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A near-miss involving a Newcastle player and a young fan this week has led to the club telling supporters to stop gathering near the training ground entrance.
Confidential can reveal that a senior star was alarmed when he nearly hit an autograph-hunter while driving his car. The scare was raised with staff and the club have acted swiftly.
The narrow lane leading to the Benton base is used by Newcastle staff, players, pedestrians and construction vehicles working on the training ground expansion. Those wanting selfies and shirts signed often jump into the road, causing players to stop. Fans have also started waiting at nearby traffic lights and approaching the driver’s window while they're on red.
Newcastle have been considering taking action for some time but are also aware of the positive interactions that arise from fans, especially during the school holidays, enjoying a brief moment with the players.
But the incident this week has sharpened focus and a decision has been taken in the interest of safety.
Players and coaches have now been instructed not to stop their cars upon entering or leaving the training ground and fans have been asked not to congregate there.
William Osula (right) has impressed so much this season that Newcastle will rebuff all interest in him in January
Osula staying put
William Osula will NOT be leaving Newcastle in January, despite lingering interest from home and abroad.
Confidential understands all of those inside St James’ Park recognise the striker’s development and believe that, even if a club returned with the £30million fee that was agreed with Eintracht Frankfurt on deadline day this summer, there is no player on the market better at the same price and profile.
Osula’s impact in recent weeks has been all the more impressive given he is carrying an ankle issue that means he cannot even practise his finishing in training, such is the pain.
The 22-year-old was hours away from joining Frankfurt on September 1 before the Bundesliga club attempted to downgrade the deal from a permanent transfer to a loan. PIF pulled the plug, believing it was no longer of benefit to Newcastle.
A permanent deal with Aston Villa had also been agreed earlier in the day, only for UEFA spending rules to scupper that possibility.
Osula remained on Tyneside and it has been an inspired and fortunate decision, given the injury to Yoane Wissa. The young Dane will see out the season at St James’ and the hope is that, once free of his ankle complaint, there will be another marked improvement.
One supporter likened him to Kylian Mbappe on social media this week. While that may cause an initial double-take, when you watch both players run, they do have an identical gallop and gait. If Real Madrid come knocking for Osula one day, then he really would have kicked on!
Osula’s impact in recent weeks has been all the more impressive given he is carrying an ankle issue that means he cannot even practise his finishing in training, such is the pain
Jones won't be rescuing Isak's form
Another valuable Newcastle figure who won’t be going anywhere is coach Graeme Jones.
Indeed, the Geordie has worked closely with Osula over the past 15 months and is credited with a huge hand in his development. The pair were locked in conversation in an empty St James’ long after the crowds had cleared following Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Tottenham.
Jones was approached by his friend Graham Potter recently and asked about working as his No2 with Sweden on a part-time basis. Potter was appointed earlier this month by the nation where he spent seven years as Ostersunds boss.
While there was no formal approach to Newcastle, Confidential understands the club want Jones to maintain his focus on club matters and continue his brilliant work with the likes of Osula and Nick Woltemade. To that end, the possibility of Jones linking up once again with Alexander Isak will not be happening.
Graeme Jones (pictured here with Anthony Gordon) is making huge strides with the likes of Osula and Nick Woltemade
The disappearance of Local Hero
Local Hero was not played when the teams emerged from the St James’ Park tunnel last weekend… and it was because of a technical glitch.
Confidential understands the plan was to play the traditional walk-out music ahead of Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Fulham, but it was noticeable by its absence. To the frustration of the club’s announcer, the Mark Knopfler classic failed to start.
It was, though, interesting to note that the noise of the crowd did not really act as an adequate replacement, despite calls for the moments before the game to be free of music. Maybe with more notice something would be planned to fill the air, but I’m of the camp that Local Hero should always be played when the teams come out of the tunnel.
On a similar theme, the planned moment’s silence to mark Remembrance Day ahead of the Carabao Cup win over Spurs had to be abandoned at the last second.
Such was the poignancy of The Last Post, played by a bugler from the British Army, and the respect shown for that, supporters instinctively applauded when it finished. The PA instruction had been for a brief silence to follow on the referee’s whistle.
Chris Kavanagh decided to proceed with kick-off given the reaction of the crowd, and nothing was really lost by doing so. The Last Post was, as ever, a powerful commemoration.
Injury updates: Good news and bad news
On the fitness front, I’m told Lewis Hall has a 50-50 chance of making the bench at West Ham on Sunday after a quick recovery from a hamstring injury, but it will come too soon for Wissa.
When Eddie Howe spoke of Wissa needing another two weeks in his recovery from a knee injury earlier this month, West Ham was reported as the comeback date.
Lewis Hall is 50-50 to make the bench this weekend, having been out for the last month
It's still too soon for Newcastle fans to get their first glimpse of £55million man Yoane Wissa
However, Confidential later revealed that Brentford on November 9 was a more realistic target.
It remains to be seen if the swelling around the striker’s knee has subsided sufficiently to make that possible, or if his return will be delayed until after the international break.
Hard yards under the lights
Newcastle continue to make the most of the lights at St James’ Park to put their players through late-night training drills.
Given the hectic schedule and the reduced opportunity to train at Benton, post-match windows are now seen as crucial by Howe and performance director James Bunce.
It was not until an hour after full-time following Wednesday’s win over Spurs that wingers Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy eventually returned to the changing rooms.
So late did the extra session finish, some players who had started the game were already leaving the stadium!
Inside track on Toon TV picks
Speaking of late nights, the Premier League are set to announce the next round of TV changes for December and into early January.
While yet to be communicated, Confidential’s sources believe Newcastle’s trip to Manchester United is in line to be brought forward from December 27 to an evening kick-off on Boxing Day, making it the only Premier League fixture on December 26.
Also, keep an eye on the Magpies' trip to Burnley being pushed back from December 30, possibly even on to New Year’s Day. All still to be confirmed and subject to change, but that’s the early word doing the rounds with my fixtures guys!
Our sources tell us that Newcastle's trip to Old Trafford on December 27 is set to moved forward to Boxing Day
And the trip to Burnley may well be pushed back from December 30, potentially to New Year's Day
Toon Teaser
Finally, it’s Toon Teaser time!
The last puzzler was… Nick Woltemade became only the second Newcastle player with a surname beginning in ‘W’ to score for the club in Europe. Could you name the other ‘W’ player and the match in which they did so?
It was Steve Watson during the 5-0 away win over Royal Antwerp that marked Newcastle’s return to Europe in 1994.
This week, it’s as easy as ABC… Newcastle have drawn Fulham in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, can you name the SIX players who have played for both with a surname beginning in A, B or C?
