January transfer window

CantGetNoSleep

Dave! wrote: »

Can't see it tbh, there's plenty more teams that are more likely than Hull to join WBA and Blackburn.

Anyone from 8th place (Hull) down is in danger of relegation if they went on a bad run - they are only 9 points off the bottom, very interesting table this year I feel

ShooterSF

Finnan is an inspired signing. Probably Liverpool's best right back last year. He's definitely still at a level where he'd be considered a top player for a mid-table team.
Hell he wouldn't have been a weak link if he was still in the Liverpool 11.

Dave!

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Anyone from 8th place (Hull) down is in danger of relegation if they went on a bad run - they are only 9 points off the bottom, very interesting table this year I feel

Sure, but they're 6 points above Boro and Stoke at the moment. It's certainly likely for anyone cos it's so compacted, but I'm just saying I could see Newky, Pompey or Stoke go down before Hull. Reasonable prediction I think!

Bounty Hunter

If the rumours of Allerdyce holding out for 25m for RSC are true I think he is mad, accept 18-20m (which would still be paying way over the odds for him) and buy three different players for around 6m each. I think Rovers are actually more likely to stay up if they sell their top scorer from last year.

They still have Benno McCarthy, Derbyshire and Jason Roberts up front imagine if using the RSC money they added Pennant, Nedum Onanua (man city r/cb SP?), Jimmy Bullard and another 4/5m continental gamble for upront like they did originally with RSC. Obviously losing a star can hurt a sides morale and too many signings can take a while to settle but if not now Blackburn will never have a chance to cash in like this and RSC might just leave in the Summer anyway plus the addition of so many quality players by Blackburns current status would imo see them survive.

Feel bad for Ince though, as he never got to see the money from the Bentley sale.

_blank_

Miller to QPR

Bubs101

Xavi6 wrote: »

City apparently going to unveil a new striker from Italy in the next 48 hours who ISN'T Kaka.

Adriano? Pandev? Trezeguet?

Probably Corradi....

Could be Mutu. He wanted a move away at the beginning of the season. Would be an absolutely inspired signing

Baggly

Bubs101 wrote: »

Could be Mutu. He wanted a move away at the beginning of the season. Would be an absolutely inspired signing

+1

mayordenis

Have all the time in the world for Mutu

Smegball

Could be Zarate? He's playing in the Italian league anyways, but not owned by a club there?

Bubs101

mayordenis wrote: »

Have all the time in the world for Mutu

He's so underated. Adriano top scorer in Serie A when playing with Mutu. Gilardino top scorer in Serie A when playing with Mutu. Toni top scorer in Serie A when playing with Mutu. Deserves a bigger club and would need the money with the fine looming over him

besty

SSN now saying that reports in Italy quote AC Milan as saying they're considering a big offer for Kaka!

Yikes. Could this actually happen?

Headshot

besty wrote: »

SSN now saying that reports in Italy quote AC Milan as saying they're considering a big offer for Kaka!

Yikes. Could this actually happen?

it depends on Kaka now

ecoli

I cant see him moving in this transfer window. However if Milan dont qualify for Champions League i can see this being a definite possibility in the summer for him

ShoulderChip

its now 11/10 in the bookies that he will be a city player by Feb

It appears to me as if it is certainly agreed with Meelan,

and its now a case of Kaka deciding whether he wants to move now, this summer or never.

Meelan want it to look of course like Kaka wants to pursue a bigger challenge
where kaka wants it to look like his hand was forced so this will cause delays and a lot of crap in the papers.

I think it would be a great move for meelan as well, they have the chance to get a once in a lifetime sum of money,
can then recall the most excellent yohan Gourcuyf and spend money on decent young signings re-juvenating the team and making a push for the title next eyar a real possibility.
They have refused to spend money the last 4 years and it has been taking effect.
Also they must be thinking what if they refuse this and then he gets an injury, and they are lost.


this guy on the blue moon forum is well worht a read, he is a man city informant in the UAE
http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=103232&st=0&sk=t&sd=a




On a side note, Hull have added three Irish players today,
so are they the New Reading or the New Sunderland???

eagle eye

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

If the rumours of Allerdyce holding out for 25m for RSC are true I think he is mad, accept 18-20m (which would still be paying way over the odds for him) and buy three different players for around 6m each. I think Rovers are actually more likely to stay up if they sell their top scorer from last year.

They still have Benno McCarthy, Derbyshire and Jason Roberts up front imagine if using the RSC money they added Pennant, Nedum Onanua (man city r/cb SP?), Jimmy Bullard and another 4/5m continental gamble for upront like they did originally with RSC. Obviously losing a star can hurt a sides morale and too many signings can take a while to settle but if not now Blackburn will never have a chance to cash in like this and RSC might just leave in the Summer anyway plus the addition of so many quality players by Blackburns current status would imo see them survive.

Feel bad for Ince though, as he never got to see the money from the Bentley sale.

Are you a Blackburn fan, cause I am and we don't want to sell RSC. As for the funds they were available to Ince. The whole Kevin Keegan thing started because we were close to signing one of their top players. But Ince made a mess of it and it never happened.

He took on staff that did not do a job for him, his own fault. Our defence was in tatters when he was in charge, he brought in players who have not done anything since their arrival.

He was not up to the job, it was clear very early on, and there were stories coming out almost every week about players being unhappy with the training and tactics.

We have plenty of money and thats why we put a ridiculous price on RSC, he has a four year contract. We only need two players, a RB and a RM and Pennant is not on the radar from what I've heard. He was when Ince was there but Big Sam does not want him or so I've been told anyways.

Bounty Hunter

eagle eye wrote: »

Are you a Blackburn fan, cause I am and we don't want to sell RSC. As for the funds they were available to Ince. The whole Kevin Keegan thing started because we were close to signing one of their top players. But Ince made a mess of it and it never happened.

He took on staff that did not do a job for him, his own fault. Our defence was in tatters when he was in charge, he brought in players who have not done anything since their arrival.

He was not up to the job, it was clear very early on, and there were stories coming out almost every week about players being unhappy with the training and tactics.

We have plenty of money and thats why we put a ridiculous price on RSC, he has a four year contract. We only need two players, a RB and a RM and Pennant is not on the radar from what I've heard. He was when Ince was there but Big Sam does not want him or so I've been told anyways.

Im a Villa fan to answer your question not a Blackburn fan and not for a moment am i saying Ince did a good job or anything but if there is plenty of money there as you say why arent they spending it. I personally dont think Blackburn are weak up front and would think 20m could be spent well in a number of positions ensuring the team stay up but I suppose RSC might be like your Ashley Young, the player id not like to see leave Villa no matter what the fee involved.

ctrl-alt-delete

I am a Blackburn fan, and i wouldn't mind seeing Santa Cruz go - if it was close to £20 million for him. We have a good front line, and i want to see Matt Derbyshire given a chance - he is a very good player.

Blackburn are a club who need to do with players what they did with Bentley - i.e. buy them sheap, give them a chance to make a name or relaunch their careers, and then sell them on for a healthy profit - this is what the Blackburn boards business system is in my opinion.

Sir Jack left money, but it is a fixed sum, thats why i think they are thinking like above.

Also there might not be too much money there, Arsenal had a sell on clause on Bentley, and i wouldn't be surprised if Bayern have one on Santa Cruz. All we have seen in so far is Givet on loan, the Villaneuva deal wasn't taken up, and he is on loan until another club want to buy him. I do not think there is much money to be spent on players at Blackburn, hope i'm wrong though.

eagle eye

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Im a Villa fan to answer your question not a Blackburn fan and not for a moment am i saying Ince did a good job or anything but if there is plenty of money there as you say why arent they spending it. I personally dont think Blackburn are weak up front and would think 20m could be spent well in a number of positions ensuring the team stay up but I suppose RSC might be like your Ashley Young, the player id not like to see leave Villa no matter what the fee involved.

Ince could not get anybody to sign in the last transfer window. We were very close I believe to signing someone at the very end of the window but it did not happen. Thats why there was no money spent, he paid over the top for Vince Grella and Keith Andrews, neither of whom have shown anything like Premier League form since their arrival. We are currently from what I believe closing in on two targets, Big Sam looked at signing El Hadj Diouf but was told he was not for sale under any circumstances by Sunderland. He now has two other targets in mind I am led to believe. Names have not been forthcoming.
We signed Gael Givet on loan to the end of the season today. He is a left or centre back, he can play both. He played with Marseille last season but fell out with the coach so we have him now and probably will sign him full time at the end of the season. He is a huge signing for us.
Interestingly we have also signed a 19 year old striker from Macclesfield and a 15 year old Jackson Ramm from Cambridge. Obviously Big Sam was looking about when he was out of football management.

ctrl-alt-delete

eagle eye wrote: »

Obviously Big Sam was looking about when he was out of football management.

At least one of those was set up by Paul Ince, it's just finalised now.

Charlie

eagle eye wrote: »

Ince could not get anybody to sign in the last transfer window. We were very close I believe to signing someone at the very end of the window but it did not happen. Thats why there was no money spent, he paid over the top for Vince Grella and Keith Andrews, neither of whom have shown anything like Premier League form since their arrival. We are currently from what I believe closing in on two targets, Big Sam looked at signing El Hadj Diouf but was told he was not for sale under any circumstances by Sunderland. He now has two other targets in mind I am led to believe. Names have not been forthcoming.
We signed Gael Givet on loan to the end of the season today. He is a left or centre back, he can play both. He played with Marseille last season but fell out with the coach so we have him now and probably will sign him full time at the end of the season. He is a huge signing for us.
Interestingly we have also signed a 19 year old striker from Macclesfield and a 15 year old Jackson Ramm from Cambridge. Obviously Big Sam was looking about when he was out of football management.

For all your pontificating on Ince, and lauding of Fat Sma, I suggest you take a read of the following article, written by The Guardian's Louise Taylor, a Mackem nonetheless:

No apologising for Allardyce's abysmal tenure at Newcastle

With Sam Allardyce hosting his old club this weekend there is a tendency to rewrite history - don't be fooled, his time at St James' Park was an utter disaster.

Rather like aeroplane passengers who recline their seats with no thought for the cramping effect on the person behind, Sam Allardyce's apologists are peculiarly annoying.

There is a school of thought - usually subscribed to by people who never went near St James' Park during his tenure in charge - that Big Sam was an unfortunate victim of Newcastle United's boardroom chaos and things would have been better if he had remained in charge. As Newcastle head to Ewood Park for Saturday's Premier League date with Allardyce's new Blackburn Rovers side it is consequently time for a history lesson.

Before too many people affect sage expressions and suggest Allardyce and the Toon was a case of right manager wrong time, it is worth pointing out that Newcastle's football was simply awful to watch under the former Bolton manager. Although the team mustered their best Premier League start in a decade at the beginning of the 2007-08 season - Allardyce having succeeded Glenn Roeder that summer - it proved the most phoney of false dawns and they were sliding rapidly towards relegation when Mike Ashley, Newcastle's owner, sacked him that January.

Tellingly it took Kevin Keegan 10 attempts to win a Premier League game after succeeding Allardyce - usually new managers preside over an instant upwards 'bounce' in fortunes. Tellingly Keegan repeatedly lamented his players' extraordinary lack of confidence and shortage of fitness.

The big problem was that Big Sam was more worried about stopping the opposition than out-playing them. Significantly, shortly before his dismissal a first teamer revealed that in the premable to one game - coincidentally against Blackburn - Allardyce spent 30 minutes discussing how to thwart Rovers before a Newcastle player finally piped up with: "But what do you want us to do when we've got the ball?"

By then Allardyce's overblown backroom - he hired a staff of more than 20 including numerous ologists of almost every description - was beginning to seem sinister. Forget 'Brave New World', his army of sports scientists seemed to be nullifying the art in Newcastle's football, killing the ability of individuals to improvise and create off the cuff. Small wonder the team won none of his final five games in charge.

Privately former Newcastle players expressed deep dismay, while Sir Bobby Robson implored Allardyce to adopt a more open, expansive style of football. "Play it short - and on the carpet," he urged. Robson was also concerned that he signed Geremi on wages of around £60,000 a week when it was apparent the Chelsea midfielder's legs 'had gone.' Sir Bobby has revealed how he took a call from Jose Mourinho informing him that 'Geremi runs like a 40-year-old' but this warning fell on deaf ears when the former Newcastle and England manager endeavoured to warn his old club off.

Allardyce, remember, also signed Joey Barton - and what a great deal that has proved to be. Then there was the Czech David Rozehnal, quickly shipped out by Keegan after being exposed as embarrassingly out of his depth in the Premier League and Alan Smith who, when fit, has looked woefully ordinary.

In fairness the right-back, Habib Beye, Allardyce signed from Marseille is a good player, but while Mark Viduka is special the Australian striker is rarely fit and has hardly justified his mega wages. Cacapa meanwhile may once have been decent - but evidently not for quite a while.

Allardyce though was not just about employing a clinical psychologist and ordering Damien Duff to stop eating potatoes and pasta. Even more worryingly, he refused to speak to the BBC during his entire Newcastle tenure in the wake of that well documented Panorama programme relating to transfer dealings at Bolton during his time in charge at the Reebok and his son Craig's dealings as an agent. Whatever the rights and wrongs, whys and wherefores, of that Panorama investigation Allardyce should have been able to see a bigger picture and appreciate that his BBC ban reflected the misplaced arrogance of an essentially little man.

Ah yes, but he was such a good manager at Bolton, I hear you say. Well, perhaps, for a time if you like that sort of football, but in the second half of his final season at the Reebok Allardyce accrued less points than Roeder did at Newcastle. Bolton were on the slide and Freddy Shepherd, the chairman who hired Big Sam, failed to heed the alarm bells.

Of course working with Ashley and his extraordinary regime must have been far from easy - a fly on a wall listening to a three-way conversation between Allardyce, Keegan and Joe Kinnear would surely not go short of tasty gossip - but that is no excuse for the number of balls aimed at Michael Owen's throat or crashed into the corners.

This, after all, is a manager who spent a small fortune of Bolton's resources on buying that club a Cryopod. Built with materials garnered from Nasa this sci-fi contraption is essentially a chill chamber where the temperature is set at -130C. Four minutes inside will freeze your eyeballs, five will kill you but 30 seconds seemingly kids the body into thinking its dying and thereby prompts its regeneration. With Allardyce at the helm there was no hope of a Newcastle re-birth.

eagle eye

Tellingly Keegan repeatedly lamented his players' extraordinary lack of confidence and shortage of fitness.

The minute I read the above line I went no further. Its the fitness part of that line that is absolute rubbish, I am not getting into an argument with a bitter Newcastle fan(which you are) but try and find out about things and don't just believe everything you read
.

Sam Allardyce has long been respected for his fitness training regimes. So whoever wrote that pile of garbage has no clue what they are talking about. If Keegan said that then Ashley was right to keep a handle on him, because he is obviously suffering from delusions.

Xavi6

De Jong and Kameni on their way in too?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1118346/Its-Kaka-Milan-tell-Brazil-star-open-100m-City-talks.html?ITO=1490

It's up to you Kaka: Milan tell Brazil star he can open £100m talks and next on City hit-list is £15m midfielder De Jong

AC Milan have paved the way for Brazil star Kaka to complete a £100million move to Manchester City by giving him permission to speak to the Barclays Premier League club.

The Serie A giants have decided it is time for Kaka to go and, in a remarkable move, put the onus on him by stating on their own official TV channel that a deal was on.

Although the message implored Milan's fans to beg the 26-year-old to stay, it went on to suggest that 'this could be the right figure' due to the 'current harsh economic climate'.

Sportsmail can reveal that City are also close to another signing, that of Hamburg's Holland holding midfielder Nigel de Jong.

The 24-year-old is valued at £15m and City manager Mark Hughes sees him as the club's future anchorman after failing in bids to sign Scott Parker from West Ham and Lassana Diarra (now at Real Madrid) from Portsmouth.

But it is the Kaka deal that is the talk of football and in Italy Milan's latest move was seen as a clear indication that the club are preparing for the former World Player of the Year to leave.

Milan's TV channel also claimed Kaka would earn 20m euros a year after tax - the equivalent of £30m a year or £600,000 a week. Again, releasing such astounding details was seen as an attempt to gain the sympathy of their hugely passionate fans for allowing him to leave.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani was silent on the matter last night and Milan were quick to suggest the statement from the TV channel did not represent the club's official view. However, this was not being taken seriously in Italy.

Milan captain Paolo Maldini did weigh into the debate and suggested it would be a disaster for the club if Kaka left.

He said: 'This decision rests with the club but I can only stress that Kaka is very important to us and that his exit would be hugely negative.

'For me this deal sounds incredible. No player is worth this much, not even Cristiano Ronaldo. But Ricky [Kaka] has said nothing about this to us. He seems pretty calm about everything.'

Kaka is expected to feature for Milan at home to Fiorentina on Saturday night and Maldini warned City that they will have to offer his team-mate more than just money if they are to persuade him to leave.

Maldini added: 'I have known him for years and I am convinced he won't have his head turned just by the money. He is not like that.'
Kaka

Up to you: Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti is helpless over Kaka's decision to accept a money-spinning move

However, Bosco Leite, Kaka's father and representative, is expected to return to Milan from holiday in Brazil on Saturday in time for the game with Fiorentina and City are growing increasingly confident that they can tie up the deal.

City manager Hughes poured scorn on earlier suggestions that the club were about to pull out of the deal, while his assistant at Eastlands Mark Bowen revealed that Kaka was 'quite close' to giving the move his approval.

Hughes also insisted that he is the man driving this transfer rather than club owner Sheik Mansour, and said: 'This is a measured and calculated football decision that works for us and that's the reason we have expressed an interest in a player of the quality of Kaka.

'In the outset any thoughts about bringing a player of the quality of Kaka to the club has to start at a football level and that's obviously my level.

'I make my recommendations and then we try to pursue the process and see if we can get to a point where we feel can present something to a player's club and that's where we found ourselves this week.

'If people think this is being done above my head then they are being totally naive.'

In terms of City's pursuit of De Jong, the club are optimistic that they may finally be able to sign an international-class holding midfield player after three weeks of frustration.


De Jong spent four years at Ajax before moving to Hamburg in the summer of 2006. He has played 30 times for Holland.

City have a good relationship with Hamburg and signed De Jong's midfield partner Vincent Kompany from the club last summer.

Discussions with Blackburn and West Ham about Roque Santa Cruz and Craig Bellamy are ongoing but Hughes has warned that City won't wait for ever.

He added: 'Maybe as we get towards the end of the window, situations will change, people's attitude to deals will change.

'Maybe we will revisit or maybe we will walk away from some deals. That's for us to know and clubs to take the gamble with.'

City's move for Kaka won't tempt Arsene Wenger away from the 'real world', he admitted on Thursday.

The Arsenal manager believes the most important challenge for the football industry this year is for clubs to retain their fans as the recession bites, and made it clear he is reluctant to go higher than £10m in his bid for Zenit St Petersburg's Andrei Arshavin.

'England is losing 3,000 jobs every day,' said Wenger.

'Do you think that has no consequences on our game? You can hide that with Manchester City buying Kaka for £100m but that's an exception. It doesn't live in our world. We live in the real world.'

One piece of good news for City is that Robinho is definitely fit for Saturday's home game with Wigan after struggling with an ankle injury.

Espanyol, meanwhile, say keeper Carlos Kameni has a deal in place to join the Eastlands club.

The Cameroon captain is out of contract in the summer but City are reported to have had a £2.5m offer accepted.

Mark Hughes still has unsettled Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given in his sights.

keane2097

Don't know much about De Jong but Kameni is a fairly good keeper imo.

mayordenis

keane2097 wrote: »

Don't know much about De Jong but Kameni is a fairly good keeper imo.

On the other side of this I haven't seen a whole lot of Kameni but De Jong is class.

I guess that makes us Man City's Scouting team then.

ShoulderChip

Is de Jong the guy the entire irish commentary team kept insisting was like a basketball player during the Euros?

mayordenis

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Is de Jong the guy the entire irish commentary team kept insisting was like a basketball player during the Euros?

no that's not him one minute and I'll rumage for his name

done

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Engelaar

thusspakeblixa

Whatever about De Jong, but do City really need Kameni?
I would've said Joe Hart was a solid keeper, and brought up in the academy too.

mayordenis

thusspakeblixa wrote: »

I would've said Joe Hart was a solid keeper, and brought up in the academy too.

I guess every position for any ambitious club has to have competition.

Bubs101

mayordenis wrote: »

I guess that makes us Man City's Scouting team then.

They signed Kompany and are after Kameni. Champo is their scouting system. Expect them to make an offer for Cardenas soon

Headshot

Manucho is gone to Hull on loan

source ssn

great move for Manucho

should fit in there no bother

Hull are getting some good players this window

ShoulderChip

totenham and wigan have agreed a fee to bring palacios to spurs apparently.
goal.com

ShoulderChip

Kaka has his contract in his hands,

Man city have given him a take it or leave it offer and a deadline of today,
they will not be back in the summer if this falls through.

Headshot

leeds have rejected 2 bids from PL clubs for Fabian Delph

ShoulderChip

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

leeds have rejected 2 bids from PL clubs for Fabian Delph

They will have to pay all but the kitchen sink to get him



(is that funny it is an attempt at a bad delf pun)

PHB

Mourinho wants Jenas. Interesting move, maybe he thinks he'll be the person to finally unlock his potential.

premierstone

ShoulderChip wrote: »

They will have to pay all but the kitchen sink to get him



(is that funny it is an attempt at a bad delf pun)

There never too funny when you have to explain them

ShoulderChip

premierstone wrote: »

There never too funny when you have to explain them

I know its my curse,
I always insist on explaining my jokes, even If I get a laugh I have to make sure they are laughing at the same thing.

Headshot

West Ham United have rejected Craig Bellamy's request to leave the club in order to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Frisbee

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Kaka has his contract in his hands,

Man city have given him a take it or leave it offer and a deadline of today,
they will not be back in the summer if this falls through.

My bollocks they won't

ShoulderChip

did you read it?

Fratton Fred

Pompey bod for Pennant accepted by liverpool

http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=news

Vokes

PHB wrote: »

Mourinho wants Jenas. Interesting move, maybe he thinks he'll be the person to finally unlock his potential.

A straight swap for Adriano apparently.

JPA

{(-_-)}HeadShoT** wrote: »

Manucho is gone to Hull on loan

source ssn

great move for Manucho

should fit in there no bother

Hull are getting some good players this window

Manucho is good?

ShoulderChip

City have finally made an official offfer for de Jong - a great player

An Citeog

JPA wrote: »

Manucho is good?

No idea tbh. He had a great African Nations Cup and looked good for Panathanaikos any time he played but just hasn't been able to force his way into the United squad. Hopefully he'll get a bit of playing time at Hull and we can judge him then.

Frisbee

13.40 Hull City's swoop for experienced right-back Steve Finnan is reportedly off after he failed a medical.


Pity. Was looking forward to seeing him back in the Premiership...

Galvasean

Frisbee wrote: »

13.40 Hull City's swoop for experienced right-back Steve Finnan is reportedly off after he failed a medical.


Pity. Was looking forward to seeing him back in the Premiership...

Yeah, just not aginst Arsenal

Charlie

eagle eye wrote: »

Tellingly Keegan repeatedly lamented his players' extraordinary lack of confidence and shortage of fitness.

The minute I read the above line I went no further. Its the fitness part of that line that is absolute rubbish, I am not getting into an argument with a bitter Newcastle fan(which you are) but try and find out about things and don't just believe everything you read
.

Sam Allardyce has long been respected for his fitness training regimes. So whoever wrote that pile of garbage has no clue what they are talking about. If Keegan said that then Ashley was right to keep a handle on him, because he is obviously suffering from delusions.

Fat Sam is a stat fiend. Fitness certainly wasn't his forte at Newcastle, not when you consider that his signing policy revolved around the likes of Geremi, Viduka, and Cacapa. Duff was woefully short of fitness under Allardyce, and it was only this summer under Keegan, that Duff was back down to the weight he played with at blackburn.

But no, I am a bitter Newcastle fan who; true my blinded affection for Kevin Keegan, cannot see all of the marvellous wonders Sam Allardyce worked at my club. :rolleyes:

eagle eye

Charlie wrote: »

Fat Sam is a stat fiend. Fitness certainly wasn't his forte at Newcastle, not when you consider that his signing policy revolved around the likes of Geremi, Viduka, and Cacapa. Duff was woefully short of fitness under Allardyce, and it was only this summer under Keegan, that Duff was back down to the weight he played with at blackburn.

But no, I am a bitter Newcastle fan who; true my blinded affection for Kevin Keegan, cannot see all of the marvellous wonders Sam Allardyce worked at my club. :rolleyes:

So you gave a proven Premier League Manager 24 games to show himself in all competitions and he wins 8, draws 4, and loses 10 and thats it. What was Keegans record while he was in charge in '08?

Also this might show you what I'm talking about. I'm sure that if Keegan made that comment it was well into the woeful start at Newcastle when he returned and has pressure mounting.

Do you remember Big Sam at Bolton and the players he took on, most of whom looked past their best but got fitter and better all around and back to their very best or maybe even better in some cases than they ever were before. I'll remind you of a couple.

Ivan Campo, Youri Djokaeff, Jay Jay Okocha, Bruno N'Gotty, Kevin Davies, Gary Speed and of course Stelios(won't attempt to spell his last name).

Now how on earth does a manager who manages to improve these players and get them fitter manage to be suddenly accused of having unfit players when he is no longer at the club and the club is running bad. I just checked when this was said and it was March '08, two months after he left. Nice one KK, way to get yourself out of a bad corner.

Charlie

eagle eye wrote: »

So you gave a proven Premier League Manager 24 games to show himself in all competitions and he wins 8, draws 4, and loses 10 and thats it. What was Keegans record while he was in charge in '08?

Also this might show you what I'm talking about. I'm sure that if Keegan made that comment it was well into the woeful start at Newcastle when he returned and has pressure mounting.

Do you remember Big Sam at Bolton and the players he took on, most of whom looked past their best but got fitter and better all around and back to their very best or maybe even better in some cases than they ever were before. I'll remind you of a couple.

Ivan Campo, Youri Djokaeff, Jay Jay Okocha, Bruno N'Gotty, Kevin Davies, Gary Speed and of course Stelios(won't attempt to spell his last name).

Now how on earth does a manager who manages to improve these players and get them fitter manage to be suddenly accused of having unfit players when he is no longer at the club and the club is running bad. I just checked when this was said and it was March '08, two months after he left. Nice one KK, way to get yourself out of a bad corner.

We're only gonna go around in circles on this. So I will leave my contribution to the above, as I don't want to derail this thread further.