Why England’s World Cup run could be set to benefit NUFC massively

Football fans across the country are basking in the heat wave and England remarkably making the World Cup semi finals. It is our best performance in the tournament since 1990 and with the likes of Brazil and Germany already sent home, we have a real chance.

Back in Newcastle, Rafa has quietly started pre-season training as we already gear up for the 18/19 campaign. With transfers still delayed, as usual, focus turns towards our incredibly difficult start. Playing four of the top six in our first five games is a nightmare run and already has Newcastle worried we could be near the bottom of the table from the outset this season – unless significant transfer progress is made by the time the season kicks off.

However, England’s success can certainly benefit Newcastle in our season opener at SJP against Spurs.

Kane, Alli, Trippier, Rose and Dier may all not feature as Pochettino must decide if they need a rest after no break all summer due to our success. As Spurs are blessed with many top players, the same can be said of other semi finalists as this will also apply to Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Dembele and Llloris .

Even the likes of Sanchez, Eriksen and Son will also return to pre-season later than usual after competing in this summer’s World Cup – and the latter has apparently picked up an injury which may rule him out of our opening day encounter.

Newcastle on the other hand only had Mitrovic in Russia who in all honestly is very unlikely to be still at the club never mind in our XI come August. We should be fresh and raring to go whereas Spurs might just be suffering from a World Cup hangover.

A bonus three points on opening day would be a big boost for us and take some pressure off our horrendous start.

Here’s hoping Newcastle can continue the feel good factors this summer.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

415 thoughts on “Why England’s World Cup run could be set to benefit NUFC massively

  1. PremAndUp:
    Only managed to see the first half, then had to be at an awards evening. Fortunately my son won his category, Best young actor.
    Wierd feelings, checking scores on phone and then almost glad I missed it, Weird.

    Prem – BAFTAS or Oscars mate?. Good on your boy though, is there a future on small or big screen or stage do you think?

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  2. The Aussie boys can mock, and if the boot was on the other foot I would too.

    But Southgate and the pundits hit the nail on the head. This Country isn’t a happy one at the moment. Brexit and the Trump visit is pissing a lot of people off. But to see as many people come together at these big screens and ‘it’s coming home’ raise its head again – it’s a good thing.

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  3. Congratulations to your son prem. Can’t think of many things mire uplifting than your children doing well.

    The game is worth a watch .. good spectacle if its possible to detach the disappointment as an england fan

    I watched it again with the volume down to negate commentator dirge and audioslave ( i am the highway) banging loud.

    Watching first time I was struggling to see the swing towards Croatia .. but even though England are better first half even then Croatia had good chances. Second half was a steady grind to overcome England. Their will as well as undoubted talent was so evident. Tgey were also very aggressive and nasty at times and Rebic on the right was outstanding. Epitomised their approach. They won it mentally first.

    So pleased to see the progress of England and now looking forward to seeing them go for the euros. Gotta think Germany, Spain, Italy and Holland will be back too as well as France. This probably Croatia swansong

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  4. Cheshire Theatre Guild, Sharpie.
    He’s hoping for a career in theatre either acting, directing or as a playwright.
    Hoping to go to LIPA sixth form starting next summer.

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  5. Eric – I think Pep sees the huge potential in Foden and will keep him close mate. He may not play as much with City, but he will learn from Silva, he will be played the way Pep wants him played and he will be protected I reckon.
    You’re right, he’s not Messi, but he’s the English Hazard I think. He could be the new Gazza in terms of the next English superstar.

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  6. PremAndUp:
    Cheshire Theatre Guild, Sharpie.
    He’s hoping for a career in theatre either acting, directing or as a playwright.
    Hoping to go to LIPA sixth form starting next summer.

    Well getting best actor should improve his chances you’d hope like. Good on him mate and best of luck to him ?

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  7. Sharpy17:
    The Aussie boys can mock, and if the boot was on the other foot I would too.

    But Southgate and the pundits hit the nail on the head.This Country isn’t a happy one at the moment.Brexit and the Trump visit is pissing a lot of people off.But to see as many people come together at these big screens and ‘it’s coming home’ raise its head again – it’s a good thing.

    Took it they way I knew you would Sharpy! ?
    I would expect nothing less in return.
    Vegas did seem to be in touch with everyone’s emotions though. Must be getting soft in his old age ??

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  8. Aussie: Took it they way I knew you would Sharpy!
    I would expect nothing less in return.
    Vegas did seem to be in touch with everyone’s emotions though. Must be getting soft in his old age

    Nah mate, I knew what he was up to, my guard was never dropped – can’t kid a kidder ?

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  9. We get a lot of Spurs and Man U games in the US so I probably should have predicted what would be England’ s weak links. This is not really a criticism of Southgate because I think we did as well as could be expected.

    Alli looked subdued even though he took that goal well. He has obvious talent but he has looked this way for most games for Spurs last season. I get that Southgate was trying for the Spurs connection with Kane I just think Alli was a bit off his game and off the pace in all of our games.

    Young is not really a defender. Croatia figured this out and we didn’t really have an answer when he was asked to play as a fullback rather than a wingback. I am not smart enough about tactics to understand what to do if the 3 centre halfs and 2 wingback system starts to fail but I think we really needed to make some sort of adjustment.

    Still, I enjoyed the game. When you think of the **** we have seen. Pretty much the whole Euros, which was masked by the fact we got out of the group. Brazil, where we were so unbelievably **** that we didn’t get out of an easy group.

    And going further back there was Capello in South Africa. I have said this before but I had a party for the England/USA game and spent a lot of it explaining (when asked) that for their clubs Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard didn’t misplace every pass and give the ball away all of the time. That they were actually quite good players and I didn’t know what happened to them when they pulled on an England shirt.

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  10. Could do with some good news from NUFC in terms of new signings soon.
    The likes of SSN reckon we were working on some exciting signings – so whenever they want to share those or better still, sign them – it would be welcomed news.

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  11. This is a pretty good team and will probably get better because England are winning or getting to the final of all of the age group tournaments. That is usually a very good sign of things to come. It happened with Spain and Germany and they went on to win WCs. Not saying we will win in Qatar just that I will probably not be ashamed of the National side like I was at South Africa and Brasil.

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  12. Read Waugh’s Q&A and he really didn’t have much new to say, but I will lay off the poor little lamb. He restated that we have bid 20 million for Plea but Nice want closer to 25 million. He also said that Nice would be willing to sell for a lower price to a Bundesliga club than a PL club. I have no idea why.

    But, if it is true, does it debunk the conspiracy theories that NUFC are not willing to spend before they sell and break their transfer record? A 20 million bid when a club is asking 25 is not derisory and could be something to work on. Waugh seems to think it is settled that Plea is going to Gladbach which seems strange given the facts as he laid them out.

    I checked and Gladbach finished 9th last year so they don’t have European football and we can probably at least equal the wages.

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  13. Not flogging a dead horse, but I went on Wikipedia to see who this Plea fella is? I have seen Nice a few times last year and he didn’t jump out at me although he is supposed to be their star player. He is 25 and this is what he has done in the last 3 years:

    2016, 19 appearances and 6 goals
    17, 25 appearances 11 goals
    18, 34 appearances 16 goals

    I am not going to do any youtube scouting but just from the stats 20 million looks like a decent offer.

    I also don’t know if the 20 million stated offer is true because Waugh was still banging on about Loftus Cheek yesterday, to say we WOULDN’T be getting him on loan (no **** Sherlock) so what can you believe, eh.

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  14. I am guessing there will be a post-England slow down on here so I will talk to myself. Awake at 5am after falling asleep very early after a few too many watching England.

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  15. Very happy to see Kenedy return. He seemed to change the dynamic of the team but we played our best game of the season without him – Chelsea. We are at least as good now as when we ended the season so anything from here is gravy, right? If, as reported, we have a 40 million transfer kitty and potentially 40 million from sales then there is a chance we will have a decent team, right?

    Did the England fever get me carried away to think good thoughts on NUFC? Sorry. Actually, I don’t think I am that negative, just on previous managers.

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  16. Eric – I think Nice see the PL as having more money than other leagues – hence they want more money. I’ve read the fee Gladbach are paying is £22m – if it’s true we offered £20m then it’s frustrating to have missed out by such a small margin, but if that’s what we value the player at and Rafa is happy to go for an alternative then so be it.
    I don’t think Pléa was a player Rafa was desperate to land anyway – this is the first time I’ve heard of him.

    I see we’ve also been linked with the lad from Villa – I’m certain that is just paper talk – they need to sell players and we want a forward. I don’t see any truth in that one at all.

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  17. Back to Kenedy. I cannot figure out the economics of this deal because it looks good for NUFC and bad for Chelsea. Here are the facts from Olly and Stuart as I understand them:

    1. We have a season long loan with first option to buy.

    2. He has 2 years remaining on his contract which means 1 year when the loan expires.

    3. As far as anybody has said he has NOT signed a new Chelsea contract.

    I can only assume that Chelsea really don’t rate him but that we didn’t have the money at this time to buy him. Even if he has a great season for us his cost will not increase that much because he will only have 1 year left on his contract. Arsenal just went through this with Sanchez, Ozil (who demanded a kings ransom to stay) and Wilshere. Clubs just don’t have much leverage on players who are entering the last year of their contract.

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  18. Sharpy17:
    Eric – I think Nice see the PL as having more money than other leagues – hence they want more money.I’ve read the fee Gladbach are paying is £22m – if it’s true we offered £20m then it’s frustrating to have missed out by such a small margin, but if that’s what we value the player at and Rafa is happy to go for an alternative then so be it.
    I don’t think Pléa was a player Rafa was desperate to land anyway – this is the first time I’ve heard of him.

    I see we’ve also been linked with the lad from Villa – I’m certain that is just paper talk – they need to sell players and we want a forward.I don’t see any truth in that one at all.

    Sharpy: I understand that clubs want to hold PL clubs to ransom but if they were to get the same amount from PL or Bundesliga what do they care? In the end 22 million is 22 million whatever the source. Unless we pissed them off in the bargaining which has been alleged before.

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  19. Let’s get Ings and then I will be OK if some of these other deals drag on, but hopefully not ’til the last day. Mitro, Mbemba and Merino are as good as gone and didn’t play anyway. So we will definitely have a better squad than last year.

    Ritchie or Townsend? There isn’t a hell of a lot of difference from what I have seen except Ritchie does go through midseason doldrums.

    I am also OK keeping Gayle as I thought he was unlucky last year. A better bounce here or there and he could have had 10 goals which means like a 25 million pricetag in the PL now.

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  20. Eric Sykes: Sharpy: I understand that clubs want to hold PL clubs to ransom but if they were to get the same amount from PL or Bundesliga what do they care? In the end 22 million is 22 million whatever the source. Unless we pissed them off in the bargaining which has been alleged before.

    Eric – we seem to have pissed every French club off now then. They are either sensitive souls or don’t like our negotiating style. Not sure how it’s done in France, but maybe we need to bring someone in to deal with that specific market.

    That said, I can’t say I’m overly disappointed we didn’t sign him. I think we need someone more experienced, someone who has played in the league – especially if we are wanting them to go straight in ahead of Gayle.
    Josh King would have been my preferred choice, but that one seems to have gone quiet. I know there’s Rondon and he has the experience – but does he have the quality?. I like Danny Ings too and £9m is a drop in today’s transfer market – but I know there’s injury concerns. I would be inviting him for a medical at the very least. Origi is another from Liverpool – he’s not played much in the PL but he could be a good option.
    Troy Deeney was once a possibility – he could be a good option at #10.

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  21. I mentioned Ings because Ashley likes a bargain and a gamble so he would seem to be ideal. And he is the right age.

    I am hoping Rafa can pull a rabbit out of a hat because Rondon, King and Deeney would be Ok but are they all that? I watch La Liga and Rafa could get somebody from there that we don’t expect. Don’t ask me who. Then you see Liverpool linked with Asensio and the price being 100 million and it is madness. He is good, but is he that good?

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  22. ” Vegas did seem to be in touch with everyone’s emotions though. Must be getting soft in his old age

    Nah mate, I knew what he was up to, my guard was never dropped – can’t kid a kidder ?”

    I can’t win can I? Even when I’m on your side you think I’m against you.

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  23. Eric – we might have to be realistic though mate. We are a club who has been relegated twice in the last 10yrs with an owner who’s a **** and a manager who may not be here next year. Despite finishing 10th last season, we are still building our reputation back up and looking for stability – the target will be 40pts again this season.
    Last season we had Gayle with 6 goals and Joselu with 4.
    I know Deeney, King, Ings and Rondon don’t excite all that much – but if they come in and can score 10-12 goals then that wouldn’t be a bad return.
    I’d like to see Kenedy chip in with his fair share as well as Ritchie or Townsend (whoever’s playing rightside).

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  24. Brisvegas:
    ” Vegas did seem to be in touch with everyone’s emotions though. Must be getting soft in his old age

    Nah mate, I knew what he was up to, my guard was never dropped – can’t kid a kidder ”

    I can’t win can I? Even when I’m on your side you think I’m against you.

    Bris – sorry mate, I guess I’m not as good at getting in touch with emotions as you ?

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  25. Just saw Roy Keane having a go at England fans celebrating too soon. I don’t actually think he was having an anti-English rant, I think he is just a right miserable git and probably pulled the wings off butterflies when he was a kid. My opinion is that the support for England was great and more an outpouring of relief that we were not utterly shyte. There was hope but not expectation or arrogance as some miseries are saying. Royston was saying we weren’t allowed to be happy unless we got to the final. That is the antithesis of what the Ireland fans do when they reach a major tournament and celebrate every minute of it. Isn’t he their 2nd in command? Some selfawareness might come in handy now and again Roy!

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  26. Also, Roy. For somebody involved in football for 40 years or so you have a total misreading of fans. It is tribal. People get excited. Overexcited. Believing their team will do the impossible. That is the nature of being a football fan.

    Ian Wright was just laughing at him but I wish someone would give him a more reasoned answer to his dourness. And the underlying threat of physical violence that he seems to operate under is a joke.

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  27. I’m hard me, like! But you are also on a TV set with people who can hire lawyers and send you to jail. you are not in a dressing room with a bunch of 20 year olds. When he took a swing at Shearer was a classic.

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  28. This makes no sense to me. Ryder is saying we offered 20 million for Plea but that Gladbach are getting him for 22 million. Did we really make an offer then if the numbers are that close?

    Then he goes on to say that Rondon would be costly because of Agents fees. But aren’t there Agent’s fees in every deal? That is what Ashley and every club complain about, that these people are parasites.

    The other bit about Rondon is that he has a release clause and would demand a signing fee. Why? Why is that different to a normal transfer?

    Ryder puts this information out with absolutely no explanation of why. He is probably no different to any other journalist but I would like to know some background on what he is saying like:

    * why Gladbach will get Plea when we are only 2 million off

    * why Rondon’s price will be super inflated by Agent fees when they all have Agents.

    https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-set-miss-out-14899798

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  29. I didn’t see Fulham signing Serri like. There were bigger teams reported after him – that they haven’t signed him makes me question how good he really is?!.

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  30. Exactly Sharpy. It’s the point I made earlier – sometimes signings do not strengthen a team e.g. West Ham last season. It’s a lot of money for Fulham to spend.
    Great to see Kenedy back and we seem to be on the same page on strikers. King, Ings. I would like a proper No 10 like Kagawa from Dortmund. A real playmaker.

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  31. georgio:
    Exactly Sharpy. It’s the point I made earlier – sometimes signings do not strengthen a team e.g. West Ham last season. It’s a lot of money for Fulham to spend.
    Great to see Kenedy back and we seem to be on the same page on strikers. King, Ings. I would like a proper No 10 like Kagawa from Dortmund. A real playmaker.

    Georgio – it’s a lot of money for Fulham to spend on a player, but then they have an owner who wants to buy Wembley ffs, he’s hardly short a bob or two is he?!.
    But there were big European clubs linked with this boy – Chelsea being one of them – do we think Fulham gazzumped Chelsea? – i wouldnt have thought so.
    But I go back to my point yesterday, if they have money to shell out on this kid, they can get a shift on with Mitrovic. The lads already said he wants to be there so personal terms shouldn’t be difficult. Pay us the money and get on with it. Set them a deadline or risk being held to ransom by bloody Fulham ?.

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  32. Lee Ryder‏Verified account @lee_ryder · 57m57 minutes ago

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    Rondon stories are credible. Ings might be one later. Ings has turned us down twice before

    Had no idea Ings has turned us down twice before 😯

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  33. kimtoon:
    Conte fired by Chelsea then, took their time .

    Kim – Chelsea strike me as a club in a bit of a mess at the moment like. Has Romans rein come to an end?!
    I don’t see them spending like they once did and now Ronny has gone to Juve, it wouldn’t surprise me if Hazard leaves for Madrid.

    I think the new guy may have to clear out before he has money to spend. I get the impression Roman is a bit bored of it now – I could be wrong like.

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  34. kimtoon:
    Lee Ryder‏Verified account @lee_ryder · 57m57 minutes ago

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    Rondon stories are credible. Ings might be one later. Ings has turned us down twice before

    Had no idea Ings has turned us down twice before

    Kim – look at the source (pinch of salt)

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  35. Sharpy, Romans having visa probs and has to show how money is made I believe, think that’s the problem not boredom .

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