It seems to be all gloom and doom for Newcastle these days, well at least as far as the gossip press is concerned – so what’s new?
Nicky Butt – his experience vital for next season
But we can still do well next year depending on who we can bring in during the remaining 27 days of this summer’s transfer season.
We should be getting Fabricio Coloccini in some time this week, and we must get a left-back in after that, as the next highest priority.
If we can then get a good central midfield play-maker and a striker – we’ll be in good shape. That will be 7 new players in during the summer, not too bad.
And it’s becoming clear that we will need all of midfielder Nicky Butt’s experience and guile this coming season.
Nicky played great for Kevin at the end of last season.
He’s also probably as fit as he’s ever been, with the grueling fitness regime Kevin has ensured was in place during the summer.
Butt, the former England international and Manchester United star, talked about how bad last season was – for everybody concerned with the club to The Times today:
“Last season was embarrassing for us and it wasn’t nice “Last year was a failure. We didn’t perform well and we finished right down the bottom (end) of the table. This year we have to improve and get back up the table where we should be.â€
“Going off last year’s finish it is not something to be proud of. Finishing down there hurts. It hurt me and the rest of the lads, they feel that as much as me. We were thinking, ‘What if we had done this or won that game’. It could happen to anyone.â€
“It will be a tough year because every club is improving, everyone is throwing money at it and getting better, buying better players. We have to keep up with that. If you stand still you can go backwards.â€
“The manager is obviously very upbeat around the place,†“Fitness-wise it (pre-season) is pretty much the same year in, year out. It is not nice but you have to do it. He tried to keep a smile on our faces while we did it and it worked out well.â€
“This year’s was very difficult. He wants the fittest camp he’s every had, and that was the emphasis. The fitter we are the better we will be so it was harder. Now we are getting into the games so that is better.â€
“He is bubbly, he knows the club inside out and knows what he wants and what the team needs. Everyone has admiration for him. You listen to him when he speaks.â€
“He has been there and done it as a player and manager and when you have that it is only good for the club. It is important to get the right man in charge of such a big club with such high expectations.â€
“We have not put a target on it, but I am sure the coaching staff have,†“Success has to be firstly to do better than last year. But success would be to be in the mix for the European places.â€
We had mistakenly quoted Nicky as saying at the end of his comments “His hands must be untied”
This was an error and Nicky did not say this – we apologize for the error.
The best thing the club has going for it is Kevin Keegan, let’s be honest.But even he needs support in the transfer market, and unless we get another 4 good players in, we’re not giving Kevin a fair enough crack of the whip.
But we think he’ll get that support in the remaining days of August – he must!
Comments welcome.
90 comments so far
IrishMan
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Comment #1“His hands must be untied”. How about an Indian key?
SingaporeToon
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Comment #2I hope kev hands will be untied too ed, i really do. However optimism seems harder to find these days. Fingers crossed though.
SAMTHECAT
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Comment #3Nicky should be careful he might get called down for a meeting in London with our esteemed owner.
The left back situation is getting beyond a joke-how about Quedrue-hasnt got a club has he-has premiership experience-wouldnt cost anything.
ToonEskimo
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Comment #4Why don’t some of the players have a whip round and give Kev a few mill to spend, I’m sure they can afford it, Butt while quite shocking in parts during his toon career was one of the few to come away with any credit after last seasons debacle, I just wonder how long those ginger haired legs will keep him upright?
Shearer#1
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Comment #5I’m hearing that the mackems have bid for Nicky Shorey. WTF is going on? We need a left back. Why won’t we pay £4m for him? & we should put bids in for Arshavin & Moutinho while Spuds & Everton are delaying their moves.
The Second Coming
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Comment #6I’ve just read a True-Faith article that just about sums up everything that’s been on my mind about Newcastle United over the last month or so.
See what there is to disagree with this:
http://www.true-faith.co.uk/html/tbawe.htm
If anyone from True-Faith is reading this, I’d love to know what response you’ve had.
Keep on keeping on!
Anyone from this blog got any comments?
51times
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Comment #7That last line fills me with dread.
SAMTHECAT
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:33 PM
Comment #8Can i endorse the Moutinho bid-here is a player on the same level as Modric-in the same position-for the same fee-probably for less wages and only Everton seem interested so we have a decent chance of getting him-he is also the right age. Now is there any reason why we are not interested?
Shearer#1
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Comment #9Exactly SamTheCat! Ashley was willing to pay £16m for Modric & Moutinho’s better than Modric IMO, similar kind of player to Fabregas. & if he’s willing to join Everton, he’ll join us coz we’re a bigger club. We need young, creative central midfielders who can dictate games. He would supply Owen & Martins with loads of chances.
AndyNUFC
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Comment #10WHY THE F*CK DO WE NEED TO WASTE TIME AND MONEY ON A LB WHEN WE HAVE BASSONG?!
Top priorities are a striker, playmaker, and somebody else.
Personally i’d sell Smith and Ameobi for £6-7M… Spend £5.5M on Derdiyok and £1.5-2M on Paquet, deadly and young strike force. £.5M net spend in those transactions.
spitzoid
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Comment #11I don’t think we need another LB. Apparently Bassong can player there and we have also got Tozer/Kadar in the reserves. Another LB would just serve to unstabalise Enrique and knock his confidence, hindering his progress. Like I said we have 2/3 others who can cover.
Or main priorety should be an AM and then ST.
Danny
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Comment #12In my opinion, LB is not what we need first, what we need first is an AM, with buckets of flair.
Then we need an LB, an RB and a Striker. A BIG striker/targetman.
My thought is that we’ll get 2 of em. And maybe a couple in january.
STF
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Comment #13Yes agreed however where the hell is Curlyccinni? I hope we have confirmation of early tomorrow!!
Regards
sirjasontoon
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Comment #14The players are sh@@ing themselves…day after day of spin..and no transfers.
The clock is ticking Cashley..tick tock tick tock…
buddy
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Comment #15CAN bassong actually play left back!! can ny1 confirm?? what is the cover for beye??
deriydok sounds more and more perfect the more you look at it, young…cheap….talented….wont need to be first team yet but will provide first team cover….talented. sounds good to me
SAMTHECAT
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Comment #16We would all sell Smith and Ameobi unfortunately it isnt that easy and while they are on the payroll i just dont think we will get another striker.
If Bassong can play LB thats fine as long as The Zog isnt wasted there for another season.
After Coloccini-when he arrives! then a central midfielder is essential.
beadleshand
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Comment #17As much as it pains me to say it – Keegan will not be in charge by Christmas. I cant see him staying if they dont give him more control
Obafan
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Comment #18Unty KK his hands MA. Even the players are aware of our great activities in the transfer window.
Robm
Aug 4, 2008 at 10:59 PM
Comment #19Those quotes are from an article in the Times but the last line was by the hack not Nicky Butt.
Strange that its all Ruperts rags spreading shit about us
ende
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Comment #20We can always pick up an LB in january if need be. We need to strengthen the backbone.. first Coloccini, then a CAM, then a striker to replace Viduka.
Black and White Blood
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Comment #21Ameobi has to go, infact I would release him on a free, you would quickly make the money back from the salry he received….I’d also rather we let Zog go, he obviously doesn’t want to be here, if Duff is getting on top of his game we don’t need him, let him go and replace with Moutinho….
Punk Skunk
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Comment #22How B&W Blood, was y’fatha pullin’ y’pisser earlier then, or what?..
…Aye, Duff looked like a new player over the weekend, or back to his old, pre NUFC, self!..
…Not sure about Zog!..
…’Nuff said on Ameobi & smith, me thinks!..
ToonEskimo
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Comment #23I’m not being funny but why do we need a left back? any half decent defender should be able to play anywhere accross the back 4, at a push not forgetting the youngsters we probably have 3 or 4 that could slot into that position, we need a playmaker DESPERATELY!!!! and considering that all our strikers look to be injury prone I’d be looking at someone top class in their early twenties who want to impress.
How hard can that be???? We have a paper thin squad when everyone is fit so God knows what’s gonna happen when we pick up some injuries…..
Punk Skunk
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #24Bang on ToonEskimo,
Playmaker is essential!..& up comin’ striker!..
shearer4pm
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Comment #25The Second Coming – no way mate, wayy to much writing lol
mountinho, a good player in theory but so was hugo viana, very similar box to box, apart from mountinho moves lol
he would be immense, and buy his mate veloso while were at it,
also i dont know if ne1 seen at the euros modric’s team mate young bloke rakitic, looked very impressive and imo better than modric, 3 young players, 15 m each, but could sell all for £30m in a few years, if we want too, gotta spend money to make money, also taiwo in for 5m, very similar to beye, only young un (22 i think) well worth it
rakitic IN
moutinho IN
veloso IN
taiwo IN
given
beye, colocini, taylor, enrique/taiwo
————–veloso
milner—————————–n’zogbia
———moutinho——-rakitic
——–owen/martins/duke (whoever aint injured)
imo that would be a beautiful attackin team 🙂
Warwick Hunt
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Comment #26Any news on the Curlychinny transfer yet?
joe
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Comment #27Benayoun would be perfect for us. He would be about 5 million and is a super player.
ObaFan2
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:26 PM
Comment #28Any one watchin Green Street?…. Even a West Ham fan says “only 2 things worse than an American…. police (not exactly that word !lol) n JOURNALISTS” 😆 , atleast we’re not the only ones.
Black and White Blood
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Comment #29Punk Skunk – Yeah, he called me about 45 minutes ago, he said he was pulling my leg the Tw*T – However he did comment, that it’s been reported that Coliccini remains in Spain and is yet to travel to Newcastle. Apparently, it’s nothing to worry about and that the deal is expected to be finalised on Wed!
ObaFan2
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Comment #30Curlycinni’s gonna catch on lol.
SAMTHECAT
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Comment #31It was KK himself who said we needed another holding midfield player+centre half leader+a left back as in his words this is a specialist position.
Actually a midfield playmaker isnt essential if you have 2 great wingers, Robsons team proved that-we had Speed holding and a bit of Jenas and a bit of Dyer i seem to remember but we also had Robert/Solano supplying the front line.
Punk Skunk
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Comment #32B&W Blood…Phew!..
…I thought so, fank thuck!..Can we just get a creative mf now then?..Then any others would be a bonus!..
Warwick Hunt
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:34 PM
Comment #33@obafan.
When we were first reported to interested in Curlychinny I kept forgeting his name, as I haven’t really seen much of him, so I used that name to remember him by and now I never forget his name. HAHAHA
ObaFan2
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:36 PM
Comment #34Warwick Hunt, I can hear it sung on the terraces, hope to God he signs and quick, would be a real good signing and most we paid for a defender.
Punk Skunk
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:36 PM
Comment #35But we ain’t got 2 great wingers!..
…& i get the feelin’ we’ll be goin’ 433 next season again!..
richie
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Comment #36we have to accomadate martins whatever system we play cos he makes things happen
we need an attackin mid too.im not too sure on jonas
Ross
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Comment #37there’s me sitting on the previous post, refreshing constantly thinking the blogs dead tonight,haha. by the way lads, that idiot spragg or whatever has taken some real roastings on 4sportsake from some very well written responses, a great read for us toon fans.
ObaFan2
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:43 PM
Comment #38No one watchin Green Street, never seen it b4 and so funny, a Geordie (outta Byker Grove 😆 ) trying to be a cockney…….
Ross
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:45 PM
Comment #39obafan2-what channel green st on? i dont mind it but its nothing on football factory like.
ObaFan2
Aug 4, 2008 at 11:45 PM
Comment #40What’s even funnier is this Geordie/cockney is teaching Frodo to be a football holigan….. hilarious.