Latest news with #TrueFaith:NewcastleUnitedPodcast
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Can Ipswich goal be the 'tip of the iceberg' for Osula?
This weekend saw another win under Newcastle's belt - which is just what we needed after such a poor showing against Aston Villa. Everything seems to be a bit more normal for us - we are third in the table with a few [tough] games to play. Is it really going to happen again? Champions League football at St James' Park? It looks increasingly this season ends with us securing Champions League football and our first domestic trophy in 70 years sparkling in our cabinet then it has to be considered one of the greatest seasons of all time for Newcastle. Even if we do not get one of the coveted Champions League spots, it has to be up past weekend's game against Ipswich was what we needed - a big atmosphere, a big performance, goals from some of the fan particular, a goal from William Osula, a man we signed in the summer who has quickly made his way into our hearts by behaving, well, VERY enthusiastically when we won the cup (by the end of the celebrations he had many scarves around his head, covered in tinsel). I find this extra fun given he played very few minutes in that competition; he is just enjoying being there!He has clearly made friends with the squad, and for him to get his first Premier League goal at the weekend was huge. He is also starting to look like an option for us on the right side of attack which is exciting - if Newcastle get back into the Champions League we need options and depth. And nothing is better than enthusiastic options. My hope is this goal is the tip of the iceberg for this squad needs the fun ones - even better if they are class more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
BBC News
22-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Howe's 'health is the priority' but 'I can't wait for him to return'
Well then. We certainly have come crashing back down to earth haven't we? Newcastle United played Aston Villa at the weekend and lost. You probably already know that. I had to remind myself, so swiftly did I Men-In-Black that performance from my can point to all sorts as the reason for the poor performance at Villa Park. Fatigue, the same starting eleven for the last six games, Aston Villa were better, wanted it more, more organised. All of these things could be true, and all are decidedly not good as we hope to secure a Champions League spot for next season. In fact, all the results we needed didn't come through this is not lost. Nowhere near it. I think Newcastle United seriously miss Eddie Howe, who was hospitalised with pneumonia a little over a week ago. By absolutely no means do I want to rush him back - rest is absolutely key - you could see that we missed him when it came to in-game management and tactical is not to say his second in command, Jason Tindall (known affectionately as 'Mad Dog' in these parts), is doing a bad job. He is not. One of the strengths of our coaching team is that they're a team, and they know their jobs and what is needed on the pitch. There is a reason, however, that Howe is in the head coach position. He's the man that spent over a year learning how to be better at coaching. He's the man who just won us our first domestic trophy in 70 health is the priority - but I can't wait for him to return. I know that securing a Champions League spot is what he wants, what we want, and what the players want. I just hope we can do that by the end of the season with him in the dugout more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Champions League qualification 'feels like it is ours to lose'
If there was ever any doubt about Newcastle's priorities as we head towards the close of the season, let them be cast away is clear from player interviews and the approach to games that Newcastle very much have their eyes on the coveted fifth (or even fourth) place, securing Champions League football for another season under the watchful eye of Eddie feels like it is ours to lose. It felt like this last season, when goal difference set us apart from Manchester United and Europa League football looked nailed on. Then Manchester City decided to ruin our hopes and dreams and not turn up to the FA Cup final, ensuring Manchester United took that season, though, we were sort of chasing three points: "It is alright as long as we win the next one". This season we are looking at it slightly differently: "This one is the one we can lose."I think we have enough quality and enough drive in the squad to do it. It will not be easy. Not many things that are worth it are easy. But that is OK - we are Newcastle United fans so we are not that used to things being Monday we cruised past Leicester doing exactly what we needed to do - keeping a clean sheet, not picking up any serious injuries and ensuring a healthy goal has to be said that Leicester were not a terribly difficult opponent. Their season has not been brilliant. But it does not matter, because in previous iterations of this sort of fixture it would have been our banana skin, and it was not on this feels like there has been a mentality shift at the club. We are winners now. Let's get the job more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
BBC News
01-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'The fun's over - it's back to business'
OK! The fun's over and it's back to business!Even though it definitely feels like the season should be finished because we have won a cup and all got horrible coughs and colds from celebrating for two weeks straight (or, at least, I very much have) the season is in fact still rumbling on. Ten games to go! Ten games to battle for a Champions League place.I was recently told that (apparently) in the 1980s, when Liverpool kept winning things, someone would come round with a bag and have the players put their medals into the bag. I do not know how true that is, but I understand the mentality. Celebrate later - we have a job to do right have not quite followed that ethos (see: 300,000 fans lining the streets to honour our team) but it is time to get back to regular scheduled programming.I can imagine that is Eddie Howe's mentality going into the final 10 games. He knows, we know, the players know, that Champions League football is the goal. It is an interesting balance; let the players celebrate - first in Dubai in the international break, second in Newcastle - but then get their heads back in the players like Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali have already expressed how important it is for us to secure Champions League football next season, and the challenge is not beyond have Brentford at home, our first game since winning the Carabao Cup, on Wednesday. You have to assume that the goodwill and the noise of the crowd will boost the team through that that, as always, it is time to set our minds on the next one. There are no additional fixtures to worry about, only the Premier League. I know that it is time to refocus and finish the season strong. The feeling in the city is amazing right now. Let's keep that more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Only the beginning - but what a beginning it is'
On Friday night I drove through Newcastle city centre. The wind was picking up and the black and white flags that had been put into position all through the town - out of windows on multi-storey car parks, out of windows of department stores - were flying. But town was quiet. Everyone knew the party was on WHAT a party.A common thought in the head of every Newcastle United fan heads over the past 50 or so years has been: "Can you imagine what it would be like if we actually won something?"Imagine no more. It was like this: 300,000 people lining the streets to cheer our cup winners (around the total population of Newcastle city!). A mad scramble to have one of the open top buses pass its MOT. Our team captain, Bruno Guimaraes, smilingly offering profanities on stage as tens of thousands in the audience cheer and Eddie Howe laughs in the background. A drone show, capturing the Dan Burn header that has been etched into club's history was magic. The energy in the whole city, for the whole day, was something you could almost grasp onto. Kids climbed onto the shoulders of the Sir Bobby Robson statue, up lampposts, onto bus shelters. All to catch a glimpse of the silverware we have waited so long players themselves looked like they were having the best time, leading us in chants, lifting the cup, and getting selfies with Ant and was the party we knew we would get eventually, and it surpassed all expectations. I know this is only the beginning for Newcastle United, but what a beginning it more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
