In what was an extraordinary week for Newcastle U FC, the team won on 3 fronts, the Brazilian 1st Division, the Brazilian seniors Cup and, most importantly, the first VM World Cup in the club's history. The Athlete’s Georgia Caulkina caught up with Newcastle U FC’s Manager Rolf Bergström to discuss this achievement and how the team is doing.

GC: So, your first VM World Cup Rolf, and your 10th 1st division title too! How does that feel?

RB: Thank you, yes, it has been an especially successful season for us and I am just so proud of the lads and what they have achieved. This season was very satisfying indeed, and follows our amazing season in February 2023 when we won our first Super Cup in a season when we also won the Portuguese league title. That was fantastic but this, winning 3 trophies in one week is very, very special.

GC: You have done it all now Rolf, won all 3 senior inter-league cups (Newcomers, VM World Cup and Super Cup), senior and youth domestic cups, and senior and youth team 1st division titles. You have the full set! I suppose this must be a special moment for you?

RB: OMG Georgie, I hadn't thought of that till you said it! My word yes, wow... I am so happy about that, being in VM is such a pleasure for me and winning everything... I'm almost speechless about this.....

GC: Well, while you compose yourself Rolf, tell us a bit about your VM World Cup campaign.

RB: We won a lot of games that week and in great style. The final saw us play Firklover FC, a very strong team, recently the #1 team in VM and who we also beat on the way to our Super Cup victory a few seasons ago.

GC: Does that mean that you are now one of THE big teams?

RB: Ha ha. I am not sure about that. I think for that we need to be getting back into the VM Top Ten and staying there, we've been a Top Ten team on 3 or 4 occasions but it is very very hard to get that high and remain so competitive, but you know, it doesn't matter so much; winning trophies at Newcastle U FC is fantastic enough and me and David (the chairman) are loving it.

GC: Last season saw you and Newcastle break a lot of transfer records, can you tell us something about that? The new players do seem to have made a big impact and contributed to this historic triple success.

RB: Yes you are quite right. We saw that VM awards a milestone payment (3.3m credits as it turns out) if you hit having 150 million in the bank. That hadn't been a target for us but then we sold a few of our development players and David suggested it was a target we could go for. So we spent a few weeks keeping our spending low and we eventually got to the 150m target. That also gave us a lovely fund to buy some great players, and as you saw, we brought in a new centre back in Renato Arevelo (age 28, rating 92), 3 midfielders in Daniel Muncasi (age 28, rating 95), Gowyr Worthing (age 28, rating 91), and Viriata Clara (age 27, rating 89) as well as striker Kjetil Norgren (age 28, raying 95). Those 5 players have made a huge difference for the team and it wouldnt have been possible if we hadn't been able to move on some great servants of the club who had been making great contributions which were reflected in their sale prices. So yes, I would also like to pay tribute to Svenning Rask (sold for 13.4m), Liridon Kodra (sold for 21m) and Clifford van Brimmer (sold for 17m).

Success in VM is really dependent on buying and selling well, and of course being lucky with youth hires in the hope you pick up a real talent. It's been a very busy few weeks, as you can see, but winning these trophies makes it very satisfying indeed.

GC: Congratulations again Rolf and good luck in the Super Cup this week.

RB: Thank you

Newcastle U FC Press Office. 25 April, 2023
2 The Quayside, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1, UK

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