Peter Lovenkrands predicts TOP SIX finish for Newcastle this season & lifts lid on playing just two days after dad’s death
- “After I scored, I couldn’t stop crying for about ten minutes and I was looking to Chris thinking, “OK, are you going to take me off now?
- “Overall though I think it has been a positive season. They look like they can get into the top six; I think top five is too big a stretch but a good run of games, you never know.
- “I hope Eddie Howe is not under pressure. If you look at what he has had to deal with and how well he did in Europe, coupled with the fact they are still well up the table, it hasn’t been an easy task. I think he has done extremely well and I would be personally upset if he didn’t stay at Newcastle.
- “After my dad passed away, I came back two days later and scored against West Brom and I will never forget that moment. A lot of fans still message me about it, and what it meant to them.
- “I was back in Denmark speaking to my brother and my mum, and I am not a good person in those situations so if I stayed there, I would have been just sitting there crying.”
- [On Alan Shearer] “He was a great guy to work under and as a footballer, he knew what it was like and had a great understanding on how to manage players. He was intimidating but that’s just because of the respect we had for him, not because he was trying to be that way. People wanted to work hard and do well for him.”
- “Everyone expects more from Chelsea, but I don’t, because if you look at how up and down they have been, the consistency has not been there. They are a club who should be much higher up the table with the amount they spend and the squad they have but they are struggling to even get a good run of form.”
This has been a positive season for Newcastle… top six is still achievable
Newcastle got an amazing result against Wolves at the weekend, on top of that they played really well, so I think overall everyone should be really happy. Right now, it is important to get wins at this time of the season and get higher up the table. Players have come back from injuries and they looked strong again. Of course this season was always going to be difficult after the season they had last year flying high and doing so well. It is always tough to repeat that especially with Champions League football on top.
They were actually doing really well in Europe and it’s just unfortunate they didn’t go through to the next round. I felt that was a kick in the teeth because they did extremely well. Take that into consideration and the fact they have had a lot of injuries, it has been tough and eye-opening. It just shows how hard it is to stay in the top four and play in Europe. Overall though I think it has been a positive season. They look like they can get into the top six; I think top five is too big a stretch but a good run of games, you never know.
I hope Eddie Howe is not under pressure. If you look at what he has had to deal with and how well he did in Europe, coupled with the fact they are still well up the table, it hasn’t been an easy task. I think he has done extremely well and I would be personally upset if he didn’t stay at Newcastle.
Up-front, when everybody is fit, Newcastle are great. However, it has been in and out with injury and Anthony Gordon had to play through the middle a couple of times so I think Newcastle could do with an extra player up-front. I mean, you could probably say we need a couple of players all through the team I think to strengthen.
Scoring for Newcastle two days after my dad died… the fans will forever be in my heart after what they did for me on that day
Newcastle means the world to me. I had an unbelievable time there, with some of my best football years. I haven’t been back in a long time and I actually miss it. The stadium is an incredible place to be and I have a special bond with the fans. After my dad passed away, I came back two days later and scored against West Brom and I will never forget that moment. A lot of fans still message me about it, and what it meant to them. For me to have scored that goal two days after my dad passed away was special.
The noise and support I received from that goal was the loudest thing I have ever heard in my life and I have played in some big games and scored some big goals – but that moment was indescribable. I was back in Denmark speaking to my brother and my mum, and I am not a good person in those situations so if I stayed there, I would have been just sitting there crying.
My dad was a big part of my football life, coaching me and my brother when we were younger. He would have wanted me to play, so I just thought, “I can’t just sit here… I will give it a go”. Everyone was surprised to see me when I walked into the changing room and Chris Hughton called me into his office and he said:
“Are you ready to play? If you want to play, you will start.”
I was ready. After I scored, I couldn’t stop crying for about ten minutes and I was looking to Chris thinking, “OK, are you going to take me off now?”, but he didn’t. I said to him afterwards that I thought he would take me off, but he said “Nah; I thought you might score again!” Chris Hughton was absolutely amazing with me. The fans will be forever in my heart for what they did for me that day.
The players really helped me settle in when I moved to Newcastle. Steven Taylor was one of the ones I was really close to, alongside Tim Krul. They were great in helping me settle in. To be honest, I have never been in a changing room that was so close. It was the best changing room I was ever in. We used to go out on a Tuesday or Wednesday night for something to eat, or to the cinema. It wasn’t that we wanted big nights out…it was just 14 lads going out socialising together with our families and wives. It was an amazing group of players and I have never seen that before in a Premier League club. That is also why we did really well.
Relegation wasn’t Shearer’s fault… I was worried what fans would say to me in the streets of Newcastle…
Alan Shearer is a special guy and a legend. It’s funny when I signed for Rangers, I was negotiating with Newcastle…Bobby Robson said I would be playing up-front with Shearer. I ended up going to Rangers so coming back and having Alan as my manager was quite a cool moment. Of course we were relegated at that time which was tough because I thought he was a good manager.
He was a great guy to work under and as a footballer, he knew what it was like and had a great understanding on how to manage players. He was intimidating but that’s just because of the respect we had for him, not because he was trying to be that way. People wanted to work hard and do well for him. We did try as hard as we could. We had a lot of injuries but I feel we should have survived that year.
That relegation wasn’t down to Alan, but down to us on the pitch. There were games that we threw away when we should have got the points. That was the lowest point of my career. It was a hard pill to swallow and a horrible experience to be a part of. But that said, it was incredible how we dominated the Championship and bounced back straight up. I have to say though, the fans handled the situation really well. I was very worried about how they would react to me in the streets and stuff like that but I never heard anything but supportive comments. I didn’t expect that.
I am not surprised he didn’t stay in management because I see how good he is as a pundit and I love listening to him and Ian Wright and others. You see how well he speaks, and he is excellent at what he does. Selfishly, I would rather have him doing the commentary as opposed to managing.
Everyone expects more from Chelsea… but I don’t
The Manchester Derby was a great game to watch. I love watching Man City because of the their style of play and the phenomenal players they have. Marcus Rashford’s goal was incredible but from then on it was just all City. I thought United did well to keep them at bay for as long as they did. Phil Foden has the X Factor and can make something out of nothing. City are just far too good to break down. The result was expected.
Man City are my favourites for the title, although Liverpool deserve credit especially with the amount of injuries they have had. The young boys have massively stepped up for them and helped them get results, so you can’t rule out Liverpool. They have a great team and play great football, but in the long run, City will be too good. Klopp has done an unbelievable job at Liverpool, he will be missed not only by Liverpool, but everyone. His attitude, behaviour, media interviews…it all adds to the Premier League as a whole. He’s an amazing character.
Everyone expects more from Chelsea, but I don’t, because if you look at how up and down they have been, the consistency has not been there. They are a club who should be much higher up the table with the amount they spend and the squad they have but they are struggling to even get a good run of form.
