Llambias integral to team spirit, says Taylor

Posted on October 31st, 2011 | 16 Comments |

Steve Taylor praises club spirit at Newcastle United.
Good vibes include Delboy, says Taylor
Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor talks about the excellent team spirit at the club, including good relationships all the way up the hierarchy.

I was alarmed to see a headline in The Telegraph that said ‘Newcastle have Europe in their sights’. Admittedly the author of the article intimated that European football is more likely in future seasons than this one, but it also mentioned ‘whispers of Europe on Tyneside’ for this season following our good start.

The reason this alarms me is because it raises expectations and we’ve been down that road before. Many times.

I prefer it when nobody thinks we’re capable of anything significant and that with each win we’re exceeding expectations. Obviously our current Premier League position is going encourage some talk of Europe in people of a more hopeful disposition, but I fear that such people are simply setting themselves up for disappointment.

I think we are worthy of out position because, although we’ve ridden our luck in some games, you have to have something good to go 9 games unbeaten. But we are worthy of our position when it’s taken in the context of the teams we’ve played. That’s not to say they were all ‘easy’ games by a long chalk but some of those teams have already been away to Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs and their ilk. We haven’t.

I can see us perhaps getting a point at Stoke and maybe all three against Everton, but then comes the dreadful ‘triumvirate’ of Manchesters City and United away followed by Chelsea at home. If we get a point from those three games I think we’ll be doing well.

It sounds like I’m trying to put a dampener on things and you’d be right. I just want us all to keep things in perspective.

Anyway, Steven Taylor has been talking about the club spirit at Newcastle and how the team’s relationship with Delboy has improved. Taylor said:

Nrr nwas a theporation nween squaw ‘n thairman

Fortunately they then shipped in a journalist who speaks broken nose and it actually translates as:

There was a separation between the squad and chairman, but the main focus now is he’s been straight on our side from day one, since before pre-season

He keeps everyone together, he sorted out the problem we had with bonuses, he leaves the gaffer to do his job and there’s been no hassles, nothing at all.

We’ve been for meals when the chairman has come along as well. That just shows the togetherness now that we have as a club.

The dressing room has always been very strong, but you can’t be split in different areas of the club. The amount of times things have been leaked over the years, but everything feels like how it should be now.

And, talking about our upcoming tricky three fixtures Taylor added:

They’re going to be worried about us more than we’ll be worried about them. Our defence has been great and we’ve got players who can hurt them in attack, so they’re going to have to be careful of us.

First though, let’s try and get a good result at the Britannia Stadium tonight. I think we have something to prove in terms of our response to defeat.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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16 Responses

  1. Agree we’ve been lucky in some games however same goes for MAn U and the others, even Fergie agreed that Everton were unlucky not to get at least a point – thats the way football goes. we need to get Stoke and Everton out the way before we start thinking about the following 3 games – we could easily get 0 points from Stoke / Everton, would be disappointing to get nowt fron Everton game but Stoke will be a tough game and I’d be happy with a point

  2. I think we’re basically fully booked into next years Champions League, and i’m pinning all my hopes on it. And my car. And my wife, and our kids, and our kids’ kids.And their kids.

  3. If we gt 4points from next 5 games id be happy, nt expectin to pick anything up in manchester bt cud gt something at hme to chelsea. Tonight goin to b hard tht for sure bt we will gt a draw or maybe even sneak a win.

    HWTL

  4. Hugh,

    At the start of the season, all the pundits said that we would struggle. Now they are saying, through clenched teeth, that we will not finish fourth. As long as they keep repeating it I’m happy as I hope we splash egg all over their smug faces.

    I think a top 10 finish is realistic. In all honesty I think Chelsea and Spurs are stronger than us. Whereas I think we are stronger than Arsenal and Liverpool.

  5. THe Chairman wasnt at the meal, he turned up just to pay for the meal. That was reported y’day. Ne wonder STaylor likes him..

  6. Anyone recall last season at Stoke – do I remember Gutierrez playing at CB and Ferguson & Ranger coming on as subs? I recall Gut saying he enjoyed CB – would he be better than Perch? And what’s Fergie doing now!

  7. Kamar says: I think a top 10 finish is realistic.

    Yep, I agree. If we’re really good, we stay injury-free and things go well for us, I’d even entertain 7th or 8th. But no higher than that IMHO.

  8. Here we go…

    …the press mongs start ‘reporting’ that we’re ‘expecting’ euro football, then start slagging us again as soon as we lose. Then start calling us deluded.
    They do this every time.

    Does anyone expect euro football on Tyneside…I doubt it like.

    So shut up you divs, you know nowt.

    Pathetic!

  9. It’s Top 6 all the way, semi’s of next years Euros, then season 2: top 4, and quarters of Champions League, season 3: top 2, with Champions League final we narrowly lose, FA Cup Victory, League cup semi finals (we were robbed).

  10. I wasn’t too bothered about Modibo Maiga till I saw he played for Casablanca! My favourite movie.

    Thanks for the sniff Milner mate, here’s your pot back.

  11. Guess Saylor whom i like as a player, turns out to be an ambitious young man, with his broken nose so far up Llambias’s ass, it may never heal !
    I suppose ha cant wait for Cpt. colocinni to go so he can take over the role and be Mr. Newcastle United.
    Eh !

  12. chuck says:
    October 31, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    “I suppose ha cant wait for Cpt. colocinni to go so he can take over the role and be Mr. Newcastle United.”

    Funnily enough, I was thinking exactly the same thing when I read the story earlier and left my “Teacher’s pet” comment.

    I wonder if he’s ever been Llambias’ ears in the dressing room.

  13. chuck – “with his broken nose so far up Llambias’s ass” are you sure that’s not how he broke it?