Archive
Dan Plans To Keep On Raising The Bar
Written by Newcastle Utd
Daniel Barlaser was on the bench for the first team on Saturday and scored for the under-21s on Monday - and he wants to continue impressing
By Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor
After a memorable last few days, England under-18 international Daniel Barlaser is hoping to keep on pushing towards the first team.
Along with fellow Academy products Liam Gibson and Callum Williams, the Gateshead-born midfielder was named on the bench for the first time in the Barclays Premier League when Newcastle United beat West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
And he followed that up with an energetic display and a goal in front of head coach Steve McClaren as Peter Beardsley's under-21s entertained Stoke City at St. James' Park on Monday night.
Talk about striking while the iron is hot - and the 19-year-old is determined to keep himself in McClaren's thoughts, particularly with so many first team players currently sidelined through injury.
"Saturday was an unbelievable experience," Barlaser told nufc.co.uk. "The crowd was amazing - I was kind of shaking!
"I was really thankful for being on the bench, and really happy to score on Monday night, and hopefully I'll get another chance soon.
"As you can see, Steve McClaren is putting in youngsters and trusting them - Rolando (Aarons), Jamaal (Lascelles), Arma (Adam Armstrong) have already played in the Premier League.
"People like that are getting chances and hopefully I'll get one soon."
Barlaser - who netted from the penalty spot in Monday's 2-1 second-string defeat to the Potters - has been knocking on the door of the first team squad for some time now.
A hard-working but cultured player who can operate in the centre of midfield or out wide, his first taste of senior involvement came under Alan Pardew - but McClaren has brought him even further into the fold.
"I'd been travelling with the team in recent weeks," he explained. "I travelled to Watford twice and then I travelled to the Everton game. I just kept on plugging away and now I've got on the bench.
"It had been a long time coming in some ways but at least I didn't have to sing - I got that out of the way before we played Tottenham in the Capital One Cup last year!
"That was the first time I was involved with the first team and that was over a year ago, so hopefully more opportunities keep on coming.
"The last few times I'd travelled with them, they'd been beaten, and when I was on the bench in the cup against Sheffield Wednesday they got beat then too.
"After games like that, it's not a happy dressing room but this time everyone was buzzing, everyone was happy and it was really nice to see."