With Benitez staying, 30-year-old decides to remain at Newcastle United

Nicky Toon

Newcastle United have been handed a huge boost with the news that Papiss Cisse will be staying put at the club

Despite Newcastle United’s relegation into the Championship, manager Rafael Benitez has agreed to continue on as manager at the club and surely as a consequence, a number of players have pledged their allegiance to the Magpies.

The likes of Ayoze Perez, Tim Krul, Vurnon Anita and Kevin Mbabu are all eyeing a stay at Newcastle and while Siem De Jong and Georginio Wijnaldum have been dropping hints regarding a potential exit, majority of the current crop look likely to stay put.

Now in another boost for the Magpies, striker Papiss Cisse has gone on to reveal that he is also willing to remain at St. James’ Park this summer.

Cisse had been consistently linked with a move away from Newcastle even when the Magpies were in the Premier League and it was expected that the 30-year-old would surely be looking for an exit following the club’s relegation.

Surprisingly though, Cisse has gone on to reveal that he is open to seeing out his contract at Newcastle and is keen on helping the club earn promotion back into the Premier League.

The Senegalese international said, “We’re not a small team, I have a year left on my contract and I will stay put. Newcastle are a big club and can rise again overnight. All the players know this and we will take the club back up.”

Cisse has struggled for goals over the last few seasons and his relationship with the fans is not the strongest at the moment. Nonetheless, the striker would have endeared himself to the club faithful following his latest admission and he will surely want to play a big part next season.

About Nicky Toon

View all posts by Nicky Toon →

You may like these posts

211 thoughts on “With Benitez staying, 30-year-old decides to remain at Newcastle United”

  1. Eric, I am assuming you are one good looking dude, cause the way you insult folks looks you can’t possibly live in a glass house ? 🙂

      (Quote)

  3. People have called me a taller and less wrinkly version of George Clooney though. Thanks for asking.

      (Quote)

  4. Again Kimtoon: Steve Bruce and Paul Merson???? I would feel bad if I didn’t insult them. Or Jamie Carragher’s voice!!! What he says is good, but that voice is fingernail’s on a chalk board.

      (Quote)

  5. And UGLY JOHN? I am picking easy targets. A pickled walnut wit hair is an easy target.

      (Quote)

  6. Gutted for Shef Wed today, but well done to Stevie Bruce.

    Also, we can take positives from the fact Burnley & Hull have bounced straight back up.
    Tough league, but if they can do it, so can we!!!.

      (Quote)

  8. Sharpy, I thought Wednesday ran out of steam and Hull deserved it and anyway I have a soft spot for Brucie even if he is fat, he’s a nice guy.

      (Quote)

  9. Kim – I agree, I think Hulls experience told out in the end.
    As much as I like Wed, I like Brucie too so I’m pleased for him.

    I wonder if the fact Dyche & Bruce brought their clubs straight back up crossed Rafas mind when he was mulling over whether to stop on.
    Both of those clubs are getting promoted with a lot of the players they went down with too.

      (Quote)

  10. Sharpy17:
    Kim – I agree, I think Hulls experience told out in the end.
    As much as I like Wed, I like Brucie too so I’m pleased for him.

    I wonder if the fact Dyche & Bruce brought their clubs straight back up crossed Rafas mind when he was mulling over whether to stop on.
    Both of those clubs are getting promoted with a lot of the players they went down with too.

    I think it must of mate . It is a tough league but when you look at the cash power of teams that drop it always gives them a head start on the clubs that been down there a long time. I bet there are a few chairmen of championship clubs who have looked at us, Villa and Norwich and are already half throwing in the towel. They can’t compete with us cash wise but they can put a hardworking squad together like Wednesday did and maybe make the playoffs, then who knows what can happen. The important thing for us is not to think we’ve won it before it starts cause that’s a banana skin right there. We have to work bloody hard and scrap in every game and there is a lot of them too. We have a mighty chance with Rafa but it’s not a certainty by no means, he needs a team of fighters with a dash of flair thrown in .

      (Quote)

  13. Kim – I couldn’t agree more. I think that league in particular is as much about workrate as it is talent. If you look at teams like Bournemouth & Burnley, they have a team of grafters with a couple of players in their side that can win the game.

    I think our workrate will improve (has improved) dramatically under Rafa. But I think we will need those players to change or win a game – do we have them already in Townsend, Perez, Shelvey, Armstrong, Mitrovic for example?
    Maybe, but Rafa needs plenty opinions, coz I think teams will park the bus against us & make it very difficult – especially when they visit SJP.

      (Quote)

  14. Sharpy, agree I can see teams being ultra defensive against us, we do have game changers in Townsend and Perez and if he can stay fit Aarons too. I actually reckon young Arma up top alongside Mitro could have a lot of joy too. What do you think? For me the defence needs properly sorting out with adequate backup and that doesn’t mean Colo or Taylor in there anymore as one is past it and the other made of glass.

      (Quote)

  15. Kimtoon: My thing about wet spam is that the press keep sucking up to them. A gift of a stadium and they want to change the rules for giving out Queen’s honours just for them. Tony Blackburn is not a Sir even though he deserves it, and neither is Noel Edmonds nor Dickie Davies. Next you will be telling me it is SIR Lenny Henry, DAME Barbara Windsor and LORD Sebastian Coe?

      (Quote)

  16. Kim – I think we have missed a natural goal scorer. As talented as Mitrovic & Perez are, i don’t think either are that predator in the box that someone like Defoe is. I am hoping that Armstrong will be, coz from what I saw of him at Coventry, he looked it. If he can step that up a league with us, then yeah, I think Mitrovic & Armstrong could be lethal together. Townsend & Aarons will certainly create – but I just worry about Aarons fitness. I’d like to see us get either Matt Phillips or Alan Judge in for those wide positions as well, coz both have proven ability in this league.

    I agree about the defence as well. I think Mbemba & Lascelles have proven themselves to us – but Saylor & Colo have to be replaced for me. Daniel Agger would be canny on a free at 29 but has had his injury problems too. I like Lewis Dunk & Grant Hanley personally, but it will be interesting to see what Rafa does.

      (Quote)

  18. I always thought they gave out some honours with cornflakes anyway. Dame Judy Dench could have got hers for her work in Pantos (as a pantomime Dame, she has the looks for it) as it would have been just as good as that terrible ’90s sit-com “As Time Goes By”. They still show it here in the USA and it is still as shyte.

      (Quote)

  22. Sharpy17:
    Kim – I think we have missed a natural goal scorer.As talented as Mitrovic & Perez are, i don’t think either are that predator in the box that someone like Defoe is.I am hoping that Armstrong will be, coz from what I saw of him at Coventry, he looked it.If he can step that up a league with us, then yeah, I think Mitrovic & Armstrong could be lethal together.Townsend & Aarons will certainly create – but I just worry about Aarons fitness.I’d like to see us get either Matt Phillips or Alan Judge in for those wide positions as well, coz both have proven ability in this league.

    I agree about the defence as well.I think Mbemba & Lascelles have proven themselves to us – but Saylor & Colo have to be replaced for me.Daniel Agger would be canny on a free at 29 but has had his injury problems too.I like Lewis Dunk & Grant Hanley personally, but it will be interesting to see what Rafa does.

    Sharpe I think Armstrong could make a real name for himself this season mate. He is a natural goas corer and we need 1 of them

      (Quote)

  23. DAVE what you doing up at 1.30 in the morning you bad lad 😆 hope the lad is still doing ok at his footy

      (Quote)

  24. eric sykes, probably the reason why they show ***** old uk sit coms in the us is because there own sit coms are even worse… easy really. ive lived twice in the us (despite being a low paid manual worker – acording to you that is) and was shocked at the level of intelligence shown in the regular us tv shows..

      (Quote)

  25. the toon seem to enjoy touring ireland for some reason…envious of the toon army in ireland getting to see the new rafa inspirdd nufc.. i hope they pitch up in southern europe again this close season, the visit to bavaria a few years back was immense !

      (Quote)

  26. Even if you take out Janmaat, Sissoko and Gini there’s a bloody good team there for the championship. We do need to beef up the squad though with another CB and hopefully a playmaker type up front.

      (Quote)

  27. Georgio, I tend to disagree mate, otherwise that “bloody good team” wouldnt have been relegated and regularly played off the park by so-called lesser teams.
    we have a bunch of cheating shirkers at the club who fall into 2 categories…1 not good enough and shouldn’t be anywhere near the premier league and we cant easily get rid of, and 2 are just using the club as a stepping stone whilst showing no bottle for the fight..
    Rafa has a major task on his hands, but im confident he can weed out the shirkers…

    One thing is for sure, and im in the Funky Jesus camp here, the Championship will be extremely difficult this coming season. If the same players pose around impersonating footballers like they did under the grin reaper then well get absolutely nowhere. you can imagine the motivational talks going through the opposition changing rooms already, what a massive scalp to take, both nufc AND Rafa. Its also been shown that Championship clubs can also play, the quality has improved massively over the last years.

      (Quote)

  30. MM – each to their own I guess. I was thinking of the last 6 games when we finally had a real manager (no grin) and showed top 4 PL form against the likes of City, Liverpool and Spurs.
    Even after a season of the idiot McClaren, one more goal against Sunderland and we’d have stayed up.
    I do get what you’re saying about the CC and I do think it’ll be very tough.
    We’ll see.

      (Quote)

  32. Georgio:
    MM – each to their own I guess. I was thinking of the last 6 games when we finally had areal manager (no grin) and showed top 4 PL form against the likes of City, Liverpool and Spurs.
    Even after a season of the idiot McClaren, one more goal against Sunderland and we’d have stayed up.
    I do get what you’re saying about the CC and I do think it’ll be very tough.
    We’ll see.

    This is why I am now glad we didn’t beat Aston Villa and only drew.

    If we’d beat Villa then we’d be going down on goal difference. Same result but much worse road to it.

      (Quote)

  33. With you there FJ, that would have been so much worse, to go down on goal difference. We needed to beat Villa and a draw against Norwich. Mind you, if we hadnt gone down, would Rafa have been able to force through what he wants for the club.

      (Quote)

  34. Simon:
    With you there FJ, that would have been so much worse, to go down on goal difference.We needed to beat Villa and a draw against Norwich.Mind you, if we hadnt gone down, would Rafa have been able to force through what he wants for the club.

    Exactly, it had to get bad to get better.

      (Quote)

  35. Yeah Kim, its the way its gone, but looks like things can only get better now. Roll on start of the season, just hope its going to be an enjoyable one, lots of wins and confidence to be gained I hope

      (Quote)

  36. Just looking at potential free transfers in defence. Daniel Agger, Arbeloa & Jose Enrique all available.
    All 30+ like, but could add some experience to a pretty young defence.

      (Quote)

  37. I’d like to see us sign Lewis Dunk, Alan Judge & Chris Martin from our Championship rivals as well.

      (Quote)

  38. The problem with buying after relegation is making it people who can switch divisions.

    Ross McCormack is fit for this division and the £12m to get him seems a lot but its peanuts for what is earned with promotion – he’d be 31 by promotion though and that’s a risky buy for an unproven 31 year old. He doesn’t have youth on his side like Jordan Rhodes did.

    Also, the youth in this division will be playing for competition. Forestieri, Redmond, Will Hughes – all in teams that wanna go up too.

    Andy Robertson and Jordan Rhodes got promoted so we’d need to offer £1m a week to make them drop back down.

    Freebies of experience and loans may be the way to go this year to fill gaps of what we already have.

      (Quote)

  39. Funky – I was thinking that Arbeloa has played under Rafa twice & Agger once, so they may agree to team up with him again on a 1 year rolling contract with them being near the end of their careers now.

    Judge & Martin are 27 and have not only scored a lot of goals between them but have over 10 assists each as well. They would do us well in this league and still be at a decent age when we go up.

      (Quote)

  40. I’m not convinced about Agger. Isn’t he a sicknote who has been playing in a poor league for the last few years and is probably well past his peak? We need players with up to date ability.

      (Quote)

  41. Maybe Rafa can lure Ibrahimovic. Now there’s one over-the-hill guy I wouldn’t mind. Though I think Charnley would have a heart-attack if Rafa blew his whole wages kitty on the one guy. 🙂

      (Quote)

  42. Shamrock, If you are around I have an article waiting to send you to put up. I’m around on and off all day, let me know if you are free to put it up ok. 🙂

      (Quote)

  43. Shamrock:
    I’m not convinced about Agger. Isn’t he a sicknote who has been playing in a poor league for the last few years and is probably well past his peak? We need players with up to date ability.

    Fair point mate, I did allude to Aggers injuries. But I think we need an older head at CB as well coz Mbemba & Lascelles are both young & if we did sign Dunk he’s only early 20s as well I think.
    If not Agger I’d happily take someone like James Collins if Slaven decided he no longer wanted him.

      (Quote)

  44. Brisvegas:
    Maybe Rafa can lure Ibrahimovic. Now there’s one over-the-hill guy I wouldn’t mind. Though I think Charnley would have a heart-attack if Rafa blew his whole wages kitty on the one guy.

    Bris – I really hope Man Utd break the bank to sign him. He’s been a fantastic player, but 34 isn’t prime time to join the PL IMO.

      (Quote)

  45. Sharpy, A lot of teams in the PL will spend stupid money now the big cheque is in mate. Ibra was/is a fabulous player but at 34 any club should seriously consider what they spend on him imo.

      (Quote)

  46. Sharpy, A lot of teams in the PL will spend stupid money now the big cheque is in mate. Ibra was/is a fabulous player but at 34 any club should seriously consider what they spend on him imo.

      (Quote)

  49. I can see a almost full house next season with Rafa at the helm and prices going down 10%,why has it took jabba so long to to see run the club in the right way you still get the rewards,you know the saying buy cheap but twice,,

      (Quote)

  51. Kimtoon:
    Sharpy, A lot of teams in the PL will spend stupid money now the big cheque is in mate. Ibra was/is a fabulous player but at 34 any club should seriously consider what they spend on him imo.

    Kim – I think in years gone by under Fergie, they could afford to make such a marquee signing.
    But it’s one thing playing for the mega rich in France, it’s another thing coming into a very average Man Utd with a whole load of expectation on your aging shoulders.
    Man Utd would be far better to spend the money on someone younger with PL experience – Lukaku would be a perfect fit for Man Utd IMO.

      (Quote)

  52. Really rate lascelles but he needs an experienced head like you say – Ron Vlaar anyone?!

    Sharpy17: Fair point mate, I did allude to Aggers injuries.But I think we need an older head at CB as well coz Mbemba & Lascelles are both young & if we did sign Dunk he’s only early 20s as well I think.
    If not Agger I’d happily take someone like James Collins if Slaven decided he no longer wanted him.

      (Quote)

  53. PS im at the league two play off final today – used to live in plymouth so have an affinity with them. I was in oceana the night we beat plym and got promoted back to the prem and Bradley Wright phillips was in there drowning his sorrows!

      (Quote)

  55. ANDY I really hope Plymouth do it,their fans were great with us last time we went up showed us a lot of respect I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for them

      (Quote)

  57. Andy – enjoy the game mate & fingers crossed its a good day for you.
    I’ve never been a fan of the crazy gang – a reputation built on being a bunch of thugs.

      (Quote)

  58. Andy – I’m not sure on Vlaar personally. He’s still contracted to AZ so we’d have to buy him.
    He was decent enough at Villa, but I don’t think he was brilliant. He’d be similar to Colo I think.
    I think someone like Collins would be more of a leader as well as bring experience.

      (Quote)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *