In the world of football today, loyalty and professionalism seem to have gone out of the game somewhat. The vast majority of Premier League players are driven by money, and at the drop of the hat will move club for the opportunity of a big salary. Few players seem to value their contract either, with footballers happy to request a transfer in order to push through a move. The ultimate professionals are few and far between, and that’s why when they come along you really have to cherish them, just like Newcastle are with Cheik Tiote.
Tiote really is a class apart. If you could sign a player like him every summer you’d be doing pretty well with your player acquisitions. This time last year few Newcastle fans would have heard of Cheik and I don’t mind admitting that when he was signed I was fairly nonplussed by the transfer. However, at £3.5 million Tiote has turned out to be an absolute bargain, and has not only been a man of steel on the pitch, but off it he’s conducted himself with great professionalism and quickly endeared himself to the Toon Army.
The 25 year old Ivorian international has unsurprisingly been subject of interest from Chelsea; who wouldn’t want a player like Cheik in their team? With the Blues looking to pounce it would easy for Tiote to have his head turned, in the same way that Jose Enrique’s has been by the reported interest from Liverpool and Arsenal. Not a chance of it, though, as Tiote has his mind fully focused on next season and ensuring that Newcastle build on their achievements of the last campaign.
Cheik Tiote has spoken well when asked about newspaper gossip. He told The Chronicle “I am a Newcastle player and I will do my job in Newcastle. I have a contract and that is the most important thing for me. I’m happy – if I wasn’t happy, I wouldn’t have signed for six years.” While signing Tiote was a great move, getting him to sign a six-year deal earlier this year was an even better one and credit has to go to Alan Pardew and Mike Ashley for moving quickly on that, even if it was a bit of a no-brainer.
Newcastle have got a few great professionals at the club now, as opposed to years gone by when tales of dressing room unrest were pretty common. New captain Fabricio Coloccini, in particular, stands out as being a class act and I think Tiote is right up there, too. If you could have a team full of Cheik Tiote’s you would, as you’d have eleven men who give their all every time they step onto the field and conduct themselves with class off it.
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AP says we have a big squad, and he’s right when it comes to mf – though Tiote is the only type of that player we have (defensive mf, but quick, strong and deft). One time when Ashley should say, no, just don’t sell no matter what!
On the whole squad subject… so, yes, we have a multitude of options in mf though the striker options (especially if we let Ranger/Best…anyone else go) are very light, and our defense also a bit on the light side. I’d be happy if we give Kadar and Tavernier a lot more first team experience NOW, though in attack we really only have Airey we can promote. We should really be keeping both Best and Ranger! Carrol looked ineffective a couple or so years ago, so it’s definitely worth giving Ranger more time and certainly Best should stay. It’s so hard to get decent strikers in, why let any go so easily?
I think if we’re going to put a striker on the market, I’d prefer we sold Loven and kept Best and loaned out Ranger so he can get more first team experience in the Premier/Championship; he signed a five year deal only last October so what would be the point in selling?!
Read today that we’re trying to get Sturridge on loan though so that’s some good news!
Tiote is the sort of player we should be building the squad around and as stupid as Mike Ashley is, he surely won’t sell up this time. Having said that, nothing would suprise me.
newcastles ultimate professional {BALLS}
If CHELSEA a BIG club puts a big bid in.
You wont see him for dust.
Going to be very good player for us in the future.snipe dont matter what blog you go on theres always some doom and gloom merchant like you on there,just wish you and all like ya would just crawl back under the rock you came from.
so we are agreed top ten finnish next season and barton to sign a 4 year deal.we sould offer reading a player swap ranger for long both clubs get the player they want win win right
@keith, do you really think reading would swap long for ranger?? ranger is turd!! anyway, tiote is the one man that should not be used to generate a big profit for fat boys wallet