Newcastle United are close to agreeing a deal worth more than £60m to sign 24-year-old England centre-back Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's pre-season friendly between Yokohama F. Marinos and Newcastle.
Here are some of your comments:
Brian: The team seemed worn-out with the heat and travelling. These long journeys for friendlies don't really tell us much about the shape and sharpness of the squad. That's apart from giving so many fringe players a game or a half.
Colin: The heat was the winner in this game!
Scott: The purpose of a pre-season friendly is to build match fitness and sharpness, which I believe this game provided. The temperature and the fact the opposition are mid-season means the result is irrelevant. I thought there was no purposeful width with Miguel Almiron giving a fruitless display and Anthony Gordon clearly missed on the left. All-in-all a great workout.
Ken: With the rubbish signings we’ve made, I realise we’re in for a long hard season. There’s no ambition at our club and I fear that they’ll sell Gordon to Liverpool and that will make them miles ahead of us. If that performance is anything to go by then god help us when we play a good team!
PY: Poor passing and poor crossing. I appreciate it’s early days with a new group of players, but we should be getting these things right from the off. I am still very hopeful for the season.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle boss Eddie Howe on defeat to Yokohama F. Marinos: "It was a good test for us. It was a difficult game against very good opposition.
"I thought we started brightly and faded after we conceded. I am disappointed with the result, of course. We didn't do well enough to cause their goal more harm."
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle suffered a 2-0 defeat to Yokohama F. Marinos in their final game of the J League International Series in Japan.
What did you learn from this game, Newcastle fans?
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The Premier League season is fast approaching and clubs are continuing their pre-season preparations.
Here's a look at where teams are in action on a busy Saturday.
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Newcastle midfielder Tommy Cassidy has died at the age of 73.
Born in Belfast, Cassidy began his career at Glentoran before joining the Magpies in 1970.
Cassidy spent 10 years with Newcastle, making 239 appearances and scoring 28 goals. He played a key role in runs to the 1974 FA Cup final and 1976 League Cup final.
He also won 24 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring once, and was part of their squad for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
After retiring, he enjoyed a lengthy career in management including spells in charge of Gateshead, Newcastle Blue Star, Whitby Town and Blyth Spartans.
Newcastle are in advanced talks with Sheffield United to sign the Blades' 20-year-old Danish striker William Osula for an initial £10m. (Telegraph - subscription needed), external
Nottingham Forest are not looking to cash in on 24-year-old English midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, despite interest from Newcastle, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea. (HITC), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle boss Eddie Howe says beating Urawa Red Diamonds in hot conditions in Japan will have done his side "the world of good".
The Magpies won 4-1 with a double from Jacob Murphy and a goal each from Alexander Isak and Lewis Hall.
"It was really hard conditions for the lads today, I was sweating just watching," Howe told club media after the game. "That will have done us the world of good.
"Tough physically but I thought the lads did really well to execute what we wanted to do. Four good goals.
"It's not just the heat, its the travelling. You can manage the flight but how do you feel two days afterwards to give your best performance in these conditions?
"It's a mental test more than anything and the players passed that test. I think we will come back from this match stronger."
Newcastle conceded an equaliser after Isak opened the scoring and goalkeeper Nick Pope had to make a fine save to from a penalty shortly after to prevent his team falling behind.
"Not a perfect defensive performance so work to do there but overall very happy," Howe added.
"I thought it was a patchy performance to be honest. There were some really good bits and some bits to work on."
Isak scored 25 goals in all competitions last season and Howe was impressed by his performance in Japan.
"I thought he was amazing today," he added.
"He looked really sharp, looked really fluid in his movement, really quick, dynamic, pressed well.
"Really happy with his individual performance."
We asked for your views on Newcastle United's 4-1 win over J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds, as Eddie Howe's side continued their pre-season preparations.
Here are some of your thoughts:
James: Solid performance with the younger players stepping up. The team will only get stronger with the return of Schar, Trippier, Gordon and Tonali. Some centre-backs, a right-winger and a striker are crucially needed if Newcastle are to push back into the top four contention.
Ozzy: Most Toon fans are worried because we haven't strengthened our squad adequately yet during this transfer window. The team seems to have gelled well during our time at the Adidas training facility in Germany, but without a new striker, right-winger and another centre-back to cover Lascelles' and Botman's injuries, we won't be at 100%. It will be the same case as last season.
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle continued their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 4-1 win over J-League side Urawa Red Diamonds in Saitama.
The goals came from Alexander Isak, Lewis Hall and a double from Jacob Murphy, while Nick Pope saved a penalty.
What did you learn from this game, Newcastle fans?
Image source, Getty ImagesIpswich Town, external and Newcastle United, external have posted tributes on social media to their former manager Sir Bobby Robson on the 15th anniversary of his passing.
Robson, who also spent eight years as England manager between 1982 and 1990, died in 2009 aged 76.
Robson won the FA Cup and Uefa Cup during his 13-year spell as Ipswich boss, as well as two runners-up finishes in England's top division.
In his final role as a full-time manager, he took Newcastle back into the Champions League and led the Magpies to a third-place finish in the Premier League.
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesPlayers like Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund are already suffering from hamstring injuries two weeks before the season even starts - and they say the modern preparation regimes are better, safer and more scientific!
They probably are better. At least the players do not have to go through some of the borderline sadistic routines that previous generations did. Back then, after a decent length of summer break, pre-season meant working incredibly hard over a short period of time to get yourself back in top condition fast.
Sprinting up and down gigantic sand dunes against the clock until many players were physically sick was de rigueur, alongside other road runs and track work.
Here is the weird part: I used to look forward to that, the way a class swot looks forward to exams. Being smaller, lighter and a committed long-distance runner all my young life, even before I became a pro footballer, it was, if not exactly a piece of cake, then certainly much easier for me than most of the rest of the team.
I have asked many modern managers what they would prefer to do in a perfect world during their pre-season. The most common answer is "just about anything other than what we are forced to do now!"
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle boss Eddie Howe has spoken about the challenges his team face during their pre-season trip to Japan.
The Magpies will play 2022 AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday, followed by a match against Yokohama F Marinos, who were runners-up in Japan's top flight last season, on Saturday.
"When you travel somewhere this distance and the turnaround times are very quick, the travel really does impact you. And speaking sort of on behalf of the players, it is tough," Howe said.
"I think the biggest factor we'll have to deal with is the heat. Just from the training today, you can see the effect that it has on the players. Even a drill that's very light suddenly turns into a tough one.
"I think athletically it's going to be a big test for us. Probably the ideal test for where we are during pre-season."
We asked for your views on Newcastle's 2024-25 third kit, which was unveiled on Wednesday.
Here are some of your comments:
Adz: Absolutely love it. Great to see the 80's NUFC badge. Well done Adidas.
Mark: I like the old crest but the green arm bands look awful.
Jack: A thing of beauty. Just need some marquee signings to push on this season and make it a club classic #ChangeTheBadgePermanently
Stephen: Perfect, but when will they wear it?
Edwin: Big fan of using the NUFC badge for a third kit - a really nice idea. However, could do without the hint of green that seems to be embedded into every alternate kit we have these days.
Image source, Getty ImagesPat Nevin, former Chelsea, Everton and Scotland winger writing in his Football Extra newsletter:
The pre-season friendlies are in full swing and let's be straight about this, the players generally hate these games, whatever they say.
They clearly haven't had enough rest in the summer, it is a grind getting your body back into peak shape, especially if the accumulated injuries from last season haven’t been allowed to fully recover.
The games themselves are weird affairs, where you would like to win but that is nowhere near the most important thing. Fitness, integrating new players, possibly a new manager and sometimes a new system are each more important. You also know full well that it is a hotch-potch of a team selection to give players minutes. The fans, mass media and social media will read far too much into every game and every performance.
From within the team itself, there are different motivations. A young or new player being given his first chance will be racing about like an overexcited spaniel. Other experienced players will be easing themselves back into it, the primary concern in their minds is to be fit and healthy come the first weekend of the Premier League season.
Deep down they don't worry if they get thumped by Celtic or DC United on their US tours, nobody at Chelsea or Aston Villa will remember or care about these results in two weeks' time.
Unless of course you are a DC or indeed Celtic fan. The Celts just beat Chelsea and Man City. Now that is impressive pre-season form or is that just Scottish bias.
Image source, Newcastle United football clubNewcastle United have unveiled their third kit for the 2024-25 season.
It is inspired by the club's 1999-2000 away kit and Peter Silverstone, chief commercial officer at the club, said: “Adidas has a deep understanding of Newcastle United's DNA, and that is clear to see in the design of our new third kit.
"From the use of the club's nostalgic 1980s crest, through to a design evoking Sir Bobby Robson's team at the turn of the millennium, it is an innovative approach to a classic kit."
What do you think, Magpies fans?
Let us know your thoughts on the kit here, external
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle boss Eddie Howe says he's "committed" to his role at St James' Park after being linked with the vacant England job.
Howe is preparing for his third full season at Newcastle after replacing Steve Bruce in November 2021, and has no plans to leave any time soon.
Asked about the England links as his side settled in Tokyo for the next leg of their pre-season tour, Howe said: "Absolutely no contact whatsoever from anybody [from the FA] and I'm fully committed to Newcastle.
"There's nothing to talk about.
"I don't need to address the players. They know, I hope, by how I act and how I am on a daily basis and how committed I am to the club."
After Newcastle's 2-0 pre-season win over Championship side Hull City, we asked you to have your say on the game.
Here are a selection of your comments:
Skippy: Nice to see a good starting XI. I thought Lewis Hall looked comfortable with the ball in the middle of the park and Jacob Murphy was quite sharp on the right. As expected, second half brought lots of opportunities for the younger squad members. Good afternoon's work and Toon Army supporters made great noise.
Steve: We looked good first-half, but I thought we dropped off a little in the second with less pressing and less cutting edge. Nice to see Isak off the mark early. Livramento looks good.
Graham: Running into the box with the ball, looking for a cross or unafraid to shoot is still not the priority mindset of the Newcastle team in general. Hull gave a good account of themselves and Newcastle defended well enough to counter their threat.
Ryan: I think the first half was good, created great chances. We let Hull attack more than they should have and second half was full of giving the younger players a chance. A couple of sloppy passes and a game that was always going to be a Newcastle win.
David Lockwood
BBC Sport Editorial Sustainability Lead
Image source, Getty ImagesLos Angeles or Chesterfield? San Diego or Salford?
The pre-season destinations of 20 Premier League clubs may be varied, but the issue remains the same - the impact of so many flights.
Half (10) of the clubs have flown to the United States for friendlies; three have travelled to the Far East and the rest are in Europe and the UK.
Manchester United's pre-season schedule see them flying almost 13,000 miles playing fixtures in Norway, Scotland, and across the US. Chelsea and Tottenham are also expected to fly in excess of 12,000 miles.
In contrast, Everton will fly the least, with just one fixture outside the UK in the Republic of Ireland.
Spurs and Newcastle also played an exhibition fixture in May - three days after the season finished - for which they both flew to Melbourne, Australia, a game Alan Shearer described as “madness”. Add in those air miles and both teams will have travelled in excess of 30,000 air miles in the close-season, equivalent to more than once around the globe, to play in non-competitive matches.
Newcastle and Spurs both have a target to be Net Zero by 2030, while Manchester United and Chelsea are in process of establishing an emissions reduction plan.
Net Zero requires the reduction and removal of all 'non-essential emissions' - so are these games essential?
Wycombe's David Wheeler is a leading sustainability campaigner in football and told BBC Sport: "These games are only necessary in the sense that the clubs want to make more money and grow their fan base".
He added: "The vast majority of players don't want to be away from their families, they don't want to be travelling around the world after a full slog of a season. They're overworked and injuries have gone through the roof, so there is a synergy between player welfare and planetary welfare."
An estimated travelling group of 30 flying 12,864 air miles business class generates around 200 tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent of 500,000 miles driven by an average petrol car, or the entire annual emissions for a year of 16 people in the UK.
Tottenham said it is "committed to minimising its environmental impact" in all its operations, "which will take time and effort". The club says it "ensures" all teams travel "as sustainably as possible throughout the season". It "measures, manages and reports on travel emissions" and will offsets "where possible."
Read more about the Premier League's pre-season air miles here
Including the May trip to Australia for Newcastle and Tottenham more than doubles those two clubs' total flights in the close-season and puts them way above the rest of the Premier League for environmental impact
Image source, Getty ImagesManager Eddie Howe says Saturday's 2-0 friendly win over Hull City proved a "competitive game" and "ideal for where we are at the moment."
"The attitude of the group was very good," he said. "Pre-season is always difficult as players don't want to get injured but want to impress. I thought the attitude was there, the collective mindset to defend and then some quality on the ball as well.
"First and foremost the attitudes were excellent. I think if you have a group that give you everything, hopefully we can have a great season."
On 20-year-old Jamie Miley featuring, Howe said: "He has similar qualities to Lewis, his brother. I think he delivered a very good performance and should be very pleased with himself."
