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There has been a big development in the return to fitness of Yoane Wissa this week, with the striker training alongside his team-mates for the first time.
Confidential can reveal that the 29-year-old took part in a session on Wednesday, kicking a ball with his fellow players for the first time since his £55million arrival from Brentford on September 1.
Wissa damaged his posterior cruciate ligament just a week later playing for DR Congo and, until now, he had not even trained with Newcastle. The sight of him on the grass with the team has been met with huge relief inside the training ground, given his comeback has been hit by a series of delays.
Newcastle want to be sure Wissa is ready to make an impact and his current programme is similar to what a player would go through during pre-season.
This weekend’s trip to Everton will come too soon, but if he trains through next week’s schedule with no setbacks he could be involved by the time the Wear-Tyne derby comes around on December 14.
Until Wissa makes his debut, his wages will be covered by FIFA’s Club Protection Programme (CPP). The insurance scheme covers clubs whose players are injured playing for their country and are then unavailable for more than 28 consecutive days. It is understood the CPP will pick up Wissa’s wages from October 7 onwards.
Yoane Wissa finally made it out onto the grass with his new team-mates this week in his recovery from a knee injury
Eddie Howe will be delighted to have his £55million summer signing from Brentford available at last - though Saturday's trip to Everton will come too soon for Wissa
Blow for Trippier
On a less positive front when it comes to injuries and that looming derby date, Confidential understands Kieran Trippier could be out for up to four weeks.
The defender missed Saturday’s win over Manchester City and the midweek trip to Marseille with what was described as a minor hamstring injury. But the strain picked up in training last Friday is slightly more serious and it is thought a prognosis of three-to-four weeks has now been returned.
That will keep Trippier out of the next four matches at least and, worst case scenario, he could miss around eight in total. It also leaves him doubtful for the game at the Stadium of Light.
It is a blow for Eddie Howe, who has only just welcomed back Tino Livramento from a knee injury. Ideally, Trippier and Livramento would share the load during this busy period, and the situation at right back is not helped by Emil Krafth carrying a knock that has kept him out of the last two games.
Kieran Trippier is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury in training
Club chief to beef up his team
David Hopkinson’s internal audit of Newcastle’s workings is continuing at pace - and the new club chief is set to add a strategy executive to the hierarchy.
It is thought Hopkinson was surprised to learn that the position did not already exist when he arrived in September and his new hire will join him in the CEO’s office.
The senior appointment will also work closely with the football side of the club and be responsible for delivering special projects on time and within budget - which points to renewed progress on a new stadium and training ground.
Brad Miller is currently the chief operating officer, but Hopkinson wants to beef up the executive team and the senior associate strategy role is likely to emerge as his second in command inside St James’ Park.
Toon heading for fixture crunch
Newcastle insiders are well aware of the potential schedule issues that await, should they reach the Champions League last 16, Carabao Cup semi-final and FA Cup fifth round.
If so, it would mean 32 matches between now and the next international break at the end of March, just six games shy of a full Premier League season!
And, should they return to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final to defend their trophy on Sunday March 22, it would mean rescheduling the Tyne-Wear derby currently slated for March 21.
That would most likely mean a first midweek derby at St James’ Park since the infamous 1999 clash when Ruud Gullit dropped Alan Shearer and later quit after a 2-1 defeat.
If Newcastle get the chance to defend their Carabao Cup at Wembley it will cause a pile-up of fixtures and mean rescheduling the Tyne-Wear derby currently slated for March 21
Madness in Marseille
Club staff and players’ families were warned NOT to celebrate if Newcastle scored in Marseille on Tuesday, which Harvey Barnes duly did after six minutes.
The group were not housed in the same section as the 3,300 away supporters and home officials gave them strict guidance not to reveal their allegiance in the event of a Newcastle goal. There were similar warnings to the UK press amid fear of physical and verbal attacks by home fans.
Meanwhile, Newcastle have raised concerns with UEFA, Marseille and the French police after the ‘unacceptable treatment’ of supporters inside the Stade Velodrome. The club say that police used ‘unnecessary and disproportionate force’ and ‘indiscriminately assaulted’ fans when leaving the stadium after the game.
Thankfully, it appears that no one was physically injured, but the incident was described as ‘distressing’ by the club.
Fans I have spoken to say that the police treatment was actually an improvement on how they were handled in 2004 at the same stadium, but that it was still ‘heavy handed’ and ‘unnecessary’ given supporters had not caused any issues for police.
Harvey Barnes scored early on against Marseille but club staff and players’ families were warned not to celebrate
Newcastle have raised concerns with UEFA, Marseille and the French police after the ‘unacceptable treatment’ of supporters inside the Stade Velodrome
Loan groans
Newcastle’s European loanees continue to struggle amid increased chatter of them being recalled in January.
Antonio Cordero was an unused substitute for KVC Westerlo in Belgium at the weekend, while Travis Hernes (Groningen) and Trevan Sanusi (Lorient) remain in reserve in Netherlands and France respectively. Cordero has six sub appearances but Hernes and Sanusi are yet to feature. Their situations are being monitored ahead of the new year and it would appear likely that some, if not all, will return to Tyneside or find alternative clubs.
It's Toon Teaser Time!
Finally, it’s Toon Teaser time. Our last puzzler was… between 1950 and 2000, Newcastle played Brentford only twice in league fixtures, and that was in the second tier in 1992-93. Name the four England internationals and three Republic of Ireland internationals who appeared for the Magpies during those games. The answers were; Barry Venison, Steve Howey, Paul Bracewell, Rob Lee (England) and Liam O’Brien, David Kelly and Kevin Sheedy (Ireland).
This week, ahead of the trip to Everton, can you name the SIX direct transfers between the clubs since 1992 (does not include Dan Gosling, who was a free agent after leaving Everton).
