It’s that tricky time of year for Newcastle United fans.
One season ending and hanging around waiting for the next.
Newcastle United fans having already circled milestone dates, in particular, the release of the 2024/25 Premier League fixtures in exactly two weeks time, to be made public at 9am on Tuesday 18 June 2024.
Anyway, in recent days, I have detected what might be seen as signs of complacency from some Newcastle United fans.
Certain comments and discussions online.
What I’m talking about is the Newcastle United players on international duty.
I understand when Newcastle United fans say they care less (or not at all…) for the national side, or international football in general, however, it is often a great barometer indicating where you are at.
That is, in terms of Newcastle United players representing their countries.
For example, I can’t understand those Newcastle United fans who don’t get a massive kick out of the fact that Bruno Guimaraes is a regular starter for Brazil. He will be playing for them in the upcoming Copa America tournament and my feeling is that Joelinton would have been in the squad as well, if not for him getting married in the close season and prioritising making sure he is fully fit and ready for Newcastle United and the 2024/25 Premier League season.
However, it is with England that there has been such an absolutely seismic shift.
A decade and a half of Mike Ashley saw the closing stages of the Michael Owen England farce, as the shameless Owen simply used Newcastle United to try and make sure he was in best shape for England. NUFC not even second or third in Owen’s thoughts.
Apart from that, the entire England international story under Mike Ashley, appears to consist of Alan Smith getting a couple more caps very soon after moving to St James’ Park in 2007, then apart from that… Andy Carroll got his first ever England cap in Autumn 2010 just before Ashley sold him off, then after that only Andros Townsend making a sub appearance against Australia just after Newcastle had got relegated in May 2016. Townsend and the other rats jumping ship that summer, especially disgraceful in Townsend’s case after Rafa Benitez had rescued the winger’s career and yet was rewarded by Andros Townsend jumping ship after only 12 NUFC starts and relegation.
Quite unbelievably, one of the excuses Andros Townsend made for his departure, was because he claimed Alan Pardew was the manager who could take his career to another level. Well he certainly did that! Townsend only ever made two sub appearances for England after his single one whilst at Newcastle United, whilst Pardew wrecked Palace and was sacked.
Anyway, the England involvement has been astonishing since Eddie Howe and the new Newcastle United owners arrived only a couple of years ago, something which I think NUFC fans need to really appreciate.
Whilst also playing for Newcastle United under Eddie Howe, we have seen the following all turn out for England – Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and Callum Wilson.
Eddie Howe has also signed England international Harvey Barnes, plus surely two full internationals of the future in the exciting Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall.
Obviously last night another landmark, with Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier captaining England. Apparently only the fourth NUFC player to ever do this, the other three being Alan Shearer, Jack Hill back in the 1920s, plus our old mate Michael Owen.
Anthony Gordon would of course have also played for sure last night but Gareth Southgate looking after the NUFC winger after his late season ankle issue and intending to play him against Iceland, before being on the plane to Germany for the Euros.
Newcastle United of course with a number of other international representatives this summer, the likes of Alexander Isak, Emil Krafth, Miggy Almiron, Martin Dubravka, Yankuba Minteh and Fabian Schar. Whilst others such as the injured Sven Botman set to in the future be a regular for the Netherlands.
Massive changes have happened at Newcastle United, especially on the international front, and this is just the beginning.
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