NORWICH: Eddie Howe wishes he could field a team full of Joelintons after a Brazil-inspired Newcastle United victory at Norwich City.
A surprise pick as a forward, Joelinton netted the opening two goals of the game at Carrow Road, before compatriot Bruno Guimaraes made it four goals in black and white with a smart second-half finish.
Joelinton has been used in a number of roles since arriving in a $52 million deal in 2019, with No.9, wide forward, No.10 and most recently No.8 in midfield on his resume.
Howe, though, is keen not to pigeonhole the player in any particular role — but he does know the player’s versatility is a real asset to United’s squad.
“I think Joe can play anywhere in those front positions and obviously as an attacking midfielder as well. I’d never say that’s his position and that’s where he’s going to stay,” said Howe following the 3-0 win.
“Today, he showed his versatility and importance of his role in the team. He can play as a center forward or a second striker, he can play wide or in an eight, so it’s great to have players like that. I wish I had a few more.”
The summer is likely to see United dip into the market for yet more players of the ilk of Joelinton and Bruno, and although Howe is refusing to be drawn on any specific plans, fellow Brazil international Lucas Paqueta is understood to be on the club’s radar.
Asked whether more Brazilians were on the menu at the Magpies ahead of next season and why Newcastle’s current duo have proven so valuable, Howe said: “It’s difficult to say if it’s their nationality. It’s them as people.
“The two lads are a joy to work with. You’re right, they do have that inner strength. They’re both great people, very welcoming and they’ve become integral to the squad already.
“They’ve very much settled in and are very popular in the dressing room. They do have a slight flamboyance in the way they play,” Howe added.
“I’m delighted with both and long may that continue.”
For more than 10 minutes after the final whistle, and long after most had left the ground, Joelinton stood, arms aloft, fists clenched saluting the traveling fans, who sang his name with passion.
It was a good moment for the player on his 100th Premier League appearance, and one not lost on Howe.
“I’m really pleased for Joelinton on his 100th appearance,” said the head coach.
“You saw the scenes at the end there — brilliant moment for him especially knowing the journey he’s had at the club. A great day for us.”
On the win itself, which saw Newcastle climb to ninth in the Premier League table, Howe said: “It was a tight game until we scored the first goal. We weren’t particularly happy with how we started but once we scored, I thought we showed a different level in our play. We scored some great goals today.”
Howe full of praise for Joelinton after match-winning performance at Norwich
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Howe full of praise for Joelinton after match-winning performance at Norwich
- A surprise pick as a forward, Joelinton netted the opening two goals of the game at Carrow Road
- “I think Joe can play anywhere in those front positions and obviously as an attacking midfielder as well,” said Howe following the 3-0 win
Trump said Iran ‘welcome to compete’ in World Cup, says Infantino
US President Donald Trump has said that Iran is “welcome” to participate at the upcoming World Cup in North America, despite the ongoing Middle East war, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday.
The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has thrown into doubt Iran’s participation at this summer’s men’s football World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
During a meeting to discuss preparations for the competition, “we also spoke about the current situation in Iran,” Infantino, the head of world football’s governing body, wrote on Instagram.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” he wrote.
The comments marked the first time that Infantino, who in December created a FIFA peace prize and awarded it to Trump, has acknowledged the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Trump’s remarks to Infantino are a stark contrast to his comments to Politico last week.
Trump told Politico: “I really don’t care” if Iran play at the World Cup.
FIFA’s president has grown close to Trump since he returned to the White House, even attending his inauguration.
Asylum claims
Iran’s federation football chief on Tuesday cast doubt on his team’s participation in the sporting extravaganza, following the defection of several women footballers from the Islamic republic during the Asian Cup in Australia.
“If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?” Mehdi Taj asked on Iranian state television.
While the event is spread out across three countries, Iran are scheduled to play all three group games in the United States, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Should Iran withdraw from the sport’s quadrennial showpiece, it would be the first time a country did that since France and India pulled out of the 1950 finals in Brazil.
On Tuesday, at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, some players from Iran’s team claimed asylum after they came under fire from state television for not singing the country’s national anthem before one match.
Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to claim sanctuary from Australian officials, the Australian government announced.
At least two more team members applied to stay later in the day, according to local media.
However, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday that one of them had subsequently changed her mind.
Burke said in parliament on Wednesday that he had since been advised that one of the group “had spoken to some of the team mates that left and changed their mind.”
“She had been advised by her team mates and encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy,” he said.
“As a result of that, it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was.”
The remaining players have been moved from a safe house to another location, he said.
