Potential Newcastle United signings picked out some time ago – Less than 5 weeks to January window | OneFootball

Well, I’m one week into my sabbatical from watching football.

Of course, now that I am a man of leisure, I can’t entirely distance myself. As I regularly witness snippets of this winter’s World Cup in my favourite pubs.

Tynemouth Club was heaving before the England v USA game and I had to make a hasty retreat hyem before ‘God Save the King’ was sang.

On Saturday, whilst enjoying my early afternoon pint with Ellas and Pedro, the Poland v Saudi Arabia game was on. The club was quiet, but the two blokes playing snooker, insisted that the TVs next to the tables were put on. They have been in before and one of them is a broad mackem.

They stopped playing when the Saudis got a penalty and when it was missed, no prizes for guessing who began shouting…”There’ll be be-headings in the morning.”

Well, he got the response he deserved and the snooker was aborted, when he and his mate had to leave for their own safety with their tails between their legs (silly beggar, his mate didn’t look overly pleased with him either).

My countdown to the resumption of the EPL season is already underway. This year has gone so fast and it is amazing to think that another transfer window opens in just over a month.

Although I think that the owners and management will be sensible, I still believe there is a chance that our transfer record could be broken again for the right player.

You may think that I should be watching most of the action from Qatar, just to see if there are any unpolished gems out there that I would fancy in black and white?

Previous World Cups have produced relatively unknown talents but there aren’t that many that haven’t already been on the radars of the big clubs.

A great World Cup doesn’t always mean that an individual will go on to be a great player afterwards, James Rodriguez of Colombia in 2014 springs to mind in this category. Also, can anyone remember Kleberson who signed for Manchester United after the 2002 World Cup, or even Asamoah Gyan that signed for the mackems in 2010.

I reckon that potential January Newcastle United signings will have been targeted months ago by Eddie Howe, Dan Ashworth and the owners.

We are in such a healthy position and currently, the feelgood factor seems to increase by the day when you are a Newcastle supporter.

(*A special mention must go here to the Toon Lasses who carry on breaking attendance records. They certainly have the goodwill of the City behind them in what should be an exciting climb to the top.)

The knockout stages of the World Cup are just around the corner and I can see a bit of light ahead as I pine for club football.I’m sure all those who are watching at home will be hitting Aldi and Lidl to get their cheap popcorn, for all those long nights ahead watching penalty shoot-outs.

I’m just waiting for Ingurrlund to inevitably get knocked out of the competition. I will then have to listen to all the happy-clappers from my living room… arguing and moaning along Tynemouth Road as usual.

Elsewhere, our next opponents in the Carabao Cup, Bournemouth, have announced Gary O’Neil as their permanent manager.

Eddie Howe will play as strong a side as possible at St James’ Park and I’m confident we’ll progress.

It will be good to go into 2023 in both domestic cup competitions and in an excellent league position.

To have all three may even be unprecedented.

I recently remembered and used one of Joe Harvey’s old sayings when I described Alexander Isak as a ‘Rolls Royce of a footballer’…regardless of whatever happens in January, I believe this man will chauffeur us through the rest of the campaign, aided and abetted by the former Skodas who are now playing like Lamborghinis.

Jon may have picked out the Netherlands for me in The Mag World Cup sweepstake but the future isn’t Orange….it’s Black and White.