Cronky

A more likely explanation is that Shepherd didn't rate Huth as highly as Roeder, wasn't prepared to match Boro's bid until the last moment when things were desperate, and by then Huth was keen to opt for the club that had shown a sustained interest in him rather than one who tried to muscle in at the last moment.

Probably speculation, but if it's true, then it has all the hallmarks of our beloved Chairman yet again going behind his manager's back.

There's a worrying sign of the same pattern as emerged under Dalglish, Gullit and Souness repeating itself. Managing this club isn't an easy job. The expectations are high, but there's no recent record of success to breed any real confidence. When things start to go wrong, the pressure increases enormously and that gets to the players. Given that situation, the Chairman needs to make every effort to find the best possible manager available, and to back his manager's judgement without interference. I don't think that's been happening.

There are some good points in NE5's article, but I do think we’ve got to take a more realistic view of the Keegan era. We were more successful than previous Newcastle sides, because more money was available. In fact, we were spending more money than any other side in the League, possibly bar Man Utd. The spending spree couldn’t last forever, and that situation no longer exists. I get the impression that Shepherd thinks that the ‘Geordie Nation’ sentiment that surrounded the Keegan era is still the way forward. That’s underpinned this promotion from within that’s gone on recently with the management team, and his obvious hope that Shearer will take over as Manager one day. He also is apparently unwilling to sell out to anyone outside the region. All of which are mistakes. We should be looking to bring in new blood, and new ideas, like the other major clubs are doing. It's time for a change.

Great skill, not strong enough. Not very quick either.

When someone leaves without another job to go to, it's a sure sign of trouble. It's a recurring theme, but you wonder what part, if any, the manager is playing in these decisions. Kevin Bond was sacked without Roeder knowing about it or it seems being consulted, and he still doesn't seem to know the reasons why. With Tommy Craig, you wonder whether the messages that Shepherd was giving him about his job were the same as Roeder's understanding. The timing suggests that Craig thought he was accepting one job, only to find that he was expected to do another.

Just testing.

Bart van Marjiwik sounds good. Who is he?

His strategy seems to be to hit the ball early, which isn't always the best way, but it may be right for him. His close control is so bad that if he were to try to take an extra touch or take the ball round the last defender, he'd most likely lose it. Likewise, he doesn't make many runs out to the wing to free up space, because I don't think he can create much from that position. I think we just have to accept the package. He's going to miss some chances that others wouldn't, and he's not going to create much for his team mates, but he's such a good athlete that he will get on the end of chances that would be beyond other strikers. He also gets a lot of power in his shots, even from fairly static positions. Incidentally, I can't see him combining at all with Owen. Two specialist finishers wouldn't work IMO.

I'd say let's forget about the fee (which was a bit on the high side for his ability) and just appreciate his strengths. His touch on the ball is really crap, but he's strong, he can shoot quickly with barely any backlift and he's quick. Providing we don't expect too much, he'll be okay for us.

Pole position, close to 2-3 top signing etc.. Its only going to lead to expectation from the fans and massive disapointment when it didnt happen! I'd agree. While I don't blame Roeder for the lack of top players coming in, a major feature of the last two months has been his pointless blathering. Mind you, it does make you wonder how much he really knew about what was going on.

Well that's assuming that Roeder did know. According to Sir Bob, Freddie is very secretive on transfer and financial issues. But even assuming that he was fully in the know, I think the bigger picture is that the budget turned out to be £10 million plus whatever could be raised on sales. Now that's not great for a club with our turnover, and considering we spent nothing in January. As I said, there was this massive gap in the striking department, with Shearer retiring and Owen's injury. I think we were right to prioritise that area. I daresay every one of us would have wanted to divvy up the budget in a different way, and have our own ideas which would be different from Roeder's. But Roeder entered a situation where a lot of money had been spent unwisely in the recent past, and there hadn't been any sensible planning previously in the striking department. That inevitably restricted his room for manouevre.

If he knew what his transfer budget was, spending £10m on Martins and £5m on a position we already had covered was moronic. That's Roeder's fault and he takes full responsibility for it. End of story. I was pleased with both the Duff and the Martins signings because all along I thought SURELY we wouldn't spend all that money if it left us with none. That would be rank stupidity. I didn't reckon with the Glenn and Freddy show. I don’t think you’re being fair here. There was a massive gap in the striking department, through no fault of Roeder’s, and that needed to be filled. Duff’s acquisition wasn’t needed in the same way (although he can fill in as a striker), but £5 million is such a bargain for a player of that quality that I don’t see how it could have been turned down. In any case, unless you’re able to sign a player on a free, that sort of money is only going to get you one more player in the other departments who’s better than the ones we’ve already got. I do think we bungled though in not going for Sol Campbell.

Whoever's at fault here, it certainly isn't Roeder. He's only just taken over, and it looks like the transfer budget, based on the difference between outgoings and income, was £10 million. From all the frantic last minute activity involving Milner, it's clear that there weren't any other funds unless someone was sold. On the basis of that budget, the overall outcome isn't that bad. Roeder also had the bad luck of a long-term injury to Owen, and possibly Shola as well, and needing to put nearly all his attention into the striking department. The fault lies with whichever people you'd consider responsible for the situation where we had such a limited budget, with so many gaps to improve. Bad luck with injuries to strikers is only part of the problem, and as a big club in financial terms, we should be in a position to deal with that.

It seems to me that what has happened this summer is the fruit of two major blunders that the club has made. The first was to pay way over the odds for Owen, in transfer fee and wages, which has then had an impact on our room for manouevre on other options, regardless of whether Owen stayed fit or not. The second was to keep Shearer as a first team regular, right up to the point of his retirement. Not only did that affect performances on the pitch, but it made it very difficult to plan for the post-Shearer era in the striking department, as Roeder himself has now admitted. I also think the whole situation led indirectly to Souness and Roeder's appointments, in that many managers were, in all probability, put off from considering the club. Both areas should have been pure footballing decisions, but I think Shepherd got himself heavily involved, and I would blame him for the amateurish way we approached both issues.

I assume he's cover for the striker positions. I suspect that Shola's injury is more serious than the club has admitted so far, and we need someone in at least until Owen recovers. Times I've seen him, he's not been bad. Ordinary, but not bad.

Whether he's a fraction away or a mile away from being a good player for us, the first thing he's got to do is make his mind up that he wants to make a go of it. There were two or three times last night where he seemed to duck out of challenges for fear of getting hurt. His whole approach seems to indicate that he'd rather be somewhere else, regardless of the ability that's buried in there. Viana had the same kind of struggle in adapting to the English game, but at least you got the feeling that he was trying.

How can anyone back Luque for a bad season and Shola for a good one? It defies all logic ! The main difference between the players is that Shola really wants to play for the club, and Luque doesn't.

Where will we finish? All depends on who we get in before the window closes, but I can never resist these polls - 6th. Will Roeder still be our manager in January? Yes Which of our younger/fringe players (if any) will make a name for himself this season and why? None Will Dyer play more than 5 games for us this season? Yes, I'm backing him for a successful return. Will Shola score more goals than he did last season? Yes, I think he'll have a good season. Will we get to see the real Albert Luque or will he continue to disappoint? No, he'll disappoint Who will be the star of our defence ('keeper included)? Shay And midfield? Duff And up front? Shola How many new players will we sign before the close of this transfer window? Two And how many will leave? One - Boumsong, surely How many times will "Shearer-Shearer" be chanted this season? Hopefully none. We need to look forward. Who will flop for us this season? Solano, and I've got my doubts about Taylor. Who will outshine all others? Duff Will Owen make an appearance before the season is over? No Will an attendance drop below the 50,000 mark for a league game for the first time since SJP was rebuilt? No Will we go the season without any off-field dramas/headlines of the name through mud variety? Yes Will we win something this year? No How far in all the cups, then? A semi. Nicky Butt - will he win you over? Ummmmm....nnnnoo. Will we miss Shearer this season? No Are you excited about the new season? Not really. Depends on who we bring in.

i think the opposite. he has a shite first touch but the remarkable ability to dribble round people and can do a few flicks and stuff. he's really just peter crouch with a bad first touch. he did a good knockdown for luque too i remember. I think this is right. He has difficulty bringing the ball under control, particularly when it's played at him with pace, but when it is under his control, he can do things with it. He can beat a man with footwork, and can weight a pass quite well. He's an unusual package. It's frustrating all right when the ball bounces away from him, but you have to bear in mind the positive things that he contributes as well.

I can't recall a single other instance of a professional footballer missing a game because of blisters. Bad backs yes, but that's the most easily fakable injury.

What the hell is a blistered back? If it's the obvious - skin blisters - how does that stop you from playing? I've heard that agents often advise players who want to leave clubs to say that they've got a bad back. It's an injury that can't be verified one way or the other by medical staff.

I reckon he could play as a striker, in that free role that Beardsley and Bellamy did so well for us. It might not be his number 1 position, but I think he'd do just as good a job as any of our other realistic options. For £10 million - if that really is the price - I'd say we have to go for it, even if it means he's the only player we buy. His close control, change of direction and pace are quite exceptional. He goes past people in situations where you don't expect it to happen. And once he beats his man, they stay beaten. He's five yards past before they can turn. I think he's probably too much of an individual for the Chelsea system, and besides he hasn't really been given much of a chance, with having to dislodge either Cole, Duff or Robben for a place.

Not sure how credible the story is, or what the £10 million covers, but if it's the transfer fee, then that's a bargain.

For some reason, he seemed ill at ease and nervous in the TV studio - not that he's ever been the greatest TV pundit anyway. He needs to be the boss and he was like a fish out of water. Doesn't mean he's not a great manager though.