The Portuguese Nile Ranger

[Bimpy474]

He can play it out from the back, looks strong, composed and has pace. Whatever attribute he's lacking, Rafa can sort out, like discipline, tactics and so on. Enough to get me excited /Wise

 

This is by no means a criticism of Rafas coaching ability, but this constant claim that coaches can do this and that with players, make them better, make them stop making mistakes, make them concentrate, is by no means certain and frequently is obviously not the case. Titus was a supremely talented CB, physically imposing, good with both feet, but he constantly had a mistake in him and constantly lost concentration despite some excellent managers trying to improve him. Closer to home and more recently Lascelles has definitely not improved the weaknesses in his game nor has Dummett and I'm sure Rafa and everyone at NUFC have been trying to make them better players.

 

Agree with that like.

 

I think with Rafa he can make the player better as part of the team as a whole rather than individuals better as individuals, if you follow me. Rafa is about the team not the player.

[Skeletor]

I remember someone, I think it was Souness, making Bramble play chess to improve his concentration. He was still an oaf on the pitch .

[Optimistic Nut]

Bramble playing chess.

 

Not quite Qweeg I'm imagining.

[Bimpy474]

I remember someone, I think it was Souness, making Bramble play chess to improve his concentration. He was still an oaf on the pitch .

 

Wut 

[Ikon]

He can play it out from the back, looks strong, composed and has pace. Whatever attribute he's lacking, Rafa can sort out, like discipline, tactics and so on. Enough to get me excited /Wise

 

This is by no means a criticism of Rafas coaching ability, but this constant claim that coaches can do this and that with players, make them better, make them stop making mistakes, make them concentrate, is by no means certain and frequently is obviously not the case. Titus was a supremely talented CB, physically imposing, good with both feet, but he constantly had a mistake in him and constantly lost concentration despite some excellent managers trying to improve him. Closer to home and more recently Lascelles has definitely not improved the weaknesses in his game nor has Dummett and I'm sure Rafa and everyone at NUFC have been trying to make them better players.

 

Agree with that like.

 

I think with Rafa he can make the player better as part of the team as a whole rather than individuals better as individuals, if you follow me. Rafa is about the team not the player.

 

I didn't mean it like that even though it might have sounded like it. Of course it's not guaranteed that Rafa will sort out every weakness of a player. What I was implying (in a not so good way) was that at least they will have every possibility to improve as a player if the willingness to learn is there. With Rafa the player(s) will get all the tools and professional guidance to improve individually and how to work together when it comes to the shape of the them and how to work as a unit and when to do what and so on. With Rafa we'll at least now that the top quality as a manager is there, as well as how to handle players and keep them on their toes and be professional, as nothing less is acceptable.

 

He can't make Dummett become Marcelo or stuff like that, but he can help players improve as characters, intelligence on the pitch and the tactical sense and all that.

[Guest ElCid]

I must admit that I have no feeling about this deal apart from trusting Rafa's judgement.

 

Never heard of him, never mind seen him play.

 

Times I have seen him when watching Sporting on sportsdevil (usually through betting and needing to watch the game as part of the bet) he is very comfortable on the ball for sure and seems very good in the air and strong (similar to Van Dijk if I had to compare a player) - however counts for nothing in a league when youare giving plenty of time on the ball and doesn't have the pace and hustle of the premiership. We have had our fingers burned a few times with reportedly highly rated defenders in the past. All I czn say he looks decent in the Portugese league.

[Mole_Toonfan]

People won't agree, but i firmly believe that if Rafa was here instead of Pardew during those years those players that were signed would have looked 100x better.

Why wouldn't people agree that a better manager would get more from players - even poor ones - than a s**** manager would?

 

Mainly because of how shit we mostly perceive those players to be, you are genuinely correct though.

 

People won't agree, but i firmly believe that if Rafa was here instead of Pardew during those years those players that were signed would have looked 100x better.

 

We probably wouldn't have signed those players mind if Rafa was the manager, Rafa would have aimed higher but your point is fairly spot on.

 

Also true.

[Bimpy474]

He can play it out from the back, looks strong, composed and has pace. Whatever attribute he's lacking, Rafa can sort out, like discipline, tactics and so on. Enough to get me excited /Wise

 

This is by no means a criticism of Rafas coaching ability, but this constant claim that coaches can do this and that with players, make them better, make them stop making mistakes, make them concentrate, is by no means certain and frequently is obviously not the case. Titus was a supremely talented CB, physically imposing, good with both feet, but he constantly had a mistake in him and constantly lost concentration despite some excellent managers trying to improve him. Closer to home and more recently Lascelles has definitely not improved the weaknesses in his game nor has Dummett and I'm sure Rafa and everyone at NUFC have been trying to make them better players.

 

Agree with that like.

 

I think with Rafa he can make the player better as part of the team as a whole rather than individuals better as individuals, if you follow me. Rafa is about the team not the player.

 

I didn't mean it like that even though it might have sounded like it. Of course it's not guaranteed that Rafa will sort out every weakness of a player. What I was implying (in a not so good way) was that at least they will have every possibility to improve as a player if the willingness to learn is there. With Rafa the player(s) will get all the tools and professional guidance to improve individually and how to work together when it comes to the shape of the them and how to work as a unit and when to do what and so on. With Rafa we'll at least now that the top quality as a manager is there, as well as how to handle players and keep them on their toes and be professional, as nothing less is acceptable.

 

I knew how you meant it mate  It's not something that can be just black or white, and I've always thought the mental side of the game is the hardest for a manager to sort out. Concentration for player can be the biggest thing for a player to master imo, especially defenders and GK's, narrowly followed by confidence.

 

Obviously player can't all be as good as say Juventus defensively as their concentration during games is amazing, and where other defenders should look at right now to learn. Also players can have better concentration because of a certain GK behind them, or a certain CB next to them. A certain full back alongside them also, midfielders in front of them. This is where the manager comes in with his team selections and instructions knowing how to nuture potential from players, and knowing what's good for them.

 

Rafa doing that compared to Pardew, well chalk and cheese

[Dinho lad]

People won't agree, but i firmly believe that if Rafa was here instead of Pardew during those years those players that were signed would have looked 100x better.

Why wouldn't people agree that a better manager would get more from players - even poor ones - than a shite manager would?

 

Because they lambasted Carr quite frequently.

[Guest chopey]

People won't agree, but i firmly believe that if Rafa was here instead of Pardew during those years those players that were signed would have looked 100x better.

Why wouldn't people agree that a better manager would get more from players - even poor ones - than a s**** manager would?

 

Because they lambasted Carr quite frequently.

 

So true

 

[sempuki]

[Dave]

http://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/1a-liga/sporting/noticias/interior/newcastle-tem-semedo-na-mao-8529883.html

SAD led by Bruno de Carvalho waits for the leaders of magpies to send the final document, with details such as payment deadlines, something that should happen in the coming days

 

Sporting agreed to transfer Reuben Semedo to Newcastle, know O JOGO, in exchange for 14 million euros for 80% of the economic rights of the central defender who graduated in Alvalade. As our paper has advanced in its online version during the afternoon of yesterday, emissaries of the English emblem, duly mandated for the purpose, met in Alvalade with the leonine leaders last Wednesday - a meeting attended by the president of the Sporting, Bruno de Carvalho - and the parties reached a verbal agreement for the definitive transfer of the 23-year-old athlete for the amount mentioned, but safeguarding a compensation of 30 million euros if Rúben Semedo returned to Portugal in the next five years , In addition to the right of first refusal in a future sale.

 

ah reet

[SUPERTOON]

Based on what I have read about him, I'm not 100% convinced he will turn out to be the signing we need. It seems he has a lot of potential but is very error prone, obviously I have faith in Rafa that he can and will turn out great. However the position we are in I would have been much happier with someone already proven in the league, something we haven't had at CB in years.

[BeloEmre]

I think we will sign two CBs this summer.

[Figures 1-0 Football]

Clark was very error prone prior to signing for us under Rafa, fwiw.

 

Obviously we were in a shitter league, but who knows how Clark will get on next season.

 

No idea how this signing will pan out but will be interested to see.

[BeloEmre]

Pete Graves:

Ruben Semedo to #nufc took some significant steps forward today. Not done yet, but looking increasingly likely. Cracking young player.

[Optimistic Nut]

https://twitter.com/PeteGravesSky/status/870739129612587008

[Alberto2005]

https://twitter.com/PeteGravesSky/status/870739129612587008

Thanks Pete, but you've probably never seen him play before.

[Dokko]

https://twitter.com/PeteGravesSky/status/870739129612587008

Thanks Pete, but you've probably never seen him play before.

 

When in reality he's more than likely seen more of him than anyone in this thread.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I have severe doubts he's seen two seconds of him tbh.

[Shak]

Delighted if this comes off.

 

Apparently the guy needs some work, not the finished article yet by any means. However, we aren't attractive enough an option nor do we have the resources required to sign top class players. Signing young players and developing them into top class players is the approach we need to be taking and this guy seems to have all the potential in the world.

 

Obviously there needs to be a balance as you can't just start a team of kids but if we're ever going to more than tread water in the PL we need to take risks on guys like this.

[Leazes_End_Mag]

 

 

Delighted if this comes off.

 

Apparently the guy needs some work, not the finished article yet by any means. However, we aren't attractive enough an option nor do we have the resources required to sign top class players. Signing young players and developing them into top class players is the approach we need to be taking and this guy seems to have all the potential in the world.

 

Obviously there needs to be a balance as you can't just start a team of kids but if we're ever going to more than tread water in the PL we need to take risks on guys like this.

 

I agree on all this but all of this could also be said and worked on with Mbemba.

[Shak]

 

 

Delighted if this comes off.

 

Apparently the guy needs some work, not the finished article yet by any means. However, we aren't attractive enough an option nor do we have the resources required to sign top class players. Signing young players and developing them into top class players is the approach we need to be taking and this guy seems to have all the potential in the world.

 

Obviously there needs to be a balance as you can't just start a team of kids but if we're ever going to more than tread water in the PL we need to take risks on guys like this.

 

I agree on all this but all of this could also be said and worked on with Mbemba.

 

That's fair enough like but it would appear Rafa doesn't fancy him and as manager you have to let him make that call.

[TRon]

Dennis Wise yeah, but Semedo has all the hallmarks of the profile of player that Carr has scouted.

 

As long as Rafa agrees with Carr's assessment, I don't care.

 

That's my take on it as well. I did like a lot of Carr's signings so nothing against him tbh, but knowing Rafa's the one making the final call makes all the difference. He'll not be buying players just for their resale value, they'll have to be what the team needs as well.

[KaKa]

Based on what I have read about him, I'm not 100% convinced he will turn out to be the signing we need. It seems he has a lot of potential but is very error prone, obviously I have faith in Rafa that he can and will turn out great. However the position we are in I would have been much happier with someone already proven in the league, something we haven't had at CB in years.

 

I don't understand this kind of thinking.

 

If the manager scouted him and they feel he will perform in this league and this team then what is the problem?

 

I remember us being linked with Van Dijk numerous times before he ultimately went to Southampton, and I recall not so flattering comments about him, especially as he was coming over from the Scottish league.

 

We have a manager that is clearly more involved in who is being signed now, and one that actually has a clue, so we need to chill with this panicking over any signing from other leagues.