New season, new captain?

kimtoon

Is Colo still the man to lead our troops?
Is Colo still the man to lead our troops?
With the new Premier League season just 12 days away now, Steve McClaren has to be thinking about his choice of captain going into the new campaign. Steve hasn’t given much away about who he’ll choose and has given the armband to various players pre-season with Gouffran even being handed the arm band at one point.

It’s a difficult one in fairness as with Coloccini in his last year of contract it could look a little mean to take it off him. On the other hand we know that new managers often like to choose their own man to captain the side, especially when a lot of new players they have picked arrive to the squad. Of course McClaren’s job of choosing a new captain could be made a lot easier if the rumors of Coloccini to Crystal Palace are true. He certainly doesn’t seem to want to lose Coloccini as he has spoken very highly of him. He has praised his work rate and influence around the training ground and said he fully expects him to be running out for us at seasons start.

When asked about a new captain Steve had this to say;

”I want them all wearing an armband and being leaders. We’ve developed a senior leadership group since we’ve come in, and the ones who are taking the armband in the matches are part of that group.”

If the above is the case then we can assume that Gouffran still has a big part at Newcastle since he was given the armband. Gouffran has had some good games for us but really went off the boil last season which was disappointing.
I can see a few who would be good for the armband, Janmaat, Krul, De Jong seems vocal enough and could be good if he can stay fit. But I suspect in the end Colocini will keep it, if only to not rock the boat. He’s in his last year so Steve can pick his own man next season.
Who would you like to be captain? Thoughts welcome.
Kimtoon

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623 thoughts on “New season, new captain?”

  3. Should have scored but another chance from a corner, To follow the goals from corners in the last couple of matches

    Hopefully the pennies dropping

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  7. Aarons, Mitrovic and Mbemba please. Obertan, Cisse and Willo off. Soon as poss

    Then we can see what might be our ‘1st choice (available) XI’ actually play together before the start of the **** season

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  9. M@532, The team out there have done alright but like you I really want to see our new lads and how they shape up.

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  11. we lack creativity in the final third, no-one going beyond defenders as such… Thanks to BMG for playing without any strikers, make our defence look good and allow Haidra to bomb forward…pity his final ball has been poor…

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  12. KT@535, agreed there…two shocking misses 🙁
    Not impressed with Krul palming a weak shot back into open play, same **** as last season…why not palm the ball out for a corner instead of to the feet of the incoming striker ?

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  13. KT@533, he probably isn’t at the match today either… 😉
    On his way out I reckon…

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  14. Great tactic…from BMG, let HAIDAra SEE plenty of the ball cos he has no end product…

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  15. MM, why indeed, still much to do on the training pitch imo. Must confess thought we’d get caned today so nice we are doing ok so far but we need some creativity in that final third and hopefully players are just ring rusty.

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  19. there you Schteve
    we keep telling ya, the defense is a pile of shyte fella.
    How can’t you see it ?

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  21. KIMTOON@533 i think their is a game of poker going on between colo and THE club. Collo wants out but wont put a transfer request in and the club wont free HIM untill he does . IT Will go down to the final days of the window this one and THE club Will ont buy untill hè is gone Being the clubs top earner. I do belive they have Some ome big lined up too remplace him but iT Will be big Bucks salary wise.

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  23. BB

    Maybe he does see it but can’t do anything because of injuries and a lack of control on transfers?

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  27. they all look like theyre wearing sports bras with those catapult things on underneath that cheap and nasty puma white tat

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  30. Hate both our strips, ain’t had a good one in yonks, such a shame. Can’t remember the last time I bought one. Tend to buy T.shirts now.

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  31. Staylor is a crouton.
    When did we last play a game and not concede ?
    Abysmal… BMG are just going through the motions too 😳

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  32. There is NO WAY THAT A TOP CLUB WILL SIGN sISSOKO:::HIS BALL retention and decision making is abysmal..

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  34. This French commentary team are desperate for us to score, the squeals from them everytime we come close is quite funny.

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  35. Mitrovic link up play looks good, fittingly limp end to a badly organised pre season

    We would have been so much better having a training camp in Spain or Portugal and playing some local sides

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  36. well we seem as clueless in attack as always.
    My prediction of bottom 3 by xmas is looking nailed on.
    Sorry to say, but we look extremely poor for a so called PREMIER league club.
    Schteve has a long long way to go to turn this cart around.

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  37. Can’t join in getting worked up – so this is telling us what we knew, that the existing defensive set-up is poor and Saylor is guaranteed to make errors when he plays, and that Cisse provides no focal point to attack, that Sissy goes missing if we go behind. Not going to change our prospects in one window, which isn’t over yet. If this is the squad for the season I’ll be surprised – expect 1-2 CBs out and one in, Cisse out Austin in and a winger. That will be better, but still a 10-14 place team, expect to improve that situation over Next year or so. SBR’a fist two full seasons: back to back mediocrity folks, while he sorted out a pattern of play.

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  38. Some good football played at times (at least better than last season). I can see the passing game that we were promised coming through. Pity about the woodwork shots.

    Interesting watch for a number of reasons. Not least being that I’m now sure I need to brush up on my French if I’m going to go to the Euros next year. I used to be reasonably good at it, in a British sort of way. Hopeless now. I barely understood 25% of what the commentators were saying.

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  39. Was disappointed that Mbemba came on for Janmaat, wanted to see him at CB really. Hope it’s not Mbiwa all over again.

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  41. I know it’s just pre-season but I’m still very concerned. We are passing it better but there are still flaws and a lack of composure.

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  42. Kimtoon, it aint pre-season mate. That was the last showing before the real thing starts…

    what we saw today was pretty much our starting 11.

    I predicted weeks ago that Staylor and Willo would start the first game of the season, and can’t see that changing.

    Liked the look of our 3 new signings, they will improve the team no end, especially Gigi..

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  43. McLaren’s toon record so far…

    WLWLDLL, with the W’s being a 1-0 win against Gateshead with a penalty, and an own goal by one of the Sacramento 3rd teams juniors.

    As Steve points out we have problems in the box at both ends of the field..
    Wait until Southampton get let loose on Staylor and Willo…. 🙄

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  44. So Munich, slagging off the new manager before a ball has been kicked in a competitive match. Calling for his head at Half time in the first game as well I imagine.

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  45. Well just got back from the match… 21,088 attendance yet the only noise from a few dozen Germans… Can’t believe how quite it was all match. No singing at all. Match itself was so so. I though Anita played quite well and Gini did well too. Obertan put in a good effort but no end product.

    Not sure why Mbemba replaced Janmat. Willo was static as usual and would have preferred him to come off… And never come back again ever.

    We had a few good efforts but not a great match. Still was nice to be back in SJP.. Pity I will miss the opener as I’m flying back to Dubai on Sunday.
    Best thing today was the sunshine … Lol.

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  46. Dubai

    The atmosphere has been as bad as the football for the last three years.

    Glad you enjoyed being back. Travel safe and return soon

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  47. I think we saw the team that will start against Southampton except Mitrovic for Obertan. I doubt Mbemba will start after only a week and they will continue to baby de Jong and Aarons – probably rightly so. I expect to see them as subs for the first month unless they really prove their fitness and one or the other has an outstanding game.

    Mitrovic has to start if Steve knows what we are like. With Willo, Timmy-the-hoof and Taylor on we will revert to type and play the long ball if under any pressure. We need an outlet for the inevitable hoofs and Steve cannot change a footballing culture in a month. He will never change Willo who is simply scared of the ball and can have no long term place in a passing team.

    Southampton and Swans shouldn’t scare us too much even though they have been bogey teams recently. That said, we have had a lot of bogey teams recently including the unwashed.

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  49. Seems to be a lot of talk of McC going back in for Austin this week, but defender talk has gone quiet…. Got a feeling it’s Gona be a good ending to the window for fans. 😀

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  50. Shamrock, lets hope so mate, Steve did say a couple we were after would really excite the fans after we signed Mitro and Gini, lets hope he’s true to his word.

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  52. Apparently Steve was on SSN and said there has been NO contact between the club’s re Austin and that it was just media hype.

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  53. Sorry Ice, don’t think he’s coming, never have tbh. We need a player to supply Mitro man and a BIG CB.

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  56. KIM I heard that via a third party as I didn’t see any of the game,where are theses two signings that are going tho excite us then,don’t think there be any more before first game,so that’s us beat. Then with that defence we need a least one c/b

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  57. Premandup@569, what are you blathering on about mate ?
    I never said anything of the sort.

    I’m quoting his toon record so far.
    Or are you going to tell me that his record is something different than quoted ?

    Please don’t lie and make things up.

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  58. Ice, I’m really shocked that we are starting a new campaign with what looks to be Taylor and Willo. I expected both to be history and replaced with quality given what happened last season. 🙁

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  59. But, speaking after the 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach, he said: “Are we looking at more? There is a lot of speculation out there. Nothing is happening at the present moment, believe you and me.

    “There is a lot of work behind the scenes. It’s taken us quite a while to get the ones we’ve got. We are pleased with them – very pleased – because of their quality.

    “Will there be any more? I don’t know, I always want more but are they available and can we get them? We don’t know.”

    That doesn’t read to me like a manager who is happy with his lot. That to me reads like a manager who knows he needs more, and has identified those he wants – he just can’t seem to get those final deals moving. But it seems it’s not for the want of trying.

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  60. Kim – I certainly expected Willo gone, but he has featured in more pre season games than anyone else I reckon. I can’t decide if that’s putting him in the shop window (which is a bad idea, as nobody will want to buy him watching him play!!) – or is it a case of bring him up to speed with a new playing style under McClaren. I’m worried to say, I get the impression it’s the latter.

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  62. Axel – I agree completely. I just can’t think we he would have featured so much – unless it is McClaren highlighting how poor Willo is to Ashley and the rest of the board, in a hope of convincing them to release more cash to replace him. The problem with that theory is that we are linked with Austin & Thauvin and not a CB – that we are aware of anyway

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  64. To be sure, The Chronic have let a few of their opinionists like Quinn and Rob Lee have a bit of a go now and again, but their regular writers were so scared after they were banned that it has been a joke. Especially, Ryder’s open campaigning for Carver.

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  65. It is as if The Chronic have suddenly realised that Fatman wants to manipulate the press with his preferred media partners who will pay him to do so. I wonder why it took them so long 🙂 They were either fooled again or were just thick in the first place.

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  70. Eight or nine signings needed this month. Out must go Taylor, Williamson, Colocinni, Obertan, Gouffran, Carell and Cisse

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  74. Kimtoon: How about a predictions thread later in the week. All of the pundits are beginning to come out with theirs. Collymore has us 15th and Alan Smith 12th. They actually put down their position guesses for every team.

    I think it is difficult for us more than most with a new manager and who knows what changes to players there will be.

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