Former Newcastle United defender Kevin Mbabu has offered words of caution to young players looking to forge a career for themselves at St. James’ Park, based on the failures of his time on Tyneside.
Mbabu moved to the North East of England in January 2013 from boyhood side Servette FC, but would only amass five first-team appearances in Black and White between loan spells with Rangers and BSC Young Boys before joining the Swiss Super League outfit permanently in 2017.
The long-time Switzerland youth international managed to get his career back on track at the Stade de Suisse and earned his first senior international cap in September 2018, and now finds himself in the Bundesliga playing for VfL Wolfsburg.
He still reflects fondly on life in the North East of England despite his career stumbling with the Magpies, though accepts that events off the field were an issue and could become one for potential Toon stars in the future.
“I really liked the life in Newcastle, a bit too much temptation sometimes when you’re bored,” said Mbabu, via quotes by the Shields Gazette. “That’s what the young players have to be careful with over there, but it’s actually a great city and a huge, huge fanbase.
Would you give Mbabu a second chance at St. James' Park?
Yes
No
“When I first came to Newcastle, I came to watch a game and the stadium was as full as always, and there was this amazing atmosphere. I just told myself my goal was to play on this pitch one day. I managed to do it, but not as much as I wanted to.
“When I came to England, I was a teenager, a kid, and now I’m a man with a lot more maturity. I learned from all the mistakes I made at Newcastle, so now I know what I can do and when, so there’s a lot of things I would do different and that I’m doing differently.”
Mbabu’s comments on why his time with United did not reach the desired levels should certainly come as words of wisdom for those in our youth ranks or potential future acquisitions, though should also be listened to by the hierarchy at St. James’ Park.
Those in positions of power at the club need to look out for potential signs of unrest in those brought to St. James’ Park, especially at a young age, as they may find themselves walking the same road as the one Mbabu took during his four years with the Magpies.
Failing to notice the same signs will eventually catch up with the club, and potentially lead to players refusing transfers knowing it could derail their raw careers making United far worse off as a result.