How Thiaw became Newcastle’s ‘mentality monster’

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Last summer, Eddie Howe declared himself “funny.”

Newcastle United needed a centre-back, but the head coach believed there was a long list of plausible names that could change the game.

Malick Thiaw was in Howe’s sights, but could Newcastle take his place if they sold him to AC Milan?

Even if they could, would another club follow suit and defeat Newcastle once more after Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko, Joao Pedro, and James Trafford were among the targets who left during a difficult transfer window?

This time not. In August, Newcastle completed a 35-million-pound move for Thiaw.

Given how Newcastle went on to break their transfer record and pay more for Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga, and Jacob Ramsey, it was a deal that went a little under the radar elsewhere.

However, Howe maintains that Thiaw would always be an “important signing.”

Performing well in all conditions

No wonder Newcastle had been keeping track of Thiaw’s performance in Milan for some time.

For such a low price, especially one that was as imposing, athletic, and comfortable on the ball, there was a belief within the organization that it would be difficult to find another defender with a similar profile.

Importantly, Thiaw was eager to make the move as well.

He appeared to have viewed Newcastle as a “match” for his ambitions after having a fruitful conversation with Howe.

After doing his research on the club and the Premier League, he was “proud” of Newcastle’s interest.

In fact, Paul Winsper, a former Newcastle employee, claims he even managed to “sell the North East a little bit” to Thiaw during a training camp in the Lake District a few weeks prior.

The 24-year-old has always backed Winsper, who has also collaborated with Antonio Rudiger, Maro Itoje, the head of England’s rugby union, and Anthony Joshua, the heavyweight boxer.

Although AC Milan are a smaller club, Winsper said, “He has the character. It’s a different atmosphere at Newcastle.”

“His attitude makes Toni Rudiger very appealing to me.” He will thrive when you put him under pressure.

After Fabian Schar suffered a concussion last month, Thiaw undoubtedly had a chance to succeed.

Under Howe, only Bruno Guimaraes (167) and Schar (162) have played for Newcastle.

Thiaw initially had to be patient to get his chance after arriving a few days before the season started because Schar has been so consistently effective at right-sided centre-back.

However, Thiaw used that time on the bench to study games, first-hand witnessing the “bite” and speed of the Premier League, according to Howe, and impressed the staff with his training results.

Thiaw was prepared to take his chance when his full debut against Bournemouth was upon him.

The 6’4″ Thiaw has kept control of the shirt despite his recent displays.

Close friend Erdem Canpolat, who rose through the ranks alongside Thiaw at Schalke, will not have been surprised by that.

Newcastle and he will be very entertaining, according to reports.

Although Thiaw has been embraced by Geordies who have serenaded him with “Ciao Bella” following his performances, it is still in its early stages.

Newcastle have only conceded six goals in nine games overall since he made his full debut, coming into a tight defensive unit.

If Newcastle had not defended resolutely for the most part, they would have been much lower than 12th in the Premier League, despite allowing in costly late goals against Arsenal and Brighton at the time.

Only Arsenal and Newcastle have kept more clean sheets this season than Newcastle, and only the league leaders have a lower xG/w ratio than Howe’s side (7.33).

After forming a strong partnership with Sven Botman in the heart of defense, Thiaw has contributed significantly.

Howe remarked, “He’s just been himself.”

Although the sample size is small, Thiaw ranks fourth in terms of interceptions (1.79 per 90 minutes) and sixth in aerial duels won (4.17 per 90 minutes) among those Premier League defenders who have played at least 400 minutes of combat. Additionally, he has a 71 percent success rate in dueling.

Only midfielder Jacob Ramsey has a pass-perfection rate at Newcastle that is higher than Thiaw’s (88%).

Former Schalke team-mate Can Bozdogan remarked, “This defender tries to find solutions rather than simply kick the ball long.”

He claimed that “he has a really good technique and is a central defender.”

He can grow, but he can also become very athletic. He can read the game and is quick and powerful.

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Trump says US to resume nuclear weapons tests, backs S Korean nuclear sub

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, claims that he has instructed the Department of Defense to “immediately” resume nuclear weapons testing with other nuclear-armed nations on an “equal basis.”

After successful trade talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae Myung, the US leader added on Thursday that he had agreed to let South Korea build its own nuclear-powered submarine.

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Trump stated in a statement on his Truth Social platform shortly before his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, that China “will be even within five years”.

Trump continued, saying that he had ordered the restart because “other countries’ nuclear testing programs were being conducted.”

“I have instructed the Department of War [Department of Defense] to begin conducting regular testing of our nuclear weapons.” He declared that the process would start right away.

Trump did not specify whether the National Nuclear Safety Administration would conduct nuclear-capable missile flight testing or nuclear-explosive testing.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China has increased its nuclear arsenal to about 600 in recent years, growing to about 100 annually since 2023. By 2030, according to the Pentagon, Beijing will have more than 1, 000 operational nuclear warheads.

According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (CACNP), Russia currently has 5, 459 nuclear warheads, of which 1, 600 are currently in use.

According to the CACNP, there are about 3,800 nuclear warheads in operation in the US, out of which there are about 5,550. More than 31, 000 active and inactive nuclear warheads made up the US stockpile at its peak in the middle of the Cold War, which reached its height in the middle of the 1960s.

With the Soviet Union falling in 1991, former Republican US President George H. W. Bush put a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing in place. A nuclear device was last detonated in the US in 1992.

Only three nations have formally endorsed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty since 1996, including North Korea on five occasions, Pakistan twice in 1998, and India in 1998.

Trump also made it known on Thursday that he had approved South Korea’s development of its own nuclear submarine.

Trump claimed that the move would replace South Korea’s “old-fashioned, much less maneuverable, diesel-powered Submarines.” He added that Hanwha, a shipyard in South Korea, would be the location of the submarine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Seoul will now be able to join a small club of nations that own such vessels, including the US, China, Russia, the UK, France, and India.

Lee pushed Trump to revise the nations’ nuclear energy agreement on Wednesday to give Seoul more room to reprocess nuclear waste and enrichment.

Seoul is prohibited from reprocessing nuclear fuel without US consent and is prohibited from enriching it to levels below 20% under the longstanding pact.

Lee claimed that South Korea would have access to fuel “supply for nuclear-powered submarines” if these restrictions were to be changed. He emphasized structurally that his government prefers nuclear weapons over nuclear fuel.

According to Lee, “We can build several submarines with conventional weapons and our own technology to defend the waters around the Korean Peninsula, ultimately reducing the burden on US forces,” if fuel supply is permitted.