Geremi: Unrest doesn’t bother players

[Scottish Mag 3]

GEREMI claims the off-the-field turmoil at St James’s Park is not affecting his Newcastle team-mates.

 

And however much Saturday’s defeat at West Ham United suggested otherwise, the club’s fans had better hope he is right because even since the midfielder finished talking, the sense of crisis has snowballed.

 

The ex-Real Madrid and Chelsea player (pictured right) spoke after a 3-1 loss which dropped United into the Premier League’s bottom two. While it would be wrong to read too much into a table which at this stage of the season is little more than a jumped-up form guide, it only worsened the already-low supporter morale.

 

The self-inflicted defeat was compounded by a barrage of Sunday morning headlines, all negative. With news emerging that striker Andy Carroll has been cautioned for assault, stories of player unrest and of owner Mike Ashley struggling to sell the club to both potential owners and managers, the Magpies desperately need a fillip on Wednesday – when the only top-flight team to have made a worse start to the season, Tottenham Hotspur, visit St James’s Park for a League Cup third round tie.

 

Kevin Keegan resigned as manager two-and-a-half weeks ago and although United have lost both matches since, Geremi claims the two are unconnected.

 

“We try not to think about things and just get on with our jobs,” said the Cameroon international. “The problems are not affecting us. We just have a problem with a few injuries.

 

“We created some positive things. We created a few chances even when we were 2-0 down but conceded some bad goals.” Wednesday’s opponents are

 

also desperately in need of a morale-boosting win after yesterday’s 0-0 draw with Wigan Athletic kept Tottenham bottom of the table. But according to Geremi, the most important thing Newcastle’s players can do this week is infuse their supporters with belief again.

 

“The fans see no confidence in us,” he acknowledged. “We have to show on Wednesday that is not the case. We have to stick together. We need the fans to help us win. We need that cup, it’s a way of qualifying for Europe.

 

“It is still the beginning of the season. We have time to correct things and we can do it, not get down and start getting things together but Wednesday is a big game for us.”

 

One newspaper claimed yesterday that eight men, including Terry Venables, have turned down the opportunity to replace Keegan on a permanent basis. Former Liverpool and France manager Gerard Houllier has been mentioned as a possible alternative, as he was when Sam Allardyce was sacked in January. There are also rumours Ashley has cut his asking price for the club from £480m to £350m eight days after putting it up for sale.

 

The billionaire, whose name was sung mockingly by the West Ham fans throughout Saturday’s game, abandoned his usual routine of sitting with the travelling United fans and was spotted in an executive box.

 

Executive director (football), Dennis Wise – the one man rivalling Ashley as Public Enemy Number One on Tyneside – was at the Championship match between Watford and Reading.

 

Obafemi Martins, Alan Smith, Charles N’Zogbia and Damien Duff are all said to be ready to demand transfers in January, while Liverpool and Everton are monitoring Michael Owen, one of a host of United players out of contract next summer.

 

In such a climate, United could ill afford any more bad press but Northumbria Police revealed they arrested and cautioned a 19-year-old man in Newcastle city centre for assaulting a woman on September 14. He has been identified as Carroll.

 

Geremi’s former Chelsea team-mate, Gianfranco Zola, made his managerial debut for West Ham on Saturday and after heightening United’s sense of crisis, he had words of consolation. “This is certainly not the real Newcastle,” he said. “I know they’re going through a difficult moment but they have a lot of talented players in their team.”

 

So I take it from that if they don't want to use the drama as an excuse he is basically holding his hands up and admitting they are shite....

[Guest stormrider]

Bollocks. It's obvious that the players have not been training properly at all.

[Fop 1]

Bollocks. It's obvious that the players have not been training properly at all.

 

I'd imagine most of them have half an eye on the door.

[Park Life 71]

Bollocks. It's obvious that the players have not been training properly at all.

 

I'd imagine most of them have half an eye on the door.

 

Some are so desperate they are glancing at the window.

[Fop 1]

Be interesting to see how many houses are going up for sale.

[Meenzer 15742]

Be interesting to see how many houses are going up for sale.

Not only is their workplace a horrible place to be right now, but they'll barely be able to get half what they paid for their garish mansions, the poor wee buggers.

[tinofbeans 91]

bunch of overpaid workshy cunts.

[JonGoodwyn 1]

Lads Committed To Toon Cause - Tayls

 

By Craig Hope

 

GEORDIE defender Steven Taylor has laughed off newspaper reports suggesting that he could lead a player exodus from the club in January.

 

The England Under-21 skipper only put pen to paper on a new three-year contract at St.James' Park earlier in the summer.

 

And, in an interview with nufcTV, Taylor insisted that he and all of the United squad are fully committed to the black and white cause.

 

"It's ridiculous," he said in relation to Monday's Press speculation.

 

"It seems all of the players have had their name mentioned in relation to leaving at some point and today it was my turn.

 

"There's no chance of that happening.

 

"I've signed a new contract and I'm here for three years and that's all that matters.

 

"All of the lads have to pull together now and we realise that and are determined to turn things around."

 

Tayls was speaking to nufcTV ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup Third Round tie with Tottenham Hotspur at St.James' Park.

 

To see the full interview click here to sign up to nufcTV today for less than £1.50 each month.

 

There's also the thoughts of skipper Michael Owen to come on Tuesday morning as he looks ahead to the Spurs showdown.

 

Remember, nufcTV has FULL commentary and video highlights from every match as well as exclusive player and manager interviews ... Our cameras also follow United's reserves on their travels to bring you UNRIVALLED coverage from every level of NUFC all season long ... Click here to sign-up today ...

[The Fish 10978]

To see the full interview click here to sign up to nufcTV today for less than £1.50 each month.

 

There's also the thoughts of skipper Michael Owen to come on Tuesday morning as he looks ahead to the Spurs showdown.

 

Remember, nufcTV has FULL commentary and video highlights from every match as well as exclusive player and manager interviews ... Our cameras also follow United's reserves on their travels to bring you UNRIVALLED coverage from every level of NUFC all season long ... Click here to sign-up today ...

 

Are they kidding with this shit?

 

"Yours club's in turmoil, quick spend even more money to see how little we actually know!"

[OTF 7581]

Lads Committed To Toon Cause - Tayls

 

By Craig Hope

 

GEORDIE defender Steven Taylor has laughed off newspaper reports suggesting that he could lead a player exodus from the club in January.

 

The England Under-21 skipper only put pen to paper on a new three-year contract at St.James' Park earlier in the summer.

 

And, in an interview with nufcTV, Taylor insisted that he and all of the United squad are fully committed to the black and white cause.

 

"It's ridiculous," he said in relation to Monday's Press speculation.

 

"It seems all of the players have had their name mentioned in relation to leaving at some point and today it was my turn.

 

"There's no chance of that happening.

 

"I've signed a new contract and I'm here for three years and that's all that matters.

 

"After seeing my woeful performance on the weekend, there's no chance that anyone would offer me anywhere near the amount of money I'm getting here. It's ridiculous to even consider leaving. All of the lads have to pull together now and realise that for most of us, noone else wants us, so we are determined to hang around."

 

Tayls was speaking to nufcTV ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup Third Round tie with Tottenham Hotspur at St.James' Park.

 

Fixed Mr Taylor's quotes.

[Fop 1]

There's also the thoughts of skipper Michael Owen to come on Tuesday morning as he looks ahead to the Spurs showdown.

 

I'm sure they'll be enlightening.

 

 

 

"We intend to win" *skims through 300 pages of notes on things he's NOT allowed to mention* "yes I'm sure we intend to win, thank you."