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Owen - I want to stay at Newcastle United


smoggeordie
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle2062173.ece

 

Maybe you will not believe me if I say I’ve really been enjoying pre-season training, but I’ve got my reasons. For one thing, it is just great to feel like I am going into a campaign fit and well – touch wood – after the injury problems of the past couple of years.

 

Secondly, it has been an eye-opener to see the innovations from Sam Allardyce. We’ve been on a training camp in Austria and from bike rides at 7.30am to Pilates in the afternoon, we’ve been shown a different approach to the traditional slog of preseason.

 

That is just one small but significant part of the multitude of changes happening at Newcastle that give me even more hope that this season can be uplifting for me and the fans after frustrating times. We’ve got a new manager, new staff, new players and a takeover in the boardroom. Any one of those elements would cause excitement at a club and we’ve had a transformation from top to bottom. Crucially, everyone who has arrived appears to have big ambitions.

 

I am sure the manager sees this job as a fantastic opportunity for him to be challenging for trophies. It is not so long ago that this club were up there in the top four and, while no one is making any predictions, at the very least we should be up there going for Europe. Everyone knows that the fans and the stadium give Newcastle the foundations to become one of the biggest clubs in the country.

 

I believe that these can be good times to be at Newcastle, which is why I am more than happy to be here. There has been plenty of speculation about my future, but I can assure the Newcastle fans that I didn’t start any of it.

 

There was a lot of talk from other quarters and my attitude to rumour has always been to ignore it. I don’t really feel that I should be responding all the time to stories in the newspapers and I certainly didn’t want to be forced into making comments. I prefer to let my actions speak for themselves and I just wish there had been more opportunities to show the Newcastle fans what I am capable of. I am sure that is to come this season.

 

Mark Viduka has been away with the Australia squad, so I have not had a chance to see how we might link up, but as an opponent I have always regarded him as one of those players you want on your side. There are days when he looks unplayable, with that combination of physical presence and great skill.

 

With Mark, Obafemi Martins and Shola Ameobi, I am sure that the manager is excited about his attacking options and he has been working hard to strengthen the rest of the team.

 

I met the manager when I was with the England camp at the end of last season, so we’ve been in a good dialogue all summer. He has brought in his backroom staff from Bolton Wanderers and shown that he intends to do things thoroughly. We’ve not seen him at work on a match-day, but you can see how meticulous he is.

 

Newcastle have not had a good time with injuries over the years and while some people have bemoaned bad luck or even a curse, the manager has set about rectifying it the right way – with hard work and medical science. If you need a chiropractor, he will make sure one is on hand. If a foot is giving you problems, he’ll make sure you are put on to a top-notch podiatrist.

 

I do think that there are distinctions between how English managers – not all, but many – and their foreign counterparts approach the game. I saw that when Gérard Houllier came to Liverpool and transformed the way in which we went about our daily work off the field.

 

From what I have seen, Sam Allardyce is a great combination of British and foreign strengths, a man rooted in the English game who understands its passions but is also open to new ideas. I can’t say that he has been participating in the early morning bike rides, the swimming or the Pilates too much, but then he would argue that delegation and knowing when to step back are important parts of management.

 

Hopefully all that toil has put us in good shape when the season kicks off because there have been too many years of underachievement on Tyneside. This club have so much potential. I want to help to realise it.

Edited by smoggeordie
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Fantastic news although I suspect the pessimists out there will say he's only come out and said it because they reckon he knows he won't get a move this summer.

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2 months late.

 

He didn't start it? He never stopped the inevitable talk though.

 

"I believe that these can be good times to be at Newcastle, which is not exactly why I am pretending to be more than happy to be here. There has been plenty of speculation about my future, but no-one came in for me, I can assure the Newcastle fans that I'll start the speculation again in January with another period of silence....if my straw legs can hold out that long"

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2 months late.

 

He didn't start it? He never stopped the inevitable talk though.

 

"I believe that these can be good times to be at Newcastle, which is not exactly why I am pretending to be more than happy to be here. There has been plenty of speculation about my future, but no-one came in for me, I can assure the Newcastle fans that I'll start the speculation again in January with another period of silence....if my straw legs can hold out that long"

 

Professional Footballer in "KEEPING OPTIONS OPEN" Shocker!

 

Newcastle United Fan in "WHY DOESN'T HE WANT TO STAY AT THE TOON FOR LIFE?" Plea Shocker!

 

:jesuswept:

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Guest Patrokles
2 months late.

 

He didn't start it? He never stopped the inevitable talk though.

 

"I believe that these can be good times to be at Newcastle, which is not exactly why I am pretending to be more than happy to be here. There has been plenty of speculation about my future, but no-one came in for me, I can assure the Newcastle fans that I'll start the speculation again in January with another period of silence....if my straw legs can hold out that long"

 

To be fair, he could just have been genuinely waiting to see if Allardyce really was all that before he committed to the club. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make any comment because he hadn't made any decision until he worked with Allardyce for a bit. But if he came out and said that, it makes him seem even worse.

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Fantastic news although I suspect the pessimists out there will say he's only come out and said it because they reckon he knows he won't get a move this summer.

Which is the case.

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mmmmm, call me synic but the timing of this announcement AFTER Arsenal and United have shown their hands in the transfer market. I`m happy he is staying but would have prefered this statement earlier plus maybe an offer to resign without his buyout clause would show commitment to the cause.

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Guest Patrokles
mmmmm, call me synic but the timing of this announcement AFTER Arsenal and United have shown their hands in the transfer market. I`m happy he is staying but would have prefered this statement earlier plus maybe an offer to resign without his buyout clause would show commitment to the cause.

 

Not sure how handing his notice in would help re-affirm his commitment, to be honest. :jesuswept:

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mmmmm, call me synic but the timing of this announcement AFTER Arsenal and United have shown their hands in the transfer market. I`m happy he is staying but would have prefered this statement earlier plus maybe an offer to resign without his buyout clause would show commitment to the cause.

 

Not sure how handing his notice in would help re-affirm his commitment, to be honest. :lol:

 

Ha! I missed out the - :razz::jesuswept:

 

But I would really love it if Carr would RESIGN ;)

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