Nick Woltemade is becoming increasingly important not only for the German national team, but also for Newcastle United. Coach Eddie Howe wants to further promote the striker’s importance in the team.
Due to his late summer transfer, Nick Woltemade’s preparation with his new club Newcastle United was already short. And during the international breaks, when he could have worked more intensively with the team and coach Eddie Howe in training sessions, Woltemade was needed by the German national team, as is well known. This was also the case during the November training camp, where the tall center forward became Germany’s lifeline with his brace against Luxembourg and the important opening goal in the 6-0 win against Slovakia.
However, Woltemade only rejoined the Magpies in the middle of the week. Coach Howe therefore spoke on Friday of the “limited training time” he had had so far with his €85 million new signing. However, Woltemade had made extremely good use of that time. “He has worked really well and tried to implement everything we asked of him as best he could,” the coach praised the striker. “He can be proud of himself.”
Nevertheless, he also called on the 23-year-old former Stuttgart player to step up: “We have to demand more and need more from him—in the sense that he is the focal point of the team.” The focal point in the play of a Champions League participant—a big task for a newcomer who is still relatively inexperienced internationally. However, the fact that Howe sees the German striker in this role in the future should also be seen as a great honor.
So far, Woltemade has started in all eight Premier League games since his transfer, scoring four goals. He has also scored one goal in four Champions League games. The Magpies’ next big challenge awaits them on Saturday evening when they host second-placed Manchester City. Newcastle are currently 14th in the table, just two points above the relegation zone. Woltemade can expect to start against Pep Guardiola’s top team. Howe does not view his time with the German national team and the resulting missed training sessions at the club negatively – on the contrary: “I think the goals during the international break are good for him. Confidence is everything for a center forward.”
