Groundhog63

Watching it. When they scored, and the player ending up in the far corner, some chubby little makem kid was shouting all kinds of abuse while his fatha/grandad/uncle/carer just sat there. Enjoyed that cameo.

On a wider note, it's insightful listening and reading interviews with all the players now. They appear to be a good bunch who've been poorly led. Obvs the new guys have added some realism and positivity into the mix but there is a definite sea change. Chris Wood knows what he is and is getting on with it. Fair play to him.

Chris Wood understands if people were underwhelmed, or even dismayed, when Newcastle United signed him last month because he could not believe it was going to happen either. At the age of 30, Wood had not expected to leave Burnley and had no idea he was on Newcastle’s wanted list until 48 hours before he made the £25m move. Like everyone else, he had seen the superstar players the Magpies were linked with. It was fantasy football stuff and he knew better than anyone that he is no superstar. But what has happened since has been pragmatic rather than showbiz, as Newcastle spent £93m in January on players they thought could get them out of relegation trouble. It was a transfer policy to address the problems they had rather than the dreams they wanted to realise. No player epitomised that more than Wood. “When the takeover happened, I could not have envisaged I would be one of the first signings,” said Wood, whose lack of goals should not distract from the fact Newcastle have taken ten points from the four games he has played. “I’d read the rumours about Mbappe and Haaland and all that sort of stuff. It made you smile, I suppose, on the outside looking in. Newcastle were not in my thoughts at all. The interest came as a surprise and it all happened very quickly - in the space of 48 hours. Callum [Wilson] got the injury, Newcastle needed another striker with some presence to lead the line and it was done two days later. “I’m obviously not in the same bracket as either of those two, I accept that 100 per cent, I am very different, but I was brought in to do a specific job and because I knew the Premier League. I was brought in to fight. Newcastle wanted players to make an impact immediately. It has been very pragmatic. They didn’t look to make glitzy signings if you like. We are in a relegation battle. It’s all very well signing players from abroad, but maybe they will need time to settle.” Wood signed a two-and-a-half-year contract after Newcastle forced Burnley to sell by activating a £25m release clause. Wood knows why he is there. If Newcastle go on to achieve the things they aspire to do, this season will not feature prominently when the history books are written, but that does not matter now. “Hopefully the dream signings can come later on when the club is more established,” Wood added. “They have grand plans and know where they want this club to be in the years to come, but they [the owners] are not ones to get carried away. It is the here and now which mattered and that’s what they addressed in January. “The club is going to progress and I’m sure the fans are already dreaming of playing in Europe. But if you look at Chelsea, Man City and PSG, it takes time. You have to build gradually, on and off the pitch. “We’d like to be pushing for Europe next season, but in reality, we just have to keep progressing. Hopefully in five years, we will be challenging for silverware, playing in Europe, that is what the new owners want. The players know that. We will add more players, maybe some big names, but we will take it year on year. What you saw in January, is that the club didn’t just sign good players, they signed good characters too.” Wood is certainly that. He brings an Antipodean attitude to his work. Humble and understated, he is relaxed, and occasionally jovial, as we talk about his upbringing in New Zealand and the influence rugby had, despite his early love of football. “It’s New Zealand, rugby is a rite of passage,” he explained. “I played when I was at school. You’d probably be picked on if you didn’t, but it was always football that was my passion. “Rugby helps shape you. Kiwis are brought up to think of the team rather than the individual. We’re brought up on the history of the All Blacks, how humble they are and how united they are. It rubs off on you. It helps foster this attitude that you have to be there for each other and work for each other. It had a huge effect on my personality and what I do as a footballer.” It is that attitude that made him manager Eddie Howe’s first choice centre forward target. Howe’s core principle is that the team comes before the individual. That is Wood in a nutshell. “Ultimately the name on the front of the shirt is way more important than the name on the back of it,” he declared. “It is a fundamental part of how I approach my game. “The more I do for this team, the more benefits will come and the more likely it is we will stay up. The more chances I will get to score goals too. I will work my socks off for this team, I will track back, I will defend, I will fill in where needed. That’s a big part of it for me. I’ve signed a two and a half year contract. I’m focused on the next six months but I want to be the focal point, that number 9 for the team next season. “I know other players are going to be brought in to improve the squad, there will be other players brought in up top, but that will bring more out of me. I’m here to stay for the whole contract. I’d like to sign an extension. I want to be part of the journey this club is on and see where it takes me.” If Wood is the right striker for Newcastle at this moment in their evolution, Howe is the right manager. His impact on the training ground has been immense and a self confessed “football geek” he has a level headed personality to cope with the scrutiny on Tyneside. “The manager is great, he really is,” added Wood. “He is first and foremost a coach, he loves coaching, he loves getting his hands on players and improving them. “The attention to detail is huge. It probably goes under the radar but the small things he changes in game, the small changes he makes from game to game to adapt to different teams and styles. It’s huge. Every week, we are making little pieces of the puzzle to make us better against different opponents. He’s so intricate with the way he thinks and how he prepares us.”

Liked this. When we're downgrading players on the internet like Wood and Kraft it's worth remembering they're, most probs, well aware of their limitations. I think he, Woods, comes across very well here. Knows the crack. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/02/18/chris-wood-read-rumours-kylian-mbappe-surprised-newcastle-came/

Indecisive Mick

Great read that. Page 478 reminded me of the fast show. Entire RTG turning into Indecisive Dave..

Did 5g kill that pigeon?

Spent an enjoyable 30 mins reading their Pickford thread. This latest breaking news has flipped the board. The.Gift.That.Keeps.On.Giving

Hadn't seen that. Can hardly stop himself from unloading all the Bruce venom like Fraser in his interview. They, apart from Shelvey, must all think he (Cabbage) was a grade A knacker Watching the video prompted me to go back to the pre Howe team selections in defence , particularly. Absolutely no cohesive pattern. Fucking Bruce man

Just enjoyed a meander through a thread about the players not getting off the coach for a piss at the services. Funny bunch

WOW

6 pointer https://thefishy.co.uk/formtable.php?table=3

This. Wasn't that far away with his timing/offside for his disallowed goal either.

Yep, neither he or Shepherd, any member of their families nor any subsidiary/shell companies they were involved with EVER took a red bean from the club.

Enjoyed my brekkie watching that. Cracking footage.

I called Maxi "dog shit" after Cambridge because, imho, he was. Beyond frustrating. Massive performance on tues. Quite rightly being described, by many former players, as unplayable. Actually passed first time balls, caused absolute havoc. In a team full of top players where the opposition can't afford to even double up is the next level. HBA was frustrating too but I will never forget, sitting in the Leazes, rising from my seat the second he received the ball in our half v Bolton. You just knew, just knew he was away. Special moments.

My beef with Hall is simply that he, Shepherd and their families milked every penny they could from the club. Didn't put a farthing into it and waltzed off with millions. Empty warehouses rented and offices in Gibralter, also empty etc etc Obvs all along providing me with many memorable games that I lapped up. However it was all financed by debt. Huge debt paving the way for the cockney spiv. Rim the cunt all you like.

Regular reminder Hall never put a penny into the club and sold it for millions......to Ashley

Was busy googling BT listings for it. Cheers, fella

Honestly man, blokes come in to play for a team that doesn't play to his strengths and your busting his nuts. sit down. 3-1

Aye, looks like goalkicks and corners

Off duty Met Officers and Man City's versions of Steve Wraith and Adam Spectrum, I'd guess

Also been well researched that kids who, for instance, pull legs off spiders for fun have the chance to have those psychopathic brain cells. Early lack of empathy for animals etc etc. Watched a very interesting documentary about war heroes and their psychology. Obvs could only be researched in relatively recent times but they did brain studies on WW2 medal of honour recipients and found most had the same genetic make up of serial killers and psychopaths. Also went as far back as the US Civil War and found evidence of similar and also, right through all wars, many cases where soldiers didn't fire one bullet. Couldn't do it. As for Greenwood, sure his exalted lifestyle will have contributed to his "entitled" mindset but the rest, the misogony, bullying, aggression etc etc is widespread.

Take it up with his employers if you're so broken for him. He used his free speech on a public forum, using his employers handle and upset people. They, his employers, clearly agreed. As for cancel culture, he's been "cancelled" that much he was straight back on that very same public forum whining for victimhood.