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11/20/2021

I am quitting Newcastle United. Or not

This was going to be a post about how I’m quitting Newcastle United.

Our blog and podcast stagnated along with the club. Under Mike Ashley, there was nothing to write or say about NUFC that hadn’t been written again and again by ourselves and others. I had a notion that one day perhaps we’d start up again, if ownership changed and any of us were still alive.

But Saudi Arabia? Owned – don’t kid yourself – by the country itself? A place where I, as a gay man, would be tortured or killed for who I am?

Screen Shot 2021-11-20 at 8.50.11 AMI don’t begrudge true Geordies their club. They didn’t ask for this ownership. For native fans to abandon NUFC over this would be tantamount to letting Saudi Arabia rip out the heart of the city. I hope the club soars to the top and the lifelong dreams of the native fans are finally realized, as the hypocrites from all the other rich clubs howl. Let’s face it. This is what soccer has become. It’s finance banking in shorts. The sport is awash in money tainted more ways than a person could count.

Not being a native-born Geordie, however, I can pick any other soccer club. Or none. My house lies five minutes from the arena of the best pro basketball team in the world, and I have season tickets. My state is home to the most legendary American football club, and I’m a part-owner. I don’t need Newcastle United.

Funny, then, that I’ve spent time each morning since the takeover reading every word I can find about it. I’ve followed this fiction-esque reversal of fortune as closely as any NUFC development since we began writing about the club. Hating myself for it. And doing it anyway.

At this point I could paste in a number of plausible rationalizations. I could talk about how Saudi money is everywhere in the life of everyone on the planet. I could talk about how the Saudi investment fund improves the lives of millions of Saudi people who are not that different from you or me, who support human rights, who detest torture and murder. I could talk about how a country is not the same as its government, and how Saudi Arabia is an important ally of the United States and England alike, in a complicated world.

The simple fact is, Newcastle United is in my heart, and I can’t get it out of there. My moral indignation is not as strong as the affinity I feel for this club and its city. I’m just not that righteous or noble or good.

I can’t speak for the others who have written on this blog. For myself, I’ll keep supporting NUFC. And use this platform, as events dictate, to hold the club accountable for not becoming a weapon against basic human rights. It’s up to Newcastle United’s football management – and its fans – to be at the forefront against racism, homophobia and all types of human persecution. Otherwise we are complicit with the extremists of the government of the country that is ultimately the owner of our club.

With that, howay. Let the new era begin.

Posted by Bob at 08:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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12/08/2017

On the Air: Decanonizing St. Rafa

RafaAfter an extended break because of a holiday that our listeners from outside the US don't celebrate, the podcast is back! This week, Tom, Phil, and Matt decide to take some shots at the recent managerial decisions made by Rafa Benítez (while acknowledging, of course, that his presence over the past two years has basically kept Newcastle United afloat). Like all of us, Rafa's still human, and it's worth pointing out mistakes, in our view, when they happen. (Though the joking wish for Mitro to pull a Latrell Sprewell on the sideline on Saturday is all Phil; direct your comments accordingly.)

iOS users, apologies that we're getting tons of inscrutable error messages as we try to put the show back on iTunes. However, for Android users or people with iPhones who don't mind downloading another app, we are available on both Stitcher and TuneIn. Thanks so much for your support!

IWIWAG 12-8-17

 

Posted by Matt at 08:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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11/16/2017

On the Air: International Break Ennui

River-OtterNUFC may have had the weekend off, but the podcast never rests! (Unless you count last week, when there wasn't one. Though we did record a show that ended up being unusable...so we didn't rest!) This week, Phil, Tom, and Matt slide right past the 1-0 defeats against Burnley and Bournemouth, instead looking forward to Saturday's trip to Old Trafford. How would the three of us line Newcastle up for the daunting trek to the red side of Manchester? And will Rafa Benítez actually agree with our preferred XI? We also do some over/under guesses on how dominant Man U will look on the stat sheet (even if we're able to steal a win).

We also take a look at the state of the playing staff, specifically the pet peeves for both Tom and Phil. Regular listeners will know that Phil's been ride or die with Aleksandar Mitrović since the Serbian striker joined the club. Given Joselu's poor form, is it finally time for Mitro to take center stage? Or maybe it's worth taking a second look at Dwight Gayle, who actually looked dangerous in the first half against Bournemouth. And Tom lays into Jonjo Shelvey, who's been pushed for an England callup by a subset of Newcastle fans, for his defensive liabilities. Is his ability with long passes and free kicks enough to build a team around, or should Shelvey be part of Rafa's "don't trust" list once Mikel Merino returns from injury?

Finally, we look at a couple transfer rumors floating around, namely Turkish international and Beşiktaş striker Cenk Tosun and Atlanta United's Paraguayan attacking midfielder Miguel Almirón.

iOS users, apologies that we're getting tons of inscrutable error messages as we try to put the show back on iTunes. However, for Android users or people with iPhones who don't mind downloading another app, we are available on both Stitcher and TuneIn. Thanks so much for your support!

IWIWAG podcast 11-16-17

 

Posted by Matt at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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10/26/2017

On the Air: Who is the Perfect 10?

Perfect10After a breathtaking, thrilling, action-packed 1-0 win against Crystal Palace...so exciting, in fact, that only one of us watched it...the pod crew is back once again to talk all things NUFC. First, Tom and Phil cede the heavy lifting of the Palace recap to NBC Sports Gold subscriber Matt. Branching out from that, we all share our thoughts on Ayoze Pérez after a disappointing showing on Saturday. Is he doing the job Rafa is asking of him? And if that role isn't as a creative string-puller in the Newcastle attack, is it really correct or fair to refer to Pérez as a number 10 at all?

Looking at the bigger picture, we wonder whether 7th place in the table is an accurate reflection of the way NUFC has played this season and if that form is sustainable...even if a prolonged sale process means that this squad could be set in stone through the January transfer window.

We also turn the show over to Tom for another edition of Great Moments in the Mike Ashley Era, featuring a 3-3 draw against Palace where anyone crazy enough to put money on the three Newcastle goalscorers can probably afford to buy the club from Ashley right now.

iOS users, apologies that we're getting tons of inscrutable error messages as we try to put the show back on iTunes. However, for Android users or people with iPhones who don't mind downloading another app, we are available on both Stitcher and TuneIn. Thanks so much for your support!

IWIWAG 10-26-17

 

Posted by Matt at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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10/19/2017

On the Air: Mandy and More

So-real-502633106c59cAfter a very sad international break for all of us here in the States, the pod is back! Phil and Matt, the most prepared hosts in the business, who never flub the intro multiple times or have weird audio issues, break down the two main stories involving Newcastle United this week.

First, of course, we talk about the continued developments in NUFC's ownership situation, as Amanda Staveley's PCP Partners group kicks open the club's books to see what havoc Mike Ashley has wrought. Will Ashley find a way to dash supporters' hopes once again? And how comfortable should we feel about Newcastle's outlook this season, knowing that a prolonged sale would likely mean no transfer business in January whatsoever?

Then we take things back to the actual sport for a bit and look at Sunday's 2-2 draw against Southampton at St. Mary's, trading our thoughts on the blame for Southampton's first goal and the effectiveness of Ayoze Pérez and Christian Atsu as part of the 3 in Rafa's 4-2-3-1 formation.

iOS users, apologies that we're getting tons of inscrutable error messages as we try to put the show back on iTunes. However, for Android users or people with iPhones who don't mind downloading another app, we are available on both Stitcher and TuneIn. Thanks so much for your support!

 IWIWAG podcast 10-19-17

 

Posted by Matt at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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