stozo

Barton and Smith will kick the shit out most teams this year. Certainly not going to be soft touches away from home.

Would love to have someone like Kevin Nolan brought in but more realistically I'd like Giles Barnes.

SSN are saying that Chelsea have officially given us permission to talk to Geremi. So I presume that means he won't be entirely free.

Would love to have the Chelsea trio here. Think it would be a great move.

I don't imagine Rigters is a replacement for either Martins or Owen. More like a 5th striker as Carroll is likely to be loaned out.

In a way I'm resigned to losing either Martins or Owen. The only thing I hope now is that we get a decent replacement.

I think we could sign another CB. Beye can play RB. Geremi can play either flank. Huntington is likely to be loaned out. Edgar probobly isn't ready yet. Then with Edmilson out until November we'll most likely need another CB.

Forgetting my Newcastle bias, it's gonna be amazing seeing Berbatov and Bent play up front next season. Could be one of the most lethal strikeforces in the Premiership.

Martins has a £13 million release clause.

Source? .com and a couple of mates.

Signed apparently but will be announced and unveiled at a later date with other signings.

Minus Parker who we sold for £7 million. So would actually be £1.8 million. Outrageously good business. And with the Owen compo means we are actually running a £8.2m profit so far. Owen compo was nowhere near £10m like the Chronicle stated.

Link SAM ALLARDYCE clinched his first defensive signing for Newcastle United when David Rozehnal arrived at St James’ Park from Paris St Germain. And the United boss is expected to go back to France for another defender in Marseille’s versatile Habib Beye, who is at home both at right-back and centre-half. Rozehnal was at St James’ Park yesterday afternoon to talk terms and have a medical after his £2.7m transfer from PSG, which will see the 26-year-old Czech international sign a four-year deal. And he certainly had a rocking welcome to Tyneside, as along with the likes of Allardyce, Sir Bobby Robson, Freddy Shepherd, Lee Clark and Terry McDermott, Rozehnal enjoyed the Rod Stewart concert at St James’ Park. He stopped rocking briefly to say: “Coming to a great club like Newcastle United is reward for all the hard work I have done throughout my career.” United have seen off Borussia Dortmund for Rozehnal’s signature, and even when UEFA Cup holders Sevilla showed late interest, the player had already set his heart on Newcastle, with his acquisition compensating for missing out on Tal Ben Haim to Chelsea. He is United’s sixth signing from PSG, following in the footsteps of Sylvain Distin, Alain Goma, Laurent Robert, Didier Domi and David Ginola. And I expect United to go back to France for the current Marseille skipper, the 29-year-old Senegalese Beye, once the defender returns from holiday. Beye played in both the UEFA Cup games against United in 2004 when Marseille went through thanks to Didier Drogba. And the season before last he did likewise against Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers in the UEFA Cup. Beye has plenty of experience, but this will not stop Big Sam from stepping up his efforts to bring Sami Hyppia to St James’ Park once Liverpool sign a replacement for the Finnish international. Meanwhile, things are starting to hot up at St James’ Park both on and off the field. Another new arrival is expected to be Mark Taylor – a key member of Allardyce’s backroom staff at Bolton Wanderers – with the rather grand title of Head of Sport Science. When Freddy Shepherd bumped into Allardyce at the HMV awards near the end of last season in London, the United chairman’s main topic was to find out why Bolton had had so few injuries. Hartlepool-born 42-year-old Taylor is the main reason and he will be a welcome arrival at St James’ Park.

To be honest it doesn't really matter as long as he is in by the start of pre-season training next week.

Chronicle seem to think he won't be here until Wednesday.

Been said before Dein can't join us as he has a significant shareholding in Arsenal. Neally sold up aparently Can't sell up as their is currently an agreement in place that for a year nobody in the current Arsenal heirarchy will sell their shares. That means none of Hill-Wood and that lot can buy the club and it also means it's impossible for Kroenke to takeover. Also take your head out of the clouds, Dein is an Arsenal fan and in a year he will be back on the board when Kroenke takes over.

Been said before Dein can't join us as he has a significant shareholding in Arsenal.

Are we really gonna do this every single day. 99% of the stuff in that probobly has no truth in it and is pure guesswork.

New quotes from Rozehnal Link

Jesus christ, why do so many people believe what they read in the papers. Their job is to sell newspapers, not report the truth.

It is currently impossible for David Dein to become a director at Newcastle as he owns 14.6% of Arsenal.

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/chroniclelive/eveningchronicle/tm_headline=ashley-to-wield-toon-axe%26method=full%26objectid=19344693%26siteid=50081-name_page.html Newcastle United is set for a boardroom shake-up within days as Mike Ashley's St James' Park revolution gathers pace. The Chronicle can exclusively reveal billionaire Mike Ashley will meet Toon directors to review their futures at the club. The 42-year-old sports tycoon wants to replace the current board members with his own people and changes are expected to take place any day now. He has written to directors asking for their resignations. Sir John Hall's children Douglas Hall and Allison Antonopoulos are set to confirm they are going on Monday. Chairman Freddy Shepherd is expected to stay. But the Newcastle futures of his brother Bruce Shepherd and finance expert Timothy Revill are uncertain. Key players from Mr Ashley's camp and the current board members will thrash out the details at St James' Park within days. Once the changes have taken place Mr Ashley is expected to start splashing the millions he feels are necessary to transform the club into a leading force in world football. A source close to Mr Ashley said: "This is all part of Mr Ashley's strategic review of Newcastle United. "This is the first phase that will result in boardroom changes. "It is all about getting his own people in there, people he knows and trusts with whom he has worked for many years. "Now that he is the majority shareholder he has the power to do that." He added: "These changes will give Mr Ashley a better feel for the business and help him to make it better and shape and develop it." The board have two-year pay-off deals written into their contracts. Douglas Hall can expect at least £827,092, while the other board members are looking at a minimum of around £60,000 to £70,000 each. Mr Ashley wants to shake up the board as part of his bid to take the club into private ownership. A source close to the club added: "There are going to be significant changes. There will be a new look at the top after this." Mr Ashley now owns around 80% of the club and is driving forward to the 90% ownership mark, which will mean the remaining 10% will have to be sold to him under stock market rules. City analysts said Mr Ashley cannot just wipe people off the current board as it is still a plc and they have contracts. Until the club is taken back into private ownership, changes cannot be made without negotiating redundancy payments. But city experts say Mr Ashley will want to get his own people in before he starts making any big investments. The board of directors Freddy Shepherd, 64. Chairman and executive director Freddy was appointed as a director in November 1991 after being part of the Magpie Group, which took over control of Newcastle United from Gordon McKeag. He became chairman in July 1998, taking over from Sir John Hall. He was appointed as a non-executive director of Newcastle United plc in December 1998, became a full-time executive director in August 2001 and was appointed chairman in 2002. He is also chairman of the Shepherd Offshore group of companies. Bruce Shepherd, 59. Non-executive director and member of the remuneration committee and audit committee Younger brother of Freddy, Bruce was appointed as a non-executive director in July 2002. He is the chief executive of the Shepherd Offshore group of companies, based in Walker, and has an executive box at St James' Park. Timothy Revill, 56. Independent non-executive director and chairman of the remuneration committee and audit committee Appointed as a non-executive director in July 2002 at the same time as Bruce Shepherd. He is a chartered accountant and chairman of the BDO Fidecs group of accountants and business advisers, based in Gibraltar. Douglas Hall, 48. Non-executive director of the plc and executive director of NUFC Sir John Hall's son Douglas was appointed as a director of the football club in November 1991 as part of the Magpie Group takeover, working alongside his father and Freddy Shepherd. He subsequently became deputy chairman in July 1998. He was appointed as a non-executive director of Newcastle United plc in December 1998 and as an executive director of Newcastle United Football Club on August 1, 2001. He is chairman of Cameron Hall Developments. Allison Antonopoulos, 46. Non-executive director Sir John Hall's daughter Allison was appointed as a non-executive director on February 3, 2004. She became only the second woman to take a place on the board at St James' Park. She is also a director of Cameron Hall Developments Ltd.

Nothing on the breaking news bar.

Simple reason Martins may be unhappy, no Europeon football. I don't think someone who is used to paly in the CL every year with Inter will be particularly impressed that he has no europeon football this year.

Don't think we need him at the moment. We need defenders first.