The Newcastle United pre-season is all but gone.
We are asking various regular / irregular Mag writers a number of questions ahead of this 2022/23 Premier League season,
The idea to get a wide range of views ahead of this Newcastle United campaign.
A snapshot of what various fans are thinking about, what might lie ahead of us all…as well as reflecting on various other NUFC issues.
Next up we have Archie Brand answering a few…
What is the fairest way to sell Newcastle United season tickets, who, if anybody, should get priority?
I have no strong views on this other than putting those who made such a big noise and walked away “in protest” against Ashley, to the back of the queue. They gave up their position in line. You are either a supporter, or you’re not.
When Newcastle United appointed Eddie Howe, what was your reaction?
Not happy.
He had just taken Bournemouth down, did we really need a manager who had just been relegated?
Nothing about him said he was the man for the job.
What do you think about Howe now and what part do you expect him to play in the future of NUFC now and for how long?
When he took charge of his first eight or nine games with the same players, his results were only marginally better than Bruce’s. Once we got the fab five aboard in January things changed.
So was it the manager or the new players?
Some claim he improved morale and fitness but they are intangible (reported), while results can be measured.
The team and Howe were excellent in the second half of the season and if Howe chose the players that came in, he deserves the credit. He also has us playing the kind of football that both Benitez and Bruce said they wanted to play, but insisted the players were not good enough to play.
If we do OK and we finish say top eight, he’ll get another year, but while it’s all lovey-dovey now, things will change very quickly if the owners don’t see the results they want.
What is the fairest way for away tickets to be allocated?
No strong feelings but it is becoming a “club”.
When I was in the RAF we were playing in an inter-services comp, and were parked in a RAF bus in a hospital car park, waiting for a player to get stitched back together.
An old woman walked up to the bus and spent a minute looking at the big yellow stripe on the side with Royal Air Force written on it. She climbed the steps and asked, “are you lads in the Air Force, my son’s in the Air Force, do you know him?”
Quick as a flash one of the lads said “we probably do. There’s not that many of us. We don’t bother with ID cards – we’re all on first name terms!”
The away crowd is a bit like that. Is it a good thing, or should we share the wealth?
Funny thing was, somebody did know him.
What would your team be to start against Nottingham Forest?
Dubravka,
Trippier, Botman, Burn, Target,
Bruno, Joelinton, Fraser
St Maximin, Wilson, Almiron
Defence speaks for itself.
I would have liked Sean Longstaff in to add a stronger “welcoming committee” for Forest, but that would have meant leaving Fraser out, and I think it’s important we have speed on both flanks.
If could guarantee stay injury free next season, which five players would you choose and in what order of importance?
Wilson, Bruno, Joelinton, Trippier, Targett,
Didn’t choose a keeper because either / or is fine with me, they’re both quality.
The jury’s still out on Botman, and Burn loses out to Tripps and Targett.
If you had to put your mortgage / energy bill on it, where would you predict Newcastle United to finish in each of the next five seasons?
7, 7, 5, 4, 3
