LooneyToonArmy

Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul insists he is not going to play second fiddle to current No.1 Steve Harper for too long. The Dutch shot-stopper has been warming the bench at St James' Park so far this season but is set to play against West Brom in the FA Cup this weekend. Harper has only been handed a regular run in the Magpies' first team since the departure of Shay Given to Manchester City in February last year. Krul is keen to not let the same happen to him, but claims he has a good relationship with his team-mate. "We respect each other," he said in the Daily Express. "Steve is doing really well this season and we are top of the league, but I'm picking up my games and I'm glad I've played in the Carling Cup and the FA Cup. "The key thing is I feel I'm getting better all the time and that keeps me feeling all right. "Harps is always helping me. It's not like we're not speaking to each other or hoping that the other one goes away. "I have a year-and-a-half left on my contract and I will continue to learn from Steve. "But I have no intention of being No.2 for as long as he was under Shay Given because I'm 21 now. "I'm still on the road I want to be on and I'm still on course and that's the most important thing. "I came to England when I was 17 and I set myself a goal. I'm now No.2 at a massive club. Where does that road lead? Far, very far, but I will take it step by step

Guy Mowbray is canny too..... I remember he did the radio commentary for a few years up here for the Sunderland games on Metro radio with Eric Gates though I`m pretty sure he`s a York City fan and not a filthy mackem!

Hughton looking at loan signings Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is likely to make use of the loan system as well as permanent signings as he continues to strengthen his squad. The Championship leaders finally landed Manchester United full-back Danny Simpson on Wednesday evening, and are hoping to push through a move for Portsmouth defender Mike Williamson after having a bid understood to be in the region of £1million accepted. But having seen his efforts to lure Leeds frontman Jermaine Beckford to St James' Park come to nothing, Hughton is also targeting a striker and has not ruled out a return for Aston Villa's Marlon Harewood, whose initial loan spell on Tyneside ended on Boxing Day. Asked if he is looking at loan or permanent signings, he said: "Both. It's about the player. "If there's a loan that presents itself to us that we feel is a good option for us, then of course we are very, very open to that one. "As we have found already, the majority of deals that will be done in this window will be loan signings. But we are very open for both, very."

Is Mike Williamson's transfer from Watford to Portsmouth the worst in English football history? http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22012010/58/premier-league-worst-signing.html

fair enough, but a bit more interesting than the boring `what a goal` routine

the South American commentators...... more energy and enthusiasm and they make British commentators look so boring in comparison...... <Snip. Football clips are not allowed on the forum, sorry.>

interesting to see if he signs for them and then sets foot in Newcastle city centre......

the commentators for Gazzetta Football Italia before - Don Howe (I think) and Peter Brackley

I loved the headline: Carlos Tevez launches explosive attack on 'boot-licking moron' Gary Neville ---- Carlos Tevez The Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez celebrates his first goal in the Carling Cup semi-final against Manchester United by gesturing towards Gary Neville. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/01_03/Tevez1901_482x449.jpg Carlos Tevez has launched an incredible fresh attack on Gary Neville, accusing his former team-mate of being an "boot licking moron" following their confrontation during the Manchester derby on Tuesday night. The Manchester City striker described his side's 2-1 victory as "revenge" and insisted that his provocative goal celebration was directed only at Neville and not Alex Ferguson or the United fans, joking: "Ferguson loves me." Before the game, the United right-back had announced that Tevez was "not worth" the £25m it would have cost his club in the summer to keep him. Tevez was so incensed that he made a gesture towards Neville after scoring his first goal from the penalty spot, to which the England veteran responded by flashing his middle finger. Speaking in a radio interview on ESPN Argentina, Tevez said: "My celebration was directed at Gary Neville. He acted like a complete sock-sucker [boot-licker] when he said I wasn't worth £25m just to suck up to the manager. I don't know what the hell that idiot is talking about me for. I never said anything about him. "I will never show a lack of respect towards anyone. Just as I was running off to celebrate the penalty I had scored, I came across Gary and I said to myself: "Shut your trap, keep quiet". I didn't go overboard in my celebration and it was directed at Gary, not at Ferguson and not at the fans. "I think he did the wrong thing because I was his team-mate and I never said anything bad about him. He was saying that Ferguson was right when he said that I wasn't worth £25m, when he was saying this and that ... I always respected Neville." Despite playing in England for four years, the Argentinian still has difficulty speaking English. His comments yesterday to the British media accusing Neville of being "disrespectful" were released through his representatives and had a measure of calm. But speaking in his native tongue, Tevez made his feelings about Neville clear. "I was at lunch with the players in the team hotel and all the papers were laid out. I read them – well, 'read them', obviously I don't read [English]. "My team-mates were telling me about it and asking what I thought. And I wondered to myself: what's the tarado [moron] talking about me for when I never said anything about him, when there was never any [issue] with us. It was a lack of respect for a compañero [fellow footballer], aside of the fact that we had won a lot of things together. "You have to do your talking on the pitch. I don't talk much in England – mainly because of the language. I don't like to get involved in conflict. I'm happy because I know what I am. Thank God I had the chance to get revenge with City, although there is still the second leg to come," he added, concluding with a joke: "I know that Ferguson loves me, that's why he always talks about me, ha ha." There was a warning for United too, as Tevez said: "There are differences between the two teams. Manchester United is a huge team in the city, everyone knows that. But City are making giant strides." The Argentinian also admitted that, while he is enjoying his football at City, he does not expect to be there for the rest of his career and is struggling with life in England. "Things are going well for me; the goals are coming. I'm in good shape, I have avoided injuries and that really helps," he said. "As a kid I would never have imagined that I would live in England for four years. I am very happy and contented that my daughter is growing up in a country as developed as this one. But the truth is that it's very, very hard for me to live here, so far away from my loved ones. "This is my fourth year but I'm not exactly an example of how to learn English; I just can't get it into my head. I'm learning hardly anything, truth be told. I don't go out much, I spent most of my time at home. "My daughter just brought me a Boca Juniors shirt and she wants me to join Boca. I am a Boca fan and I know I'll go back one day but I don't know when."

United line up loan move for Curtis Davies Jan 21 2010 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2010/01/21/united-line-up-loan-move-for-curtis-davies-72703-25651891/?

Pires (as mentioned) and Marc Overmars for Arsenal too. Paolo Maldini was a naturally right footed player but played mostly left back.

11.23 Reports are suggesting Sunderland have entered the race to sign Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon, who was recently the subject of interest from Burnley.

sounds a bit fishy to me *I'll get my coat....*

NUFC in last-ditch talks with Danny Simpson Hughton is keen to deliver some good news to those fans and told the Chronicle today: “Danny’s one that we’re still working on. “Once he’s out on that pitch, he’s a very committed player who will give everything. “I’ll have to see him, but officially, he’s a Manchester United player until it’s decided otherwise. “We’re still working and making decisions. “The most important thing is to bring in the lads we need in the areas we need, and we’d like to do that as soon as possible.” And commenting on what may be Simpson’s last performance for the Mags, Hughton said: “I thought he was excellent. “He was up against a very good, free-flowing player in Jerome Thomas. He’s a good athlete and runner, but Danny was there, and we sorely needed him.” United now have just 13 days to sign any players contracted to other clubs on a permanent basis. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2010/01/19/nufc-in-last-ditch-talks-with-danny-simpson-72703-25632953/?

Northern Rock’s £10m sponsorship deal with Newcastle United branded a 'disgrace` http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/newcastleunited/7021673/Northern-Rocks-10m-sponsorship-deal-with-Newcastle-United-branded-a-disgrace.html?

or in some sort of coaching capacity at the very least.

was just looking at the Udinese squad the other day and they have 41 players out on loan (on top of their 36 player first team squad) ....can't be right http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udinese_Calcio

SHOLA Ameobi will have unfinished business if his goals fire Newcastle to promotion this season. The long-serving striker, who is set to spearhead the Toon attack in tonight’s top-of-the-table clash with West Brom at St James’s Park, is averaging almost a goal a game in the Championship despite an injury-ravaged campaign. But Ameobi, with eight goals in 10 games this term, is only too aware what his critics are saying and is determined to ram their words down their throats. “They say I’ve found my level and am only scoring regularly because it’s a lower standard,’’ said the 28-year-old. "But I believe I can score goals at the highest level and hopefully I will get the chance to prove it at Newcastle next season.” And he added: “It was one of the lowest points of my career when Kevin Keegan, who is a fans’ hero, comes back and makes it pretty clear I was right down the pecking order. My best times have been with managers who rated me."

Not saying he should start by all means (if he signs) but it would be nice to have him back in some coaching capacity at the very least......would also help the other Spanish speakers in the squad (though Jonas and Enrique speak English canny well)

been released on a free by Derby and training with West Brom apparently

PETER Lovenkrands has hailed the supply line provided by Jonas Gutierrez after the Argentine laid on two of his three goals during the midweek FA Cup win over Plymouth Argyle. The pair had spoken in the dressing room before the game about the diagonal runs that Lovenkrands likes to employ in a bid to exploit gaps in opposition backlines. And it took just ten minutes for Gutierrez to pierce the Argyle rearguard with a slick throughball into the path of the Dane, peeling away from his marker, who duly finished with aplomb to fire the hosts ahead. Gutierrez was again the provider for the striker's second; this time supplying the inch-perfect cross from which his team-mate flashed home a heade And Lovenkrands was quick to pay tribute to his South American colleague when he spoke to nufcTV ahead of Monday's clash with West Brom. "Jonas is just a special player - when he has the ball you know something is going to happen," he said. "He created two of my goals on Wednesday and before the game Jonas had been saying, 'When I come inside, do those runs', and I did. "When he runs at defences that way it creates space for others and it was a brilliant ball. "It was the perfect pass and I just tried to dink it over the goalkeeper and it worked. "And again for my second I was looking for the ball and, when it came to me perfectly, I just tried to put my head on it and it went in again, so I was delighted with that as well. "I hope to start again against West Brom and if so I'll be looking to link up with Jonas because it worked so well on Wednesday."

All I know about him is that wondergoal from the last world cup (against Mexico?) and he has done bugger all for Atletico since then. He has had some serious injuries and hasn't recovered anywhere near the form he had since then. He is more of a support striker thana winger now. He's a good team player, works hard , great shot but doesn't dribble as much now as a 'winger'.

Lee Clark linked with the Burnley job.....Sunday papers mind

Newcastle United snap up young star http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2010/01/09/newcastle-united-snap-up-young-star-72703-25558930/?

they arranged for games to take place in a rebel province. How dumb are those bureaucrats, exactly? People should not be so surprised. While the insurgency is over according to the Angolan government, anyone with half a brain can see that it is not. There were attacks as recently as 2009 and this one just goes to show...