View from a Magpie
The eighth installment in our series of pre-season interviews with fans of opposing teams, this morning's effort features Kevin Doocey of Newcastle blog TyneTime.
Q1. Who are you and what do you do? How did you become attached to your club?
I am an Irish Newcastle fan that happened to fall in love with the Toon thanks to my uncles who followed them.
Q2. What is your favourite memory of a match involving your team and the Swans?
The one that sticks out for me is a recent one. I've seen fewer goals as truly beautiful and creative as Papiss Cisse's second goal against Swansea in 2011/12. It was a sublime way to cap off another impressive victory.
Q3. Ahead of this season, what are your thoughts on the Swans? Do you think we'll be a better team than last season?
Despite having lost Ben Davies, and Wilfried Bony's future still being very much up in the air, I do think Swansea will fare out OK this season. Bafetimbi Gomis is likely to grab a few goals while Jefferson Montero is definitely an impressive capture. Twelfth I reckon.
Q4. What do you make of our transfer activity thus far? Do you think we need to make any more signings?
As mentioned above - some solid signings. Montero, Gomis, and indeed the return of Gylfi Sigurdsson can only have a positive impact and provide a different avenue of attack rather than relying on Bony. Michel Vorm has also been adequately replaced in my opinion. A couple more signings and it'll mark a good summer in the window, providing you don't lose Wilfried!
Q5. Have you visited the Liberty Staidum before? If so, what did you think? Are you planning on visiting this year?
I can't say I've had the pleasure of making the trip from Ireland to the Liberty Stadium, but hopefully I'll tick it off in the coming years.
Q6. If you had to pick, who would be your favourite Swansea player? And your least favourite?
Favourite has to be Wilfried Bony. Not because he's the main man, but I liked him even in his time in Holland. In fact, I was a bit gutted that Newcastle decided against bidding for him last summer, despite being given the chance! Bony's all-round power and precision is quality.
Least favourite: Bizarrely it has to be Luke Moore. His late winner against us a couple of years back had me incensed. Not even sure where he's at now, or indeed if he even scored another goal for the Swans after that! [He's plying his trade alongside Jermaine Defoe, Michael Bradley & Julio Cesar at Toronto FC - Ed].
Q7. Which Swansea manager (in the Premier League era - Rodgers, Laudrup or Monk) have you been most impressed with? What do you think of Garry Monk's chances with a full pre-season behind him?
Has to be Rodgers. That style of football is what I love, and he was a breath of fresh air for the division in the last couple of years - he's helped turn it into a more attacking league, although many other clubs won't admit that he's had any influence on that. Possession based football and attacking intent - it's what football is all about
Q8. Finally, at this moment in time how confident would you be if your "first eleven" went up against ours, and how do you think your team will do in general this season?
Not blowing the Toon trumpet or anything but our starting eleven is looking impressive this year, on paper at least. We've strengthened with the Champions League seasoned Siem de Jong, and have brought in the likes of Daryl Janmmat, Remy Cabella, Emmanuel Riviere - the majority having World Cup, and European, experience. There's few in the Swansea side that would merit a starting role in NUFC's XI I think, perhaps Ashley Williams & Wilfried Bony?
Newcastle fans are hoping for an improvement on last season and another Top 10 finish. It would be great to push even further, and that is the intention at the club - to have a right go at the lads above us. If we can play to our potential then who knows what might happen. Sadly, Alan Pardew isn't the right man to lead a charge at the top eight...even six, but one can hope.
Thanks again to Kevin for answering our questions! You can follow TyneTime on Twitter @TyneTime and check the website out at www.tynetime.com