Newcastle United have scrapped plans for a mid-season training camp in the Middle East following the military outbreak in the region, according to The Daily Mail.
Craig Hope reported the altered plans after the Champions League draw against Barcelona, confirming that Eddie Howe and NUFC players not involved in the upcoming international break had been scheduled to travel to Dubai after the Tyne-Wear derby on March 22.
The trip was intended to combine the classic warm-weather training held in past years
with some recovery sessions before the final stretch of the season.
“Newcastle have been forced to abandon plans for a mid-season break in the Middle East after the outbreak of war, Confidential can reveal,” Hope wrote. “However, with Dubai caught up in the conflict involving the USA, Israel and Iran, travel to the region is not currently deemed safe.”
Hope also referenced defender Fabian Schar’s recent experience with the Middle East conflict while rehabing abroad.
“Defender Fabian Schar was recently forced to sleep in the bunker of a hotel in the Middle East after bombing began, as he continued his rehabilitation programme following ankle surgery,” Hope reported.
Instead of travelling to those places, it is believed that Newcastle’s staff and non-international players will be granted time off at the start of the break, without any particular training scheduled for that period.
Hope also confirmed that Newcastle have also ruled out a long-haul pre-season tour this summer, given how it backfired in years past.
“Had Newcastle opted for a tour of the United States – and they were in talks with organisers – they would have played Sunderland, Liverpool and Wrexham in a four-team tournament,” Hope wrote. “However, it was decided that a European stay made more sense from a sporting perspective.”
Newcastle are now expected to choose between Austria, Portugal or Spain as a base for pre-season, with friendly fixtures planned for supporters to attend.
