Newcastle United Transfer Rumours and General Chat

Xavi6

charlie mchugh wrote: »

+1 QFT

If every fan took your approach, what motivation would teams have to play well and aim to succeed? Thankfully, this is not the case, but football clubs are not a one way street. As much as a team needs its players to pull together, in many ways it needs it fans to do so even more.

Xavi would be a good man to comment on this, given City's fall from grace, when they tumbled down the divisions. The fans stuck by the club, and rallied around the team during that difficult time, irrespective of the fact that City were playing badly. Look at where City are now, on the brink of challenging for silverware for the first time in a long time. Had the fans abandoned them, in the manner you seem to advocate, I would safely say City could still be stuck in the league 1, or worse.

Yep that's exactly it. The same thing is happening with Leeds right now. Champions League semis to League 2 in less than a decade yet my dad went to see them in Septemebr and there was over 25,000 there.

I went to see City play Lincoln in Division 2 and Maine Road was sold out i.e. 32,000+.

Don't get me wrong, I like teams that play nice football, your Arsenals, Barcelonas of this world, but they will always play second fiddle to City.

Morf

Xavi6 wrote: »

I think you'll find that by going where the 'good football' is you are actually the very definition of a sheep.

I'd imagine a sheep mentality is to watch a team out of habit that brings you no joy from the act.

I have no problem with other people following a club in such a fashion but it doesn't work for me.

Anyway I have no doubt there will be a stream of posters to cast aspersions in my direction once morning comes but i need some sleep.

Good night gents.

Call Me Jimmy

Xavi6 wrote: »

I think you'll find that by going where the 'good football' is you are actually the very definition of a sheep.

Hafta disagree with the xavster here! He is doing what he feels like - following whatever team he thinks is playing the most attractive football - and that is not the actions of a sheep.
He is not following different teams to maximise his bragging rights but to see as much of the best football as he can before he dies.

I think what hardcore supporters, or even people who suffer through terrible football (I'm not referring to local clubs, but randomly chosen ones) have to realise is that there is a huge number of people out there who get their enjoyment strictly from watching attractive football - players playing at the top of their game.

Other people like to follow the one club their whole life, possibly watching years of terrible football in their free time; in the hope that one day they will return to the glory days and they can say "I was there when we were in league 1" etc. and that is perfectly fine as well.

Although if ye think about it, what's the point in watching terrible football IF it's a non-local/foreign team that you just started supporting on a whim when ye were 7 years old? Really there's gotta be better things to do with yer time.

Xavi6

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Hafta disagree with the xavster here! He is doing what he feels like - following whatever team he thinks is playing the most attractive football - and that is not the actions of a sheep.
He is not following different teams to maximise his bragging rights but to see as much of the best football as he can before he dies.

I think what hardcore supporters, or even people who suffer through terrible football (I'm not referring to local clubs, but randomly chosen ones) have to realise is that there is a huge number of people out there who get their enjoyment strictly from watching attractive football - players playing at the top of their game.

Other people like to follow the one club their whole life, possibly watching years of terrible football in their free time; in the hope that one day they will return to the glory days and they can say "I was there when we were in league 1" etc. and that is perfectly fine as well.

Although if ye think about it, what's the point in watching terrible football IF it's a non-local/foreign team that you just started supporting on a whim when ye were 7 years old? Really there's gotta be better things to do with yer time.

How dare you disagree with me!

But seriously, is the crux of your post that there is no such thing as sheep?

Call Me Jimmy

Xavi6 wrote: »

How dare you disagree with me!

But seriously, is the crux of your post that there is no such thing as sheep?

Eh no, just that he is not a sheep if he is following teams based on how much enjoyment he gets from watching them. If he was following different teams just to be able to brag about his team winning and take part in the glory, he would be the fluffiest of all the sheep on the hilltop, but from what I can gather that isn't his motivation.

Ye dig?

Charlie

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Hafta disagree with the xavster here! He is doing what he feels like - following whatever team he thinks is playing the most attractive football - and that is not the actions of a sheep.
He is not following different teams to maximise his bragging rights but to see as much of the best football as he can before he dies.

I think what hardcore supporters, or even people who suffer through terrible football (I'm not referring to local clubs, but randomly chosen ones) have to realise is that there is a huge number of people out there who get their enjoyment strictly from watching attractive football - players playing at the top of their game.

Other people like to follow the one club their whole life, possibly watching years of terrible football in their free time; in the hope that one day they will return to the glory days and they can say "I was there when we were in league 1" etc. and that is perfectly fine as well.

Although if ye think about it, what's the point in watching terrible football IF it's a non-local/foreign team that you just started supporting on a whim when ye were 7 years old? Really there's gotta be better things to do with yer time.

Supporting a team doesn't mean who can't watch and admire the football played by another club. Likewise, just because you're married, it doesn't mean you can't oggle a fine pair of jabs in the local boozer.

However, I would have no intention to drop my affiliations with Newcastle and support such a team, as I am a fan of them through and through. There's a connection there that I cannot and don't need to explain, but it's there. But like I said, you're assertion that I cannot watch another team is simply wrong. If Barca are on the box i'll happily watch them ping it around. But Newcastle will always come first.

His actions are undoubtedley those of a sheep. Are you to tell me that if Newcastle won the premiership, or were even challenging fro it, but were playing dog ugly football in doing so, he would still be saying that he's had enough adn he's off to support someone else? I highly doubt it. The going's gotten tough, and he's simply showed that he was a passive fan at best. There is nothing to stop him still watching Arsenal and Barca whilst supporting Newcastle through this tough period, but it seems like he feels the good times are over and its time to move on and find a new team to latch to.

Xavi6

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Eh no, just that he is not a sheep if he is following teams based on how much enjoyment he gets from watching them. If he was following different teams just to be able to brag about his team winning and take part in the glory, he would be the fluffiest of all the sheep on the hilltop, but from what I can gather that isn't his motivation.

Ye dig?

Fo sho mo fo.

However I still don't get the idea of liking one team fro so long then jumping ship as soon as things through a rough spell. Loyalty and all that. As I said, I love Barcelona etc but would never just drop City for them.

Call Me Jimmy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Fo sho mo fo.

However I still don't get the idea of liking one team fro so long then jumping ship as soon as things through a rough spell. Loyalty and all that. As I said, I love Barcelona etc but would never just drop City for them.

Well yea that's the thing, it's a different mindset. And I don't know the full history of Morf's life, I'm just going on the last couple of posts.
In this other mindset there is no "loyalty" to foreign teams (maybe any teams).

Maybe an example.
I am young and my dad like's a painter, let's call him Van Cough. So I go to some galleries with pop-pop and see some of Van Cough's work.
As the years go by Van Cough paints some disgustingly bad paintings, modern art and all that jazz.
I begin to think "I've got better things to do with my time then stare at this guys ****-spawn for a couple of hours, I'm gonna go see that nice one Michael Angulo painted."

Is there anything wrong with that? No, because football in this alternative mindset is simply art, entertainment, nothing more. And as a recovering hardcore football supporter myself it is a mindset that makes much more sense to me by the day.

Actually, just imagine man city didn't exist, and ye had no one team that ye felt ye had to stick with for whatever reason. That would be pretty close to Morfie's hippy vibe :P

Call Me Jimmy

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Supporting a team doesn't mean who can't watch and admire the football played by another club. Likewise, just because you're married, it doesn't mean you can't oggle a fine pair of jabs in the local boozer.

However, I would have no intention to drop my affiliations with Newcastle and support such a team, as I am a fan of them through and through. There's a connection there that I cannot and don't need to explain, but it's there. But like I said, you're assertion that I cannot watch another team is simply wrong. If Barca are on the box i'll happily watch them ping it around. But Newcastle will always come first.

His actions are undoubtedley those of a sheep. Are you to tell me that if Newcastle won the premiership, or were even challenging fro it, but were playing dog ugly football in doing so, he would still be saying that he's had enough adn he's off to support someone else? I highly doubt it. The going's gotten tough, and he's simply showed that he was a passive fan at best. There is nothing to stop him still watching Arsenal and Barca whilst supporting Newcastle through this tough period, but it seems like he feels the good times are over and its time to move on and find a new team to latch to.

Well I was assuming just that - that he is not a hardcore supporter, I thought that was implied. But read my post, I'm saying that if Newcastle won the premiership playing dog ugly football and he was still around he would be contradicting himself when he says all he wants to see is some good football being played. I specifically said that if his intentions were for glory and not just seeing more attractive football then he WOULD be a sheep!

Xavi6

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Well yea that's the thing, it's a different mindset. And I don't know the full history of Morf's life, I'm just going on the last couple of posts.
In this other mindset there is no "loyalty" to foreign teams (maybe any teams).

The majority of people are loyal to the club they were first given the most exposure to, local or foreign. I don't care who you support whether it's Finn Harps or feckin Salernitana as long as you aren't a bandwagon hopper.

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Maybe an example.
I am young and my dad like's a painter, let's call him Van Cough. So I go to some galleries with pop-pop and see some of Van Cough's work.
As the years go by Van Cough paints some disgustingly bad paintings, modern art and all that jazz.
I begin to think "I've got better things to do with my time then stare at this guys ****-spawn for a couple of hours, I'm gonna go see that nice one Michael Angulo painted."

Is there anything wrong with that? No, because football in this alternative mindset is simply art, entertainment, nothing more. And as a recovering hardcore football supporter myself it is a mindset that makes much more sense to me by the day.

WTF are you smoking to come with that analogy?! Lol great effort though.

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Actually, just imagine man city didn't exist, and ye had no one team that ye felt ye had to stick with for whatever reason. That would be pretty close to Morfie's hippy vibe :P

If City didn't exist I would have latched on to another team and displayed my loyalty there.

Charlie

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Well yea that's the thing, it's a different mindset. And I don't know the full history of Morf's life, I'm just going on the last couple of posts.
In this other mindset there is no "loyalty" to foreign teams (maybe any teams).

Maybe an example.
I am young and my dad like's a painter, let's call him Van Cough. So I go to some galleries with pop-pop and see some of Van Cough's work.
As the years go by Van Cough paints some disgustingly bad paintings, modern art and all that jazz.
I begin to think "I've got better things to do with my time then stare at this guys ****-spawn for a couple of hours, I'm gonna go see that nice one Michael Angulo painted."

Is there anything wrong with that? No, because football in this alternative mindset is simply art, entertainment, nothing more. And as a recovering hardcore football supporter myself it is a mindset that makes much more sense to me by the day.

Actually, just imagine man city didn't exist, and ye had no one team that ye felt ye had to stick with for whatever reason. That would be pretty close to Morfie's hippy vibe :P

Bad analogy.

Supporting a football team, in essence, is about participation. As a fan, you are in essence, participating in your club. When they win, you win, and you feel great for it. Likewise for when they lose. I could go to a casino and watch so great poker being played, and enjoy it.However, it will never match the feeling I get of playing and participating in the game. This is why watching good football is enjoyable, but it's noting compared to the joy of participating with a club in your support of them

People have different reasons for why they have ended up supporting the team they do, but what keeps them with the team, and is common to all fans, is from emotional rollercoaster born out of the connection with the club. Fans will not jump ship, as such emotions for most fans, or true fans, cannot be swithched on or off.

Call Me Jimmy

Xavi6 wrote:

The majority of people are loyal to the club they were first given the most exposure to, local or foreign. I don't care who you support whether it's Finn Harps or feckin Salernitana as long as you aren't a bandwagon hopper.

It's only bandwagon-hopping if he treats each new team he follows as his own imo. But if one season he watches all newcastle games no matter how boring, how terrible they are, and the next season he says "**** that I'm not watching that trash anymore" then there's nothing wrong with that. He is not a 'supporter' in the proper sense of the word, that's why I use the word 'follower', as in someone who follows the progress of a specific team.

Xavi6 wrote:

WTF are you smoking to come with that analogy?! Lol great effort though.

heh, drinkin and very tired, hense that garbage :P

Xavi6 wrote:

If City didn't exist I would have latched on to another team and displayed my loyalty there.

Yea, again, you gain some satisfaction from treating it like an MMORPG where ye do years of levelling up just to be the leader of a clan or whatever those guys do it for! I'm not having a go, just trying my darndest to make a point.

Call Me Jimmy

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Bad analogy.

Supporting a football team, in essence, is about participation. As a fan, you are in essence, participating in your club. When they win, you win, and you feel great for it. Likewise for when they lose. I could go to a casino and watch so great poker being played, and enjoy it.However, it will never match the feeling I get of playing and participating in the game. This is why watching good football is enjoyable, but it's noting compared to the joy of participating with a club in your support of them

People have different reasons for why they have ended up supporting the team they do, but what keeps them with the team, and is common to all fans, is from emotional rollercoaster born out of the connection with the club. Fans will not jump ship, as such emotions for most fans, or true fans, cannot be swithched on or off.

Yes everything you say probably is true. But there is still a large amount of people who watch football only for the beautiful passing, the great volleys, the last ditch sliding tackle etc. and see no point in watching bad football and don't care if that means they are not 'loyal' to the foreign club they've only ever seen on the tv.
They have x amount of free time and they can live through the shame of not being a loyal supporter, so they are following whatever team they think will give them the most enjoyment from watching them. (IMO this does not include people who don't enjoy watching them but do so in the quest for glory and bragging rights, those people would just be pitiful)

EDIT: I think it's probably a bit hard to discuss on a forum, especially when there are so many words/ ideas that can be misunderstood and cause the discussion to become repetitive etc.

Charlie

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Yes everything you say probably is true. But there is still a large amount of people who watch football only for the beautiful passing, the great volleys, the last ditch sliding tackle etc. and see no point in watching bad football and don't care if that means they are not 'loyal' to the foreign club they've only ever seen on the tv.
They have x amount of free time and they can live through the shame of not being a loyal supporter, so they are following whatever team they think will give them the most enjoyment from watching them.

But that type of enjoyment that you describe above will never come close to the enjoyment experienced actually supporting a team and all that goes with it. I don't say this a snobby loyalist (or sheep) but as something that is evidenced in what I see around me everyday.

I think you underestimate the amount of people out there who truly support a team. You seem to talk about them as being 'hardcore fans' inferring that they are the minority and that somehow the status quo is made up of people who passively watch football, without supporting any team. I would infer that those camps position is actually the opposite, and the vast majority are team supporters.

I think to all my friends, and all the people I used to be in school with, and practically everyone one of them supported a specific team, and stuck with that team. There were few, if any, who just supported 'good football' and no team, as most realised that the level of enjoyment that brings, pales in comparison to the highs and lows experienced in the support off your tribe.

Call Me Jimmy

charlie mchugh wrote: »

But that type of enjoyment that you describe above will never come close to the enjoyment experienced actually supporting a team and all that goes with it. I don't say this a snobby loyalist (or sheep) but as something that is evidenced in what I see around me everyday.

I don't doubt this but that's just like your opinion, man! Some people get more than enough of "that type of enjoyment". And I didn't mean to imply that those who watch only attractive football are any better or worse than those who watch every game a team plays their whole life. My main reason for posting was because Morfi was called a sheep and I thought he was not because a sheep would not break away from the philosophy of the crowd imo. This is assuming his motivation is only to see good football, not glory.
And I wouldn't consider him a 'supporter' because he isn't supporting the club, that's why I say following. Nothing wrong with it imo, even though I understand and pretty much agree with what yer saying!

charlie mchugh wrote:

I think you underestimate the amount of people out there who truly support a team. You seem to talk about them as being 'hardcore fans' inferring that they are the minority and that somehow the status quo is made up of people who passively watch football, without supporting any team. I would infer that those camps position is actually the opposite, and the vast majority are team supporters.

Yea, this is why the discussion is difficult for me, certain words can mean different things to different people. I meant hardcore fans as in those who would prefer to watch their team playing each week before any other match, they may watch othe matches but no match is bigger than the one their team is playing.

charlie mchugh wrote:

I think to all my friends, and all the people I used to be in school with, and practically everyone one of them supported a specific team, and stuck with that team. There were few, if any, who just supported 'good football' and no team, as most realised that the level of enjoyment that brings, pales in comparison to the highs and lows experienced in the support off your tribe.

Yea perfectly normal, no problemo, I just dont think Morfi is sheep for not necessarily feeling this sort of obligation.

astrofool

I think Desf has found his Nemesis

smog

kinaldo wrote: »

Indeed. I can't decide which is more embarrassing; our current league position / goal difference, or being associated with 'fans' like Morf...

Im going to ignore the last page and a half after this... belongs to another thread.

So nervous about today, this really is the decider for us. If the 3 points dont come today its hard to see where they will come from (and will probably be too late).

Starting with the same side as against the brummies

Geremi wrote:

“Newcastle should beat Fulham 100 times out of 100. We know we should beat them. The performance at Birmingham was encouraging but no more than that.”
“We played some of our best football for a while in the second half but we cannot get carried away thinking we only have to turn up against Fulham and the game is won.”
“It doesn’t work like that in the Premier League. The manager has told us what he expects and we have to play to that standard. Nothing else will be accepted.”
...

Reads quite sober hopefully the result will be right

Cionád

GOAAAALLLL
Viduka u genius

Cionád

I must say we are playing very well today. With the amount of chance's we've had, it should be 3 or 4 nil. We need to start finishing though because Fulham could get lucky on the break.

Cionád

2-0 Owen, I am relieved.

Charlie

Howay!!!

We should be 4 or 5 up, and I had feared a sucker punch keeping it at one nil, but good on ya Mickey Owen, well worked free kick.

Edit: Boo urns, Alan Smith came on.

Ekancone

PHB wrote: »

I can see Newcastle getting from 0-12 points from

Mon Mar 17 2008 Birmingham City (A)
Sat Mar 22 2008 Fulham (H)
Sat Apr 05 2008 Reading (H)
Sat Apr 19 2008 Sunderland (H)

Those 4 games will decide their fate to be honest.

Well thats four points so far, i think we have it in us to win the last two as well, leaving us with 38 points. I think we may have gotten away with it (touch wood!).

evilhomer

daithifleming wrote: »

Well thats four points so far, i think we have it in us to win the last two as well, leaving us with 38 points. I think we may have gotten away with it (touch wood!).

Don't speak too soon.

But I do have to say I am relieved and we seem to have found a formation that works for us.

It's just a pity we are such a shambles at the back. If we weren't so bad at the back we could be in mid table mediocrity already.

Kevster

I was at the Fulham a today - My seat was just behind the dugout! Newcastle played differently from previous weeks. They looked more composed on the ball and the defence looked a lot better. The were playing 4-3-3 which seeed to work well, with Martins back-tracking at times to pick up the ball for Viduka & Owen.

Kevin

Charlie

Kevster wrote: »

I was at the Fulham a today - My seat was just behind the dugout! Newcastle played differently from previous weeks. They looked more composed on the ball and the defence looked a lot better. The were playing 4-3-3 which seeed to work well, with Martins back-tracking at times to pick up the ball for Viduka & Owen.

Kevin

What you on boards for son. Its Saturday night in the Toon, get yourself down to the Bigg market for the cheap ale and even cheaper women.

That_Guy

I was celebrating like we won the league yesterday.
Relief all round. I loved Kev's celebration with the drink.

I thought Barton was exceptional.
Geremi wasn't that great for me. He held up the ball way too much and opted to just pass it back the majority of the time when players were making decent runs.
Enrique showed his true colours too. He made an excellent little run pity he was tackled just at the last minute.

Roll on Spurs.... Another cracker from Martins might be on the cards.

smog

only disappointment yesterday was a couple of other clubs down the bottom also picked up points. It is still tight 6 off the drop zone with 7 games.

So happy first win is under the belt now, might spark some sort of confidence

Kevster

charlie mchugh wrote: »

What you on boards for son. Its Saturday night in the Toon, get yourself down to the Bigg market for the cheap ale and even cheaper women.

...that ain't my scene! I got back home today (Sunday). Christ, the amount of Leeds fans on the airplane too... ...

Limerick Dude

Kevster wrote: »

Christ, the amount of Leeds fans on the airplane too... ...

I feel for you dude

On a brighter note, the spurs game this weekend should be a good one.

Limerick Dude

Limerick Dude wrote: »

I feel for you dude

On a brighter note, the spurs game this weekend should be a good one.

I hope yous get a result in any case vs Spurs. Im going over to the Reading game Saturday week (mate has season tickets) - Come on the toon !

Limerick Dude

Do you go by Ryanair to newcastle ?

They keep hacking up the prices on that route!!!!

Did you get tickets from the club or are you going with a travel company?

Charlie

Limerick dude, I feel the pain in relation to Ryanair, although I snagged flights a while back for 20 euro return.

If you're looking for tickets, just get them off the club via the website. You'll have to create an account (but that's free) and tickets for the Reading match are on general sale now.

In fact, you'll get tickets via general sale for every game, but for the bigger matches you'll have to be at the site before 9am the day they go on sale, and snap them up quick, but i've done it a few times and never had problems.

mike65

Anyone hear this gossip about Duff and Jose Antonio Reyes who quit Arsenal cos he was homesick?

Mike.

Charlie

Yeah, the lads over on the Chronicle forum have a thread on Reyes. Most are of the opinion that it would be stupid money spent and the type of buy that were trying to get away from. If he thought London was cold, and didn't like playing with one of the most fluid teams in Europe, I can't see how he'd be interested in the Toon.

TBH shipping Duff out and bringing in Reyes would result in no change. We would still be left with a player who looks like he has no desire to play for the club, but we'd probably be down another £10 million.

I know its absolutely dreaming, but if Ashley is willing to spend crazy money and crazy wages, the one player I would love to see them go for would be Bentley.

We need to sign players who are just coming into their prime, like Keegan did last time with Batty, Lee, Ferdinand, Cole, Sherear, Ginola etc.

smog

So mixed bag of results today
Birmingham won, Sunderland won, but on the brighter side Reading (and more importantly) Fulham only managed draws.
Bolton lost (narrowly) to Arsenal, and Wigan to Pompy
Brings Sunderland up to 13th and us down to 15th but with the bottom looking clearer

Sunderland 32 33
Reading 32 32
Newcastle 31 32
Wigan 32 31
Birmingham 32 30
Bolton 32 26
Fulham 32 24
Derby 32 10

Charlie

The Tyne/Wear derby could decide who finishes ahead of who, Howay the lads!!!

Limerick Dude

3 points tomorrow and we are pretty much safe.

Charlie

Limerick Dude wrote: »

3 points tomorrow and we are pretty much safe.

Even a draw tomorrow should do it. In fact, as log as we can turn out a decent performance and keep the feel good momentum going, then that should push us over the line with our next few results. Safety has been made so much easier for us due to the teams below us.

smog

thank god for that indeed, think this season there will be teams safe on points, that any other season would see them relagated.

Charlie

Out of the current squad, who do people think should be retained during the summer.

Personally:
- Given
- Harper
- Taylor
- Beye
- Milner
- Butt (only as a squad member and used sparingly like Makele has this season. His recent performances have impressed me.)
- Owen
- Martins
- Carroll (Good academy player I would like to see more of.)

Jury is still out for me with Zog and Barton. Enrique should probably be let go, but he has impressed recently and I may be inclined to give him till the January window to prove himself, there's something about him that could come very good.

I still feel that there is a good player somewhere inside Barton, and if he could get back to his City form he would be an asset. I believe that Keegan may have it in him to reform his like he did with Dunne.

Zog frustrates me. He seems to sensitive and seems to lack a desire to play for us, moaning about not starting. Then when he is given his chances he does fcuk all. However, he has shown greatness in the past and I fear if we let him go it could come back to haunt us with him setting the world on fire at Spurs or Everton et al.

I think Duffer is a lost cause, and we didn't shell out mad money on him. The likes of Carr, Faye, Smith, Geremi, Cacapa, Rozenhal have no future at this club, good riddance. Viduka has shown class lately, but I think he needs to be shipped on as we look to the future. Emre has undoubted class but I just don't think we'll ever see it in a black and white shirt, sad really.

Limerick Dude

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Out of the current squad, who do people think should be retained during the summer.

Personally:
- Given
- Harper
- Taylor
- Beye
- Milner
- Butt (only as a squad member and used sparingly like Makele has this season. His recent performances have impressed me.)
- Owen
- Martins
- Carroll (Good academy player I would like to see more of.)

Jury is still out for me with Zog and Barton. Enrique should probably be let go, but he has impressed recently and I may be inclined to give him till the January window to prove himself, there's something about him that could come very good.

I still feel that there is a good player somewhere inside Barton, and if he could get back to his City form he would be an asset. I believe that Keegan may have it in him to reform his like he did with Dunne.

Zog frustrates me. He seems to sensitive and seems to lack a desire to play for us, moaning about not starting. Then when he is given his chances he does fcuk all. However, he has shown greatness in the past and I fear if we let him go it could come back to haunt us with him setting the world on fire at Spurs or Everton et al.

I think Duffer is a lost cause, and we didn't shell out mad money on him. The likes of Carr, Faye, Smith, Geremi, Cacapa, Rozenhal have no future at this club, good riddance. Viduka has shown class lately, but I think he needs to be shipped on as we look to the future. Emre has undoubted class but I just don't think we'll ever see it in a black and white shirt, sad really.

Id go with everyone you said there but id also include enrique, faye, barton and emre(if he can get fit and stay fit)

kinaldo

Martins, Given and Taylor are the only players I'd be sad to see go. I've given up on Emre and just about everyone else. Still, I reckon we can get a good result tomorrow. Newcastle and Keegan enjoy playing Spurs.

Ekancone

I'd say keep Enrique, he is only young and has already show some promise.

Charlie

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Id go with everyone you said there but id also include enrique, faye, barton and emre(if he can get fit and stay fit)

I might be tempted to keep Faye as a bench payer, but we need to sign a quality center half to not only shore up the defence, but to mentor and bring on Taylor. I certainly wouldn't keep Faye and Taylor together as things stand.

Am I right in thinking Kinaldo you'd see Owen leaving as no great loss? I think he has proven his loyalty in the last few games, and has been the player to get things moving in the right direction. He above anyone else would be the player i'd see as our greatest loss should he leave. Who else can we attarct that is better than him?

kinaldo

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Am I right in thinking Kinaldo you'd see Owen leaving as no great loss? I think he has proven his loyalty in the last few games, and has been the player to get things moving in the right direction. He above anyone else would be the player i'd see as our greatest loss should he leave. Who else can we attarct that is better than him?

I think he's an average player now, and is always likely to get injured. His commitment is still questionable but that's a trait most players share these days. I'm sure his wages could be better spent elsewhere. Keegan + money will always attract good players to Newcastle, provided we're in the Premiership that is.

Charlie

kinaldo wrote: »

I think he's an average player now, and is always likely to get injured. His commitment is still questionable but that's a trait most players share these days. I'm sure his wages could be better spent elsewhere. Keegan + money will always attract good players to Newcastle, provided we're in the Premiership that is.

I certainly wouldn't say he is average, he still has that instinct (as seen in the Birmingham game), and I feel he is starting to reinvent himself as such, but injuries would be my only concern.

However, Fat Ashley has the money to spend, so I wouldn't imagine its too big an issue, and I doubt he'd restrict KK from signing other big players because Owen is still on the wage list (contrary to tabloid reports, I still believe Ashley has big plans for us and will spend big.)

Who are on people's wish-list for the summer. Think big but obviously not unrealisitic (i.e Ronaldo, Messi, Terry etc.) Mine are:

- Dunne (Man City's revival should make this a no no, but his contract still hasn't been resolved. Exactly the type of player we need to sign).

- Benzema (Looks very potent and, with enough blips, approachable) .

- Bridge (Cracking player who can't be content playing second fiddle to Ca$hley).

- Obi Mikel (Seems settled at Chelsea, but their squad is Mass-efe. We need a ball winner in the centre and he has impressed me alot, except for his soft lad antics).

- Lassana Diarra (Been smashing at Pompey, and with the right bid I can't see Pompey turning an offer down. Could be others chasing him though)

- Bentley (Big stretch here, but Top 4 don't seem interested, so maybe enough $$$ would do it along with KK convincing him Newcastle will be pushing higher than Blackburn in 2 years time).

I think we can use Duff, Zog and maybe even Smith (some managers will still be fooled by him) as decent leverage in a few deals. Certainly Duff+cash may tempt Blackburn, and 'Array may be interested in a Diarra swap deal for Zog, a few quid, and a clapped out Ford Mondeo.

Players we have been linked with that I want fack allto do with:

- McGeady, or as Brady would call him Mc-Eddie, (very average player, even by SPL standards, and would flounder in the premiership)

- This chap (reeks of another Boumsong, Moore, Rozenhal etc. If Boro and Bolton have been tracking him, enough said)

- Fletcher (Better than Smith, but not by much. We don't need anymore United hand-me-downs).

- Kenwyn Jones (Ameobi with dreadlocks......shudder).

- Reyes (Daecent player when he wants to do it, but I don't see him having the heart or body temp for life in the North East. Big money down the drain if signed).

PHB

Of Dunne, Bridge, Diarra, Bentley, Bridge is the only one you've got a realistic chance of getting.
Obi Mikel and Benzema you have about as much chance of getting as I have of starting for United next year.

Fletcher would do well for ya. Jones won't join ya, and if he did, you should be grateful. Reyes would be agreat singing. McGeady would be a good singing.

Still, typical Newcastle, the players you have to buy, should all be defenders/central midfielders. If Keegan doesn't buy 4 new defenders then he's just stupid.

therecklessone

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Who are on people's wish-list for the summer. Think big but obviously not unrealisitic (i.e Ronaldo, Messi, Terry etc.)

You really should heed your own advice...

charlie mchugh wrote: »

- Dunne (Man City's revival should make this a no no, but his contract still hasn't been resolved. Exactly the type of player we need to sign).

- Benzema (Looks very potent and, with enough blips, approachable) .

- Bridge (Cracking player who can't be content playing second fiddle to Ca$hley).

- Obi Mikel (Seems settled at Chelsea, but their squad is Mass-efe. We need a ball winner in the centre and he has impressed me alot, except for his soft lad antics).

- Lassana Diarra (Been smashing at Pompey, and with the right bid I can't see Pompey turning an offer down. Could be others chasing him though)

- Bentley (Big stretch here, but Top 4 don't seem interested, so maybe enough $$$ would do it along with KK convincing him Newcastle will be pushing higher than Blackburn in 2 years time).

Bentley a stretch but Benzema (one of the hottest properties in world football) you'll get for enough money?

:rolleyes:

Look, Newcastle are in a similar position to where Spurs were five years ago. First off, you have to see Keegan as a caretaker until the end of the season (as David Pleat was after we sacked Hoddle) IF you are serious about wanting to challenge for honours leave Keegan to do the Sugarpuffs ads.

You could argue both sides had similar material to work with from the start, Newcastle have Given, Taylor, Owen, Martins, Milner, Nzogbia, Barton while Spurs has King, Keane, Kanoute, Defoe, Brown, Redknapp.

You need to look at the calibre of player we attracted back then:

Paul Robinson Leeds £ 1.5m
Sean Davis Fulham Signed (believed to be £1.5m)
Pedro Mendes Porto £ 2000000
Erik Edman Heerenveen Signed (believed to be £1m)
Noureddine Naybet Deportivo £ 700000
Edson Silva Sousa PSV Eindhoven Free
Thimothee Atouba Basle Free
Michael Carrick West Ham £ 2750000
Noe Pamarot Nice £ 1750000
Calum Davenport Coventry £ 1300000
Reto Ziegler Grasshoppers Signed (c. £1.5m)

The first transfer window we bought the following three:

Emil Hallfredsson FH Hafnarfjordur Signed 04-01-2005
Michael Dawson Nottm Forest £ 4000000 31-01-2005
Andy Reid Nottm Forest £ 4000000 31-01-2005


Only Pedro Mendes came from a successful position having won the CL the previous year, though Carrick proved to be a great signing.

You need to ditch the deadwood and build a team, not try to buy a superstar XI. Forget the money that Ashley has, if you want to fcuk things up for another five years you'll rely on him splashing the cash, if you want sustained success you'll build slowly.

Charlie

I know my list is certainly on the wishful side of things, but its not unreaistic as in, if I said, we would get Kaka and Messi.

You say that spending such money would be a wast and we need to build slowly. I don't expect miracles over night but I do feel we have to aim high with our signings as signing over-priced mediocrity has got us where we ae now. You point to that Spurs list as an example :eek: look at the amount of money wasted there. Only Carrick, Robinson and Mendes carved out any sort of carear at spurs, and only Carrick really you could call good sign. If we were to follow that list we'd be exactly where we are, if not worse, for the next 3-4 years.

I don't expect to sign all those players I cited, but if we could get one or two, it would send a message of intent out, which in turn could help attract other decent players. I have faith in KK this summer, he didn't really waste a penny last time he was here, and has always been able to attract good players.

Also, whoever said the whole back 4 needs to be replaced has it wrong. Taylor and especially Beye are decent defenders. More than anything we need a good solid leader to join them at the back, and then another full back.

The Master

4 - 1 Get in there lads