18. Fabricio Coloccini Is Committed To The Club & Will Remain Captain
When asked if he had decided who his captain was going to be, McClaren replied:
"That's been one for debate and obviously coming from the outside I always knew that was kind of a question mark. "We've gone through pre-season, Coloccini's always been the captain - I think for seven years - and he's the most experienced player. "My dealings with him have been tremendous. I think what's disrupted this pre-season especially for Colo is the speculation about Crystal Palace. Is he going here? Is he going there. The speculation of this, the speculation of that. "I've just said to Colo: 'Look, let's work with each other for two or three weeks, see if I like you, see if you like me, see if we can get on.' And we have done despite him not playing. "We've had to nurse him through but we've had long, long talks with all this speculation about Crystal Palace, he's looking after his own future but from my understanding from all the talks he wants to be here. "He's always said from day one look this is the place i want to be, I know there's speculation but this is the place I want to be. I want to be at Newcastle United Football Club, I've been captain, I'm proud of that, and I want to carry on doing that. "So we've had two or three weeks and we've sat down, and his choice is Newcastle United. He wants to stay here, he wants to commit to the club, commit to the team and what we're trying to do so I'm absolutely delighted with that. "Do I need to change the captain? Why do I need to unsettle everything and everybody? He's our most experienced player and he carries on."
This is a move that will met by a mixed reaction by United fans, many of which believe Captain Colo's best days are behind him and he no longer warrants a place in the first team. Although saying that, hearing that he is fully committed to the club, amidst all those rumours of him wanting to return to Argentina, is refreshing and will hopefully see him return to somewhere near his best this upcoming season.