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Onyewu quotes


Zathras
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From a press conference ahead of the USA vs. Ecuador friendly on Sunday:

 

On how you have improved and what parts of your game have benefited as you look back at the World Cup and your time at Newcastle:

“First of all, I think the transition from playing in the Belgium League to playing in the English Premiere League, there is a definite change of pace in the game. Everybody tells you that once you play in the Premiership you have to make your decisions a lot quicker and you have to be more precise with your game plan. I think that’s where I’m improving in my game, to be a lot crisper with the decisions that I make and the passes that I give. And I’m feeling that now coming into the national team camp, I’m improving with each training session. So hopefully that will continue to go on like that.”

 

On his confidence to assume the role of a leader on defense:

“If called upon, yes. I have no problem with stepping up to that leadership role. I think that in any team the back four should be the main base of the team in terms of defensive strength and leadership role. So if I was called to that role I’d be able to take it as well as a number of other players.”

 

On if he is confident that his transfer to Newcastle is going to be permanent:

“I’m confident in the sense that I think I’ve been improving with Newcastle, but in my experience as a soccer player I try not to read into coaches’ decisions so that’s gonna have to be up to the coach in a couple weeks come April time. So we’re gonna have to wait and see. I don’t want to read too much into my performance or the future from here.”

 

On the contrast between Belgium and England in his professional career:

“I’ve been at Newcastle a couple months now, and it is definitely, training-wise, a lot more intense. Not to put anything down in the Belgium league, but the Premiership is definitely a step up. The playing experience has been tremendous. Since I’ve been there, I’ve started every league game that we’ve had. The pace of the game has been exceptional, and I feel like I’m settling in well. I’ve been getting into the groove and learning from every game. Hopefully, at the end of the season, good things will come out of my experience there.”

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I should probably mention that these are quotes from a conference call and each of those questions is seperated by unrelated questions for both him and the coach.

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I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

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I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

 

As I've said before, I want him to prove he's worth a contract before we make the move permanent; regardless of who he is playing alongside. I don't think it is in the best interest of either club or player to sign him if he's going to be a liability.

 

He needs to play consistently to get better for the US and we need a consistent defender. If both of those can be met by a permanent deal, then I'd be over the moon. If not, I'd rather he find somewhere else to play where he will get consistent playing time and see NUFC spend the money elsewhere.

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Aye, Roeder should have a pretty good idea of whether or not he's worth a deal from seeing him in training. I would suggest he'll still need someone alongside him even if he does turn out to be decent though.

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I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

Depending on the fee we agreed with his Belgian side, I don't think it would be too bad an idea to give him a short term contract with an option to extend it and to see if he is able to cope with English football. I wouldn't see him as a first choice player, but as a backup he hardly can be worse than the likes of Moore or Bramble.

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I think that’s where I’m improving in my game, to be a lot crisper with the decisions that I make and the passes that I give

 

Is he taking the piss. Can anyone remember him holding onto the ball for 10minutes last week and having it taken off him on the touchline?

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i think he has done ok, he hasn't had many games and english game is a big plate to step up to but i think he will show what he is capable of by the end of the season. it took obi awhile to settle in and look at him now.

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martins is still not the finished article yet though, he is still making alot of mistakes. should be interesting next season when owen and ameobi are back

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Guest Patrokles

I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

 

Not necessarily true if you look at the impact Woodgate had for us.

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I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

 

Not necessarily true if you look at the impact Woodgate had for us.

 

Woodgate's exceptional though. It's unlikely Gooch is half the player Woodgate is.

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Guest Patrokles

I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

 

Not necessarily true if you look at the impact Woodgate had for us.

 

Woodgate's exceptional though. It's unlikely Gooch is half the player Woodgate is.

 

True enough. But we could do with another exceptional defender rather than settling for alright ones.

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If Gooch becomes half the player Woodgate was/is when fit, then he'll be better than most other defenders ever to wear a Newcastle shirt. I'd take that.

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If Gooch becomes half the player Woodgate was/is when fit, then he'll be better than most other defenders ever to wear a Newcastle shirt. I'd take that.

 

 

Agreed. I also think that he has not had an easy run of it with a different partner every match. And I doubt Roeder has had enough time to make a decision on him... it took him a year to determine if Kuyt was good enough.

 

I just got my ticket for Sunday... I will run the rule over Gooch against the Ecuadorians. If he can handle them, he should be able to handle the PL. <_<

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I'm not 100% convinced. I'd like to see a complete clear-out at the back so I wouldn't be devastated if we didn't sign him. Having said that, if he was available for a modest fee and we could pair him up with someone like, say, Curtis Davies he might well be up to the job.

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I think it's impossible to know one way or the other what he's going to be like as long as we're making him line up alongside 3 different players every other week. We almost have to give him a contract just to see if he's any good or not.

 

SOP for NUFC. :lol:

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