Not many people at the Riverside when I arrived and no sign of the team. However, I was assured that they would start at 11 o'clock and they did. It was encouraging to see Duncan Ferguson playing a full part and also James Coppinger and Shola Amoebi training with the first team - hopefully Coppy will at least make the bench this season. Daniel Cordone was there, and a young stocky lad who apparently is on trial, also from Argentina. They did the usual stretching and jogging warm-up exercises then split into small groups to pass the ball around fast. No sign of Bobby at this point, but the other coaches seemed to be organising things. They seem to be trying a few different things, they then split the lads up into three groups, with different colour bibs. One group then headed out of the gate and over to the far side of the field - time for a couple of snatched photos.

The other two groups then started a practice game. It seemed to be less disciplined without Bobby, or maybe it was just because it was pre-season. Bobby DID turn up and watched from the side. I think I read somewhere that he has had a knee operation and he did seem to be limping slightly. Anyway, he didn't take any part in the training except to call out a couple of times, but you can bet he was watching every move!

First impression of Carl Cort was how thin his legs were! It was difficult to really pick anyone out. They seemed to be enjoying themselves with lots of shouting and quite a bit of swearing! Dunc was calling Cordone Axl - not sure if this is his recognised nickname in the squad! He didn't look very happy, but maybe that's because he was concentrating and his English isn't very good yet.

They played for about 20-30 minutes, then the blue bibs headed out the gate and the white team returned. Quite a few people went over with the blue lot as Shearer was with them but I stayed to watch the next game between the greens and whites. Shay Given has spent too much time with Steve Howey - judging by his f***ing language! He was trying to organise his defence and kept shouting "stay, Warren" as if talking to a dog! The groups switched again so the blues and whites were playing. Normally with the practice games you can figure out the team for the next game, but not in this case - they were all mixed up.

The game finished and the teams on the pitch left and the other team came across the field giving us a chance to get photos and autographs. I finally got Gavilan to sign the photo I had taken when he first arrived and officially wasn't here! I spoke to Cordone who seems very short and doesn't speak English. He was very pleasant tho' and spent a lot of time signing autographs for the bairns and having his photo taken with them - quite different to how he came across on the pitch. I got Carl Cort to sign the back of my ticket from the S***erl**d resorves game and requested another hat-trick against them!

They returned after lunch and split up again. There was a small group doing a lot of running and jumping exercises. The main group were at the far end of the field doing a lot of running and stretching while the three keepers were practising with their coach. The main group then returned with Bobby talking to LKD - once again calling him Kevin! He was asking if he had any reaction, so presumably he was working off an injury. Most of the group had gone inside by the time I got down there, but I did manage to get Bobby's autograph and a photo. I had intended to ask him if he was buying anyone else, but as usual when you get to speak to the guys the mind goes blank. I just told him how much I was looking forward to the new season.

Next it was round to the gate to catch the guys leaving. Quite a few of them including Shearer sneaked out the other gate but I spoke to quite a few of them. I congratulated Warren on being assistant captain and said nobody deserved it more. I also told Steve Harper I thought he should be the no. 1 keeper. Domi came out. He hadn't been training with the others so presumably he was working in the gym or getting some physio. Finished my film and took it in for processing. If the photos come out OK I'll put them online tomorrow.

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Answers

Thanks, Steph. Great report!!

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

On ya Steph. We get far better info from you than any bookie ever received from Shane Warne and Steve Waugh !!

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Great report, Steph!! Was Shearer in full training? Given has gotten much more vocal this season, hasn't he? ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 08, 2000

Keep up the training ground reports Steph - they`re great! It`s one of the things that makes this BBs so interesting!(:o)

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

LT, why don't you listen to Shane Warne's phone calls, they can be VERY informative?!

Secondly, just to be pedantic; if you were alluding to cricket info and Indian / Pakistani bookmakers (which I believe you were?), you mentioned Steve Waugh when, in actual fact, his brother Mark was the culprit!

No worries ;7)

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

You're right of course Bud, it was Mark Waugh. I thought I may have got them mixed up. Full apologies to squeaky-clean Steve :o))

I have to say though that with all the recent cricketing revelations, especially the magnitude of Hanse Cronje's (and others) involvement with bookies, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the full story failed to come out of the two Aussies' mouths. It appeared a bit suss at the time the way they 'suddenly' decided to 'come clean' to the media - a few years after the events in question ! And it's no surprise to me that their 'full and frank explanation' was immediately accepted and effectively forgotten over here, given the sycophancy and laziness of the Australian sporting media - witness for example their double standards in aiming unsubstantiated allegations of drug-use at Chinese swimmers, then leaping as one to the defence of Ian Thorpe when accused of the same by the Germans. They're so one-eyed over here it makes your blood boil sometimes. Gawd only knows whether we'll get any Olympic coverage whatsoever that doesn't involve the green 'n gold.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Loony, the South African cricket team also play in the beloved "green 'n gold", in one-day internationals. I think they're in Oz soon (next week?) to play a one-day series vs. Oz.

What about the cricket World Cup semi-final Oz v. SA, which Oz won on the last ball - the WWF couldn't have acted that one out any more realistically / farcically!?

As a matter of interest just where (how) did "Thorpedo" supposedly get those 'plates of meat' from? (size 17 = flippers?)

We've digressed, an EXCELLENT training ground report fron Steph, well done young lady.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Cheers Steph.

Any news on Stephen Glass? Lots of rumblings in the paper about his new start etc but is he looking up for it?

Good to see Given getting vocal maybe he can help the defence after all! Cordone is Axle Rose, nice one Dunc!

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Portuguese trialist Bruno and the Maritimo midfielder has extended his trial on Tyneside.

Did you see him yesterday Steph? Howey is in the squad for the reserve game against Durham City, significantly Harper is playing for the reserves as Karelse is still reported as getting a transfer to that Turkish club, despite Steph seeing him in training!

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Photos from yesterday can be seen here.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Well perhaps a link to it will work Charity Shield

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000