- Nick Woltemade reflects on debut Newcastle United season
- Admits he isn’t happy with positional change
- Magpies record signing set for World Cup
Newcastle United forward Nick Woltemade has sent a clear message to manager Eddie Howe regarding his positioning. The German has admitted he is “not happy” with how his debut season at St James’ Park unfolded.
The 24-year-old arrived on Tyneside from VfB Stuttgart last summer in a hefty £69 million deal. Tasked with helping fill the void left by Alexander Isak alongside fellow arrival Yoane Wissa, Woltemade’s first year in black and white proved to be an incredibly mixed bag.
While a gruelling European schedule and a lack of training time hindered his initial adaptation to the Premier League, it was Howe’s tactical decisions that seemed to frustrate the striker the most. As the season went on, Woltemade found himself continuously deployed in a deeper midfield or playmaker role rather than leading the line.
“If I’m not playing in attack…”
As he prepares for the World Cup with Germany, Woltemade didn’t hold back when speaking to Stern (via Fussball Transfers) about his deployment under Howe:
“I’m expected to score or provide an assist in every game. But if I’m not playing in attack, it’s much more difficult for me to get into dangerous scoring positions.”
He added:
“Of course, I’m not happy with how things have gone in the past few months. Especially since my start at Newcastle was so strong. That raised expectations, including for myself.”
Despite the tactical frustration, the young forward was quick to point out that he still views the move to England as a major step forward for his career development.
“I moved to the Premier League at 23, the best league in the world,” he added. “I’ve learned a lot this season. I’ve improved athletically, I can keep up with the tremendous pace. I can hold my own in challenges. Overall, it’s been a step forward. That’s why I have no doubts about Newcastle. I’ll make my mark there.”
Woltemade appeared in 54 games across competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing 5 assists. He moved into a midfield role during the second half of the season.
Howe put on notice
Woltemade’s frustrations are justifiable, given that there were glimpses early in the season and again late in the campaign of his potential. Dropping a £69m striker into a deeper role and then wondering why the goals have dried up is a head-scratcher from Eddie Howe.
Woltemade is at his most lethal when he’s allowed to carry the ball in the final third and look at goal. Not when he’s bogged down doing defensive shifts or orchestrating from the centre circle.
With a full pre-season ahead and hopefully a confidence-boosting World Cup campaign under his belt, Howe needs to give the German a run in his natural centre-forward position. If Newcastle want to see a return on their massive investment next year, playing him where he can actually score has to be step number one.
