As part of my major career plans and in an effort to gain some more experience I had the plesaure of going to Newcatle's Press Conference today. Here's the piece I did following that:
Alan Pardew has no doubts about throwing the majority of his new signings straight into the mix for tomorrow nights game against Aston Villa.
Newcastle announced the signings of no less than 5 new players last week all from the French league and he is confident that they can hit the ground running.
"Haidara, the left back we brought in, is really one for the future, he definitely won't be involved though I will be taking him as part of the squad but the other 4 are in contention. It's really about getting the balance right in the team. Having so many French players in the team has helped and the signs are progressive."
Of all of those signings it is that of Moussa Sissoko that excites him the most and he will definitely make the starting XI at Villa Park.
"I think of all the signings Sissoko was the most important for myself because I think he's a player who is adapted to the Premier League. I think his strength and ability will automatically gain the assurance he needs to play at this level and we needed a player like that. I thought we were missing power and pace in our side and make no bones about it, he will definitely be playing against Villa."
"He's very keen to put the situation right on his own. That's the sort of player he is, the sort of player we want to bring into this football club and dressing room."
He was however quick to distance his new man from comparissons with former Premier League players such as Patrick Viera.
"I think it's unfair to put names next to players. He's Sissoko, Moussa to us, and we hope he has a successful time here."
Despite the big influx of new faces he doesn't see this causing a problem with the current members of the squad. In fact he has noticed a more determined air around the training ground
"Certainly I have and quite rightly too. You're going to react. In any walk of life if someone comes in to take your job, your place in your company or your position, you're going to react. So we've had a nice reaction, a positive one and that's how it should be
He now feels happy with his squad and sees no more incomings.
"We needed to strengthen there's no doubt about that. We accelerated some transfers that perhaps we may have left til the summer, Sissoko being the main one of that group in terms of accelerated. Derek Lambias has done a terrific job as Mike did in getting us over the line."
And he also feels the squad is in a much stronger position and far more able to deal with the battles ahead.
"It leaves us a lot stronger, gives us depth, gives us cover where we haven't had and the injury crisis we suffered earlier in the season, we're now coming out of that, the group is much, much stronger"
One of those players coming back into fitness is Steven Taylor and Pardew sees the Cramlington born defender as a big help to the squad's mindset for the remainder of the season.
Taylor was in the team who was relegated at Villa Park in 2010 and is confident that experience will spur both himself and the team on.
"He's a local boy, he understands the club, he was there two years ago when this club got relegated at Aston Villa so he'll know in that dressing room how important this is to us and he'll relay that to the other players."
"It's brilliant to have him back."
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