Martin Lol

Because no-one ever bothers to mention the performance-related bonuses that are added on. Admittedly, the total package doesn't come up Newcastle's levels but is still better than generally quoted. It was also going to be reviewed this summer by Levy but that review may now be deferred The source for this rumour was Ward who used to contribute regularly on the 606 forum.........that says it all really. I stick by what I said previously, Spurs bid £8m rising to £10m (which was reluctantly accepted by Charlton) and Egghead has bid the full asking price of £15m. Bent doesn't want to go there and has gone on holiday. One looks to be coming to fruition. I did speak of Younes Kaboul about a month ago (http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=39258.25) and that should be finalised after the final French league matches this weekend. This is now widely being reported by the media. I am also more optimistic about getting Gareth Bale now than at any other time, even if he is still trying to get a guaranteed starting place. On the downside, Chelski have bid £10m for Chimbonda and Levy is seriously thinking about it. Good money for him but not so easy to think of a good quality replacement. Beginning to fear the worst with that.

Would love to hear where you got the information from? I don't think they are the 2nd highest spender after Chelsea, and the make a lot of money selling players too. My own research 2006/2007 In Didier Zokora - 8.2M Dimitar Berbatov - 10.9M Mido - 4.5M Steed Malbranque - 2M Pascal Chimbonda - 6M Ben Alnwick - 900K Ricardo Rocha - 3.3M Benoît Assou-Ekotto - 3.5M Total - 34.8M Out Stephen Kelly - 750K Gregory Rasiak - 2M Michael Carrick - 18.6M Andy Reid - 3M Marton Fullop - 500K Calum Davenport - 3M Total - 27.85M 2005/2006 Out Simon Davi Pedro Mendez es - 4M Noe Pamarot, Sean Davies, Pedro Mendez - 7.5M In Danny Murphy - 2M Lee Yong Pyo - ??- 2M Teemu Taino - Free Paul Stalteri - Free Jermaine Jenas - 7M Aaron Lennon - 1M 2004/2005 In Paul Robinson - 1.5M Jermaine Defoe - 7M Pedro Mendes - 2M Sean Davies - ?? Noe Paramot - 1.75M Michael Dawson + Michael Brown - 8M If it's being said that Spurs are the 2nd highest spenders over the past 3 years then tbh I wouldn't argue. I haven't got any specific details but your list, especially for Arnesen's first year is nowhere near complete. Off the top of my head, there's Ziegler, Defendi, Naybet, Davenport, Routledge, Atouba, Dilevski, Halfreddson and Davids missing. Almost everyone from that time has gone or is on the verge of going and we never made a loss on the vast majority of them, so the outlay was recovered, but 2nd highest spenders, yes, that's probably accurate.

for those sorts of prices thats the main reason why I can see him staying in the prem signing for a newly promoted team or one of the smaller clubs who think they can get him doing as well in his first two seasons You may be right. I just have a hunch that he may return to Italy, not with any strong belief, just a feeling.

But in addition to using him right, his head has to be right as well. He wants to be seen as a starter, not a squad player. When he was on loan, he was THE big striker and played well when starting. When he was on the bench, he was a different kettle of fish. This season he has been behind Berbatov and Mido has been a problem with his attitude all season long.

baring in mind martins will disappear to the african nations this season we may rely on shola more than some would like Ameobi is still a better option than Mido. shola will always be a good back up and i recon he realises that, if we dont sign any strikers in the summer (can see us signing some unheard of 6ft 5 african player personally) I can see why people are intrested in mido I wouldn't go near him but can see him staying in the prem He nearly went to Citeh in January but Pearce was in charge then, so I guess the new man will have more sense. Personally, I think he will go abroad, mainly because I find it hard to envisage anyone in the premiership signing him. His stats by the way are: Appearances 12 (including 5 as sub) Shots 9 Goals 1 Assists 0 Offside 10 Fouls committed 18 Yellow Cards 4 Nuff said really. The only player in the last 3 years that Spurs will make a significant loss on. Bought for £4m, will go for £1.5/2m maybe.

baring in mind martins will disappear to the african nations this season we may rely on shola more than some would like Ameobi is still a better option than Mido.

He is not worth a punt. Trust me. MJ's biggest mistake since he joined Spurs (and he's made a few) was talking Levy into believing Mido had changed his ways. Are you pissed?? Didn't you ever wonder why Mido never played? hmmmm coz Berbatov was better? OK, I'll put it another way. Berbatov was never rotated, he was always starting, even when it was patently obvious he was knackered. Defoe was always on the bench to replace Keane, why wasn't Mido on the bench to replace Berbatov? Because every week Mido would train until Thursday and then say he had picked up an injury, that's why. He even cleared off back to Egypt half way though the season! Bollocks. I take it you got this rubbish from the pathetic Itk's?. Mido was not picked because: 1) Berbatov was better 2) Jol probably just wanted 1 sub striker on the bench 3) Mido's been injured for a while 1) Correct. Far better tbh. 2) Then why always Defoe or Keane? Why never Mido? 3) There hasn't been an injury most of the time and certainly not at the end of the season when we needed him to give some help to his teammates. Mido said he would play if he started, when he was named on the bench, he declared an injury. Yes ITK's have told me that. I've also heard it in the players lounge in the course of the season as well. I still can't believe that you'd want him to stay.

He is not worth a punt. Trust me. MJ's biggest mistake since he joined Spurs (and he's made a few) was talking Levy into believing Mido had changed his ways. Are you pissed?? Didn't you ever wonder why Mido never played? hmmmm coz Berbatov was better? OK, I'll put it another way. Berbatov was never rotated, he was always starting, even when it was patently obvious he was knackered. Defoe was always on the bench to replace Keane, why wasn't Mido on the bench to replace Berbatov? Because every week Mido would train until Thursday and then say he had picked up an injury, that's why. He even cleared off back to Egypt half way though the season!

He is not worth a punt. Trust me. MJ's biggest mistake since he joined Spurs (and he's made a few) was talking Levy into believing Mido had changed his ways. Are you pissed?? Didn't you ever wonder why Mido never played?

He is not worth a punt. Trust me. MJ's biggest mistake since he joined Spurs (and he's made a few) was talking Levy into believing Mido had changed his ways.

I think Bent will be going to the bingo club. Egghead has actually bid £15m and I can't see anyone wanting to match that figure. The only hope is that Bent doesn't want to go there but if Charlton dig their heels in, Bent will have the choice of the spanners or the championship, not a lot of difference tbh. Bent, as good as he is, ain't worth £15m. A couple of weeks ago you were adament that all Bent had to do was pass a medical at the Spuds and he was being unveiled on theWednesday. What happened then??!! £4.5m extra bid by the bingo club. Bent don't want to go there, but no-one has bid anything like £15m

I think Bent will be going to the bingo club. Egghead has actually bid £15m and I can't see anyone wanting to match that figure. The only hope is that Bent doesn't want to go there but if Charlton dig their heels in, Bent will have the choice of the spanners or the championship, not a lot of difference tbh. Bent, as good as he is, ain't worth £15m.

Newcastle's has gone from 63p to 74p in 2 weeks, Spurs from 84p to £1.08 in the same time. It'll be interesting to see how they've fared in another 2 weeks time and whether that is reflected across the sector. There are some, like Newcastle and Spurs, who should always be a more attractive takeover proposition than say Watford or Sheff Utd and their increase in the share price compared to less attractive teams should reflect that. Newcastle's share price is now 81p (up 9.45%), Spurs is up 23.61% at 123.5p. Newcastle's increase probably reflects Big Sam's appointment, Spurs' on continued takeover rumours, this time an American consortium. I still think Levy will be gone by the end of the year.

Come on, if silly money is offered - he'll be off. We all know this. EVERY player in every team has his price. If Chelsea offered, for arguments sake £26m, could any chairman turn it down? Well, the 40m offered by Juve is roughly £26.7m and that was turned down. He's not worth it but I stick with my statement in an earlier thread that I don't think Levy would even remotely consider selling Berbatov for less than £30m, probably £35m. He gives Spurs the best chance to break into the top 4, not because he can do it on his own but by keeping him, other players who might have thought about only the top 4 when moving may now consider a 5th option. OK then! Just to be pedantic what about £36m? My point is that every player has a certain amount that can not be turned down and if the buying club keep coming back with more money, eventually a bid is going to be accepted. The wishes/ambition of the player become irrelevant. Berba has publicly said he is happy at Spurs, I don't think Levy would sell him at any price with the player's own words ready to be thrown back at him should he be sold against his wishes. Negotiations are very nearly complete for an extended contract taking him up to 2013 and doubling his money. But as, currently, he is only on £22k pw he could still earn far more elsewhere. Find it hard to believe he wouldn't be sold for 'any price' but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next couple of years. When Newcastle got close to the Premiership under KK, how much would they have sold Shearer for? The answer would have been 'not for sale' no matter what figure was thrown at Newcastle......... and rightly so imo.

I was told he signed a 3 year contract with an option (on Spurs' part) to extend for a further 2 years. Others say it was a straight 4 year deal, so I don't know which is correct.

That's my point. If someone comes in with big money, he'll be sold regardless of whether he likes it or not. Money used to talk. Now it screams the place down. true, but things have changed since the Bosman rule. At what stage does it become good business to sell players for silly money ? When there are 2 years remaining on his contract and the player says he won't renew. That's what Carrick said and he went. Defoe is now saying it and he will go the same way, but not necessarily to the same club. Credit to both of them though for being honest, enabling the club to get the maximum possible transfer fee for them. I reluctantly agree, which is the position we are in ref Owen, and why I made the comment above which is the same as the one I made last week The problem you have with Owen is that you also have a punative clause which is holding his price down to the detriment of the club.

Come on, if silly money is offered - he'll be off. We all know this. EVERY player in every team has his price. If Chelsea offered, for arguments sake £26m, could any chairman turn it down? Well, the 40m offered by Juve is roughly £26.7m and that was turned down. He's not worth it but I stick with my statement in an earlier thread that I don't think Levy would even remotely consider selling Berbatov for less than £30m, probably £35m. He gives Spurs the best chance to break into the top 4, not because he can do it on his own but by keeping him, other players who might have thought about only the top 4 when moving may now consider a 5th option. OK then! Just to be pedantic what about £36m? My point is that every player has a certain amount that can not be turned down and if the buying club keep coming back with more money, eventually a bid is going to be accepted. The wishes/ambition of the player become irrelevant. Berba has publicly said he is happy at Spurs, I don't think Levy would sell him at any price with the player's own words ready to be thrown back at him should he be sold against his wishes. Negotiations are very nearly complete for an extended contract taking him up to 2013 and doubling his money. But as, currently, he is only on £22k pw he could still earn far more elsewhere.

That's my point. If someone comes in with big money, he'll be sold regardless of whether he likes it or not. Money used to talk. Now it screams the place down. true, but things have changed since the Bosman rule. At what stage does it become good business to sell players for silly money ? When there are 2 years remaining on his contract and the player says he won't renew. That's what Carrick said and he went. Defoe is now saying it and he will go the same way, but not necessarily to the same club. Credit to both of them though for being honest, enabling the club to get the maximum possible transfer fee for them.

Come on, if silly money is offered - he'll be off. We all know this. EVERY player in every team has his price. If Chelsea offered, for arguments sake £26m, could any chairman turn it down? Well, the €40m offered by Juve is roughly £26.7m and that was turned down. He's not worth it but I stick with my statement in an earlier thread that I don't think Levy would even remotely consider selling Berbatov for less than £30m, probably £35m. He gives Spurs the best chance to break into the top 4, not because he can do it on his own but by keeping him, other players who might have thought about only the top 4 when moving may now consider a 5th option.

Competing with each other!! They won't work well together unless Fergie has a complete rethink on the midfield and uses 2 holding MF's as Wenger did with Vieira and Petit. There are then still Ronaldo and Giggs out wide but then, what about Scholes? I think Carrick will be spending a lot of next season on the bench, even if he did cost more.

It's a good piece written by a journo that I have very little time for most of the time, but this time he has got it spot on. If the team that has finished 5th for the past 2 seasons sells off its star attraction, it would be admitting defeat in the chase to break into the top 4. With Hargreaves on his way for £17m, Man Utd wouldn't appear to be likely bidders. Juventus might wish to test Levy again, they offered €40m late last week and got sorry, not for sale. I've said before that Levy is adamant that he won't sell Berba at any price, whether he says the same about Chimbonda to Chelsea is more debateable.

.. on his way to Manyoo. £17m http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=467548&CPID=8&clid=1&lid=&title=United+to+sign+Owen+-+reports&channel=& Reports emanating from the German press have claimed Owen Hargreaves is poised to complete a move to Manchester United. Saturday's FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea could be softened somewhat by the securing of the Bayern Munich midfielder, if reports prove to have genuine credence. German magazine Spiegel has reported on its website that United have concurred on a deal with Bayern, at a fee thought to be worth £17million, with the transfer to go through just as soon as Hargreaves puts pen-to-paper on a four-year contract. Hargreaves was conspicuous by his absence for Bayern's final league game of the season, against Energie Cottbus on Saturday, with his German paymasters having suggested a knee injury was the reason behind his non-appearance. The Canadian-born England international refused to comment when quizzed on reports of his imminent signing for United, but the Premiership champions' long-standing pursuit of the combative midfielder is well documented.

Do you think Allardyce will have time to flog the 8 you mention and bring in replacements (not forgetting the other 5 who have already been released)? If not, what's your guess for how many in this window? My guess would be around 4. I think there will be some that SA will want to have a better look at to see if he can get more out of them. Luque loan - Almost cert Owen, Dyer & Parker all linked in the last few days, Duff we will have to keep due to injury, but Emre could easily be sold quickly abroad. The hardest to shift would be Carr & Babayaro, i suggest Scotland, possibly on a free, but SA might just want to keep them for back-up. However out of all that i have mentioned i expect 4 to be permanently gone. As for bringing them in, thats his job, and if he's not going for the glamour names then it will be easier than we think. Bolton never hung about to sign a player, deals were done pretty quickly, SA knows what kind of players he wants, and he goes and gets them funds permitting, and if we sell that little lot, fund could reach £50m easily. All he has to do is buy an 11 with Given, Taylor, Zoggy, Milner & Martins already in, so 6 players, with Harper, Krul, Ramage, Hunty, Edgar, Solano, Butt, Duff, Ameobi &Carroll playing backup, its not ideal but it gets the s*** out, the wage bill down, money in the club, a clean slate, fresh ideas & room for improvement next season, mainly depth. Its what i hope he's got planned, easier said than done? I don't know, but i do know WHU are planning the same kind of change around and a bet my left testicle they manage it, so why can't we? It will be a bit like when Jol came in, only SA needs to work one window like Jol did his 1st 2-3, its not that much when you think about it considering we've got players to sell to fund whereas Tottenham maybe didn't have that quality (Or rep of players) that we have now. I wondered if Allardyce would have had a closer look at Dyer, Duff, Luque and Parker. True, they have't performed as well as could have been expected, but maybe that was down to the previous manager/tactics etc. I just wonder if SA will be able to get a lot more out of them, if he can, it's like having new players for no money. If he decides that they are write-offs, well then he can ship them out. With his past history of getting players and team to overachieve, it wouldn't surprise me to see the new faces in this window, the write-offs going next January. You're right, there's a lot of similarities between Newcastle now and Spurs of 3 years ago. Newcastle have got a lot of pretty good players seriously underperforming, Spurs had a lot of mediocrity playing up to their ability. You've got some players that worth a bit, though nowhere near as much as you paid, Spurs in the main had players bought in for around £2/3m and a lot were shipped out on frees. The problem I see with the likes of Parker, Duff, Dyer etc is because you pay them so much, there's no incentive for the to play up to their standard and even less incentive to move elsewhere where the money will be a lot lower. Dyer's been linked with Spurs, there has been some contact, I've said that before, but I can't see it progressing because Dyer doesn't want to a huge cut, Levy isn't interested without Newcastle contributing to his wages over the length of the contract and Shepherd isn't going down the Leeds route of agreeing to that. So unless Dyer has a change of heart or Newcastle find a club who will stump up those wages, quite frankly, I can't see Dyer going anywhere.

Do you think Allardyce will have time to flog the 8 you mention and bring in replacements (not forgetting the other 5 who have already been released)? If not, what's your guess for how many in this window? My guess would be around 4. I think there will be some that SA will want to have a better look at to see if he can get more out of them.

I don't think sales of players who don't fit into the squad should be stopped, if they're not suitable for the squad, they're not suitable. You can't keep them just because the numbers are thin. The squad should never have been allowed to get into the state it is in today, but Allardyce does have time to get things changed. I would guess Newcastle would need something like 11 or 12 players before the window closes. It's asking a lot but it could be done. How the transfer fund will cope with that sort of number or how many will be Bosmans, only time will tell.