Yorkie

After a quick read-up on Diakhate, seems as though he must be fairly highly rated - Bayern, Lyon, Juve, Shalke, etc - all after him alledgedly. He's 22, is 6 foot 2 and a full Senegalese international. Also, he was in Ligue 1's team of the season last year; and he must have kept up his form, having clocked up 37 appearances for Nancy this term - more than anyone else in the squad. Hope the Bordeaux-Nancy scouting mission was fruitful!

I just don't think Shepherd wants to get rid of Roeder! Geordie race and all that.

I doubt he would do anyway. I genuinely think Roeder is going to pursuit younger options - and even if he unsurprisingly fails and is short on players, it'll be too late to get the likes of Campbell, as i imagine someone like him will be snapped up pretty quickly. Would love to see him here, though - without a doubt. Not sure what Thuram's like at the moment... but 35 years of age? That's maybe a bit late to adapt to the Premier League. I just don't reckon Roeder is after players like that.

Aye, was planning on doing exactly that, Jan.

No, nor will he be sacked, it's just a nice thought.

Sam Allardyce Sammy Lee Glenn Roeder Gary Speed ... is a decent coaching set-up. I've said this before and i'll say it again, because i stand by it - Roeder's not a very good manager but i reckon he'd be a very good coach. Because i think he's good on a one-to-one basis. It's the crucial matchday decisions where he falls down - and that's the manager's job. On the training ground however, i bet he'd be a valuable member of the staff.

Dang. I'd been enjoying this thread.

TBH. Maybe Fulham? What's the "surely he's off to Citeh" comments based on? And aye, i'd bet a decent amount Gary Speed got offered it.

How difficult is it to get tickets for the opening home game of the season? Usually a fairly big occassion and i really fancied it... I posted a thread up a few weeks ago, asking about which stand to sit in.

No he's not. He's just been forced into that role this season because there's no one else. You can see that from his play inside the box, it's virtually non-existant half the time. His movement is poor. He isn't the goalscoring predator that you describe - that Owen is. Hopefully the goalscoring burden will be lifted off him when Owen returns.

For some reason, i always knew we'd end up signing Scott Parker. Odd ot say the least... dunno why i did - i just did. This was before we were linked with him aswell.

Christ. One goal in it.

Still stand by this!

Well, Zoggy's a centre-mid now so he'll be on the lookout for a left-winger anyway.

Btw, Gallowgate End - i think you're good for these pre-match, pick-yer-line-up threads - i don't especially agree with your points but you make the effort to elaborate and express them properly. But howay man, there were 8 fullstops in that great long post there. And they weren't even relevant seeing as they were bullet points.

Did no one see how shit Owen was at the World Cup - coming back from injury the first time? Add another ten months onto that. I'd rather he was left on the bench and eased back in, for the good of the man himself and the team.

Morph, fellow Derby-is-my-second-team man, you know more than i do, i would imagine... what actually is his best position?

Slated? He's saying all the right things. Don't see how anyone can knock him for this, or any of his interviews. At least he's got ambition. Did you not see the reaction the last time he spoke to the Sun? One or two on here weren't happy.

He shouldn't be playing, surely? Did he definitely feature against Palermo?

Barnes would add so much to our squad, in my opinion. Can play on either wing, through the centre, and off the striker - and he's got a heck of a peg on him. Versatile and youthful and gonna be bloody good - JUST what we need.

He's gonna get slated to fuck for this, inevitably, but i gotta just love him.

Wouldn't say no to that lot. Did Campbell only sign a one-year contract?

Good point. But we will anyway, if we get the chance.

Carlos Tevez £10m fee. £60k-a-week wages. Mark Viduka £0 fee. £60k-a-week wages. If we're talking purely financial prospects - it's not exaclty a toughie to pick.

The Viduka debate has been discussed. I'm majorly 'pro'. But anyway.