George Caulkin

[Mattoon]

As always, on the money

[Ikon]

The Times is that a local newspaper or a popular one all over England?

[Lush Vlad]

National paper, mate. 

 

Great article yet again from Caulkin. 

[Ikon]

Cheers Good stuff!

[TRon]

Read it this morning. Great to have a local journalist providing some quality insight into our club for a national paper.

[Incognito]

Caulkin is the master of sports journalism like. Fantastic article that.

[DJ_NUFC]

This man is incredible. Great read, as always.

[Ikon]

But can he clean windows like Blogryder?

[LFEE]

Great to have a local journalist providing some quality insight into our club for a national paper.

 

This.

[Scoot]

I linked that story in the general Newcastle thread at 10.30 this morning. Cheers for the replies.

[Wallsendmag]

Almost brought a tear to my eye did that 

[NEEJ]

I linked that story in the general Newcastle thread at 10.30 this morning. Cheers for the replies.

Didn't copy and paste it so that all us freeriders could enjoy it after it was no longer available though, did you? That's why you got no love.

 

Great article though, as usual.

[Scoot]

I linked that story in the general Newcastle thread at 10.30 this morning. Cheers for the replies.

Didn't copy and paste it so that all us freeriders could enjoy it after it was no longer available though, did you? That's why you got no love.

 

Great article though, as usual.

 

Aye, I only copied the link which I have now deleted because it was unavailable. Sad times for me this evening.

[NEEJ]

It's an unforgiving place.

[Willow]

Caulkin just get its it, spot on article.

[Unbelievable]

Fantastic writeup as ever. It's great to see this club slowly but surely getting its act back together. It's amazing what can be achieved by having someone competent in charge and letting them call the shots. Please take notice Mr Ashley. Long may it continue.

[Mister_Glass]

I linked that story in the general Newcastle thread at 10.30 this morning. Cheers for the replies.

 

Sorry Scoot! Didn't think to look there - just thought of the Caulkin thread and pasted the whole lot here.

 

[Edit: ... and Mole_Toonfan in another thread. Im stealing everyone's thunder today it seems]

 

Also, George if you're reading... Keep up the good work - you're setting the standards other journalists from the area should aspire to, but clearly don't bother for the most part. We appreciate you, but I don't appreciate your paper's paywall. Your well-crafted words deserve to be shared with those they are intended for.

[Scoot]

Its ok. I think im over it now.

[Tiresias]

To be fair it doesn't count if you don't say giggs

[andyman]

Great read, lovely way to start off the day

[Big Geordie]

Great piece from Mr C.

[Wallace]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/newcastle-free-to-dream-big-again-under-benitez-sqplnq0pc?shareToken=c99afc4350ac78ef263920ca9a93d7e4

 

January 4 2017, 5:00pm, The Times

 

Why Newcastle fans should be grateful for their team’s dip in form

 

George Caulkin, Northern Sports Correspondent

Tradition tells us to look back and to gaze forward, the calendar prompts us for resolution. As Newcastle United supporters contemplate what they were and who they are, it is worth recalling their club’s long, apathetic slide towards relegation, the arrival of Rafa Benítez and the change which has spread from the manager’s office towards every corner of the club. They are stronger now than they have been for years.

 

Second in the Sky Bet Championship and with four defeats in their last eight league matches, this is not a moment for bravado or complacency, but resolution is worthwhile. Resolve. If this is a blip, then it has beauty; six points clear of third in the table, 17 wins behind them, more than any other side, scouting players in the loan market and with a manager whose record places him amongst the elite.

 

If it is a test then it should be welcomed. Newcastle need to be tested, from the stands, to the pitch, to the boardroom, where relationships are still melding and corrosion is still being chipped from the stanchions. If they are to return to the Premier League, better to do so battled-scarred and hardened, having bitten and clawed and fought for every point, rather than via a lofty procession which teaches them little.

 

Newcastle are still learning how to win, still learning what it means to be united. They have the deepest squad in the division, but it is not the most streetwise or experienced. Their previous demotion in 2009 came with a context of no manager, the club aimless and up for sale and from that character and determination were born. Kevin Nolan knew how to win free kicks, to tread on the toes of defenders. They knew the tricks.

 

By contrast, their latest relegation was relatively serene. Benítez was already in place and the confirmation of his staying brought momentum. There was money to spend last summer and a profit made, too. The process of reconnection between club and support began in unlikely circumstances and has continued, but the recalibration of an institution is not a matter of pressing a button and resetting. It takes time, work, tests.

 

There can be no guarantees, but what would be the point of football if there were? And yet Benítez is the closest to certainty that Newcastle could have, with a garlanded history, an obsession over minute details. His attraction to Tyneside was partly emotional, a feeling of restless potential, the possibility of doing something which, after years of truncated ambition and being told they could not compete, was a form of validation.

 

Benítez never said that this would be easy and he was right. There have been episodes when Newcastle have looked far too good for their surroundings but on Boxing Day against Sheffield Wednesday, they were knocked from their rhythm, fouled and mugged and Benítez spoke about their game management afterwards. They have missed the suspended Jonjo Shelvey who, with a bit more intelligence, would be by far the best player in the division, but they need resolve, too.

 

A year ago, Steve McClaren was head coach. He had postponed his dismissal with victories over Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, but there would then be a run of six games without a win, including a 1-0 defeat to Watford in the FA Cup. They were 18th. Ask McClaren about the club’s hierarchy, persuading directors to do things differently, and he would squirm and explain that, thanks to him, journalists were now offered tea and biscuits at press conferences.

 

This grand old club in the heart of the city were cold and aloof, defined by their smallness, by their limitations. Benítez reverses that. They may not be in the Premier League, but they have been given a rare opportunity to start again, free, by and large, of financial restraint and with no lingering atmosphere of rancour. If they go up, Benítez will challenge the club to seek more than safety, but this is what all good managers do.

 

A couple of months ago, a senior figure at St James’ Park said something which would once have been unsayable: that he was glad Newcastle were relegated with Benítez in charge. Money is not everything and the Premier League is not worthy of the hyperbole it generates, particularly in the bottom half, and this was a heartfelt, footballing response at a club which had morphed into a works team for Sports Direct.

 

Newcastle have already cleared their biggest hurdle. With the important caveat that Mike Ashley’s ownership has never lost its capacity for self-defeating decisions, they have ripped up their rulebook and recognised their own role as a sporting entity. Promotion would bring another one, hard conversations about finance and ambition, but that is how it should be. And is it not better to stand for something and fail, to be a club again and fail, than relive what came before?

 

Four defeats in eight games is a test and one that Benítez will pore over; how best to manipulate tactics, personnel, formations, who to bring in, what to do better. Some players may not stay the course. But four defeats in eight games is also a chance for Newcastle - a rejigged Newcastle, a new Newcastle - to show what they are made of. To be stronger, to be tougher and, as far as their stadium is concerned, to be louder. For resolution.

[pinkeye]

Impossible to argue with the context of that article.

 

Newcastle United, for years, has had a losing mentality that has spread from the top of the club downwards.  This has resulted in so many long terms supporters and season ticket holders throwing in the towel, myself included.  Under Pardew I had simply taken all I could and the effort it took to turn out for a home match was getting ridiculous.  I was not enjoying it.

 

Rafa came (and stayed) and I felt some glimmers of hope creeping back into me and I bought a season ticket again, after three years without seeing a single match live.  I have the excitement back again, I am not alone (I don't think) when I look towards our bench and see Rafa there and I still cannot believe it fully!

 

He has a huge job on his hands to rebuild a shattered club and to change the mentality of the whole place but, he has the fans on his side and that really has to help a lot.  We have a few passengers in the squad and they will be filtered out as we continue to move forward to be replaced by upgrades.

 

Short term, for me, it is great to be enjoying the match again and seeing a few wins and goals.  Longer term...  who knows.  We have potential to be a strong challenger to the top teams.  We are not London or Manchester but, we do live in a pretty damn nice part of the country, if we continue to build the club from within the better players will come.

[Benwell Lad]

Impossible to argue with the context of that article.

 

Newcastle United, for years, has had a losing mentality that has spread from the top of the club downwards.  This has resulted in so many long terms supporters and season ticket holders throwing in the towel, myself included.  Under Pardew I had simply taken all I could and the effort it took to turn out for a home match was getting ridiculous.  I was not enjoying it.

 

Rafa came (and stayed) and I felt some glimmers of hope creeping back into me and I bought a season ticket again, after three years without seeing a single match live.  I have the excitement back again, I am not alone (I don't think) when I look towards our bench and see Rafa there and I still cannot believe it fully!

 

He has a huge job on his hands to rebuild a shattered club and to change the mentality of the whole place but, he has the fans on his side and that really has to help a lot.  We have a few passengers in the squad and they will be filtered out as we continue to move forward to be replaced by upgrades.

 

Short term, for me, it is great to be enjoying the match again and seeing a few wins and goals.  Longer term...  who knows.  We have potential to be a strong challenger to the top teams.  We are not London or Manchester but, we do live in a pretty damn nice part of the country, if we continue to build the club from within the better players will come.

 

Visiting most other stadiums around the country validates that point emphatically 

[Benwell Lad]

Nice article and amongst many quotable lines this one stood out for me.

"There can be no guarantees, but what would be the point of football if there were?"

So true!