Our 30-year-old right-back, Habib Beye, was easily Newcastle’s player of the season last season on our web-site, with over 51% of our readers voting for him.
Habib Beye - Newcastle player of the season last year
Habib will return to Newcastle next week, like the rest of our remaining first team squad, for pre-season training, which starts on July 7th.
Habib is a great example of someone who can be bought for a reasonable fee and who has done a great job so far at Newcastle.
He was bought for a little over ₤2M, even though he was captain of French club Marseilles, and what a great buy he’s proved to be.
Beye – who has retired form international competition for Senegal, has had a good rest with his family in Paris over the summer, and is now looking forward to pulling on the famous black and white shirt of Newcastle, when the new season begins in August.
Hbaib is used to playing in front of passionate fans, and seems to just loving playing in front of the fans at St. James’ Park.
Habib talked to the Shields Gazette today:
“In England, the players have more respect from the fans.”
“In France, sometimes it is a little bit difficult, and in Marseilles, sometimes the fans are crazy, but it’s different in England.”
“It was very good to play in Marseilles, and it’s very good to play in Newcastle. I like the fans and I like the city, and together, we can do good things.”
“We will go away for the summer, and when we come back, we will be ready for the new season.”
Beye is a great player, and seems to just love playing for Newcastle, and the Newcastle fans have taken to him big time, because of his never-say-die attitude and excellent play last season.
Beye made 30 appearances, and scored one goal, for Newcastle last season and has proved to be a huge favorite with the passionate Newcastle fans, as he attacks often down the right wing.
All we need now are about 6 players, as good in quality as Habib, and a little younger, to complement our squad.
If you look at the players in our remaining squad on the official web-site, there’s good news and bad news as you look at who’s left.
The players left are nearly all our best performers, but we have only 20 players listed, and one of them is in jail.  
So we’ll need at least 6 new good players still to arrive in the summer.
And we can add young players like Andy Carroll (19), Ben Tozer (18), Kazenga Lua Lua (17), Tim Krul (20) and Tamas Kadar (18) to the first team squad, and the numbers will then be big enough, around 30, and the quality so much better than last year.
All we need now is to start bringing in the new players, and hopefully we can get a couple in next week, before pre-season training starts.
Comments welcome.
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60 responses so far ↓
1 stumpofthetoon // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:15
wall virginity done
2 Bill F SPLASH THE CASH ASH // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:18
And he was a last minute buy, lets hope we don’t wait as long for our next good one.
3 Ross R // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:23
Quite right Ed. Its his attitude that has impressed me most. Shame he isnt younger but still only 30 we should be able to get a good few years out of him yet.
4 toonfan1 // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:26
monday tuesday HABIB BEYE wednesday thursday HABIB BEYE friday saturday HABIB BEYE!!!
5 beye the great // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:37
and no.1 is habib beye
and no.2 is habib beye
and no.3 is habib beye
and no.4 is habib beye
we all dream of a team of habib beyes a team of habib beyes a team of habib beyes
and no.5 is habib beye
and n0.6 is habib beye
and no.7 is habib beye
and no.8 is habib beye
we all dream of a team of habib beyes a team of habib beyes a team of habib beyes
and no.9 is habib beye
and so on
p.s incase youre wondering my name was beye the great before this article was wrote
6 Yahya Ahmad // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:45
He’s class!
7 Reformed_Mumbler // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:50
He’s not class, he’s f’ class!
8 robertsa // Jun 28, 2008 at 17:53
its a shame the rest of our defense is crap we cdould have kept loads more clean sheets.
this summer get people who will suit beye ive said it loads the ugly lads rat cuellar collochini are the way to go
9 Danish_Magpie // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:02
I think we need to, if possible, phase Geremi out of the midfield and make him a backup for Beye if (hopefully never) he gets injured. I think Geremi is just a bit too slow and passing a bit too inaccurate to be a CM player… Not that those qualities are better at fullback, but sometimes it’s a simpler job to do, and Geremi does seem likable and like a leader in the dressingroom etc… and it saves us having to pick up a back-up RB.
So for defense, just bring in Shorey 3.5m and Coloccini 5-6m and we should be set:
LB:Shorey, Enrique
RB: Beye, Geremi
CB: Coloccini, Faye, Taylor, Edgar, (Cacapa)
Then we need to bring in a quality striker. I know he is most likely out of our league, but if Podolski is desperate to leave Bayern, at least try. However more realistically, my first priority is Milito. If no-go then move for Crouch - bid 12m and tell them we are not going higher, see if they bite. If not, then move on to Ashton. If he is unavailable, then perhaps Derdiyok would be a really good option. Let’s say we end up spending about 10m on a striker, and it leaves us with:
Owen, Oba, Crouch(or other), Carroll, Viduka
We would be fine for strikers. A bit of cash would be generated by the sale of Smith and Ameobi. Perhaps 7-8m combined..
GK situation is set with 2 quality experienced guys and 2 quality young keepers. Another check.
Midfield.. This is where our problems lie.
If noone comes in for Duff, N’Zogbia and Duff down the left. If we can get rid of Duffy, good, then N’Zogbia and Lua-Lua. RW we need to bring in someone: I suggest moving for Lennon. 6-8m might do it, as Ramos didn’t start him often. This settles our wings.
In the center of the park we only really have Butt. (Perhaps Barton but we cannot count on him) We therefore need to bring in a quality DM. I would say pay the big money and bring in Christian Poulsen or Nigel de Jong. 8m.
Bring in Baptista or Aimar to play the attacking mid position (very diff players, i know!) for 7-10m. Then bring in Kahlenberg as backup for the creative midfield. Should be cheap and a good, youngish, skillful player. 4m.
10 Pete // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:02
True professional, great buy. Please god, let’s get more of his type into the team
11 Tom_Toon // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:05
Coloccini 5-6mil? Double it.
12 Danish_Magpie // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:07
So IN:
Coloccini 5.5m
Shorey 3.5m
Lennon 6m
Poulsen/de Jong 8m
Aimar/Baptista 8m
Kahlenberg 4m
Crouch/Ashton/Milito/Derdiyok 10m
Total: 45m
Out:
Smith 5m
Duffy 4m
Ameobi 2.5m
Total 11.5m
Net spending 35m
Team:
……………………..Given……………………..
Beye………Faye………Coloccini…..Shorey
……………………..de Jong……………………
Lennon……………………………….N’Zogbia
…………….Baptista…………………………..
…………….Oba…………Owen………………
Subs:
Harper
Taylor
Butt
Milner
Derdiyok
With Viduka, Kahlenberg, Enrique, Geremi, Lua-Lua, Carroll, Edgar etc. stepping in when needed..
13 scott9 // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:10
we really need to start signing some players
lb
cb
dmf
attack mid
winger
striker e.g target man
i think they r the 6 positions we need and i think somethin like
cueller 6m
shorey 4m
makoun 10m
aimar 5m
lennon/larson 6m
wud love crouch cnt see it happening though
10m
14 Danish_Magpie // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:10
Tom_Toon you think Coloccini will be in the 10-12m range?? I don’t think so.. Maybe not 5m but i don’t think more than 8
15 Danish_Magpie // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:11
Scott9 we have similar ideas. Don’t mind the people on your list either, seem good. Those 6 and we’d look a whole lot stronger..
16 Tom_Toon // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:13
Yes, his club announced he wont be leaving for less than 10mil.
Makoun has already gone to Lyon.
17 Hadji // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:16
I hope Beye can play on his best till he’s 35-36 like Cafu,Maldini.
18 scott9 // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:24
o thats a shame i think makoun wud hav been a gud signing and could do whole lot better than playing in the french league i think we definaltey need a dmf that shud be a priorty i just cnt think of anymore who we hav been linked to apart from that senagason who i havent seen alot of i think sidwell wud hav been a great signing but its a shame we didnt go for him now hes gone to villa
19 Hadji // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:32
Tom Toon…When i think back i feel we made a mistake for not signing Duscher on free.He had a excellent season in Racing this year and he’s only 28.
20 Hadji // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:36
Daniele Desena is available for 4-6 mill euros.Now thats a player i would love to see in the Black & White shirt.
21 Tom_Toon // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:43
Everyone knew Duscher was quality but Fat Sam said he couldnt even jog for 30 mns or something stupid.
22 Hadji // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:54
Hey Tom,Benfica have a good chance of winning the league next season cause Porto’s having a huge clear out this summer.
Has anyone been linked with Sami Khedira lately?
23 Frankie Boy // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:57
One of the best in many a year.Pity we didnn’t get him a few years earlier.
11 Habib Beyes will do for me.
24 toooooon fan // Jun 28, 2008 at 18:57
Your not gonna believe this but kk and vetre were sat in the restaurant i work in last night and i overheard them talking about the signing of SWP and lennon as well
you heard it here first
25 Tom_Toon // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:00
I hope SWP doesnt come.
Benfica should have won the league this season, well on paper anyway. Sure Porto have Quaresma, Lucho and Lopez etc, Sporting have Moutinho etc. But overall quality throughout the squad Benfica win.
26 Hadji // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:03
tooooooooonfan what are on about vetre will not be in the country he is out scouting around th world, but i work at stjames’ and I did actually see SWP come out of the front doors
27 NUFCAl // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:18
SWP and Lennon doesn’t really make sense, one won’t want to come if they’ve seen the other’s signed.
I’d rather have Lennon than SWP, SWP is virtually in his prime now but there’s so much more we can get Lennon to improve on with loads of time to do it.
28 Ashton // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:20
I think he will play better in CB position
29 tanya toon // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:42
We need :-
RB
LB
2 CB’S
RM
2 CM (AT LEAST)
ST
THIS IS THE MINIMUM WE NEED!
30 Neville Brewis // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:44
Jolly good player this chap, we need to sign at least six more like him in terms of quality.
31 tom tomb // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:49
Sign Zhirkov and we will have the best full back pairing in the premiership! Wait for it HE’S not a lb - only kidding tom toon I am bored.
32 tom tomb // Jun 28, 2008 at 19:50
Zhirkov quality left mid!
33 Bill F SPLASH THE CASH ASH // Jun 28, 2008 at 20:20
Dr Who was a bit intense tonight changed a bit since I first started watching it in BW.
Didn’t we have Duscher on trial, bit of an animal I believe, rather have some one a bit more skillfull like Collocini. Still if he was cheap enough.
34 Leo // Jun 28, 2008 at 20:25
well my take on what positions need filling is
LB
RB
CB
RM
CM
CM
ST
left back and center back= kadar, tozer, edgar
right back- needed
RM Lua Lua, maybe someone else needed too since he is young
CM x2 is defo needed we have no one to step up there at all
ST its going to be derdiyok obviously
35 Leo // Jun 28, 2008 at 20:26
yes Dr Who was class, who is going to be the next Doctor?
maybe it is you Dr Bill F?
36 ToonKing // Jun 28, 2008 at 21:11
what a couple of shite’ days these were….transfer news wise…..
37 Bill F SPLASH THE CASH ASH // Jun 28, 2008 at 21:14
Leo if I was able to time travel I could perhaps change a few results in the past. Especially the ManU ones.
38 MAG PIE // Jun 28, 2008 at 21:20
This is my first comment on this site, which I’ve been enjoying for a few weeks now.
Firstly, I want to (controversially) stick up for Smith and Duff.
Neither have been played regularly enough to find form and ,in Smith’s case, he’s been played out of position. In pre season last year he looked good up front with Viduka. I think if the crowd keep of his back, he’s given a run up front and maybe scores an early season goal we could see the benefit. It would be like a new signing. Worth a try as no-one will be willing to take him off our hands on his current wages. One last thing about Smith - he gives 100%. Until recently it seems, that counted for a lot with NUFC fans. What’s changed? For me, if it’s Ameobi or Smith out, I would chauffeur Shola personally.
As for Duff, his form for Ireland has been good. He had bad luck with injury when he joined us. Like Smith, his attitude is good - he should be given a decent run out to prove himself.
Now - why does everyone keep saying that we need a left back? We need a right back more. Yes - Beye is fab but cracking on and we need cover now. Carr has gone (thank God) and Ramage (shame) and the only option we have is Tayls. At left back we have options in Edgar and Tozer.
What we need most of all is a creative midfielder like Emre but one who doesn’t keep falling over, feigning injury and also getting injured.
My team for 08/09 with alternatives in brackets
Harper (Given)
Beye (Geremi or new RB)
Taylor (Cacapa)
Faye (Edgar)
Enrique (Tozer or NZog if necessary)
Milner (Wright Phillips)
Van der Vaart (Bullard)
Sidwell (Butt)
Duff (NZog)
Smith (Viduka)
Owen (Martins)
We need to buy up and coming players like Derdiyok, Spear etc to push for places and if thr team don’t perform then the youngsters should be blooded early.
By the way - if we can still get Arshavin we should but VDV is the man - his set piece delivery is awesome.
Sidwell - yes I know he’s a money grabber but he is also the closest thing to Rob Lee I’ve seen and we should swallow our pride and get him.
Finally, if we can get shut of Barton we should - no matter what the cost - I don’t want him as a role model for my kids.
Thanks for reading
Does anyone agree with me?
39 Dan // Jun 28, 2008 at 22:01
what resteraunt tooooooooon fan?!?!
40 tom tomb // Jun 28, 2008 at 22:07
DAN-It would have been the Italian restaurant on ashes to ashes. He’s full of shi–.
41 Kash3 // Jun 28, 2008 at 23:16
I think Bye would make a great CB, especially against fast opposition strikers! We need more agile and quick defenders like him!
42 toonoot // Jun 28, 2008 at 23:25
Jay-Z needs moderating. What a heap of crap!
43 toonoot // Jun 28, 2008 at 23:27
swearing his heed off
44 Geordie Genius // Jun 28, 2008 at 23:37
BILL F YOU COULD PROBABLY DO WITH CHANGING YOUR PATTER -IF YOU TIME TRAVELLED.
45 richmondmag // Jun 29, 2008 at 0:21
anyone see the winehouse fight at glasto?
46 Hadji // Jun 29, 2008 at 0:36
Yo Hadji post number 26…could you please change your nick to Hadji 2 or something.Its not nice to have the same nick as i do.
47 Frankie Boy // Jun 29, 2008 at 1:45
We definately need a RB and LB as cover for Beye and Enrique. This would also provide the option should we need to have Beye cover as CB .
This leads me to add that Beye may end up being used as CB for last few seasons in his twilight years , undoubtably with great succes.
He must be in the running for the captaincy this season too, he was captain at Marseille. Nobody better I think
48 Danish_Magpie // Jun 29, 2008 at 8:09
MAG PIE,
I can actually see where you are going with your arguments regarding Smith and Duff. I do think has been pretty shite for us, but you are right he could be better for us this coming season. I don’t think Keegan will sell him either. The problem with Smith and Duffy is that they are on astronomical wages.. One thing I will have to disagree with you with is starting Smith over Oba!! Love Martins and his pace and unpredictaibllity is needed for us. I know that’s a pretty small attack, but at least Oba has a good leap on him. The rest of your team looks good, although we will struggle to get van der Vaart I think, and I still think we should bring in Shorey. Also if we can bring in a CB, great.
49 Rosco // Jun 29, 2008 at 9:20
Beye is mint one of my all time fave signings…
Its a shame Ginola and pedro arnt 15-20 years younger!
50 toooooon fan // Jun 29, 2008 at 9:36
@dan
I work in chinese place in the town centre- the meedou
51 Hadji // Jun 29, 2008 at 9:38
Yo Hadji post number 46…could you please change your nick to Hadji 2 or something.Its not nice to have the same nick as i do.
52 The Entertainers // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:01
@ Mag Pie
A lot of what you have written, i too have written in the past and agree with most of your comments.
Smith does deserve a chance and i think more importantly Keegan does. However i’m not sure whether he should start and still believe we need another target man just to freshing up the attack and have competion, as Smith is adaptable and can play in a withdrawn role, while we know The Duke will get injured. (Derdiyok would be great)
I can see you point about the right back, but would prefer 2 new CB. We need experienced CB there for the competion again and would love to see Evans for the future / now! we do have players who can adapt and play the RB and LB roles if needed.
Your comments on midfield are interesting, yes i could bite the bullet on Sidwell, not sure Kev wants him though, but we desperately need a holding midfielder and even more so the position which i think we will find the hardest to fill is the creative midfielder role. Many names have been thrown around on this blog and would love to see most of them at SJP.
Interesting times ahead, look forward to reading your comments again.
53 Hadji // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:04
What are you, a parrot or something.I’ve been on this blog since day 1 and no way i will change my nick.
54 Mac // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:51
Give Smith a chance? WHAT!
The bloke is the worst football I have ever seen. At least Shola can find the net.
28 Games for Toon, zero Goals.
41 games for Manure, 9 goals.
211 games for Leeds, 58 goals.
The bloke will never be a decent enough player for NUFC and would people please stop saying “but he gives 100%”, as that alone does not win football matches.
Talking about Duff, there is a reason why Chelsea took a £12m loss on him, because he was finished and they shifted him.
55 Hadji // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:55
@ 53- You have no proof of that, do you?
56 chuck // Jun 29, 2008 at 12:10
Beye = CLASS, wish he were 5 years younger.
As far as using Geremi as a backup for him,what are you smoking dude?
And as far as some of the posts regarding Smith, puhlease!
get rid of him immediately if not sooner.
57 chuck // Jun 29, 2008 at 12:31
Oh yeah, forgot to add think Jonny Evans could be the perfect replacement for Beye, could `nt have a better role model.
Perhaps the new rightsided Alf McMichael, Who?
58 Dane // Jun 29, 2008 at 13:22
the way its looking team this year
Given
beye taylor faye enrique
geremi butt barton
viduka owen martins
team for next year
Given
beye taylor faye enrique
geremi butt barton
viduka owen martins
maybe with the exception of barton
59 Ausgeordie // Jun 30, 2008 at 0:57
its a Hadji fight!!!!! I love it “Do you have proof”??!! Yeah cause we all screen save this blog of the sake of posterity. Im with Hadji 53…the original Hadji
60 Scoot // Jun 30, 2008 at 17:29
Its a great pity Beye is 31, just wish he was 21. I would give Steven Taylor a chance to develop as a RB as I dont rate him as a CB, he will cost us goals and points galore as he has done all season. I would like to see Evans come in and both him and Edgar be groomed as long term CB’s with Kadar and Tozer backup. Of course an experienced CB is needed like Faye to bring the young guns on.
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