Newcastle will be hot in 2007 — Martins

[Guest Moe-Ali]

Newcastle will be hot in 2007 — Martins

 

Ademola Olajire

Posted to the Web: Sunday, December 24, 2006

 

Obafemi Martins says he has settled into life in the English Premiership and ready to spearhead a wonderful Year 2007 for Newcastle United.

“It has taken time but I can tell you that I am getting to understand it better and I’m now somehow at home here. I spent several years in Italy and the football there is  different from what obtains here, so naturally, one would have to learn a different style and way of playing”, said the one they call ‘Obagol’.

 

The Magpies forked out 10 million Pounds to snatch the Nigerian ace from Serie A side Inter Milan close to transfer deadline in August, but he struggled for four  months before achieving what looks like a semblance of fitting into the flow.

 

“I begrudge no one for the many things said about me in previous months. But people should understand that any player coming to a new territory, will need some  settling down to do. It is a whole new environment, new style, new culture and new orientation.

 

“I thank God that I am doing better than when I just arrived. It means that the coming year will be good.  “Newcastle is a club with ambition and we have every  reason to do well next year. We lost out of the Carling Cup in the quarter finals but we are gradually inching up the table in the Premiership and will continue to move  up. The next few matches will be key.

 

“We are also in the Round of 32 in the Uefa Cup and there’s still the FA Cup”.

Martins has been most impressive in Newcastle’s revival in the past couple of weeks, notching a double in each of the Premiership games against Blackburn and  Watford, and rocking the underside of the bar with a fierce shot in the 0-1 Carling Cup defeat by Premiership champions Chelsea on Wednesday.

Coach Glen Roeder stood with him every inch of the way while he tried to understand the Premiership and the 22-year old is full of praises for his gaffer for being so  faithful.

 

“I commend the coach. He is a good leader and he gives us confidence. For him, I will always go out there and do my best”.

Newcastle’s coming games in the Premiership include a trip to Jay-Jay Okocha’s former club Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day and another away tie to Joseph  Yobo’s Everton on December 30 before the New Year’s Day home game against leaders Manchester United. On January 13, they travel to London for the reverse  fixture against Tottenham Hotspurs, whom they hosted at St James Park yesterday.

 

Martins has now scored eight goals for the Magpies this season, six in the Premiership, and is no longer far away from compatriot Nwankwo Kanu and in-form  Ivorian Didier Drogba on the scoring chart. “My target is to help Newcastle achieve the ambition of winning at least one trophy this season and we are not far from  that. We have a real chance in the Uefa Cup if we keep playing the way we have been doing recently, and if we have the luck of having some of our top players  return from injury”, said Martins.

 

Martins himself got lured away from Milan because of long-term injury to England striker Michael Owen, which he aggravated at the World Cup in Germany. Owen  is out for the season, just like Martins’ compatriot , Shola Ameobi. But Irish international Damien Duff should be back from injury soon and Martins sees that  prospect as a tantalizing feed.

“When Duff returns, we’ll be unstoppable”.

[Wullie]

I was well chuffed until the last sentence.

 

Whatever his opinions on Duff, I think he's a fucking class act.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

I was well chuffed until the last sentence.

 

Whatever his opinions on Duff, I think he's a f***ing class act.

 

Still to see the best of Duff, bet my testicals on that.

[Baggio]

9 goals tbh

[womblemaster]

"Still to see the best of Duff,"

 

 

we hope so, hard to see how he could get worse tbh

[Rebellious]

Newcastle will be hot in 2007 — Martins

 

Ademola Olajire

Posted to the Web: Sunday, December 24, 2006

 

Obafemi Martins says he has settled into life in the English Premiership and ready to spearhead a wonderful Year 2007 for Newcastle United.

“It has taken time but I can tell you that I am getting to understand it better and I’m now somehow at home here. I spent several years in Italy and the football there is  different from what obtains here, so naturally, one would have to learn a different style and way of playing”, said the one they call ‘Obagol’.

 

The Magpies forked out 10 million Pounds to snatch the Nigerian ace from Serie A side Inter Milan close to transfer deadline in August, but he struggled for four  months before achieving what looks like a semblance of fitting into the flow.

 

“I begrudge no one for the many things said about me in previous months. But people should understand that any player coming to a new territory, will need some  settling down to do. It is a whole new environment, new style, new culture and new orientation.

 

“I thank God that I am doing better than when I just arrived. It means that the coming year will be good.  “Newcastle is a club with ambition and we have every  reason to do well next year. We lost out of the Carling Cup in the quarter finals but we are gradually inching up the table in the Premiership and will continue to move  up. The next few matches will be key.

 

“We are also in the Round of 32 in the Uefa Cup and there’s still the FA Cup”.

Martins has been most impressive in Newcastle’s revival in the past couple of weeks, notching a double in each of the Premiership games against Blackburn and  Watford, and rocking the underside of the bar with a fierce shot in the 0-1 Carling Cup defeat by Premiership champions Chelsea on Wednesday.

Coach Glen Roeder stood with him every inch of the way while he tried to understand the Premiership and the 22-year old is full of praises for his gaffer for being so  faithful.

 

“I commend the coach. He is a good leader and he gives us confidence. For him, I will always go out there and do my best”.

Newcastle’s coming games in the Premiership include a trip to Jay-Jay Okocha’s former club Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day and another away tie to Joseph  Yobo’s Everton on December 30 before the New Year’s Day home game against leaders Manchester United. On January 13, they travel to London for the reverse  fixture against Tottenham Hotspurs, whom they hosted at St James Park yesterday.

 

Martins has now scored eight goals for the Magpies this season, six in the Premiership, and is no longer far away from compatriot Nwankwo Kanu and in-form  Ivorian Didier Drogba on the scoring chart. “My target is to help Newcastle achieve the ambition of winning at least one trophy this season and we are not far from  that. We have a real chance in the Uefa Cup if we keep playing the way we have been doing recently, and if we have the luck of having some of our top players  return from injury”, said Martins.

 

Martins himself got lured away from Milan because of long-term injury to England striker Michael Owen, which he aggravated at the World Cup in Germany. Owen  is out for the season, just like Martins’ compatriot , Shola Ameobi. But Irish international Damien Duff should be back from injury soon and Martins sees that  prospect as a tantalizing feed.

“When Duff returns, we’ll be unstoppable”.

 

 

  “My target is to help Newcastle achieve the ambition of winning at least one trophy this season"

 

Excellant Oba,  thats right at least one trophy.  He wants the treble this season.  You can`t say he lacks ambition.

[Guest Jose Habib]

At least two, he means.  We've already go the intertoto

[EthiGeordie]

  He is a nice lad and when Owen recovers  they will be the best partnership in the league. I cant wait and I am more than happy with the way Roeder study individuals before he sign them. All his signings are class it is like the most successful manger we have interms getting some one class. 

[Dinho lad]

“I begrudge no one for the many things said about me in previous months. But people should understand that any player coming to a new territory, will need some  settling down to do. It is a whole new environment, new style, new culture and new orientation.

 

You heard that, Gemmill?

[Cajun]

“I begrudge no one for the many things said about me in previous months. But people should understand that any player coming to a new territory, will need some  settling down to do. It is a whole new environment, new style, new culture and new orientation.

 

You heard that, Gemmill?

 

Gemmill got pwned by Oba. FACT

 

 

 

 

 

tongue.gif

[JH]

Newcastle will be hot in 2007 — Martins

 

Ademola Olajire

Posted to the Web: Sunday, December 24, 2006

 

Obafemi Martins says he has settled into life in the English Premiership and ready to spearhead a wonderful Year 2007 for Newcastle United.

“It has taken time but I can tell you that I am getting to understand it better and I’m now somehow at home here. I spent several years in Italy and the football there is different from what obtains here, so naturally, one would have to learn a different style and way of playing”, said the one they call ‘Obagol’.

 

The Magpies forked out 10 million Pounds to snatch the Nigerian ace from Serie A side Inter Milan close to transfer deadline in August, but he struggled for four months before achieving what looks like a semblance of fitting into the flow.

 

“I begrudge no one for the many things said about me in previous months. But people should understand that any player coming to a new territory, will need some settling down to do. It is a whole new environment, new style, new culture and new orientation.

 

“I thank God that I am doing better than when I just arrived. It means that the coming year will be good. “Newcastle is a club with ambition and we have every reason to do well next year. We lost out of the Carling Cup in the quarter finals but we are gradually inching up the table in the Premiership and will continue to move up. The next few matches will be key.

 

“We are also in the Round of 32 in the Uefa Cup and there’s still the FA Cup”.

Martins has been most impressive in Newcastle’s revival in the past couple of weeks, notching a double in each of the Premiership games against Blackburn and Watford, and rocking the underside of the bar with a fierce shot in the 0-1 Carling Cup defeat by Premiership champions Chelsea on Wednesday.

Coach Glen Roeder stood with him every inch of the way while he tried to understand the Premiership and the 22-year old is full of praises for his gaffer for being so faithful.

 

“I commend the coach. He is a good leader and he gives us confidence. For him, I will always go out there and do my best”.

Newcastle’s coming games in the Premiership include a trip to Jay-Jay Okocha’s former club Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day and another away tie to Joseph Yobo’s Everton on December 30 before the New Year’s Day home game against leaders Manchester United. On January 13, they travel to London for the reverse fixture against Tottenham Hotspurs, whom they hosted at St James Park yesterday.

 

Martins has now scored eight goals for the Magpies this season, six in the Premiership, and is no longer far away from compatriot Nwankwo Kanu and in-form Ivorian Didier Drogba on the scoring chart. “My target is to help Newcastle achieve the ambition of winning at least one trophy this season and we are not far from that. We have a real chance in the Uefa Cup if we keep playing the way we have been doing recently, and if we have the luck of having some of our top players return from injury”, said Martins.

 

Martins himself got lured away from Milan because of long-term injury to England striker Michael Owen, which he aggravated at the World Cup in Germany. Owen is out for the season, just like Martins’ compatriot , Shola Ameobi. But Irish international Damien Duff should be back from injury soon and Martins sees that prospect as a tantalizing feed.

“When Duff returns, we’ll be unstoppable”.

 

 

and he was doing so well in his interview up to that point.

[TRC]

Legend.

 

I still don't think he will score shit loads of goals, I think he will become a second striker, as he doesn't get into the box that much. He's class though, will be good to see what he can do along side a propper striker.

[Yorkie]

I'm really starting to love Oba. Not only is he scoring goals for us and doing the rest of the good stuff on the pitch, but he's really becoming a character. His interview against Blackburn was just funny, and that was a superb interbiew. Did he really say all that - or was it translated? Superb English if they were all his own words.

 

The Duff sentence opitimises what i mean about him being a character. He's off his head! ;-)  I have faith in Duff to improve at Newcastle, but he's been shite so far. I want to see himi back in the team because i'm sure we're yet to see the best of him. I agree that, if Duff hits form, we'll become an even better team - but he's nowt special. I've realised why Chelsea accepted a mere £5m for him.

[Cajun]

Lots of players have taken time to fit into new clubs this season, even those who have already been in this league for years. I wouldn't write Duff off just yet.

[La Parka]

I'm really starting to love Oba. Not only is he scoring goals for us and doing the rest of the good stuff on the pitch, but he's really becoming a character. His interview against Blackburn was just funny, and that was a superb interbiew. Did he really say all that - or was it translated? Superb English if they were all his own words.

 

The Duff sentence opitimises what i mean about him being a character. He's off his head! ;-)  I have faith in Duff to improve at Newcastle, but he's been shite so far. I want to see himi back in the team because i'm sure we're yet to see the best of him. I agree that, if Duff hits form, we'll become an even better team - but he's nowt special. I've realised why Chelsea accepted a mere £5m for him.

 

Nigerias' primary language is english.

[Yorkie]

I'm really starting to love Oba. Not only is he scoring goals for us and doing the rest of the good stuff on the pitch, but he's really becoming a character. His interview against Blackburn was just funny, and that was a superb interbiew. Did he really say all that - or was it translated? Superb English if they were all his own words.

 

The Duff sentence opitimises what i mean about him being a character. He's off his head! ;-) I have faith in Duff to improve at Newcastle, but he's been shite so far. I want to see himi back in the team because i'm sure we're yet to see the best of him. I agree that, if Duff hits form, we'll become an even better team - but he's nowt special. I've realised why Chelsea accepted a mere £5m for him.

 

Nigerias' primary language is english.

 

Really? Ah right... i didn't know that. Thought it was 'Yoruba' or something obscure like that. Cheers.

[La Parka]

I'm really starting to love Oba. Not only is he scoring goals for us and doing the rest of the good stuff on the pitch, but he's really becoming a character. His interview against Blackburn was just funny, and that was a superb interbiew. Did he really say all that - or was it translated? Superb English if they were all his own words.

 

The Duff sentence opitimises what i mean about him being a character. He's off his head! ;-) I have faith in Duff to improve at Newcastle, but he's been shite so far. I want to see himi back in the team because i'm sure we're yet to see the best of him. I agree that, if Duff hits form, we'll become an even better team - but he's nowt special. I've realised why Chelsea accepted a mere £5m for him.

 

Nigerias' primary language is english.

 

Really? Ah right... i didn't know that. Thought it was 'Yoruba' or something obscure like that. Cheers.

 

But they do speak other languages in other regions. If he is from Lagos (sp?) he will speak English well..

 

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria

[Guest geordie gent]

Can,t agree more, Martins and Owen could be magical.

[Nobody]

I think Martins is a great young lad. Can't imagine for my life that he'd be in any the headlines for anything except for football.

He'll be a legend, and he'll love the toon.

[ohmelads]

Legend.

 

I still don't think he will score shit loads of goals, I think he will become a second striker, as he doesn't get into the box that much. He's class though, will be good to see what he can do along side a propper striker.

 

I reckon he'll get into the box a lot more when he has a big striker alongside him to hold the ball up.

 

The Martins/Dyer partnership has given me confidence that Owen and Martins could work together, although I still think Martins is most comfortable when he's alongside a bigger player.

 

Martins is adding a lot to the team and is probably our most important player right now when you look at the squad. It was great to see King and Dawson shitting themselves whenever he closed them down, I remember one occasion where King panicked and punted it out for a corner even though he was about 20 yards from goal. A couple of times he intercepted their passes in defence and would have been through on goal if the ball hadn't squirmed away. He's started to make defences feel very uneasy. Put him alongside a big man to rough the defenders up a bit and we could have a nightmare for opposition defenders.

 

As for Duff, I can't believe people are starting to write him off already. I'm very confident he'll come good. Even if he never matches the form of his Blackburn days he's still a top player. Give him a run in the side and let him settle and we'll have a quality winger on our hands, I'm sure of that.

[Nobody]

Legend.

 

I still don't think he will score shit loads of goals, I think he will become a second striker, as he doesn't get into the box that much. He's class though, will be good to see what he can do along side a propper striker.

He'll get 15+ goals this season (all competitions) which is perhaps not shit loads of goals, but it's still a lot of goals for a new, young striker. I expect 20+ in the Premiership next season if he stays injury-free.

[TRC]

Martins and Owen won't work IMO. Shearly because Owen is too selfish, and not intelligent when it comes to having a partner. The only thing that has really worked for Owen is when Heskey played with him at Liverpool and England. Owen thinks for himself and never thinks where his partner is, which was why him and Heskey worked well. Where as IMO he was shit with Rooney, as he didn't know what do off the ball.

 

Probably get slated, but I'm right.

[Cajun]

Martins and Owen won't work IMO. Shearly because Owen is too selfish, and not intelligent when it comes to having a partner. The only thing that has really worked for Owen is when Heskey played with him at Liverpool and England. Owen thinks for himself and never thinks where his partner is, which was why him and Heskey worked well. Where as IMO he was shit with Rooney, as he didn't know what do off the ball.

 

Probably get slated, but I'm right.

 

No 

[TRC]

Martins and Owen won't work IMO. Shearly because Owen is too selfish, and not intelligent when it comes to having a partner. The only thing that has really worked for Owen is when Heskey played with him at Liverpool and England. Owen thinks for himself and never thinks where his partner is, which was why him and Heskey worked well. Where as IMO he was shit with Rooney, as he didn't know what do off the ball.

 

Probably get slated, but I'm right.

 

No 

 

Aye. 

[James]

Defenders are now more scared of martins and thus can give him too much respect.

 

Reason for this:

 

Not only has he proved that he can score regularly in the Premiership, he has also shown one more important thing.

 

He has shown that he can score from any position using any part of his body, which is something to really fear in a player.