Tisd09

Thanks and good luck for the future should be the letter out to Sibs. I thought Roeder had a long term plan, however, if like the previous windows we don't sign the players we need we maybe happy that we kept him on.

I think we have bigger fish to fry. By the sounds of what Roeder is saying that we will be back in for Babel and theres the possibility of Crouch, I would be very happy with Owen, Martins, Crouch, Babel and Shola. Now that is a good squad of strikers. However I think Pool would be mad to sell Peter Crouch I think he offers them something so different. My biggest fear of having at the Toon would be the temptation to lump long balls up to him! However, if Crouch or another was not coming or Babel then Johns on a free would be a decent option. Better option than Fowler, Cole and the likes.

It would be nice to see him have a run of games in the Premiership, for us at the time I don't think he was good enough, but the playing time he is getting now is invaluable, and if Cardiff come up he will get a run of games in the Premiership. Problem being if he comes up with Cardiff and does well he would cost a fortune, but I don't think he was ever going to get the oppurtunity for us. Its sad considering he could offer us far more than Luque.

I like the cautious approach but it was shocking that he didn't even think about bringing a LB on loan. I don't care if it was for the short term we need a player there who can play naturally. I am not going to say he is talking a load of shit because if what he saying is true or at least has some truth in it, then its encouraging but as a few has said actions speak louder than words. Martins was an excellent buy and Duff although has had a bad start could turn out tops for us, if he does then the two major signings we made would have been a sucess. I am 50/50 for the summer but I would like to see progress made early, he will have no excuses then. Clubs will be more willing to listen to offers in the summer there is no International tournement, and it is a longer window plus he has said he has targets in mind.

Play him. For a start he wouldn't want fellow Americans to have one over him. Either way he will have a bit of nerves. If he debuts at St James he will have alot more supporters with big expectations of him, nerves will probably kick in a bit more at home. Plus having fellow Americans around before the game who he will probably chat with may make him more relaxed.

I voted no but I would settle for 7th as it would qualify us for Europe. It maybe harsh give our injury situation but we have spent alot on our squad compared to other teams and IMO we could have started the season with a bigger squad.

We have a left back who hardly ever plays, we have a left back who was said would not be fit this season. We have had academy right footed centre halfs playing LB, we have had a RB playing LB we have had a LW play LB. Surely there is someone out there onloan that could improve our LB position for 6 months thats my biggest gripe we were desperate for a LB. No matter how many positives can be taken from some of Glenns comments IMO a left back was a priority.

Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen has revealed that he might not play at all this season. Reports had suggested the 27-year-old was set for a comeback in April having been sidelined with a cruciate knee ligament injury since last summer. But the striker told BBC Sport: "My plan has always been to return when the knee feels right. "I feel great and have not had any setbacks. Hopefully I can return this season, but it could be next season." Owen, who picked up his injury playing for England at the 2006 World Cup, said he was ready to step up his rehabilitation. "The plan is to run next week, although I reckon I could have jogged about two to three weeks ago - but I won't rush things," added the England international. Newcastle have been fantastic from the moment I picked up my injury Michael Owen Owen also paid tribute to Newcastle for helping him during a "low point" in his career. "They've been fantastic right from the moment when I picked up my injury," said Owen, speaking at an Umbro-Michelin boot launch in London. "They paid for the best and most expensive treatment by sending me to Colorado where I underwent two operations carried out by Dr Richard Steadman, who is a fantastic chap. 606 DEBATE: Your reaction to this news "I now have one-to-one physio every day with the guy who worked with team-mate Kieron Dyer when he was injured. "I definitely benefit from the one-to-one stuff because it's good to have someone staring at you, pushing you through the pain barrier." He added: "It's been a frustrating time but I'm a level headed type of person. I've had a good career so far. "There have been a lot of ups and a lot of downs but that's the life of a professional footballer. I'm at a low point now because I can't do what I want to do." Owen also sent his sympathies to England team-mate Ashley Cole, who suffered knee ligament damage while playing for Chelsea against Blackburn on Wednesday. "When you mess with knees it's a nasty situation," he said. "Not many knee injuries are a week or two. I can only wish him the best and I'll be in touch with him if it's a criuciate." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/6322797.stm I'd rather him back when he is fully fit, I think its very important to get a full pre-season behind him.

I like the cautious approach but when he comes out and blames lack of signings because he had a game on deadline day makes him look silly. He has spent most of September - December saying that we have got a small squad and not enough numbers, he should have identified his preferred targets during that time and then sounded out the clubs, then if they fail he should have had a back up plan. Little things have annoyed me like saying about he could sign loads of 30 year olds. Do you think for a minute that Chris Coleman thinks that Montella is the long term answer to turn Fulham around, no way Montella is there to boost them this season and to make sure of their Premiership survival. We have a realistic chance of qualifying for Europe but not with the injuries that we have, if we had short term options to cover injuries then that would be great. I don't know much about Gooch but he has been talked up well and is young. I think we have done the right thing there, see him on loan with a view to buy, I like this policy and applaud Roeder for that, but he has been very naive in the transfer market. He knocks the merits of the more mature players yet HIS signing of Sibs may have saved his job at the start of the season.

In the picture with GR and Gooch shaking hands there is a guy that looks like Kuyt, does anyone think GR hired a lookalike to make him feel better after missing out on him last summer?

To be honest I would settle for Nobby RB and Carr LB for the next game, Huntington has had a decent run in the team but he is in no way a full back. Then again Carr is crap.

I don't think he can justify blaming the timing of the transfer window for lack of signings. He has had a long time to prepare targets. Surely he didn't enter 2007 and then start thinking about targets. I would hope he would have a long list a few months before and watch them up until January and decide whether they would be right for us or not. It was clear to everyone that we needed a new left back, centre half and striker. We didn't just need a LB or CF we were desperate. I don't like the ruling out of the "30 year olds" they could have made a big difference to our club just because they are in the twighlight of their career doesn't mean they don't have anything to offer, it smacks in the face of what he done last transfer window when he sign Sibs, who to be far came in and did a good job at the start of the season,we are better off with him than we would have been without. Roeders actions have been poor this transfer window, I applaud him for not going out and sign any old tom, dick and harry but we were/are desperate for players even if they are short term options to see us through until the summer. On the coaching side of things I have full confidence in Roeder but at the moment I would love to see a Director of Football type person coming in and sorting out transfers.

Newcastle have completed the loan signing of United States international Oguchi Onyewu until the end of the season. The 24-year-old Standard Liege defender successfully underwent a medical on Tyneside and has signed a deal which will keep him at St James' Park for the rest of the current campaign. In addition, the Magpies have negotiated an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer. Manager Glenn Roeder said: "We have secured Oguchi Onyewu. He comes across as an impressive person - he is certainly physically impressive, which is something I feel we need. "I watched him a few times and (assistant manager) Nigel Pearson watched him a few times when he was at West Brom last year. "They were particularly keen to sign him, but Oguchi was looking to step higher if he could, and he feels coming here to Newcastle for the next 12 games or so that he can make a good enough impression to make it a permanent move. "I certainly hope so. I am delighted to have him." More news from SportingLife.com Why does Roeder dismiss stuff and then come out with this it makes him look stupid!?

I don't know too much about the guy but I have noticed a few people knock him because he is 28. Not all players have to be young starlets to be good for us. A bit of experience could help. As I said I don't know too much about him so he could be shite, his record is not great either. But I feel it is unfair to judge him on age!

Is he any good on FM

Whilst being cautious is fair, we are so desperate for players that the cautious appraoch is not viable. What if something happens to Taylor another youngster to come in Nicky Butt at centre half? Surely having a 30+ year old as a stop gap for now would be better. In an ideal world we would only sign players for the long term but given our situation we need players now, even if it is only for the short term good. Can anybody tell me that we would actually be worse off if we had signed the likes of Campbell in the summer. We cannot base our long term strategy around guys like this but it buys us time. I think Roeder is being a bit naive in ignoring the vetran players, especially considering the efforts Sibs and Butt (like a new signing) have offered this season.

True!

He'd probably get injured and then we'd be f**ked!

Hes a left back surely thats an improvment?

We forget that Bellamy had a good foil in Alan Shearer, Martins is the main man at the moment all the pressure is on him. After a sluggish start the lad has adapted well, he has a few things to work on, but if he irons some of them out like his decision making and off the ball running he will develop into one of the best strikers in the Premier League. Whilst Bellamy is good I wouldn't rate him amounst the best in the Premiership. His form for Blackburn last season was hot and he is coming into a good spell with Liverpool but I would take Martins over Bellamy.

The price is crazy but thats what you get for young and British, I think he will turn out to be a top player, he has done well in a poor Welsh team and has had great reviews from Soton, but I would prefer at that price if Man Utd signed him and we tried for Heize, though chances are he is going back to France!

It is an easy thing to do to single Beckham out. For starters he was captain, he is the highest profile in the English game probably in the World game. People seem to ignore that most of the England squad were gash at the WC. Only Ferdinand, Hargreaves and Crouch can hold their heads up high. Maybe Beckham was never as good as he was hyped but he is definately not as bad as some make out. Don't forget he was a very important part of a very successful Manchester United team. We have other priorities, but if LB, RB, CB, CF were all sorted out (wishful thinking) and we still had money left then I would be happy to see Becks here.

Better than alot of the England squad members. Think it is more of a case of McClaren flexing his muscles!

blueyes.gif and we all know about agents as well. As someone mentioned earlier a loan to another Italian team would make more sense for Inter and the player if his wish is to eventually make it with Inter!

I think we would see better of Beckham in the Premiership than in La Liga, he has had some good times there but he hasn't really looked comfortable, the lad never really wanted to leave Man Utd but didn't have much choice when Fergie didn't want him anymore. I just don't think he would offer us enough to warrant the massive wages he would be paid. Obviously merchandising income would improve but would it be enough to cover the difference in the value he would add to the team and his wages?