sempuki

Denied! I know what is expected Dec 30 2006 By Alan Oliver, The Evening Chronicle Glenn Roeder has admitted he is "under real pressure" to find new players in the transfer window for Newcastle United. However, even though United are probably experiencing the worst injury crisis in their history and have a paper-thin squad, Roeder insists: "I will not be signing players just for the sake of signing them." Roeder knows the big - if not the only - question the United supporters are asking these days is just who he is going to bring in during the January transfer window. However, reports coming out of David Moyes' Press conference at Everton yesterday that United were ready to bid £5.5m for Manchester City's Joey Barton are simply not true. But Roeder told me today: "It is not just the fans asking about this. Senior players in our squad like Scott Parker, Shay Given and Michael Owen will be looking carefully at which players I am going to sign. "It is really judgement day for me. It will put me under more pressure, but I have always been careful in spending other people's money. "I have only bought two players in Oba Martins and Damien Duff and we went through the thought process with both of them. "Even though Antoine Sibierski was an 11th-hour signing we made a lot of phone calls in that hour checking out his character and things like that. "Now we have the opportunity to sign more players in January and I can tell our fans we are looking for quality and not quantity. "There are plenty of players out there whom we could sign but who would not improve our team and with whom we would then find ourselves lumbered. "So I will not be buying players who will drag us down but players who will help us move forward." Roeder and chairman Freddy Shepherd should be given credit for not only disposing of players like Jean Alain Boumsong and Amady Faye, who were not good enough for United, but for banking £5m in the process. Roeder cannot afford to let any players go next month, but if he had Shay Given and Steve Harper fit it would make sense to let teenage goalkeeper Tim Krul go on loan to a Championship club. The United boss would also be prepared to release £10m forward Albert Luque but, despite all the talk, no-one has yet come in for the Spanish international. Newcastle's best hope on the Luque front is for the player to return to Spain on loan next month with a view to a permanent transfer in the close season.

United wait on Crouch Dec 29 2006 By The Evening Chronicle Newcastle United's hopes of luring Peter Crouch to St James' Park could well depend on Valencia boss Quique Sanchez Flores. For Liverpool want Valencia striker David Villa, and they will only let Crouch go if they sign the Spanish international striker. Ironically, Flores was at one time linked with the manager's job at St James' Park after Graeme Souness was sacked in February. The Chronicle revealed United's interest in Crouch on the eve of the trip to Chelsea on Tuesday, December 12, and things have moved on slowly since then. Sources on Merseyside tell me that not only is Crouch aware of United's interest, but that he would jump at the chance to come to Tyneside and form a little-and-large partnership with Oba Martins and eventually Michael Owen. A source at United tells me that the £12m fee that Liverpool are supposed to want for their 25-year-old 6ft 7in striker has been plucked out of the air. And all Glenn Roeder would say rather curtly today was: "Peter Crouch is a Liverpool player and I do not talk about players at other clubs." However, Roeder makes no bones about his admiration for Crouch both as a goal-maker and goal-taker. Crouch himself is unhappy that he is not an automatic choice at Anfield, and he reacted angrily at being substituted in the Boxing Day defeat at Blackburn. Meanwhile, The Chronicle revealed on Saturday night that the two players in the Championship in whom Roeder would be interested are Southampton's 17-year-old left-back Gareth Bale and Derby midfielder Giles Barnes. With Manchester United and Arsenal both in the hunt for Bale, the Welsh international looks to be out of Roeder's reach. But Derby boss Billy Davies says that he will let Barnes go at the right price - and this has also alerted Spurs manager Martin Jol.

I'm hoping on some early action this time and Roeder has just about said as much. We don't have enough fit players to get us through games (excluding the kids) and if we don't make some signings before January 6th they would be cup-tied in the FA Cup. I'm sure Roeder knows this and I think we'll have a couple through the door quickly - like Babayaro and Boumsong a few years ago but hopefully this time the players will be better!

I agree with Invicta Toon... Nurse!!!!!

Not an A-Team but would do me - any chance of it happening? Wes Brown Gareth Bale Giles Barnes Pierre Boya Darren Bent I doubt we'll get Bent so that idea gets kyboshed - maybe Beattie (though hopefully not) though!

Predictable and disappointing although in the circumstances we have to be realistic. Roll on the transfer window.

We haven't lost (yet). Bit harsh it must be said.

Roeder cool on Carew talk By Alex Livie - Created on 26 Dec 2006 Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has poured cold water on reports linking him with a January move for Lyon striker John Carew. Roeder is set to bolster his strikeforce in the January window, having lost Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi to long-term injuries. Obafemi Martins has proved his quality in recent weeks, but Roeder is eager to take some of the attacking pressure off the shoulders of the Nigerian and reports suggested he was planning a raid on the French champions for Carew. Roeder has revealed that he is close friends with Lyon chief Gerard Houllier and he has never spoken to the Frenchman about his forward. "One of my best friends in football management is Gerard Houllier at Lyon and if I was interested in signing John Carew, he would have been the first one I would have talked to," stated Roeder. "Well, I have not talked to Gerard because I am not interested in Carew."

It's a shame Edgar has to make his debut away at Bolton where he is going to get bombarded but Huntington has done well so far and hopefully he will too.

Good luck- we're going to need it today.

Pav makes ghost of it By DAVE KIDD December 26, 2006 PAVEL SRNICEK is ready to make his first Newcastle start for almost a decade as the Geordies enjoy a blast from a ghost of Christmas past. The popular Czech keeper, a star of Toon’s cavalier Kevin Keegan era, is likely to replace Shay Given for today’s trip to Bolton. Irishman Given was forced off with a groin injury in the 88th minute of Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Tottenham. Steven Taylor, one of three young locals in the Newcastle defence, was a St James’ Park ball-boy the last time Srnicek started for the Magpies in 1997. Srnicek, 38, has been back on Tyneside since August. But boss Glenn Roeder is set to give him a start at the Reebok with Steve Harper a long-term injury victim and Dutch youngster Tim Krul only just recovered from a knee op. Srnicek will join a buoyant Newcastle side, beaten only by Chelsea in their last 12 games. And Taylor insists they are showing glimpses of the entertaining football that thrilled the Geordies during Keegan’s reign. Taylor, 20, said: “Pav coming on against Spurs was a special moment. The fans gave him a great reception and it was fully deserved. “To come back after so long and play for us is amazing. He’s brought that extra bit of spirit into the dressing room as well. “He was here in the Keegan days and he’s back for us now. “During Pav’s last spell here I was a ball-boy and that was unbelievable. I’m not saying we have returned to the era of ‘The Entertainers’ but we’re playing some great football. Taylor insists Newcastle will no longer be bullied by Bolton — like they were during a 2-1 home defeat in October. He said: “Bolton will see a different Newcastle. We’re ruthless at the moment. “Ruthless isn’t a word you would always associate with Newcastle teams but our football is now doing our talking. “We know how difficult it was when we were near the bottom and new players were coming in and we had injuries. “When you see people slagging you off on telly and saying you’re going to get relegated, the best thing is to prove them wrong with performances and we’ve certainly shut a few people up.” Toon chief Roeder insists he has no qualms about playing Srnicek. He said: “Pav has not been round the block once but several times. “He picked it up very quickly against Spurs, showed no nerves and used the ball well. He’s got the experience that will give our young players confidence.” [email protected]

There might be the possibility that he could be offered to Southampton in exchange for Bale - the Burley connection and all that.

Krul to cover for Given By Alex Livie - Created on 24 Dec 2006 Newcastle have recalled Tim Krul from his Christmas break in Holland after Shay Given aggravated a groin problem against Tottenham on Saturday. Given, who has returned in fine form following an operation to rectify a perforated bowel, limped out of the win over Spurs in the dying moments. He was replaced by the man he succeeded on Tyneside some nine years ago, Pavel Srnicek, with the veteran Czech receiving a hero's welcome at St James' Park. Given is a severe doubt for the Boxing Day visit to Bolton, with the developments forcing Roeder to put an emergency call in to Holland. Krul is feeling his way back to fitness following a knee operation, but he could well be asked to spend Boxing Day on the bench at The Reebok. "We have managed to keep it quiet for a few weeks that Shay has had a slight groin problem," said Roeder. "It is unbelievable that he could go five seasons without any problems whatsoever and suddenly at Upton Park earlier in the season, he had an injury that is never seen on a football field, it is only ever seen in car crashes. "We got him back from that, and now he has picked up a groin injury that does not rule him out of the game on Boxing Day yet. "We will be recalling Tim Krul. He was on a flight to Amsterdam at 4pm this afternoon, and he will probably now only get a chance to have breakfast with his parents tomorrow before getting on a plane back to Newcastle."

If the story is true (it is from the Geordie Beano however) I'd be pleased if the 2 offers were for the 2 young lads mentioned yesterday - Bale and Barnes - 2 up and coming players with loads of potential. I'd much prefer it if he left the riskier signings - i.e. foreigners to loan deals.

Some recent news on Cavenaghi - seems to have lost his way a bit but is still young enough: Spartak Moscow have agreed to release Argentine forward Fernando Cavenaghi in the off season, the Russian Premier League club said on Wednesday. "There are several players the club has decided to axe. One of them is Cavenaghi," Spartak general director Sergei Shavlo was quoted as saying by the Russian media. "He is still a young player and has a bright future, therefore we don't want to make life difficult for him as well as the team." The 23-year-old striker has struggled to settle in Russia since joining Spartak from River Plate on a five-year, $11.5 million contract in July 2004. Cavenaghi has scored just nine goals in all competitions for Spartak in 2006 after hitting seven the previous year. The Argentine said last week that he wanted to leave Russia for Italy or Spain. In their final match of the year, Spartak beat Sporting 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday to finish third in Group B behind Bayern Munich and Inter Milan and secure a spot in the UEFA Cup.

Ollie will not play in black & white again Dec 24 2006 By The Sunday Sun Glenn Roeder has all but confirmed that Olivier Bernard will never play for Newcastle again. The French left-back is nursing a hip injury after failing to make a single first-team appearance since rejoining United in August. Bernard now requires an operation which will sideline him for the rest of the season. And with him only being on a one-year contract, the 27-year-old is set to be on his way again next summer. "He has an ongoing hip injury that is not going to go away," Newcastle boss Roeder said of Bernard. "That will at some stage in the near future need surgery which would take him out for the rest of the season." Bernard is on an estimated £4000-a-week, meaning he stands to pick up just over £200,000 for a year of inactivity at St James's Park.

Glenn orders a double! Dec 24 2006 By Neil Farrington, The Sunday Sun Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has made approaches for two players ahead of the January transfer window. And while he waits to see if his moves for the duo - believed to be a left-back and a striker - are success- ful, Roeder is considering also turning to loan deals in a bid to cover the remaining gaps in his squad. "We've got a couple of permanent signings on the horizon," Roeder told the Sunday Sun. "We haven't got any feedback yet from those involved, but we're hopeful." But as well as those two planned cash buys, Roeder admitted he may use the loan market again - despite Giuseppe Rossi's struggle to make an impact during his temporary spell at St James's Park. The latest striker to be linked in Europe with a move to Tyneside is Spartak Moscow's Argentine star Fernando Cavenaghi.

Sounds like both Ramage and Huntington did well too.

3 goals scored and a good defence. Can't believe I'm typing about us TBH.

We've got to carry on this form for the Bolton and Everton away games. I'm not hopeful at all about New Year's Day although we're on form and stand a chance in our next 2 games.

Quasi for the Scousers.

Defoe injured in the warm up and out of the game. Replaced by Murphy.

Same as the Chelsea game.

Zat Knight has fractured his jaw so looks unlikely to be coming here.

We would have had Wycombe too! Typical!