Geordie Boot Boy

Not sure if anyone's still talking about Raul but I just want to say: no thanks.

No, he deserves uncalled for abuse, like most of the England team Contradiction in terms

We have plenty of better CBs than Carragher. Ferdinand, Terry, Woodgate and King. This reminds me of when Andy Cole retired from internationals. Although it isn't quite so attention-seeking.

You're right. Verbal reassurances aren't good enough. We have to get something down on paper that says we have the power to say no to any offer that comes in. I'd rather sell him right now than in January. If we change the contract, what's the bets that he performs wonderfully at the start of the season and gets a mysterious injury before our first game in the League Cup*? * I would've said FA Cup but we won't be playing in that until after the end of the year.

So, as I understand it, you read the Sun and find it thought-provoking?

Unbelievable. I can understand the desire to play attacking football but they must've known how Capello would have them playing when they hired him. In which case, why give him a three year contract if winning the league wouldn't justify him keeping the job? I hope they go through a Newcastle scale barren spell now.

17 million? Fuck no.

The same Roy Keane that was relegated with Nottingham Forest?

So, Big Sam comes out and denies it a short while after my post expressing concern in a 6 page thread? Hmm. Methinks, Big Sam reads the newcastle-online forum and knows who's opinions to take note of.

I remember the Monaco-Porto Champions League final a few years ago. Monaco were looking good (my money was on them), then Giuly went off injured and Monaco were pretty much finished after that. He was a very very good player. My main concern is that his game is all about pace. Once he loses that, I reckon he'll be a passenger in most games. Coupled with questionable commitment and motivation, it represents a big gamble. Perhaps, for the money touted, we should avoid this one. Having said that, there must be people at the club with more knowledge of the lad than me and, if they think he's worth buying, I'm all for it.

Ranieri at Juve? I genuinely checked to make sure that this wasn't just a joke that I didn't get. Mediocre appointment for such a huge club.

The guy is not good enough to be as much of an arsehole as he is. Unhappy definitely.

Not see him in the World Cup, i take? I like Becks, he's one of my favourite players in general (well, has been), but to bring him into the side now would be a step backwards. And if McClaren can't think of any ways of improving the state of affairs, other than to bring back high profile members of former squads, then things are going from bad to worse. EDIT: But if he is going to do that, target Paul Scholes - not Beckham. I agree with everything in your post but the edit (Beckham can be accomodated better than Scholes IMO). I agree that it wouldn't be in the best interests of the squad to bring him back now and it would suggest to the players that McClaren isn't sure of himself (which I think is true). I still think, based on ability, he is worthy of a place in the squad and that he shouldn't have been dropped. It was a mistake to drop him. One that you can't just fix by picking him again and forgetting about it. BTW, I admit he was poor at the World Cup but, other than Hargreaves and possibly a couple of others, who wasn't? At least he had the excuse of fitness problems.

That's a nasty cough you've got there by the read of it.

Writes Gemmill after clicking on a thread entitled "Owen".

If we're only selling because of the release clause, I doubt we can get player exchanges involved. BTW, his transfer fee may be low but his signing on fee and basic wage will not be. Wenger will steer clear. I'm pretty confident of that.

We haven't been missing that. At least not in a tactical sense.

Nee chance. Becks wants his 100 caps. Plus, I genuinely think that he's very patriotic (or at least that's how he wants to be seen to be).

He won't. He'll stay quiet untill the end of the window, if he moves then he'll make some excuse for leaving. If he stays expect a 'I've never said I wnated to leave, I'm happy and settled at the club and look forward to working with the new manager' Beat you to it He won't. When it becomes clear that no significant teams want him, he will stay and, after the event, claim that he never wanted to leave. IMO, he wants out and won't say that because he doesn't want to burn his bridges.

I seriously, seriously doubt that Arsenal want Michael Owen.

He won't. When it becomes clear that no significant teams want him, he will stay and, after the event, claim that he never wanted to leave. IMO, he wants out and won't say that because he doesn't want to burn his bridges.

He is worthy of a place in the squad IMO and he should never have been dropped in the first place.

Probably my favourite ever non-Newcastle player. Unfortuantely, I never got to see him grace a football pitch.

Why don't we just slip him some money to keep his mouth shut?

I hope Milan go in at HT laughing with a 3-0 lead again and, then, come out for the second half for Liverpool to, against all the odds, concede another 4 goals.