Here are the major news stories associated with the Newcastle club for today – in no particular order of priority.
The highlight (if you can call it that) for us today is that it would appear that we have missed out on the transfer of Habib Beye – which at one time looked very much like happening. Habib has stated he is happy at Marseilles and wants to stay there – cannot argue much with that.
Good news about young Charles N’Zogbia our potential star in the making is that Sam has already formed a bond with him and taken him under his wing so to speak. Exactly what Charles needed – someone to show confidence in him – unlike Roeder last season who seemed to blame Charles for Newcastle’s bad (or should we say insipid) performances during the last 10 games of the season. West Ham and Bolton are both after N’Zogbia but there’s no way Sam is going to let Charles go – that’s great.
- Unfortunately it looks like Newcastle may have missed out on the transfer of Marseilles defender and Sengalese International defender Habib Beye. Sky Sports ran an interview from Habib in which he says he wants to stay at Marseilles and is excited by their improving team. Interesting that he doesn’t even mention Newcastle. We have two reports on Habib this morning – an early report suggesting Beye was holding out for a better deal and a later report in which we think that we have lost out on Beye’s transfer. That’s life – win some lose some – but now Sam and Chris Mort have to press on with our other defensive targets – and there are many of these.
Habib Beye – missed out?
- A good story today on young Charles N’Zogbia. West Ham and Bolton are both said to be interested in the young Frenchman. But news is that Sam has already impressed the left winger with talks between them in Austria and Sam made it known that Charles is very much wanted by the club. We think that’s exactly what Charles wanted to hear and news from Austria last week was that Charles was giving everything in training. Charles can really benefit from Sam’s coaching and man-management skills and we think Charles knows that. Watch for Charles coming back to his best next season when he should be given a run of games in the first team while Damien Duff is out injured. Look what young James Milner produced last season when confidence was shown in him by the club. Go for it Charles.
Charles N’Zogbia – inspired by Sam?
- One of our young players we let go last season – Michael Chopra – is back in the news. After his excellent season last year at Cardiff – where he scored 22 goals for the Welsh club – he now looks to be leaving Cardiff. Of all clubs – Sunderland – have bid £5M for Michael and the deal looks like it will go through. Pity we don’t give our young players more of a chance – hopefully we will start doing that under Sam – but Sam wasn’t noted for that at Bolton. But it’s great for Michael and shows he has guts – as he fought to rescue his career last year. Seems like he was successful
Michael Chopra
- The takeover by Mike Ashley of Newcastle United PLC continues to go smoothly as Mike has now amassed 95% of the club’s shares. Mike’s company St. James’ Park Holdings will now execute an automatic purchase of the remaining 5% of shares – and the whole deal is expected to be wrapped up sometime next month. We have been impressed with both Mike and Chris Mort – by the way they have supported Big Sam during this time. It is obviously important to rebuild our squad and they all seemed to have worked well as a team – and we think this augers well for the future of Newcastle under Mike, Chris and the always hard working Sam Allardyce.
Newcastle Owner Mike Ashley
- Here’s some funny (or even stupid) football quotes for today – – this is to lighten up the day 😀
‘I’d like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona.’ – Mark Draper
‘The opening ceremony was good, although I missed it.’ – Graeme Le Saux
‘I faxed a transfer request to the club at the beginning of the week, but let me state that I don’t want to leave Leicester.’ – Stan Collymore
‘One accusation you can’t throw at me is that I’ve always done my best.’ – Alan Shearer
‘We lost because we didn’t win.’ – Ronaldo
We always appreciate your comments on these stories.
24 comments so far
Kash
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:01 PM
Comment #1It’s been suggested that Habib Beye saga is a smokescreen as Big Sam is tying up loose ends on Deco’s transfer. Personally, I don’t think we need another right-back, unless we get rid of Carr. We certainly need atleast 1 centre-back and 2 left backs.
I’m also reading that Ljungberg is going to Fiorentina in exchange for Bojinov, who was tracked by Wenger before he joined Fiorentina. They’ve signed Sagna and have now got loads of players to play at right back. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eboue promoted to the wings (especially as he can’t defend) and Bojinov as the additional striker. If thats the case, Martins will stay (If that is a good thing or a bad thing, remains to be seen?!)
Wizdomite
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Comment #2I didn’t realise Bojinov was part of the arsenal deal. If the deal Kash says goes through, I reckon thats good for us cos I would prefer we kept Martins. Arsenal would then have the standard 4 strikers in Van Persie, Bojinov, Da Silva and Adebayor and therefore it’s unlikely that Arsene will come looking for Martins.
PS. Anyone also shedding a few tears over Chopra going to join the Keane revolution? I really used to like that kid. Sniff.
chris
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Comment #3chopra is a geordie?! how could he!
nightfall
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Comment #4about chopra – he’s a football player who wants a decent career…and i think picking sunderland is a smart move for him to develop as a player… they’re premiership side, he’ll get first team football and he’ll work with R.Keane…
we didn’t give him a chance so…leave him alone…
Good luck!
Wizdomite
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Comment #5Oh aye, I’m all for him having premiership football – a good result for the lad who worked hard at Cardiff. If he gets the makems relegated I’ll be dead happy! Looking back at it, why on earth Chops wasn’t given more of a chance I’ll never know – he was immense in the reserves and we had crocked strikers in our first team who needed the surgeons knife! I say good luck to him. But not to sunderland.
Kash
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Comment #6We’re bound to have sell on clause for Chopra. I think he’ll jump at the chance to come home considering his family is still in Newcastle. His dad has a shop in Dunston, Gateshead. He’s a good player, but maybe didn’t get the development required to become a top player. If Bobby had stayed, I think Chopra could have been leading our line today!
Ed Harrison
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Comment #7Kash – think you’re right – there’s no way Sam is going to spend more than 3 days trying to get Habib – maybe he’s trying to tie up Deco – who remains a possibility for us – plus I hope he’s after other defenders.
Ed Harrison
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Comment #8Chopra is another example of how hoepless we have been with out young kids. He never got a chance at newcastle. We sell him for 500K and one season klater he’s a 5M player – we have to stop this sort of nonsense at Newcastle. Also watch for O’Brien doing well in the next year or so. Michael wanted to stay at Newcastle but we’d only offer him a one year contract last year – pathetic piece of business – shame on you Roeder and Shepherd.
Kash
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Comment #9I like the idea of us signing “Fanni”, (no…. not another Kluivert, Viana, Robert or Marcelino. I’ll ignore Luque as Big Sam might turn him into a class player again. Like the one that destroyed us on numerous occassion when we clashed horns with Depor). Apparently Fanni is the new Thuram, even if he is as half as good, and his type of attitude, then he’d fit in perfectly.
bon jovi
Jul 11, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Comment #10DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO DECO… BEST TEAM IN THE NORTH EAST?? I THINK SOO!!!!
😀
nightfall
Jul 11, 2007 at 1:31 PM
Comment #11deco? i’m not sure about him…he could do great or maybe he’ll suck… personally i’d never go after 29+ player from spain or south africa…
Ed Harrison
Jul 11, 2007 at 2:01 PM
Comment #12think Deco would help us – he’s better than what we have right now.
Joe
Jul 11, 2007 at 2:31 PM
Comment #13Deco would be a great sigining if he can adapt. He really is a quality player.
Joe
Jul 11, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Comment #14signing*** 😀
Jamie
Jul 11, 2007 at 3:17 PM
Comment #15I would just like to congradulate chopra, when he played for us always broke his balls for everything.
scored goals at reserve level relitivly consistantly and when he got offered a crap deal offered to him he said no, as everyone would have!!
never really got a chance, does anyone else understand buying luque for near 10m and letting a player of infintly better attitude and promising abilty go for 500k??????????????????? souness was the beggineing of a tough 3 years for us, i just hope sam will be more patient with lads like charlie, milner, carroll etc
Nufc for the champions league DECO’s a legend
sean
Jul 11, 2007 at 5:08 PM
Comment #16speaking about deco…is there any transfer update yet?
Arthur Prince
Jul 11, 2007 at 6:17 PM
Comment #17For Gawds sake I hope Andy Carroll is kept on .He is surely another of the Talented youngsters who must NOT be let go . The future is also about developing talented youngsters like Carroll and Lua Lua , Huntington etc . I do hope the Academy is nutured as much as it should be . There is real talent for the future there I am sure BSA realises that also
Arthur Prince
Jul 11, 2007 at 6:18 PM
Comment #18Good luck Chops ! But not at our expence Eh !!!!
Arthur Prince
Jul 11, 2007 at 6:21 PM
Comment #19BSA seems keen on bringing back Luque from the extensive lists of waste of transfer fees !! I would love to see him play to his previous potential .
Lee Smith
Jul 11, 2007 at 7:51 PM
Comment #20I read a chopra profile on some site or another a couple of years ago.
It had details of his record as a goalscorer from when he was more or less a nipper.He had been awesome at each level and i couldnt believe they were letting him go.sure , he had a few chances , but never a run.its a shame for us and chops too.Im sure he,d rather be playing for us this season.
Still , He,s done the best he can with the situation ..fair play .good luck.!
nightfall
Jul 11, 2007 at 8:11 PM
Comment #21we made the same mistake, barcelona did with saviola… but f*&^ck it…chopra or no chopra, we are still competitve…and that’s what’s important…
nightfall
Jul 11, 2007 at 8:23 PM
Comment #22….we all know chopra is not some great player…but he’s skillful…and he wouldn’t complain if he’d be a backup player…
Shearer 4 pm
Jul 11, 2007 at 10:01 PM
Comment #23i have heard bout no less than 5 barca players coming in and all could happen
deco – well we all know that one
edmilson – as above
Gudjohnson – as above
Motta – mates with edmilson and available for 4 mil
Thuram – longterm target of sam barca jus brough milito, surplus to requirements ?
what do you reackon plz comment
WelshWizard
Jul 11, 2007 at 10:34 PM
Comment #24Thuram would be a ‘big signing’ that i’d love to see at the Toon, but isn’t he about 48 or summat now????