a million miles away from the fans at the moment as the debate continues to rage on about the £35 million. It’s quite boring now and it’s been done to death, but it does seem to be THE hot topic amongst fans at the moment.
Thankfully there will soon be football to distract us and give is something to talk about. You never know, but some fears may also be allayed once fans start to see the lads in action.
This is Alan Pardew’s first bite at the cherry in my opinion. It’s the first chance he will have had to mould the team and get them playing in his way right from the word go. He won’t have to concern himself as much with keeping the stability of the side halfway through the season as he had to do last season and consequently all of the results, positive or negative, will be achieved with his team. He’s looking forward to it though. Bless.
“For me, it makes a massive difference for a manager to be in charge at the start of the season,” he said.
“It is unlike coming in mid-season like I did last year, and I can tweak the way we play from here on in, add some discipline to our shape, and see how the players respond to that.”
“It is very much going to be how we play this season. We believe we can have a successful season and move forward.”
“Last season was very much about getting stability and making sure we stayed in the division. This year will be about getting a reputation and moving forward in the right direction as a football club.”
A lot of fans are still undecided on Alan Pardew, including me to an extent. I think he did what was required last season in terms of results without pulling up any tress. Mind you, he wasn’t exactly blessed with a vast array of talented players in some games to be fair.
This is his time, his team, his chance. Will he be able to make the most of it though?
I really think he’ll be able to manage these players well based on seeing the change in gameplay since he took over.
I trust him with managing the current squad well. Unfortunately, I don’t fully trust him with other aspects of being the manager at nufc
AndrewT(Quote)
Sorry to change the topic of the thread, but how “huge” must the money be that sunderland are paying for gardener, Wong, brown, o’shea, larrson, Vaughn, and Gibson??
Ashley must surely be noticing this kind of financial investment and realize that some of the money needs to be really spent for us to be truly competitive!
AndrewT(Quote)
Agree, think he’s a decent manager on the playing side. Bit no manager can be trusted under Ashley and DL…
Even if the maager is honest, he’s probably been lied to himself… And anyone who wants to stay in charge will be a mouth piece…
Ashley and Lamearse are out and out liars…
JJ(Quote)
I think to be fair Pardew did better than most people expected last season. That’s not to say he did well, because he didn’t. He did ok though. Especially considering the lack of quality in depth in the squad.
Also he had the rug pulled out from under him a bit when Ashley sold Carroll, and we were always going to struggle due to our paucity of striking talent..
Team spirit seemed to carry us through – the big question to be asked is how much of that was down to Pardew, and how much was down to the likes of Nolan and Barton etc.
Pootle(Quote)
But andrewt out of those players who would you of signed? For me it maybe be O’Shea and Whickham. But id be weary of players who fergie is happy to sell. See Alan Smith for references. N whickham has potential but I dont think we have missed out on the next Alan Shearer ( wait n see Whickham beat ever goal scoring record after that comment 🙂 )
Now this is a bit of a non-starter of a story so my apologies in advance. But a girl I work with sister is married or goes out with Shane Long , i dont really be listening if im been honest. I was talking to her there a few mins ago and she said that she hasnt a clue if he is going to join for us but has heard that we are interested in him. I asked her to keep me informed if she heard anything which she said she would prob here 30mins before hand. So when I said this was a bit of a non starter I really should of wrote its a complete non started 🙂 ( OR NOT OF WROTE IT AT ALL ) but those who have wrote it thank u and Im sorry i wasted ur time 🙂
Johno Toon(Quote)
Johno 😆
toonsy(Quote)
It’s nice that the team does not just pick itself for a change. Not a lot of competition for places yet, but at least competition for some.
Premandup(Quote)
Good point johno toon. And I’m not necessarily saying that I would want any of their new players here, even wickham. I’m just saying that they are actually spending the money that Liverpool gave in grossly overpaying for a young player.
AndrewT(Quote)
Good to see them using their feet again 😀
The new prem ball looks nice like.
Cant wait for the season to start now 😀
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
The Carroll money is probably the most important issue amongst most Toon fans.
There is so much anger over it. 🙂 🙁 😯
That’s why we like discussing it. 😯
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
I think that if pardew can get 2-3 more players in for the 1st team, we could do very well this year.
But I guess we still need to get rid of a few before that can happen.
AndrewT(Quote)
Bobby,
It’s not the money that bothers me, it’s the being lied to and the moving of the goal posts 😉
Moreno(Quote)
I for one find the scum giving Brown a 4 year contract ( and probably a 4 year contract with huge wages at that) Hilarious. That will take him to 35 and with his injury record id be surprised if he plays more than 10-15 games a season.
Oblong(Quote)
Oh…….. and he’s SH*T!
Oblong(Quote)
@Moreno
Yeh, that’s what I’m getting at. It boils my p!55 .
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Looking like Forest are after Routledge.
Pards going to give his new mate Wally a good deal
Moreno(Quote)
Thank St James the balls are finally coming out.
Just hide themfrom Bobby 😉
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Whats the point in moaning about the 35million? If its going to be spent, if its not its not, nothing we can do about it.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Spencer, we can at least continue to being attention to it. Also, it’s a lot of money to ignore
AndrewT(Quote)
I still thinkb with signing on fees, agents fees, first years wages and including Tiotes new deal that adds up to about £20m and still making offers to strikers. Wtf the problem.
premandup(Quote)
@Spencer
I want the team to be as strong as possible and if there’s money in the kitty to make it stronger, like they promised, it should be spent .
According to the Chronicle;
The pot has been spent on;
£4.8m Cabaye
The salaries, signing on fees and agent fees of Cabaye, Marveaux, Abeid and Ba.
Improvements at the training ground Inc new pitches, undersoil heating and installation of a water bore.
A slice of money has been put aside for new contracts for players already at the club such as Jose, if he stays .
The salary of Tiote.
They are also saving money for January in case they get injuries.
What’s happened to the huge savings in wages of Campbell, Kuqi and Nolan?
Did Nolans fee not cover Cabayes?
I predicted it and alot of you dreamed of Gameiro, Gervinho, M Bengue, Sturridge, Zog, barretta and the rest. 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Whats the point in moaning about the 35million? If its going to be spent, if its not its not, nothing we can do about it.
————————————–
very true. But obsessed WUMs take the opposite approach
MDS(Quote)
we need to buy a stricker and a left back
ROSHAN(Quote)
The 35m is ring fenced for grass seeds etc, however, we need to cash in on Enrique and Jonas if we want to purchase Taylor from Swansea for 1.5 million. That`s the way Ashley works, sell players put 90% in his pocket and pay 10% for replacements. This is a recipe for balancing the books and helping us to compete with the likes of stoke City who have offered 16 million for Scott Dann and DJ Campbell oh how the mighty have fallen!
Freddie Shepherd(Quote)
Just to let you know the away kit is orange, goalie kit is lime green sort of. Sneaky advert on the side of the website. Just thought i’d let everyone know 😀
Goose(Quote)
I know we pay all our fees up front eg Cabaya’s fee. But did we get all of Nolan’s fee up front. Doubt it. Add on the signing on fee and agents fee, probably another £3 or 4m and assuming we allow nolans wages to offset Cabayas we still spent cash up front on that deal alone. The nievity of merely talking in terms of the fee to the selling club is pathetic.
premandup(Quote)
Spencer,
“Whats the point in moaning about the 35million?”
Because we can afford to spend it but one man chooses not too.
it’s a bloody fascist dictatorship I tell ya!
Moreno(Quote)
@MDS
No one is wanting the club to waste the money because it’s there. It’s about good using the money wisely.
If you accept that agent fees, signing on fees for free transfers takes up a huge chunk of money then why bother taking a risk on players who have medical question marks hanging over their heads just because they are at the end of their contracts .
You’ve fallen for the same empty words that this regime has spouted since they arrived and you still haven’t learned.
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
I like the look of the goalkeeper kit, many will probably disagree
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
The Carroll fiasco will not go away as the explanation given in January placated most fans who endured the second half of the season watching tripe up front as they had been given hope that a huge influx of talent was on the way.
It now looks like they lied to save their skin then and it is now coming back to haunt them, fans have a good right to bang on about it, would they have bought season tickets knowing that apart from 1 or 2 more signings, thats it!, no they wouldnt!
Personally i find it hilarious reading the quotes from Llambias and Pardew about where the cash has gone and the saving for the January window was an absolute pearler, anyone remember the KK tribunal when the club said they felt it was their right to mislead fans when they wanted, pack of twats.
Robert(Quote)
@premandup
Guessing again are we about w.ham paying up front? 🙄
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
New strategy wait until the january window keep our powder dry at the moment we may need to spend in january. Of course we will but they will be nobody available then and prices will be inflated what planet is lambarse on.
Freddie Shepherd(Quote)
Spencer- I like it too, I think it looks quite classy. Love the orange top too
Goose(Quote)
@Robert
I according agree more!
This regime are despicable .
Do people really believe they will spend cash in the January window? The same old rhetoric will be churned out that they won’t be held to ransome by clubs in January and no one wants to sell their best players.
Utter utter bullshit!
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
Goose, I like the orange one, but it dosent really jump out at me, like the keeper one, I love it, I might invest in the keeper one, even though ill never wear it 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
• couldn’t agree more•
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)
BSN9- Even I agree that it wont be spent in january, the last ‘decent’ january was when we were in the championship.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Seemingly we offered 12m in the january window for Zog and yet we are not prepared to offer good money now. Another example of them feeding ***** to us
Freddie Shepherd(Quote)
Spencer, haha I used to play in goal so I’d wear it at training. Don’t play in goal anymore though. You see the orange one really jumps out at me and so does the goalie one. They should do short sleeve goalie shirts!!
Goose(Quote)
Course i’m guessing. Most transfers have a deposit up front and the rest over the term of the contract. The percentages vary. We are an exception to that apperntly. Given WHam just relegated and us happy to let Nolan go its a reasonable guess that the deposit was not 100%
premandup(Quote)
Goose, I played in goal once for school, and conceded 5 😆
Normally play CB.
But dont think im playing next season.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
BS- I haven’t fallen for anything. I just don’t care what they use the money for so long as the club is improved. I would rather see smart busniess and smart buys with the rest going towards the debt than 20M wasted for garbage.
If you really hate the “regime” so much, you should want to see as little expenditure as possible to make the club more attractive to potential buyers.
MDS(Quote)
Freddie shephard. The accounts show he hasn’t taken any money out the club yet. And it’s scott dann and cameron jerome. and would you really want us to compete and try and top 16mill for them two? A terrible terrible post.
Rorycn(Quote)
Haha, well not as bad as me who let 21 in 😀 Well we were playing Luton!!!
Cool, I’m a utility player but my fav position is left mid don’t get to play there much either.
I play for a ladies team 😀 I nearly didn’t carry on but have decided too is it too much effort for you?
Goose(Quote)
I’m with MDS the squads improving. we are still trying to buy players. We are going to continue to be able to compete in the future because we are using abit of savvy. But i’m sure we’d all rather we bought cameron jerome,scott dann and wes brown for 20mill then gave them all massive contracts so we can complain in a few years that we are stuck with needless players on big wages at the club like smith and xisco. Cracking.
Rorycn(Quote)
i thought ashley took 2 repayments of his loan back
hitman(Quote)
Not that i’m aware but if so i apologise and come down off my high horse…
Rorycn(Quote)
No, im moving so dont know if I will be able to find a team, if I can find a team then i will 😀
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Sorry agreed got it wrong it was Cameron Jerome and Scott Dann! IMO in today`s market I don`t think that is bad value for those two players. I trust the judgement of Tony Pullis far more than that of Pardew!
Freddie Shepherd(Quote)
Rorycn, he doesnt need to take money out of the ” Club”, its his piggy bank and all this bollocks about accounting for wages 5 yrs in advance without also accounting for wages taken off the bill from players leaving doesnt fool anyone, no wonder Llambias doesnt speak to the press very often, he just talks a whole load of *****.
Can anyone imagine any another multi million pound company being managed by a buffoon like him?
Robert(Quote)
@21 You’ve predicted absolutely nothing mate. The end of the transfer window is the 31st of August. Lets see where we’re at yet. Pardew has said he wants to bring in two more attackers and has also said he will replace anyone that leaves.
Its not time to say I told you so just yet.
David(Quote)
great news,the NOTW will be no more after this sunday..
what they did for a story was an utter disgrace
hitman(Quote)
@52 – Good news. I think this story may bring about some changes in the way the british media are allowed to report news.
David(Quote)
Spencer, cool. I’m sure you’ll be able to find another club 😀
Goose(Quote)
What time are people thinking of getting to Leeds? Anyone on the all day **** up? 🙂
jay jay(Quote)
Jay Jay- I will mate 😆
Get on the same train, we will have a few tinnies on the train 😆
Goose, ofc I will, im a rock at the heart of the defence 😉 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
stop moaning lads this time last year we had only signed perch!!
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Nothin to do with Newcastle , News of the World last edtion will be this sundays , will sunday rumors be ever the same again? 🙂
Good riddance to them.
Johno Toon(Quote)
Jamie could you handle an all day session? I doubt it 😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
know one under 5 foot can 😆
The best ive done is 1in the afternoon to one in the morning and I couldnt move 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Were you traveling from Spencer?
Aye young Andrew, bring a fake ID and uncle Jamie will buy you a pint 😆
jay jay(Quote)
Spencer, haha your important to the team!!! I get moved round way too much
Goose(Quote)
Jay Jay, sheffield, I’m bring my brothers provisinol Jay Jay, never let me down yet 😉 😆
Goose, I dont get moved because im 6’4, cant hit the net for shyte so never going to get played up top, and ide look out of place at CM 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
News OF THE WORLD CLOSING DOWN? 😆
Watching Harry Potter Red Carpet Live now on youtube. 😳
10yrs.time flies. 😥
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Jamie
I’ll be able to buy you a drink come 6th December, not that that will ever happen though 😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Haha, being that tall has it’s advantages. I’m only 5’4 😀
Goose(Quote)
aye, but goose it also has its disadvantages, when you have to play agains a little nippy striker its horrible 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Haha, yeah I understand that. They turn really quickly but when your in ladies and your only 5’4 there are some ladies who just are so tall and big it’s sometimes scary 😀
Goose(Quote)
Spence ” you’re the rock in the defence” … wot! you just stay in one spot being a useless piece of concrete until someone picks you up and throws you off the pitch, or did you mean you’re the **** in defence?
stevep(Quote)
Stevep, it was a joke, I wasnt trying to be big headed or anything 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Toon will be relegated again next year we are the top dogs Ashelys a secret makem scouring france for freebies while the 35mill lies in the bank cant wait till 2nd game come on! 👿
Makem john(Quote)
John you are a douchebag-
that is all
MarkToon(Quote)
John, I remeber you mackems saying still like that this time last year, then we stuffed you 5-1, ide be quite if I was you.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
You Geordies will swallow out lambiarsehole says most of the 35mill has gone on agents fees what a joker we are spending like a drunken sailor and still theres more to come no its a relegation scrap for the mags 😀
Makem john(Quote)
Surely if we hadn’t have sold Carroll he would have had a budget? 😯
I would like to think his 5 yr plan is now only 3 yr!
Bobby Shinton number 9(Quote)