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Opinion

2 failed Newcastle strikers pick up winners medals proving there is a league for everyone

7 years ago
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When it comes to Newcastle strikers, these two show just how difficult it is when bringing in forwards from abroad.

Facundo Ferreyra spent a whole year on loan at Newcastle in 2014/15 without, bizarrely, playing a single minute of football (allegedly he arrived on the advice of his mate Fabricio Coloccini).

Whilst with Newcastle staring relegation in the face and desperate for goals, Mike Ashley & Graham Carr thought the answer was to bring in Seydou Doumbia for a half season loan in January 2016.

Doumbia played only 29 minutes in three brief substitute appearances and Newcastle were relegated.

Nevertheless, both former Newcastle strikers are celebrating league title wins after scoring loads of goals and playing a key part in their respective clubs’ success.

Facundo Ferreyra returned to Shakhtar Donetsk after his desperate time at Newcastle and he has helped them go through this last season undefeated.

Ferreyra made 20 (13 starts and 7 from bench) league appearances and scored an impressive 13 goals, plus another three in the Europa League.

In their 22 match season, Shakhtar won 19 and drew 3, picking up 60 points, 14 ahead of runners-up Dynamo Kiev.

Meanwhile, Seydou Doumbia has spent last season on loan at FC Basel.

He played in 25 league games (15 starts and 10 as sub), scoring 20 goals. He also scored in the 4-1 Champions League home defeat to Arsenal.

FC Basel finished on 86 points, fully 17 ahead of Kevin Mbabu and BSC Young Boys.

The success of these two shows how much easier it is to score goals in certain European leagues than in England, pointing to the high risk of taking chances on such players. Just as Newcastle did with Riviere in France (not that he’d scored many there either!) and in particular, Mitrovic from the Belgian league.

Seydou Doumbia is now reported to be on his loan travels again away from Roma, with Sporting Lisbon lined up for next season.

Another former Newcastle loan striker, Luuk de Jong, didn’t fare too well this past season but in the previous two he scored bags of goals and helped PSV to successive league titles in Holland.

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as ideas/suggestions) to contribute@themag.co.uk)

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