Much of the talk last weekend at Wor Lasses’ final home game of the season was around what will happen once the season ends at Blackburn this Sunday and our preparations for a big 2025/26 campaign.
It’s going to be an intriguing and exciting summer at NUFC Women that’s for sure, with many anticipating another pre-season full of change on and off the pitch.
On the pitch The Magpies made some great recruitments that enhanced their squad and enabled them to consolidate in the Barclays Women’s Championship. It never looked like a third promotion in a row but neither did relegation ever be a factor.
Instead, some players flourished whilst others either were not at the level United hoped or didn’t quite make the step up to the Championship as the Club had hoped they would. It all means a changing of the guard will probably occur again in the summer.
Experienced Swede set to join?
Many have said that it is perhaps time for Wor Lasses to look further afield and possibly go international. The model at Newcastle is a very attractive one and one this is progressive and ambitious. Players from outside can hopefully see that and would buy-in.
What United do know now is what is required and will use the experience gained to move forward. As I say, this will be on and off the pitch. There’s no doubting that Becky Langley needs further assistance and the same is true of Su Cumming the Head of Woman’s Football.
So, perhaps two birds can be killed with one stone? Well, according to reports from FotbollDirekt, Newcastle United Women could be set to appoint Johan Lager as a Director of Football after his departure from Swedish side Hammarby.
Lager recently left Hammarby after 15 years, during which he played a significant role in the club’s success, including winning the Swedish championship and cup, and participating in the Champions League.
Newcastle’s interest in Lager is part of their broader strategy to strengthen their football operations, particularly focusing on the women’s side of the club.
Who is John Lager?
Lager’s experience in women’s football, where he helped establish Hammarby as a dominant force in Sweden, makes him a valuable candidate for the Toon and it is great to see a figure of this stature linked with the Club.
Just as interesting are the comments that Lager makes himself that clearly could be associated with a man that is clearly open to a change in direction and his career.
He is quoted as saying: “My ambition is not to go around and be idle for a long time, so I will probably jump on a job pretty soon. That’s what I think.
“Right now I’m open to suggestions and I have no restrictions, because my children are big so it’s a new situation for me.”
Words that sound promising indeed, and even if United don’t get the Lager they may desire to refresh their infrastructure it shows their level of ambition and standing that he has been linked with The Club at all.
