Right, new fixture list is out so time for a new thread. First things, first, what will our squad look like come 18th August (or even 31st August, when the window shuts)?
Demba ba will be gone, there will be much discussion of Cisse, but hopefully it will amount to nothing. I can see Cabaye being a hot topic if he does well in the Euros. As Usual, Spurs will assume NUFC are a feeder club and start destabilising key players.Personally, Im happy if we do manage the budget well and make a bit of money whilst keeping the core squad intact - unlike the manchester lot, we need to ensure we balance the books to make things sustainable. 3x fixtures against London clubs in May - these could be a killer for us/ them
So I never made to Chemnitz - a 1-0 defeat by the Jurmans against what looked like a NUFC reserve squad, though a few of the bigger names did pop up towards the end.New boy Gael Bigirimana , just signed from Coventry got a run out as well. Pardew is hinting at progress in the transfer market, but as long as we add a player or two and keep the better ones on board, Im happy Still early days tho - New bindipper and Hotspurs bosses will invariably be looking to cover up their managerial shortfalls by eyeing established and blooded toon players and laying out slabs of cash. Toon Toon !
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18850955 NUFc to see if they can take Carroll on loan..........lol at the liverpools
Denied It's difficult: I like him, think he's got something to offer, and I did like having a 'proper' Geordie No. 9, but... we've got a Senegalese No. 9 now, and a pretty handy Senegalese No. 19 too, both of whom want to play down the middle; where would Andy fit With the Europa League to think of it certainly would be useful to be able to rotate them, and there's the ACON in Jan/Feb 2013, but would any of the three of them be happy with that?
the delightful Talksport seem to think AC to the toon is nailed on - year loan + buy option - seems that the pools still owe money, so it may be on teh cards
Guardian say they want £20m for him (Liverpool want £20m, not The Guardian... ). Not sure I can see us paying that. Not sure I can see many clubs paying that to be honest.
There is also the fact that Liverpool are paying him 80'000 a week I'd like to see him at Newcastle but not as a big money transfer on a massive salary. If they were going to pay 20m and a massive salary they could probably get the best player in the Argentina or Brazil league or one of the best players in Bundesliga etc
Cant see Ashley paying that kind of money each week on a permanant basis - hes trimmed to wages down to probabaly/ relatively manageable levels
That, sadly, is very true. Romantic swashbuckler says buy 'im, pragmatic businessman says it would be a ludicrous purchase at those prices.
Although, this could be the summer's big spun-out story, which a) would be quite fun (because we don't desperately need him, so won't matter too much either way for us) and b) distract from the Ba situation...
I really like Mike Ashley's business model, I'm tempted to send him my Football Manager team since I've forgiven him If Newcastle are going to shell out I think that the big gaping hole is centre-back. Colo and Taylor are both good players but Taylor is always getting injured and Collocini is not going to be able to play more than one more season as well as he has been last 2 years
As posted on the other Carroll thread: Latest is we're preparing an improved bid of £16m So, quite possibly some legs in this yet. Personally I wouldn't like to see us pay much more for him, particularly if we hang onto Ba and Cisse. I appreciate that's a sizable "if" though. Just realised though, headline writers all over will be happy: Andy, Ba, Cisse...
Rubin Kazan are after our man, but we say none of it! Apparently the £7m clause ends at the end of this month, which is a week today. Cross yer fingers... In other news: Vive le Toon.
I read about that today, I was thinking that 7m for Ba would be another amazing piece of business. He is a really classy player, but we got him for free because his knee could go and then he will have to retire at some point, that could happen tomorrow. If I was Fat Mike I'd be secretly phoning up PSG and Rubin and saying you can have him for 5 if you pay the whole fee now.... Even if he's healthy all next season he'll have to go to the African Cup again in January when everyone is getting tired Spend the 5m on some Clockwork Orange treatment for Nile Ranger
"Spend the 5m on some Clockwork Orange treatment for Nile Ranger" very apt, considering wot im watching at the minute
not a bad punt for the hams. if hes shit next season, then all they have to do is to fabricate a relegation and they are off the hook for £17M. Actually, they may not have to work too hard on the relegation bit of the plan
Demba Ba is still with us, yes? Edit: good to see our signings are young, upcoming players. Much as it would be fun for Carroll to come home, especially if meant a whopping loss to Liverpool, I'm not keen on over-priced, overpaid, poorly-performing talent, with a lot expected of them.
I read somewhere that he is getting 10% of Rangers for 5m pounds, plus he gets the kits merchandising thing, that looks like an amazing deal for Ashley/Sports Direct, he'll probably make 5m back on shirts this season Not sure about the loan thing though, would the Premier League reserves not be more competitive than the Scottish 4th division or whatever division Rangers were banished to?
Thought we were a bit lucky there, but good to get off to a winning start. My (Spurs-supporting) mum wasn't very happy...
