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Can Exiles claim notable away win at Vale? published at 12:38 GMT 14 January
12:38 GMT 14 January
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
A glance at the League Two table suggests Newport County face something of a daunting task when they bid to end a three-game losing streak at Port Vale on Saturday.
Vale are right in the hunt for automatic promotion to League One, with Darren Moore's side just a point outside the top three with 21 third-tier games remaining.
But like Newport, the Valiants are not in great form.
They won their most recent game, at Doncaster Rovers 10 days ago, to end a run of eight league fixtures without victory which saw them slip from top spot to fifth.
Vale will aim to build on the Doncaster win as they return to Vale Park, where they have lost only once in the league – against leaders Walsall - since August.
Newport's most recent away victory came at Gillingham in October.
Since then the Exiles have won only one of 10 league games, leaving Nelson Jardim's side six points clear of the relegation zone.
Victory in the Potteries would be some way to turn things around, even if Vale have had their struggles of late too.
New dates confirmed for postponed gamespublished at 16:54 GMT 8 January
16:54 GMT 8 January
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
Newport County has announced the dates of two rearranged League Two fixtures.
The game against Morecambe, which was due to be played at Rodney Parade last Sunday (5 January), will now take place on Tuesday, 4 February at 19:45 GMT.
It was postponed due to small areas of the field being deemed unplayable by the match referee.
County's League Two fixture at Accrington Stanley has been moved to Tuesday, 11 March at 19:45 GMT.
The match was due to be played on Saturday, 11 January, but had to be postponed due to Accrington's progression to the third round of the FA Cup, in which they will face Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Newport will now return to action on Saturday, 18 January with a trip to Port Vale.
'Premier League clubs want us to sign their players' published at 13:18 GMT 7 January
13:18 GMT 7 January
Image source, Huw Evans Agency
Chairman Huw Jenkins says Premier League clubs want their youngsters to play for Newport County as a result of the Exiles' change of style.
Newport, who are 18th in League Two, are trying to play a more possession-based game under former Swansea City coach Nelson Jardim.
Jenkins, who was Swansea chairman as they rose from the fourth tier to the Premier League between 2004 and 2011, says Newport's "reputation within the football fraternity is slowly changing".
"Our change in football style means we now have top-flight clubs actually starting to contact us to take their players on loan," he said in a statement issued to County fans at the halfway point in the season.
"And I'm sure that with the right player additions in January, we can look forward and develop even more as the season progresses."
Jardim was named head coach last July following the departure of Graham Coughlan, with an overhaul of the playing squad seeing 17 new faces arrive during the summer transfer window.
Jenkins that meant "a tough period of transition" was inevitable, but believes Newport "should get stronger" in the second half of the season.
"Signing our players on extended contracts will also allow the club flexibility to keep our best players longer and build value within the squad, while looking for consistency and growth each season," he added.
"A core base of players is vital and will hopefully provide us with a much better chance of success going forward.
"My summary of the season so far, on and off the pitch, is very much aligned. We have done reasonably well, but we must continue to improve in all areas on and off the field."
Jardim adamant Newport are improvingpublished at 10:09 GMT 4 January
10:09 GMT 4 January
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
Nelson Jardim has played down fears of a relegation fight at Newport County – and is adamant his young side are improving.
Jardim was left angry at his side's inability to turn an eye-catching first-half into a much-needed win against AFC Wimbledon in midweek.
The defeat – a third in a row – means it is just one league win in 10 for the Exiles, a run that has seen them slide towards spitting distance of League Two's bottom two.
They now welcome one of those teams - Morecambe - to Rodney Parade with Jardim fully aware of the need for a result.
But, in an impassioned defence of his tenure, the Portuguese head coach says there was always the need for patience in the project he was placed at the helm of.
Jardim succeeded Graham Coughlan in the summer with chairman Huw Jenkins orchestrating an overhaul of the playing squad, signing up a raft of young players of potential.
Confident that they can rack up the seven wins from the second-half of the season that would ensure survival, Jardim does say improvements are needed.
But he added: "It's quite clear there's a project which you can clearly see is shaping up, and it's not only for this season.
"You cannot change 17 players with 18, 19, 21-year-olds and think they can just roll over everyone. You have to be patient and we spoke about that at the beginning.
"Everyone can see this, but what you cannot say is that the team haven't improved. If you saw the team back in September, October, even November, and see the team now... if you don't agree with me then something is wrong."
County are at the halfway stage of the campaign, one that many accepted would be a testing challenge given the changes.
Further blows have come with the loss of some of the few experienced players such as the injured Aaron Wildig and fellow midfielder Bryn Morris, recently allowed to leave for Harrogate for family reasons.
Jardim has stated he wants signings to help in January, but he says he will keep faith with his rookies and his style.
He said: "We have to give them time to develop. We have to accept sometimes they don't play to the level that we want, but when you build a team with young players, we have to stick with them, stick to the plan, stick with what we've been doing.
"We have two choices: we can go the easy route blaming everyone, blaming the players; or we just do what we need to do, address things, improve them, and give them that confidence and trust they can go out there and put their talents out there for everyone to watch."
On facing Morecambe, who followed up a win over fellow strugglers Carlisle with a key victory against Tranmere, Jardim added: "It's a tough game; they just came off a massive win, and every game they are always there and competing.
"We've seen apart from some of the teams at the top, anyone can beat anyone on the day and it will be a tough game for us, but if we improve on the performance we gave in the first half and Wimbledon and we score when we have our opportunities then things will be easier for us."
Head coach Nelson Jardim said the defender hyper-extended his knee – the same issue that led to his last lay-off and an injury that left the Irishman fearing the worst.
McLoughlin avoided surgery on that occasion and Jardim will now wait for assessments, hoping that his precautionary withdrawal does not turn out to be a serious blow to the player and team.
And Jardim said: "It's never good when you lose your captain; we have lost him before, we lost Aaron Wildig, so it's something we have to deal with and find solutions. We will assess and see from there."
Angry Jardim says Newport must be betterpublished at 05:06 GMT 3 January
05:06 GMT 3 January
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
Angry Nelson Jardim admits Newport County must be better as they threw away the chance to end the concerns over form heading into the new year.
But the Exiles boss remains confident they can make the tweaks to turn frustrations into points after a third defeat in a row.
Newport dominated Wimbledon at a frost-bitten Rodney Parade on Thursday, but paid the price for not converting chances as Johnnie Jackson's side hit them with goals against the run of play.
And admitting his anger, Jardim said: "They have just seen that - I have just spoken to [the players] and made them know and feel that I am disappointed and that they have to be better, as simple as that."
The result moved the Dons up to second, but Newport – with one league win in 10 – are now just six points off the bottom two.
They welcome 23rd placed Morecambe on Sunday (15:00 GMT) but Jardim says he remains focused on the performances.
"We have just played two teams at the top of the table," said Jardim, whose side were edged out by leaders Walsall on Sunday before this defeat, the first half of which saw County impress with a hatful of opportunities.
"If we play like that and continue to develop, we will win these games that we are dominant and create chances.
"As a coach I have to look at the performance. When you lose and you have nothing, you just lose, but that's not the case. Yes we lost and we have to know how we lost, but it's clear if we keep going like that, keep improving little things…the next half of the season we should not be looking at anything other than our performances and how we improve."
Jardim added: "We have 23 games now, we are halfway through the season with 26 points and if we are exactly the same we will finish on 52 points which will be good – but I am sure we will be better and improve."
Newport confident of Hudlin stay as Jardim eyes January dealspublished at 07:29 GMT 31 December 2024
07:29 GMT 31 December 2024
Image source, Huw Evans Agency
Nelson Jardim is confident Newport County will extend Kyle Hudlin's loan deal from Huddersfield Town until the end of the season.
The striker joined the Exiles from the Terriers on transfer deadline day in August on a short-term deal until January.
But head coach Jardim expects the towering frontman to remain at Rodney Parade for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.
"Everything is agreed, I don't know if the pen has been put to paper yet," he said after his side's 2-0 loss to League Two leaders Walsall.
"It's a process that is ongoing, but from my end, I made it clear that I would like to have him here.
"I think the player made it clear that he wants to be here and the clubs are talking.
"But I think everything is going in a good direction."
In addition to keeping hold of Hudlin - who has scored four goals in League Two this season - Jardim expects to bring in "one or two" additional players during the winter window.
"You can have a busy January and nothing happens," added Jardim.
"I think January, you have to be very careful and aware, you really need to know what you need and want.
"It has to be the right character, the right player and the right fit. If we don't find that, there's not going to be any changes.
"I expect one or two (signings), obviously, but busy, definitely. If anything will happen, I don't know."
But Jardim says he needed to manage the 28-year-old's workload following a busy schedule of late.
"Bryn we are managing," said County's head coach.
"Bryn has been playing every minute for us. He came off in the last game as well as a precaution. Noah [Mawene] is in the same situation.
"I have to have everyone fit for what's coming, which will be tough."
Jardim admits Newport will look to be active in the January window, adding that the club have to be open to all options.
"Don't forget, he [Morris] was one of the players that was injured at the beginning of the season, we are trying always to manage his effort," added Jardim.
"But in terms of moving players in and out, anything can happen in the transfer window.
"We are open to speak and discuss and see what's best for everyone."
Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
