Alan Shearer had to retire from International duty to preserve his knee and prolong his Newcastle career. If he had not, then he would not be Newcastle’s all-time record goal scorer. Shearer required those extra, vital years of play to break Jackie Milburn’s long standing record. From Michael Owen to Tim Krul and Rob Eliot, Newcastle have suffered from players getting injured whilst ‘serving their country’ on international duty. For that reason, I’m fairly pleased that Andros Townsend and Paul Dummett are merely watching the EUROs on telly like the rest of us as opposed to playing in them.
For the men themselves I’m disappointed, because both of them should have made their respective squads and deserve to be there representing their club and countries. Of course Townsend’s future at Newcastle is uncertain, popular with fans following his form and commitment in the final weeks, Townsend will have plenty of suitors. He has a relegation transfer release clause too, allowing him to talk to clubs should they meet the agreed fee. But should he stay, he will no doubt physically benefit from a June holiday rather than training and playing for England.
The decision to leave him behind though could cost Roy Hodgson and England very dear indeed. Roy’s selection of just three centre halves and five strikers is quite baffling and, unfortunately for him, a complete give away of how he intends to play at the finals. His lack of width in the squad clearly outlines Hodgson’s plan to play one of two possible formations. Either two up top with a diamond midfield or a 4-3-3 with a narrow top three consisting of players who usually play centrally.
Both systems rely totally and unreservedly on the attacking width being provided by the full backs. This leaves the defence painfully vulnerable and exposed…just ask Roberto Martinez. It’s the system he tried so desperately to implement at Everton which saw them plummet down the table and cost him his employment.
Townsend also would have provided a goal threat in what is otherwise a shot-shy forward line. With the exception of Barkley and Alli, England’s midfielders are not keen on letting rip from outside the area. Townsend, as we have seen, can be deadly when cutting inside and striking at goal. England also lack a set-piece taker, a role Townsend could easily have took up. Are England seriously going to let Harry Kane take free-kicks from wide of the area, as he did against Portugal?
Several players of the England squad will see no game time whatsoever. So to take players like Wiltshire, Henderson and Sturridge, who have seen so little game time of late, in place of Townsend, who finished the season in fine form, is very strange, and could be fatal.
Not quite sure which part fatal fills. Fatal for him or us or England?
Being DA here SRF as it’s a nice write up – again!
It could be fatal for England if you ever expected them to do well in the first place. I’m so used to tournament failure I’ll be surprised if they get out of the group.
Georgio(Quote)
Good read SRF, Yep Roy has gotten it horribly wrong. I do not understand taking out of form and barely fit players, but what do I know. Apparently the Russian coach is no slouch and I expect a very tough test, the coach has a brilliant name as well- Slutski 😆 Bit childish of me but I can’t help it, what a name.
Kimtoon(Quote)
Good read SRF 😉 for me Woy has just stuck to his same old ways and went with the guys he likes rather than their form. As for Townsend I think he would be far better served sticking with us, and I think he will as I have a feeling that he was grateful for the chance we gave him .
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave, I also think Andros has a good rapport with Rafa too which helps.
Kimtoon(Quote)
Yeah I agree with you there. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but I’m hopeful.
Big Dave(Quote)
Nice work SRF. With a real paucity of wide players in the England squad, Townsend definitely could have been useful.
Nevertheless, if he had have made the squad, it’s unlikely he would have got much game time anyway.
Andy The Magpie(Quote)
good read.
I can only assume his late call up was too late for Woy to make a judgement
Either way its mental he’s not in the squad.
Woy really is relying far too much on our wingbacks, leaving us short at the back. its a very big gamble.
Townsend has come a long way at the Toon and I must admit the transfer rumors are gathering pace.
From a player I wanted but didnt realise how good he was, to a player that might bail on us after a few months.
I’ll be really pissed off he he leaves us for Palace. Bigger players have gone down and shown loyalty.. hope he does
Gashley(Quote)
My hope is that he showed grateful perseverance at Spurs even when he made to play with the reserves.
With us, he may not get PL footy this season. But what he will get is as much first team football as he can manage – let’s be honest, he’s probably the first name on the team sheet if he’s fit. He gets PL wages, and the chance to play in front of bigger crowds than most PL clubs.
He is already a fans favourite & if he’s ripping through CCC defences then that admiration is only going to grow. He gets to work with a world class coach & probably be his key piece in the new set up.
His dad already made comment about the reception he got on the mistaken sub against Spurs, so I imagine he knows where his son is well off.
I think he’ll give us at least til Jan. If we are rocking the league he’ll stay on. If we are mid table he’s off – fair play I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Even Gibson chief editor of the local rag is saying don’t let Pardew plunder our team,surely Townsend must know he will get pardewed having him playing full back times if he’s going to leave PLEASE not to bloody Pardew
Icedog(Quote)
Good read by the way,cheers
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – I really can’t see Townsend heading to Palace, unless he’s desperate to get back to the Capital like. But they only just avoided relegation themselves.
I could understand if it was to a top 8 side, but even then, would he be getting regular footy or just a rotation player?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY hope your right Ime keeping everything crossed we will find out if genuine guy,I think him and Aaron’s would be and good pairing in the ccc
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – I think they would be a deadly pairing mate, if Townsend stays & Aarons can stay fit.
I’ve just see an article about Dwight Gayle being offered to us again as well. Not sure if that’s an old one like.
I think he’s about a 1 in 4 striker for Palace so might get on better in the Championship. He’s pace would certainly be a threat, and his style reminds me a little bit of Bellamy – a quick left side forward.
He wouldn’t be my first choice personally, but I reckon he could be a canny option if we are getting rid of Cisse, Riviere & Gouffran.
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY I wouldn’t judge any player ability that worked under Pardew stewardship imo he ruined one or two players while at the toon,Jong was just one example scoring goals before he came to the toon Pardew played him behind strikers badly went back to Holland and ends up top scorer there again I know their lge isn’t as strong but Pardew made him look a right duck egg there are others too that I won’t go into you will know who they are.
I cannot judge Gayle for the above reason
Icedog(Quote)
Leagues aside, if you are a professional footballer and you get the choice of working under Pards or Rafa then there is no contest surely . As has been said top 8 is a different matter but Palace is a step backwards imo, they will struggle next season I have no doubt of that.
Kimtoon(Quote)
Ice – i know what you mean mate. I don’t think the lad has been given a fair crack at Palace, and when he did play his pace along with the likes of Bolasie & Zaha looked dangerous. He might not be the most clinical finisher, but I think he’d get us goals – but I think it might depend on what Rafa decides to do with Armstrong.
I think I would favour Gayle ahead of Bamford or McCormick personally though.
Sharpy17(Quote)
For townsend it’s a case of ‘should I spend a season in the champ with a proven quality manager who can make me better? Or stay in the prem but maybe not flourish in a side that will be fighting relegation.?’
Nicky Toon(Quote)
I’m surprised as well by Roy leaving out Townsend. He looked quick and creative to me when he came on against Australia. Strange. Is this Roy’s last major tournament? When does his contract expire? Surely before the next World Cup.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Townsend must have had enough of sitting on the bench at Spurs. Why go to Palace who will struggle under Pardew? Doesn’t make sense to me. It’s the point in his career where he has to be very careful to get lots of playing time. He’ll get that with us.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, yep pretty sure he’s away after this. Don’t get too excited though, we have the likes of Pards and Fat Sam being touted as his replacement 🙄
Kimtoon(Quote)
G2, Yep it’s a four year contract from 2012
Kimtoon(Quote)
Some big names there Kimtoon lass. Fat Sam or Parsnip? Those are our choices? I fear for the team then. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Thanks for the feedback all, very much appreciated. I’d love Townsend to stay but fear he may have some good offers. More articles on the way!
SRF(Quote)
Why go to Palace where Pards will turn Townsend into an auxiliary right back? Eventually, all Pardew’s teams are a reflection of how he played.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
G2, Quality mate quality 😀
Kimtoon(Quote)
We saw it in the cup final. Man U were there for the taking but Pards set up Palace with his famous 9-0-1 formation for the first half hour.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
People like Troy love to laud Pards for his ability to keep NUFC in the PL, but how many times did we get beat 3 or 4 nil under Pardew? 15, 20 ? How many times did we beat a team by 3 or 4. I can think of West Ham with Hughton’s team and Hull away and that’s about it.
If Townsend goes to Palace he will be played as an auxiliary right back. Does anybody have his Dad’s number?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
SRF: it is even more damning that England have Kane take the corners. They must have somebody who can knock it into him? He is a natural finisher, so have him in the box FFS. It is like when Man U had Robin van Persie take corners. I thought that was madness as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Couple of articles that have flashed up on newsnow, lets hope some truth in them
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastles-andros-townsend-stay-after-8127828?
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/677368/Newcastle-Andros-Townsend-Premier-League-Transfer-News-Release-Clause-Crystal-Palace-News
And totally agree about this article, madness to not take him to France even if not starting, could come of the bench and change a game, not with some of the crocks who have been taken.
Simon(Quote)
Totally agree Eric. You would have thought someone could take a decent corner. Kane needs to be in the box.
SRF(Quote)
let’s be honest, if Townsend wasn’t a Newcastle player, none of you would even be mentioning his name for the England squad. However, after a handful of games for Newcastle, all the arm chair managers are questioning old Roys team selections.. I don’t think Townsend has been robbed of anything, the fact that he was linked with the team after so little playing time this season tells you all you need to know about the state of English football from a player quality point of view.
Nice write up SRF, but a very boring subject matter (for me)… 😕
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
let’s be honest. AMF will have a moan and nothing will stop him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
(For me) if it wasn’t Monday it wouldn’t be AMF moaning.
or Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Townsend played for England 10 times before he played for NUFC.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AUSSIE MAGPIE FAN SAYS:
“I don’t think Townsend has been robbed of anything, the fact that he was linked with the team after so little playing time this season tells you all you need to know about the state of English football from a player quality point of view.”
Are you a Newcastle United fan? You don’t seem it. You **** and moan about our team all of the time. I know I have said many a bad thing about Pards and Ugly John but they deserved it. You **** and moan about everything NUFC all of the time.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AND AMF , why would somebody put “FOR ME” to explain what they say ????????????? Who else would it be for??? Are you speaking for the Queen????
Or, “LET’S BE HONEST” what, !!!!! Are you dishonest most of the time AMF???????
Eric Sykes(Quote)
For me, if it wasn’t Tuesday it could be any other day of the week, to be honest.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Time to give the alcohol away Eric.
So I am not a Newcastle Fan because I don’t think Townsend has been robbed of a spot in the England side 😆 😆
Shall I cut and paste all the dribble you put on here slagging down the teams players and coaches?? Nothing worse than a hypocrite.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
If I’m honest 🙂 I can agree with that Aussie.. for me, 😀 we’ve seen him playing 90mins for 12 games, if i supported WBA i wouldnt realise what he could offer England.. its a shame Woy doesnt support the Toon as he’d be in the squad if he did..
Gashley(Quote)
For me AMF, I never slag off the good players, to be honest. Last week you said I was on meth. Maybe I just don’t like you !!!!! I didn’t like Pardew or Carver but even gave McClaren a chance.
Cut and paste away AMF. If you get past the sicknotes I will be surprised.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am trying to think of any of the good players I slagged off, to be fair and honest and for me.
Darlow, after that WBA disaster. But that was one game and I changed my mind.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
when did I say you were on meth Eric!!
Please provide proof of me posting that comment… Once again you are making **** up to support an argument.. I only wrote it last week (apparently) so go find it…
And well done for only slagging off the bad players and leaving the good players alone.. 😆 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Gashley 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Chris Waddle says “for me” all the time and I wonder who else it would be for? “For me, that was a bad pass there”. Who else would it be for? Angela Landsbury? Little Jimmy Kranky? Boss Hogg from the Duke’s of Hazard?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Losing your memory there AMF? Happens with old age.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I must be Eric, please provide the post where I said that.. happy to be proven wrong… go on, find it…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Do you really think I can be bothered to do that for you AMF? For me, maybe, but not for you.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
of course you can’t be bothered Eric. That goes without question…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie…Agree that because he is a Newcastle player that the the push for Andros on here for England is a tad biased but that’s normal for fans to push their own players isn’t it? I could honestly say hand on heart though, if I supported another team and on form I would have picked him ahead of Sterling. Roy was picking him I believe when he was playing for Spurs under 21’s but not when he was playing arguably his best form of his career (scored more league goals for us than he did for Spurs), and that for me leave Roy open to the criticism and rightly so. Like every England manager, “I’ll pick players on form not reputation” …utter bollocks!
On another note, nice to see you and Eric getting along better, warms the cockles of my heart! 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Sorry AMF: I know what you said because my memory hasn’t gone. But, I really can’t be bothered to look for it!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Aussie – I have to agree with Richie on this one. Yes the comments are regarding Townsend coz it’s a Townsend article. But plenty on here have said that Drinkwaters exclusion is a poor decision as well. I agree with Richie about Townsend being ahead of Sterling, but I’d take both as it then give options for width. For me Drinkwater should have gone instead of Wilshire and Townsend in place of Barkley.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Richie, you mentioned your heart twice cuda… what heart would that be?? 😛 😛
I get what you and others are saying about Townsend, I just don’t see the travesty… If he was Toon player that truly deserved to be in the squad and wasn’t, then I would be disappointed for that player.. He couldn’t even make the Spurs bench and only played a dozen or so games for us.. Hardly demanding of an England call up..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
AMF said:
“let’s be honest, if Townsend wasn’t a Newcastle player, none of you would even be mentioning his name for the England squad. However,after a handful of games for Newcastle, all the arm chair managers are questioning old Roys team selections”.
To be fair and let’s be honest. Andros was playing in Spurs’ reserves and then had some really good games on nationally televised games against Man City, Liverpool and Spurs.
So who is making stuff up, for me ???
Eric Sykes(Quote)
FFS: so take Rashford instead then AMF? Townsend had played 10 games for England and had fallen out with a Spurs trainer. That is why he wads’t in their team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
My cold callous heart Aussie 😈
Aussie… Kind of is a travesty when you watched the way Sterling played the majority of his game time 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Glen Hoddle said Townsend should have been selected for the England squad.
Groucho(Quote)
Richie, the whole England team is a travesty… if you compare wages/bank balance to actual football prowess, the English team would be bottom of the pile! The fact that people are arguing over Townsend/ Drinkwater and god bless him, Rashford; shows that maybe Roy’s job is a bit harder than one would expect..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Quite a lot of press hacks are bemused that Andros didn’t make the final cut. What I don’t understand is the form issue, he did say he’d pick on form players so by that logic Andros goes. Not really a Toon issue at all. Same applies to Drinkwater too I would say.
Kimtoon(Quote)
Anyway we won’t get anywhere, we always fall short, be it on talent, effort or luck. Someone will have to be the fall guy, whether it’s Wilshire, Barkley or Mr Roy who knows but someone will kop it cause we have to have a fall guy that’s the way it works 😉
Kimtoon(Quote)
AMF: you brought up Townsend in the first place mate.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
🙄 did I now…
Title of the current blog article…
Hodgson’s Decision to Leave out Townsend Could Prove Fatal…Here’s Why
A song for Eric…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7v0V58V3Uw
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Because, AMF, Townsend should have been picked ahead of many others. He had played 10 times for England. It had nothing to do with Toon bias or being ostracised from Spurs. It had to do with playing very well against good teams.
England didn’t need to take 4 full backs. Milner could have stood in there, or Dier.
Andros can also take a corner and allow Kane to be in the box!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
well why didn’t you mention that Andros can take a corner earlier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I take it all back now!! 😳 😳
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
AMF: should have scrolled up to the top. I keep thinking I am on Ed’s blog when it changes headlines every 5 minutes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AMF: he has a bad throat so couldn’t sing that at the minute.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
AMF: Take what all back? You never really said anything in the first place apart from Andros is shyte and so are England. And “for me” and “let’s be honest”.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Apparently the £8m release clause for Andros is only if it’s a top 6 side. After that it’s £14m so at least we get the money back from a Palace or whoever.. Sissoko definitely wants away. Gini probably too and maybe Janmaat. Townsend would be the biggest miss.
Georgio(Quote)
Mbemba could be missing for 6/7 weeks in Jan/Feb if Congo get at least a draw in their next qualifier,we will need two c/b in to cover for injurys as well,let’s hope they don’t qualify
Icedog(Quote)
If Sissoko goes to Arsenal I’d be looking to bring either Joel Campbell or Karl Jenkinson the other way – or both if we could.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Icedog(Quote)
Never rated Sissoko. IMO lacks a true footballing brain. I may be wrong , of course, but at least he is nothing like as good as he thinks he is. All this talk about wanting to leave must be disruptive to the team and I would get shot if a decent offer comes in. Not heard any rumours of offers coming in though.
Groucho(Quote)
Ime with Mick Quinn good riddance to Siko,plus didn’t have the guts to say he wanted to leave while he was in England and waited until he returned to France
Icedog(Quote)
So Koeman going to Everton then,so I expect de-boer to get Everton job
Icedog(Quote)
Sissoko certainly looked weak as a finisher through the season. He’s good at getting the ball and running at defenses which takes pressure off our own defense but he almost never finished what he started. Usually he shot straight at the keeper. I find myself very frustrated by him. And his attitude sucked at times which many have pointed out as well. All in all if we can get a decent payout for him I think Rafa can bring in someone more effective as a replacement.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Ice – a lot of toon fans don’t rate Sissoko either, but if Wenger wants him then I’d take a lot of cash (£12-15m) or Campbell & Jenkinson would do nicely as well thank you. I could live with that 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)