Newcastle United Transfer Rumours and General Chat

Salmon

I've a bad feeling about tonights game! I just cant see us keeping a cleansheet! Its vital to keep a clean sheet at home in europe, I hope im worng about this but I just think itll be a score draw or worse!

eirebhoy

AZ to win 1-2 tonight, sorry.

andrewie

Good start for Newcastle.

eirebhoy

There goes my love afair with AZ. 2-0 already. :eek: Duff playing a stormer apparantly, anyone confirm?

Vokes

Duff's not playing particularly amazing.

Carr is okish at LB.

AZ are just terrible - their keeper is playing as some sort of sweeper half the time (and a bad one).

Good third goal by Martins.


EDIT: 3-1 now.

Necronomicon

SofaKing wrote:

Duff's not playing particularly amazing.

Carr is okish at LB.

AZ are just terrible - their keeper is playing as some sort of sweeper half the time (and a bad one).

Good third goal by Martins.

I could've sworn I saw this advertised on one of the ITV's?

Vokes

Nahh, Ch. Five have following Newcastle's UEFA campaign all season.

4-1 now, Martins again!

kinaldo

My internet connection dropped so I missed all the goals. I expected lots of goals so 4-2 is no great surprise. 3-0 or 4-1 would have been infinitely better though. If we go out now it will be particularly devastating (memories of Sporting Lisbon come to mind *shudder*).

andrewie

Necromomicon wrote:

I could've sworn I saw this advertised on one of the ITV's?

ITV 1 are showing the return second leg.

Salmon

Thank god I was wrong about the match result! AZ look like a handy outfit thou and we should approach the second leg like we are level and keep it tight in holland! We have a good chance of getting through now!

Salmon

Good to see ITV are showing the return! Its not the same watching it in irish on TG4!

Spaco

Thought we played a great 60 minutes or so. Butt in midfield was great, martins, dyer and sib are linking up great in these games. It's just a pity we can't get results like this consistently in the league. And god knows when I saw Bramble slidin in on lads in the box, I was fearing the worst.
Carr is for the bin. That man brings nothing to the squad and is actually a liability most of the time.
Apart from that, I wouldn't change that team, except for maybe giving n'zogbia a run out. That lad is brilliant

LOTTOWINNER

[QUOTE= If we go out now it will be particularly devastating (memories of Sporting Lisbon come to mind *shudder*).[/QUOTE]


I still haven't got over the Sporting Lisbon game!! conceding 3 goals in the last 20 minutes, I hope the team learn from that experience.
I think if Toon score in the next leg, they're thru' BUT if the don't, I think it's exit time. But I'm keeping the faith and hoping for the best.

therecklessone

Bacon Sarnie for sports reporter of the year!

Berbatov to get his dream move to the Toon?
By Bacon Sarnie - March 10 2007

Dimitar Berbatov has become the surprise new target for Newcastle United and it appears it's a mutual appreciation.

Berbatov's agent said just yesterday that his client would spend at least the next Year and a half at 'Spurs, but the fear of the 'Spurs hierarchy and their fickle supporters is that he has already outgrown the North London outfit with some sublime performances since his move from Germany and that a move to a big club could come sooner rather than later.

This is where Newcastle United enter the fray, it is well documented that the North East Giants are on the look out for a target man to compliment the World Class goalscoring abilities of Owen and the impressive Martins, Berbatov could be the man the Geordies turn their attentions to given he's have a similar value to their other targets, Dean Ashton and Darren Bent.

Growing up in Bulgaria, Berbatov supported Newcastle United and as a birthday present was given a Newcastle United shirt with his name on it, could he get the ultimate Birthday present in the near future, a genuine Newcastle United Shirt with his name on it?

If Berbatov continues to perform in the same fashion over the next couple of Months, I'm sure there'll be plenty of suitors willing to take him away from a club he appears to have already outgrown, but will he get his dream move to his childhood team?

Someone's dreaming alright...:D

kinaldo

Lol, ridiculous! We wouldn't have room for him when Michael Owen comes back.

Malmedicine

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It was'nt the fact we lost that annoyed the hell out of me it was the manner. Best player- Sib
Worst - nearly everyone bar Given and Parker. Honorable mention must go to bramble though for a truely shocking game. Although Emre looked a stone overweight and was struggling why use him as a sub?

I'm just annoyed another season goes bye-bye. NUFC.com said it best Newcastle once again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

eirebhoy

Get a new bloody defence. The midfield and attack is superb with everyone fit.

astrofool

I remember years ago, when newcastle came second in the league, they were in the UEFA the next season, and were cruising to a 3-0 win at home. They let a goal in in the 90th minute or so, to win 3-1, and they duly went on to lose away 2-0. No wonder they never win a trophy.

kinaldo

astrofool wrote:

I remember years ago, when newcastle came second in the league, they were in the UEFA the next season, and were cruising to a 3-0 win at home. They let a goal in in the 90th minute or so, to win 3-1, and they duly went on to lose away 2-0. No wonder they never win a trophy.

94/95 Bilbao, we were 3-0 up and it finished 3-2. They won the return leg at home 1-0. That was our first season in Europe and we had little experience amongst the ranks. This is much more painful, up there with Lisbon and Partizan Belgrade. I couldn't talk to anyone yesterday I was so annoyed. If we don't win at Charlton on Sunday our season is as good as over.

Limerick Dude

Im sick of saying this but..................there's always next season.....

kinaldo

Limerick Dude wrote:

Im sick of saying this but..................there's always next season.....

I have no confidence in Roeder anymore. He seems to perform better when the team picks itself through injuries.

evilhomer

Not looking good lads!

We probably have no chance of Europe now.
Roeder doesn't know what to do with a squad of fully fit players!
Although we still need a good bit more quality at the back.

I'm still undecided on Roeder, knee jerk reactions haven't gotten us anywhere in the past. Maybe some time will help.

kinaldo

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/2131/untitledhz5.jpg

The most exciting thing going on in Toon these days.

I much prefer the heavy on black look. I might buy a home jersey for the first time in 10 years next season.

Limerick Dude

Its not bad looking, ill end up getting it like i do every 2 years with the new home kit.

On another note, i will give roeder one more season, i want to see the team he is trying to build and what players he is going to bring in, in the summer. A top 6 finish is a must next season, if he doesnt get that, then he is out.

kinaldo

Only 6 points above the relegation zone now... Sheffield Utd away... can anyone see where our next win is coming from? I can't believe our season has come to this from our position barely a month ago.

evilhomer

I think we have some real problems at the club and we are trialling 32 year old defenders!! This guy

Am I the only one who heard Roeder say in January that he could have lots of defenders over 30 but didn't want any???

I don't know what's going on but we need to get a lot of new defenders and probably another big striker.

kinaldo

brilliant news!

Michael Owen has made his comeback from injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Scottish side Gretna.

The striker has been out since rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament at the World Cup last summer.

Owen, 27, scored after 10 minutes before coming off an hour later in a game which also saw fellow forward Shola Ameobi make a return.

"We are all, including the medical staff, very happy with the way it went," said manager Glenn Roeder.

Owen could now be in line to face Chelsea on 22 April at St James' Park and his return will be a boost to England coach Steve McClaren.

England face a crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in June in Estonia and Owen will almost certainly play a part if he makes his Newcastle return this term.

But Roeder said: "I have to say that playing an 11-a-side match on the training ground is still a long way from playing Premiership football."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/6543879.stm

It's a shame there's nothing left of our season to salvage really. I just pray he's able to see it out ok if he comes back, after what happened last season at WHL - 30 mins in 16 months

Limerick Dude

If we win the rest of our games we should get intertoto!!!

On a positive note, duff looks to be coming back to form
and i cant wait to see owen and ameobi back

Malmedicine

Ok who do we need and who do we want in the off season. (be reasonable)

TwoShedsJackson

Out: Bramble, Carr, Babayaro, Luque (if anyone would take him, which they won't), Craig Moore (always injured), Olivier Bernard (why the **** did they get him back? Hasn't even played for the first team this season).

In: Steve Sidwell wants to go to Newcastle apparently, maybe we could get Leighton Baines off Wigan to fill the gaping hole at left back. Two proper centre backs and a right back also needed but I honestly can't think of anyone who would be good and want to go to Newcastle

Limerick Dude

Jackson, we always get big players anyway, players want to play with us because we are a passionate club, great fans, great stadium, great potential.
It may be harder to attract players from the continent but there are many players in england who we should get, sidwell for example, maybe curtis davies aswel from wba.

kinaldo

Damn Boro, there goes my faint Woodgate hopes. Let's go for Ayala!

evilhomer

Afraid he has just re-signed for Valencia (From Villereal who he had signed a pre contract with for €1 million) mad stuff.

I think Roder is interested in Ferreria from Chelsea this summer. He went to see him play last month when Portugal were playing.

Players I would like in

1) Curtis Davies
2) Dean Ashton (should come cheaper in the summer considering he hasn't played all year and West Ham will probably be relegated)
3) Gabriel Heinze (left back/centreback cover)
4) Paolo Ferreria (our now annual Chelsea reject signing)
5) Jorge Andrade ( I though Woody would comeback in the summer )
6) Steve Sidwell
7) Another versatile defender RB/LB/CB
8) Lescott from Everton

Out with Carr, Bramble, Moore and Babayaro

evilhomer

Bah!!!! silly Newcastle, Bramble tonight just proved what a waste of space he is.

I think Roeder will be gone this summer and a huge clearout will be required!

Now the question is, will it be Big Sam or somebody else who comes in?
And, where the hell are we going to get the money for a top class back 4 (plus backup) and a midfielder?

Limerick Dude

We always have money evilhomer, dont worry about that, i just hope roeder will spend it wisely. We have too many overpaid w@nkers at this club (dyer), we need to invest in some good solid english players who give 110%.

kinaldo

It's been a painful season to endure, with only one league win in the last 8 and the Uefa Cup humiliation. With news of Michael Owen's return and the recent thwarting of Chelsea though, I thought there was some cause for optimism. So I got out of bed at 5am (Sydney time) to watch the Reading match and was very excited. With the attacking lineup and unnecessary but refreshing white shorts pristine look, I was sure we'd play some "football". The away fans sounded in good voice and there was no pressure, nothing to lose. By half time I was nearly exasperated, but remained cautiously optimistic for surely we could only improve...

How wrong I was! I spent the entire half cursing Roeder and almost every player, particularly Bramble, Dyer, Milner, Ameobi, N'Zogbia, and Carr. Even others like Martins, Harper and Emre aren't exempt from criticism. Only Owen can really be excused.

The buck stops with Roeder. It's never been more apparent to me than last night that he can't get the best out of these talented, proven premiership and international players. Dyer in particular was a disgrace and should never have been given the captaincy. He was brilliant after his comeback but has since reverted to type.

I wish I knew what was going through Shephard's mind as he watched over in the stands. Surely even he can see that Roeder is not up to it? This has to be it, he has to go! This season and last night's performance is totally unacceptable, but what can I do? Apart from put up with it and endlessly rant. I'm losing faith in the club's huge potential to become a "big" club. I suppose one can only look to the likes of Sevilla and Valencia for inspiration; hope.

Malmedicine

Kinaldo I'm in the same boat as you. At the end of last season I was saying Roeder heck he did ok when he came in, and hell anyone is better than Souness so give him a go. A year on and I honestly believe it to be a mistake. I think Roeder is a decent sort, not a great man but a good man, but in the cauldron of SJP i dont think he cuts the mustard.
Any chance Shepard could get Mourinho? Maybe dangle the carrot that winning with **** all money and Titus Bramble is a much bigger achievement than anything he did with Chelsea and that if he won anything (besides intertoto cup) he would be revered in a god like fashion.

kinaldo

from The Sun

SAM ALLARDYCE is set to become Newcastle boss by May 14 — just hours after the curtain falls on the Premiership season

continues.

I'm not sure what the consensus is over Allardyce but I think I'm in the minority who are against him. I will begrudgingly accept and support him though, so long as he can provide us with a top 6 league position and consistent wins over the likes of Arsenal.

Malmedicine

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO . I respect him for what he did at Bolton but please Freddy not SAM ALLARDYCE . Why not Guus Hiddink, Capello , Lippi at a push hell even Jose might be looking for a job soon. Why not?

Malmedicine

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO . I respect him for what he did at Bolton but please Freddy not SAM ALLARDYCE . Why not Guus Hiddink, Capello , Lippi at a push hell even Jose might be looking for a job soon. Why not?

kinaldo

Malmedicine wrote:

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO . I respect him for what he did at Bolton but please Freddy not SAM ALLARDYCE . Why not Guus Hiddink, Capello , Lippi at a push hell even Jose might be looking for a job soon. Why not?

If you were a world class manager would you really want to work for someone as outspoken and interfering as Freddy Shepherd?

Malmedicine

kinaldo wrote:

If you were a world class manager would you really want to work for someone as outspoken and interfering as Freddy Shepherd?

Or as devisive as Abramohvich or Berlusconi or as abusive and vengeful as the Real Madrid mob or the Italian "ultras" . Yet strangely these managers have all worked in these conditions so Freddy should be a piece of cake! But i do take your point and Newcastle would be better off without him. We can but dream.

therecklessone

Malmedicine wrote:

Or as devisive as Abramohvich or Berlusconi or as abusive and vengeful as the Real Madrid mob or the Italian "ultras" . Yet strangely these managers have all worked in these conditions so Freddy should be a piece of cake!

Maybe Freddy's not the problem?

kinaldo

There's also the question of whether or not we could afford a world class manager like the ones you mentioned. We've already spent a fortune in paying off Robson and Souness (I think we even compensated Blackburn for him!).

nufc.com did a balanced view of Big Sam today;

The current popular view seems to be that were are inevitably heading towards a union with free agent Sam Allardyce.

Just in case there's an ounce of truth in that story, we feel compelled to say that we're not totally beside ourselves with excitement over this, for the following reasons:

The Panorama programme:

We're not going to attract any lawsuits by commenting on the allegations, but let's recall that the eyebrows raised about Allardyce stemmed from comments made on camera by his own son, Craig.

Kevin Bond seems to have been shown the door at SJP as a result of a far less substantial afterthought tagged on the end of the same programme.

(NB: There's been no sign of the threatened legal action from Allardyce against the BBC as yet. His son is no longer an agent and was last reported as being involved the Spanish property market).

Style of play:

While we've never subscribed to the popular notion that Newcastle fans would rather lose 4-3 than win a sterile contest 1-0, Allardyce has long been associated with some rotten football of a type we've not seen since Jack Charlton bought Cunningham & Reilly and put the squeeze on Waddle and Beardsley.

Will a team of long-throw specialists and dead-ball experts fill 60,000 seats?

Will a no-nonsense approach really get our players into line? Souness couldn't pull it off.

Signings & Spending:

Allardyce to date has been good with small budgets, buying older players and wringing the very last drops of effort out of them. Hopes are a little higher here - just.

The signing of Nicolas Anelka was hailed as by far his biggest deal - a player repeatedly touted to Newcastle, but sent on his bike for numerous valid reasons, only for Bolton to take him.

Either the player's outrageous demands were toned down - or Bolton were prepared to meet them.

What could he do with a bigger budget? Who knows? He remains unproven at a big club with a large fan base with big (unrealistic? possibly) expectations.

The Cult of Personality:

One of the least attractive traits Allardyce shows is a rent-a-quote tendency to shout the odds, especially when Sky cameras are rolling.

When speaking from an LMA perspective, his vocal opposition to Roeder's permanent appointment at SJP verged on the obnoxious, while referring to oneself in the third person as "Big Sam" in his Bolton programme notes spoke volumes.

Some shameless self-promotion when he thought he would replace Sven as the next England manager was also unbecoming.

Allardyce's genuine incredulity at not being appointed suggested a frightening degree of self- absorption. That comes across as big -headedness at times.

No, No, Yes:

Allardyce has already turned us down after Sir Bobby Robson and his putter were given their cards. Why? He obviously thought that he was at a better club then - or needed to give his chairman a nudge to open his wallet.

(Note that we have it on decent authority that Allardyce has twice turned down the chance to take over at SJP - the second one presumably being post-Souness.)

Has our stock really fallen so much and is this guy so wonderful that we'll now go back for a third time?

Red & White eyes:

He's an ex-mackem. OK, that's not a reason to avoid employing an outstanding manager or player - we'd have welcomed Brian Clough at the height of his managerial powers.

For a section of the fanbase though, this remains another obstacle Allardyce would have to overcome before gaining acceptance.

Young Man:

Bolton's reserve side have just won the league. They played Newcastle on Tyneside in March, lining up with a side composed of two Poles, two Slovaks, an Israeli, an Iranian, a Portuguese, a Spaniard and three Englishmen.

Allardyce has shown he's prepared to bring young players into the first team, but not necessarily local young players.

Without lapsing into John Hall Geordie Nation rhetoric - is this important to us or not?

On the other hand:

His on-field organisation is undeniable, even if some of his purchases are less than savoury (Diouf in a black and white shirt anyone?).

The signing of Gary Speed and his consequent Reebok renaissance is interesting, both in terms of what Allarydce achieved and also that one of the most respected professionals still playing was content under Sam's stewardship.

Trying to look in from the outside, to turn our noses up at Allardyce for perceived stylistic shortcomings is verging on the pious.

After all, we've hardly been reproducing Brazil '70 on a weekly basis.

Allardyce @ Bolton - Premiership:

Season Bolton's finishing spot (& ours)
2001-02 16th (NUFC - 4th)
2002-03 17th (NUFC - 3rd)
2003-04 8th (NUFC - 5th)
2004-05 6th (NUFC - 14th)
2005-06 8th (NUFC - 7th)
2006-07 5th (NUFC - 12th)*

* with two games remaining

There are echoes of Arthur Cox's appointment, when people were openly disappointed that big names like McMenemy, Paisley, Clough, Robson etc. weren't coming to SJP.

Then, as now, why the hell would they come here?

Unlike the Souness and Roeder appointments, our inbox isn't bulging with emails from fans of their previous clubs warning of the dire consequences of employing their ex.

The NUFC.com get out clause:

So who do we suggest then? Simple. We suggest no-one. No internet campaigns, no online petitions. Nein Danke.

If someone wants to pay us the Chairman's wages then we will happily scour the planet to unearth the next Arsene Wenger.

Until then though we'll try to present a vaguely coherent and independent viewpoint, rather than just recycling other people's views or writing things to please those in power.

Our gut feeling remains the same though as it did the day Bobby departed - the whole thing needs overhauling from top to bottom.

kinaldo

therecklessone wrote:

Maybe Freddy's not the problem?

touché

kinaldo

:mad:

The only positive for me is that I didn't have to endure another torturous 90 minutes from this most uninspired Newcastle team.

Is a goal, a single solitary strike, too much to ask for these days!? Apparently that's 5 successive league blanks at St. James' Park now - our worst run since 1951 (no more striker injury excuses either). What a fabulous way to finish up and convince supporters to renew season tickets!

Add to that, only 1 win in our last 10 league games (away to Sheffield Utd) and a pathetic 3 goals scored in that period. Overall, a grand total of 37 goals in 37 games.

Unless we win at Watford next week this will have been our worst ever Premiership campaign. We're lucky there's so many poor teams below us given that we're stuck on 42 points - the same number that once got Roeder's West Ham relegated.

I expect us to lose at Watford next week. I certainly don't expect any team captained by Keiron Dyer to perform well.

I'm already warming to the idea of Allardyce. Our slump in form since beating Liverpool and AZ at home has been alarming to say the least. Major changes our needed.

joe316

just mentioned on sky sports that roeder has been sacked. no doubt that big sam will be the next manager

zAbbo

Will Bolton sue ?

kinaldo

zabbo wrote:

Will Bolton sue ?

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2074357,00.html

Allardyce set to join Newcastle next week on three-year deal


Michael Walker
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian

Sam Allardyce is expected to be confirmed as the new manager of Newcastle United by the end of next week. It is understood the former Bolton Wanderers manager will be offered a three-year contract at St James' Park and, although there was no comment yesterday from either Newcastle or Allardyce, who is on holiday in Spain, the deal is effectively sealed.

It is not known whom Allardyce will bring with him as his assistants but it appears that Glenn Roeder's staff, Nigel Pearson, Terry McDermott and Lee Clark, will follow him out of St James'. The trio met the Newcastle chairman, Freddy Shepherd, yesterday and have agreed to take the team for Newcastle's final fixture of the season at Watford on Sunday. Newcastle are not expected to say anything officially until after that game.

What is expected, however, is that Newcastle's backroom staff will soon mushroom. At Bolton Allardyce had 21 different figures behind the scenes. Mike Forde, "performance director" at Bolton, is highly regarded by Allardyce and is described as "the glue" behind Allardyce's ideas. Forde is a likely recruit, as is Mark Taylor, who is in charge of sports science and who has known Allardyce since their days together at Blackpool. Ricky Sbragia, coach at Bolton, is another close to Allardyce.

Bolton's reaction to any possible developments remains to be seen. Their chairman, Phil Gartside, was decisive nine days ago in enforcing Allardyce's resignation from the club and said Bolton would pursue compensation if Allardyce was to be appointed elsewhere. But Gartside had Manchester City in mind specifically when he was speaking then and the readiness of Newcastle and Allardyce to wait until after this season ends suggests that contractual clauses surrounding compensation may have elapsed by next week. Bolton were unable to confirm any details yesterday.

Roeder's resignation on Sunday, after the 2-0 home defeat by Blackburn Rovers 24 hours earlier, meant that he became the third Newcastle manager to leave the club in the past three years, following Graeme Souness and Sir Bobby Robson. An advantage that Allardyce will have over those managers from the outset is that they were all appointed mid- or early-season, while he will have all summer to plan. Shepherd has been aware that, while the sackings of Souness and Robson barely caused a ripple of complaint, their timing was the subject of criticism locally.

Roeder, an admirer of Arsène Wenger, had been planning a European summer training camp akin to Arsenal's and Pearson had been to Germany to view facilities there, but it is believed that plan has been shelved and Newcastle will be involved in a foreign tour plus possibly a summer tournament. Presumably discussions with Allardyce will cover such topics.

Salmon

It looking like allardyce! I would prefer Van Gal, I think we someone like that to move the club forward!