clintdempsey

For fucks sake, do something before it’s too late! What on earth are we doing.

We’re shitting it. Fucking hell. Fantastic first half followed by this. ☹️ Focus lads.

We look like a really badly coached team. Sad as fuck tbh.

It’s all well and good treating the derby as ”just another game” except for the fact that we’ve been shocking more times than not away from home for most of the year. We’ve got so many underperformers today and the tactics has been abysmal so far. I’m worried tbh.

No subs. Still no press. Sit back. Own goal. Glorious. 😩

Sit deep, stand off them - aw fuck we’ve conceded. Every fucking time.

Not great from Tino and Malick there. 😅

We’ve been bad today. No two ways about it. Started off good for the first 10-15 mins. Then sat off and let them control the game. Half time comes. A patented Nick Pope brain fart fucks us off and then we keep on huffing and puffing without any threat or quality. Add on a couple of crazy substitutions and we get this. Piss poor after a superb showing on Saturday. Not much more than that to it unfortunately.

Great start to the second half this.

What in the actual fuck Nick Pope?!

How fucking bad can you be with the ball at your feet Popey?

Poor performance in all honesty. We haven’t really been at the races at all. Too passive, can’t control the ball at all and just let them come at us.

NARRATOR: It did.

This is the worst we’ve played against these in a while. Can only get better I suppose.

This has been absolutely dreadful viewing in all honesty.

Fucking hell. Great goal but we ain’t half asleep in defence at times. Disappointing.

A ChatGPT special of the above transcript. Nick Woltemade: Newcastle’s Gentle Giant Ready to Make His Mark When Nick Woltemade walks into the players’ lounge at St. James’ Park, he doesn’t have the look of someone burdened by price tags or expectation. At nearly two meters tall, the 23-year-old German carries himself with a quiet ease, shaking hands firmly, smiling often. Newcastle United’s record signing may be young, but there’s no sense of nerves. Instead, he radiates calm — the calm of someone who knows exactly what he wants from this new chapter. “I was a little worried about the language at first,” he admits, settling into a chair. “But everything has been super relaxed. The lads, the staff — they welcomed me immediately. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a better start.” It’s a classic Newcastle welcome, and one that clearly left an impression. Eddie Howe, the manager credited with transforming the club’s fortunes, has already made time for daily one-to-one chats. “He’s very human,” Woltemade says. “He wants to know you as a person, not just a player. That makes such a difference when you’re moving countries and starting fresh.” A New Kind of Football English football has a reputation, and Woltemade knows it. He’d barely landed before heading to watch Newcastle face Leeds, and what he saw was exactly what he expected: a bruising, relentless contest. “It was physical, very physical,” he recalls, with a grin that suggests he’s not put off in the slightest. “But I like that. I’ve always enjoyed duels. In Germany, fouls are called much quicker. Here, you’re allowed to fight more. That suits me.” At 1.98m, he’s built for battles, yet in the company of Dan Burn and Sven Botman, he no longer towers quite so much. “Back home I was always the tallest on the pitch. Here? Not so much. It’s funny — there are a lot of big guys here.” Pressure Without Fear With his move came headlines. Record fees. High expectations. But Woltemade shrugs them off. “The business side — I can’t control it,” he says, matter-of-fact. “For me, performance is what matters. Of course, expectations are higher, but I’ll give myself the time I need to adapt. That’s the only way.” It’s not bravado, more a steady belief in process. He knows he won’t explode into the Premier League overnight, and he’s fine with that. “I know I’ll need time,” he repeats. “And I’ll give myself that time.” The Howe Plan So where does Howe see him? The answer reveals why Newcastle pushed so hard to sign him. “In a 4-3-3, dropping a little deeper, connecting play, being creative,” Woltemade explains. “That freedom is why I came. The coach trusts me to link the game, to make things happen. Of course, I need to add more goals — that’s the next step. But the role fits me perfectly.” That role will soon be tested on the biggest stage of all. Drawn against Barcelona, PSG and Leverkusen in the Champions League, Newcastle face nights that could define their season. For Woltemade, it’s a dream come true. “Honestly, I don’t care who we play,” he says, his smile widening. “Barça, PSG, whoever. It’s the Champions League. That’s where I want to test myself.” Life Beyond Football Yet there’s more to Woltemade than tactics and training ground drills. When the boots come off, he disappears into another world entirely — fashion. “Football is my job from eight to three,” he says. “After that, I want something else to focus on. Fashion gives me balance. Everyone has their taste — this is mine. It takes me out of the football bubble.” Family keeps him grounded too. His parents and close friends plan to visit regularly, especially around Christmas. It will be Woltemade’s first holiday season without the traditional Bundesliga break, but he’s not worried. “They want to spend it in Newcastle,” he says warmly. “That makes it special.” A Club on the Rise What matters most now is the journey ahead. Newcastle, back in the Champions League and ambitious in the Premier League, are climbing fast. For Woltemade, joining feels like stepping into something bigger than himself. “Qualifying for the Champions League again shows where this club is going,” he says. “The atmosphere at St. James’ Park — everyone talks about it. I can’t wait to feel it out there.” There’s no arrogance, no false promises. Just quiet determination from a player who knows his strengths and trusts his path. “I believe this is the right step for me,” he says. And then, with that same calm smile, adds: “I know it’ll take time — but I’m ready.”

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I talked to a guy who’s held similar or higher positions in the NHL (incl. owning and starting up franchises in the minors) last week about him. He’s as well regarded as they come according to him. Super professional, sociable, a tough negotiator and sets high standards but also seemingly well liked across the board. Seems like an absolute gem from what I heard.

Must say I'm pretty impressed by this appointment tbh. We do take an awful lot of time hiring people but he really seems super qualified with the proper experience for the role. Think the interview in itself is a bit full of cliches (as these things tend to be) but I like him already. He seems really excited and like a warm person although with a certain edge to him as well. Having met people at the upper echelons of both sports and huge multinationals over my career most of them sound a bit like this. What I like about Hopkinson though is that there doesn't seem to be a psychotic bone in his body. He seems like a "normal" guy that has had a fantastic career in some fantastic places. I think he's going to do well. I think he's going to represent the club and our interests at a whole different level then the people who've been before him. Was talking to a former NHL VP and AHL/IHL franchise owner about Hopkinson last week. He had nothing but praise for him as a person and he's supposedly a well respected leader with some HUGE connections around the world. I've a feeling this is going to be great.

Willie 🥰

NARRATOR: It never did.

The fact we didn’t sign a striker between Everton (h) and this game is a tad more embarrassing tbh.

The first 25 mins. After that they’ve had their way with us unfortunately.

Let’s all buckle up and enjoy a nice week of monitoring and evaluating making offers for a couple of players. It’ll be fun.

Can’t be giving these piss poor refs such a decision to make. Unbelievably poor from Gordon. We’ve really fucked this up from 25 mins onwards. Disappointing tbh.