Toon Kid Groomed For England!

Adam Campbell became the youngest European player in the club's history earlier this season and Alan Pardew sees a big future for him at club and international level.

Alan Pardew: “He’s a street footballer – he’s a throwback to the street.

“He tackles, he runs back, he’s fast and has got a bit of aggression. He wants the ball all the time.

“It’s fantastic to have a player like that. Academies, as a rule, don’t often produce a natural talent like that.

“If you’ve got a natural talent like that, Academies can enhance it, and ours has enhanced him.

“He’s got that street mentality. Technically, he’s better than if he’d stayed in the street, but if there was a six-a-side in the car park, you bet your life Adam’s going to be in it. He’d be the best player.

“We have great aspirations for him, not just for Newcastle, but for England too.

“Already, he’s gaining the respect of this group at the training ground.

“That’s what you want – you need your senior players to respect the younger players. It doesn’t always happen, you know.

“They’re not always helpful, senior players. They see them as a threat, a potential rival.

“If you have a good group, they cultivate those players.

“Sammy Ameobi has probably learnt more in the year training with the first team than he has in the last four years in the Academy.

“That’s no disrespect to the Academy. It’s just there’s a greater level of learning.”

Source: Newcastle United Mad