TRon

My reading of the above scenario: Newcastle are relaxed about the prospect of Barton seeing out his contract because it will mean they will have an excuse not to buy Zog now for £10m and hope he'll come here on a free next year to replace Barton then.

Of course Enrique is on his way, that again ties in with this story. The Sunday Sun can say what they like, this sounds to me very much like a goer. It would explain also why we signed Neil Taylor and dropped our interest in Cheick M'Bengue once we realised they weren't going to drop the price. Sorry but everything about the Bridge rumours strike me as being genuine.

He's an England international available on a loan where we will only pay half his wages. Like I said earlier I would imagine Taylor would be considered our future left back in a year's time when we won't renew Bridge's contract. It seems entirely plausible to me. Whether Bridge is still a premier league quality left back is the issue for me. The age or wages doesn't really come into it since it's going to be a short term deal.

Just have to hope no other club comes in with a half decent bid for Zog because I've got a feeling if Joey insists on staying for his final year we'll wait until next season to get Zog on a free. I'm not sure Zog will though.

I would imagine he'd drop his wages for first team football and City don't need him. Sadly I can see us looking at him as a short term solution with Taylor liked up to take over with a year's experience behind him. I hope I'm wrong but this looks like a realistic possibility for me.

I'm sure we heard all this the season we got relegated as well. That we'd sell everyone, wouldn't spend in the January window etc. Not that I think we are going to be making more than one big transfer though. It all depends on who the striker whether we will have had a good window or just so so.

If Barton's still here he might get the armband IMO.

He'll be getting slated over that piece but I agree with it for the most part. A lot depends on what happens in the next month or two though.

Baggio said he'd be an excellent signing for us. Which I couldn't disagree with more. Nothing would say "This is where we belong on the footballing pyramid" more than buying aging, never-that-good-in-the-first-place, 'Mr. Reliable', Man United cast offs like John O'Shea on big wages. Whether or not he is better than Simpson is besides the point (I do think he is). He probably is but not by much. So what's the point?

He would be an excellent signing for his versatility rather than him being an excellent player, I remember Pardew saying at the end of last season that he was looking for someone in the Phil Neville style that can cover multiple position and O'Shea can do that to a reasonably good standard at this level. EDIT:Pardew said: "I don't necessarily want two top level left-backs, but you need somebody who is comfortable playing there. You need somebody like Phil Neville at Everton who can play left-back, right-back, centre midfield. That saves you a lot of money. "A Phil Neville in the squad last Saturday would have got us a victory. A player like that would be important to us next year - I don't mean two players in every position, I mean a wide player who can play on both wings for example. Nothing wrong with having a utility player as long as he's good enough to be first choice in whatever position he's bought for when played regularly. He's cover for the most part at Man U. At Newcastle he'd be first choice so which position would we be expecting him to take?

Not obvious to me exactly, but I'm inclined to believe the same. Or at least his options are filtered to such an extent that his options aren't really his own (which is true to most managers of non-Man City/Chelsea clubs, but more so here). It's just the way modern management works TBH, you have to work with what the scouts can find and what the board will sanction. I'm sure Pardew understands and accepts this situation, I don't think it's anything to be worried about at all. That's just too sensible to fly in Football Fan world.

I think we might need Barton this season just to give us some experience and premier know how in the middle. The downside is that might make us reluctant to bid for Zog or Matuidi while Barton's still on the payroll.

Steve Harper reacts to shots via club txt alert. Steve Harper is still a very good keeper. The problem is we have two very promising younger keepers who will be poached by other clubs because Harper is in the way.

I think that's spot on. Simpson is in the Aaron Hughes category of players. Not really great at anything but can do a decent job at most. Backing off isn't always a bad thing either. Sometimes it's done to slow the game down to prevent forwards an easy chance to get free space in dangerous areas.

Or perhaps McLeish won't bother after the way Zog f***ed him about last time? Not sure what happened with the failed Zog to Brum move. Don't trust Tue board there though. They have made moves for players, like Robbie Keane, who they had no intention of signing just to appear big time If Villa are prepared to offer top wedge to Wigan and Zog I can't see us matching their offer. Apparently they had everything agreed when N'Zogbia asked for an extra £10k per week at the last minute. That's their version. Who's? Brum's obviously. Who else would leak that sort of story? In any case all it proves is that Zog didn't want to go to Birmingham if it's true. I can well imagine him asking Sunderland to pay an extra 10k if they wanted to compete for the signature. Seems a probable story to me when you read the quotes from both sides. McLeish "We did everything that was asked of us and then the goalposts were moved at the last minute," said Birmingham manager Alex McLeish. "It was very important to us as a club to stick to our principals and look after the long-term interests of Birmingham City as we are custodians of the club. "We remain ambitious and committed to adding extra quality to the playing squad but this deal became one that was not in the interests of the club. "The Board worked with me extremely hard to try and get this one over the line and I thank them for their support." N'Zogbia "Now the transfer window has closed, we all have to try to forget about what has happened in the past,"N'Zogbia said. "I was close to going to Birmingham but, in the end, I just wasn't interested enough. "It wasn't the right club for me and I wanted to stay with Wigan. I'm fine now, happy with the situation, and just want to get back onto the field and play my football." That ties in what I just posted in the reply before yours. He clearly didn't want to go there. It's actually encouraging as sources close to him are putting the word out that he wants to come back here. So my hunch is he will end up here IF the club really do want him. Whether we will pay big money to bring in a new striker and Zog I have real doubts.

Or perhaps McLeish won't bother after the way Zog f***ed him about last time? Not sure what happened with the failed Zog to Brum move. Don't trust Tue board there though. They have made moves for players, like Robbie Keane, who they had no intention of signing just to appear big time If Villa are prepared to offer top wedge to Wigan and Zog I can't see us matching their offer. Apparently they had everything agreed when N'Zogbia asked for an extra £10k per week at the last minute. That's their version. Who's? Brum's obviously. Who else would leak that sort of story? In any case all it proves is that Zog didn't want to go to Birmingham if it's true. I can well imagine him asking Sunderland to pay an extra 10k if they wanted to compete for the signature.

Or perhaps McLeish won't bother after the way Zog f***ed him about last time? Not sure what happened with the failed Zog to Brum move. Don't trust Tue board there though. They have made moves for players, like Robbie Keane, who they had no intention of signing just to appear big time If Villa are prepared to offer top wedge to Wigan and Zog I can't see us matching their offer. Apparently they had everything agreed when N'Zogbia asked for an extra £10k per week at the last minute. That's their version.

Or perhaps McLeish won't bother after the way Zog f***ed him about last time? Not sure what happened with the failed Zog to Brum move. Don't trust Tue board there though. They have made moves for players, like Robbie Keane, who they had no intention of signing just to appear big time If Villa are prepared to offer top wedge to Wigan and Zog I can't see us matching their offer. I can if we seriously want him. Most clubs would try to use the contract situation to get a better price and if that's what we are doing we'll get him. At the moment no one is prepared to pay £12m, or even £9m from the top four. I'm not convinced we are serious about bringing him here though.

Aye if it was up to me I'd sign Ashley's cheque yesterday and get it done, the odd million here or there - what difference does it make?

My eyes...I think I've gone blind....

"anywhere but that shit hole"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver_bird http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Liver_Birds so I was right then

Even if the reported £12million fee and 65k wages are true? I'd be tempted to look elsewhere for that price like. It won't be that price though. I doubt it will even be as high as the £9m that they are asking from CL clubs.