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Opinion

Amazing how Newcastle United sign England Captain and so quickly take it for granted…

1 year ago
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Alan Shearer wearing the armband as England Captain was always a pleasant sight.

Back in the day, Newcastle United players in the England team when Kevin Keegan was at St James’ Park wasn’t unusual.

Quite amazing how many we had back in the day, when KK was in charge in the nineties, Shearer, Ferdinand, Howey, Venison, Beardsley, Barton, Lee…

Alan Shearer continued into the Sir Bobby Robson era still turning out as England Captain but then amazed the footballing world, over two decades ago the Premier League’s greatest ever striker (and indeed player) declaring he was retiring from international football so that he could give everything to Newcastle United and play for NUFC in the Premier League (and Europe!) for as long as possible.

On Monday we finally saw another Newcastle United player pulling on the armband as England Captain, Harry Kane handing it over when subbed against Iran.

A Newcastle United player the England Captain, how mad is that!

An an NUFC fan, amazing how Newcastle United sign an England Captain and how quickly we take it for granted…!

Gareth Southgate appears to have laid down a massive marker here, that if at any time Harry Kane doesn’t start a game at this World Cup, then Trippier’s the man.

No Newcastle fan will be surprised by this surely, as well as everything else he has given NUFC so far, Kieran Trippier has shown outstanding leadership qualities as captain, week in week out.

I did read somewhere that Michael Owen allegedly was England Captain at one point when he was at Newcastle United but I’m not having that included in this conversation.

Great leaders for Newcastle United and England…I think I will just be keeping this between Alan Shearer and Kieran Trippier these past 23 years or so.

What an absolute joy to see Newcastle United players playing for England on the biggest stage of all and every much looking like they belong. After all those Mike Ashley years it just feels surreal.

It wasn’t just Kieran Tripper either, Gareth Southgate having this to say about Newcastle United’s (current) number nine:

“What I particularly liked was Jack Grealish’s goal with Callum Wilson on. He could have been selfish but he was thinking of the team even at that moment. I’m a miserable so and so. I should be more excited but I have to keep the team on the right track.”

Nice to see England fans (not Newcastle fans) with such positive comments as well on the BBC Sports site, these once typical on Callum Wilson:

‘Nice to see Wilson unselfishly pass to Grealish when he could have had a shot himself.

What a gent.

A proper team player.’

‘Agree! The best option is often not taken and today Wilson took it. Decisive, looked up and passed. Happy for Sterling and Grealish as they are heavily scrutinised. A goal each and also an assist for Sterling, should keep the hyenas quiet for a few days.’

We always knew that Callum Wilson was good BUT Eddie Howe and the new owners have given him the platform to make this England squad and clearly he is primed to take that opportunity with everything he can give it.

Obviously, results and performances for Newcastle United are what really matters…

However, I do love the prestige that comes with having our players (and by association, our club and our city) playing for the national side, not forgetting of course that we also have Nick Pope waiting in the wings, the best keeper in the Premier League this season.

Newcastle United players making up more than 10% of this 26 man squad and then on top of that one of them ends up England Captain.

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