Steve Harper thinks Newcastle United need just 3-4 new players to come in during the summer and we’ll be a much better side next season.
Steve Harper – thinks Newcastle need just 3 -4 new players
Steve Harper talked to the Newcastle Journal this morning:
“Kevin has lit the place back up again, which is what he does. You saw with the reaction he got after the Chelsea match what the people here think of him,â€
“We need three or four players to improve the squad and push us back into the top half of the table, just to see how far up we can go. We look forward to the summer.”
“The manager has gone on record saying that we’ve got a good quality squad, but just not enough strength in depth for the winter months, when there are a few players in the treatment room and you need a couple of players in every position.”
“That’s what we’ve got to try and get. It’s been a positive couple of months.â€
Well said Steve. At least Steve is still positive about how we have done in the last several weeks, and the fact we can still have a very good season next year.
But we will not come anywhere near to winning the Premier League – but we don’t expect to.
We’re also not sure what an additional 3-4 players means exactly, because by our reckoning we could lose up to 7 players from our existing squad, so how will these players be replaced? The squad, by Kevin’s own admission is already too small.
We shouldn’t think it’s all doom and gloom on Tyneside – it isn’t – in fact far from it.
Comments welcome.
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21 comments so far
Nev
May 7, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Comment #1pompey have just said sol campbell is leaving on a free in summer
what would everyone make to signing him on a one/two year deal
hes 33 and keegan has worked with him at england … sounds good in my opinion
what everyone esle think ?
obafemimartins
May 7, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Comment #2he is good but i would only have him for year cos his legs will be gone after that
shearer
May 7, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Comment #3Get rid of the -, and that is closer to how many players newcastle need to challenge teams like boro.
Taiwantoon
May 7, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Comment #4We have quite a few leaving in the summer from a already small squad. only 3-4 new players will be a big surprise to me, to be honest.
Gooderz
May 7, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Comment #5Campbell on a one year with a second optional year would be a good deal, maybe even a future coaching role if he is interested/good enough.
We would really need another CB with some pace about him then otherwise players like Torres and Ronaldo will rip us to pieces.
The 3-4 players are probably the experienced players whose abilities are fully known, but perhaps lost their way a little. The deficit shall consist of the ‘development players’ Allardyce mentioned when he was in charge.
All this should mean that in about 5 years time, the development players are entering their prime years, and our youngsters are starting to fully establish themselves in the team giving us a great squad.
sirjasontoon
May 7, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #6Conspiracy theories abound today in the media about Keegan and my feelings are he will walk very very soon.
I think it is clear Keegan was brought in under the impression he would control the majority of dealings with regards player recruitment and have a decent pot of transfer money to re-build the team that is clearly not the case from what I am seeing.
Communication at the club seems to be non existant at present and the saying “too many cooks”springs to mind.
Keegan even mentioned recently that he has no communication with Ashley that can not be very productive can it?
Like I have stated in earlier blogs Owen and Martins will be off and Keegan will be off as well.
Steve Harper saying we need 3-4 players is I think way off the mark as the squad has shrunk by that many in 1 day.
So lets forget about the “war chest” it is not going to happen and lets focus on signing 14 year old academy goalkeepers which wise and his “team” seem to be very good at.
Jimmie
May 7, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Comment #7With the squad already small and 3 players just left and a couple more to follow them out it looks like we will need about 10 new players, but maybe just 3 or 4 who can go strait in to the starting eleven. Van der Vaart, Diego, Bridge and Elmander/Gomis as first teamers and Kevin Nolan. Nicky Shorey, Giles Barnes, Bousouffa and some young guns as backup players.
Sirgeorgemilburn of stjames(aka Eric)
May 7, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Comment #8Too pessimistic sirjason. I think Campbell would be a useful addition. What about Diarra too. I reckon 4 to 5 incomings would give us just about enough in depth. It seems KK and Sadler have a lot of confidence in the reserves too. We may get a better idea if we try and work out the squad numbers that will come up for grabs.
Nev
May 7, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Comment #9i rekon we will sign around 3-4 first team players of good quality … but not replace the likes of carr, ramage and troisi
it seems the likes of tozer, kadar and lualua may be used as squad players and firts teamers in 2-3 years
i dont see a “world class” signing this summer tho
Viper
May 7, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Comment #10My thoughts re SC are that yes, he’s a good CB with plenty experience, but I thought he said somewhere a while back that he’s not keen on move to the north. If that’s his case, thanks but no thanks.
I hope MO OM & KK stay. Yes it was almost hard to hear his sharp shift in beliefs post chelsea, why is only worrying. He’ll go well down in football world if packs in after few months irrespective of board etc.
3 down, many more than 3 neeed. Small squad been complaint for too long. Remedy. Please.
Sirgeorgemilburn of stjames(aka Eric)
May 7, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Comment #11Available squad numbers may indicate something. Number 4 (Rozzer) will need filling. So will unassigned 2 and 8. Barton will keep 7 if he escapes the nick. Ameobi’s 23 will need filling as may Diatta’s 15 and hopefully Smith’s 17. What about Cacapa’s number 6? It seems that 2, 4, 8, 12 are needing to be filled. Tozer, Lua Lua, Baheng and Carroll already have first squad numbers and Kadar, Zamblera and Soderberg listed as squad but needing numbers confirmed. It looks like 4 players to come in. A RB (2), a CB (4), a CM (8) a winger (12?). Not that numbers seem to mean much anymore. Any ideas anybody?
GM
May 7, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Comment #12@sirjasontoon – do you work for the southern press…? as they are stirring the same crap that you are talking on here.
As usual no foundation to anything in the press they are still pi55ed that they didnt see KK returning to the club. Wonder how many chats avram grant has with abramavich or fergie has with glazier, or benitez has with hicks et al… probably the same amount as KK and MA. Mort is the chairman and he will have the budget set out based on the clubs finances plus whatever MA fancies throwing in the pot, with no debt this year (for the first time in many years) plus renewed season ticket sales due to KK and some optimism around the place that we might be watching good football next season will go a long way to provide a decent transfer fund alone. so its irrelevant whether KK speaks to MA or not, like I said at the start southern press and outsiders wanting to stir shite about the club as they do not like us.
Leo
May 7, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Comment #13well with 7 ppl leaving you would have thought that we will need at least 7 people in but i think otherwise
ramage was never really a part of the first team
neither was diatta
neither was triosi
carr was just a pie eater and barely in the squad but he needs replaced
nzogbia needs replaced
ameobi never there this season really but the fact that smith is so below standard would mean we need to bring a good replacement in
cacapa needs replaced though
but looking at our reserves we have
forster
edgar
tozer
kadar
lualua
bageng
carroll
all of these players could bring something to the squad next season so i dont think we need loads of players in, just a quality center midfielder would be the start for me
veloso would be my prefered target
Bill F
May 7, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Comment #14Cambell would be a good buy, rather have him than the ManC carthorse.
newcastle is a dump
May 7, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Comment #15newcastle are pap and will not attract decent players. you are a team going nowhere. campbell wnt leave pompey for the looney toon. According to talk sport this morning, diarra and cuelar are off to spurs so that is 3 more of your tagets gone. Back to the drawing board. At least you wont be challenged for barnes and dunne
Malcolm Powder
May 7, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Comment #16Wish Harper would shut up personally and leave the buying to the management.
I disagree totally with him as it happens and think that we need 10 in and 12 0ut from the current squad. Six first teamers and 4 squad players.
OUT..
Given ..does not dominate box. Over rated
Carr
Cacapa
Rozehnal
Duff
Geremi.. too slow
Smith… no comment
Troisi
NZogbia… doesn’t seem to want to be here
Ameobi
Emre… injury prone waster
Diatta
SAS
May 7, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Comment #17Leo, good point well made
Leo
May 7, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Comment #18to the spurs fan who states the fact that cuellar and diarra are going to the toon and it would be 3 more players newcastle have lost to you… firstly diarra was a target of sham alardyce secondly when does one add one equal 3…
you go to a special school for special people?
and if you are trying to include modric in the 3 then it would be 4 so dont try and state that you fool
Leo
May 7, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Comment #19not going to the toon i meant ofcourse.
autibo
May 7, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Comment #20I really wish these spurs tossers would disappear back into the woodwork (where they were before they won that shandy cup)
The simple fact is that these pricks would’ve loved to have signed parker, smith, owen, martins (and probably still would in the case of the latter duo)
Toon can and will get some good players in, and it WILL be under keegan’s management. Lets leave these southern ponces to write their trash and not let it affect us. KK’s comments were simply realistic – we cannot challenge Manure, Chelski and co for the big players. But the fact is neither can spurs!! A fact these sad barstewards will not admit to, but they know it deep down.
Nothing wrong with losing out to other clubs on top players – I’d rather that than not even bother trying for them and going for the likes of diarra, riise, bridge etc. Make a cheeky bid for Van Der Vaart and Diego, we might not get them but so what?? If we can’t get them there are plenty of other fish in the sea. Get Arshavin signed up, make Cuellar sign, and another couple who will once again get us playing and competing. Robinson, Lennon, Jenas 🙂 Woodgate, Malbranque, Hutton have all looked gash since their move to that club that has never competed in the champions league …..
Get over yourselves Spurs, concentrate on your own problems instead of trying to buy your way out of trobule year after year…even we’ve finally learned our lesson about that. Let’s spend our money trying to get our youth academy to the level of Arsenals – the number one team in north london!!!
Ausgeordie
May 8, 2008 at 1:51 AM
Comment #21Spurs are gay….nuff said