LooneyToonArmy

He does seem to have improved. I know that in his last half dozen or more performances for the American side, he has developed into a rock solid defender. Don't know if that would translate into success if he were to come back to England, but at least for the level he plays at, he's become a mostly consistent and strong defender. don`t think he was that bad before or he really has improved tbh...... stepping into a team and having to partner the likes of Bramble and/or Taylor in that season as your central defensive partners wouldn`t inspire confidence with anyone. Just hoping Colo hasn`t had his confidence completely shattered playing alongside Taylor.

Of course the press will turn it now and say he`s `lost it` and `feeling the pressure`

Milan Rapaić

Onyewu looked like a solid and confident defender last night for Standard Liege against Everton.

Patrick Kluivert

hopefully the saga doesn`t continue until Jan! Good news on the Steven Carr front too ----- Kinnear draws up list of players for January JOE KINNEAR has revealed that he is preparing a "hit list" of players – just in case he is still manager of Newcastle United when the transfer window opens again in the new year. The interim manager takes United to Goodison Park to face Everton on Sunday, armed with a plan to end a run of seven years without any success in the blue half of Merseyside. And Kinnear is fully aware that United then have a 15-day break before Manchester City come to St James’s Park on October 20, because of another round of World Cup qualifiers. He told me today: "I will be taking in as many of those international matches as I can, so that I will have a hit list of players if I am still here in January. "I have been told I am here until the club is sold and, while our managing director Derek Llambias has informed me there are eight interested parties, there is nothing definite. "Obviously if the club is sold I am here for the short term, but if it is longer I have to be prepared – and I will be." As revealed in the Chronicle last night, Kinnear has been scouring UEFA’s list of players who are out of contract, but he is not holding his breath. In fact, the 61-year-old former Republic of Ireland international joked: "Some of them are older than me." Meanwhile, to be fair to Llambias, he has had two working dinners with Kinnear on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in a bid to put the interim manager in the picture, and this has been passed on to the players Kinnear added: "I have had a long chat with Michael Owen and he told me that one of the problems with the players has been that they have been kept in the dark as to what is happening. "Now, after talking at length to Derek Llambias, I have been able to have a clear-the-air talk with Michael in his role as skipper, and this has been passed on to the rest of the players. "They are now up to date with what is going on and they are a lot happier." Kinnear revealed today that is he is now unlikely to re-sign former United full-back Stephen Carr, who is still currently without a club.

NEWCASTLE United winger Jonas Gutierrez was due back on Tyneside today after receiving treatment on his injured shoulder in his native Argentina. Gutierrez suffered the injury in the last round of World Cup qualifiers, and interim manager Joe Kinnear hopes to have the 25-year-old back available later this month. Kinnear said: "Our club doctor and medical people will have a look at Jonas, and hopefully there will be some good news on this front soon. "We've already had some good news this week with Habib Beye and Jose Enrique back with us again, and they have a chance of being there on Sunday. "If not, Chris Hughton and myself, who weren't that bad as full-backs, might have to play.

they`re doing well in the Champions league......joint top with Inter after beating Panathinaikos

Keegan meets Toon bidders KEVIN KEEGAN has met three consortiums bidding to take control of Newcastle for talks about a sensational comeback. SunSport understands a South African group, the Nigerians and an unnamed consortium held discussions with former boss Keegan this week. However, Keegan’s ongoing £8million legal action against his employers for constructive dismissal is complicating a return. Keegan will not drop the action and any new owners do not want the problem hanging round their necks once they take over. Keegan has made it clear he would love to return under the right circumstances but has now admitted it may not be possible. Both the South Africans and Nigerians have made outline offers for the club, with the South Africans ready to go to £280m in staged payments and the Nigerians putting in £200m up front. But Seymour Pierce, who are acting for Toon owner Mike Ashley, want official documentation to be completed before any formal bids are considered. This would include proper proof that funds are in place to complete a takeover. SunSport understands the Nigerians have already done this through reputable lawyers. A friend of Keegan’s said: “Kevin’s return as manager is a key issue for some of the bidders. “They want Kevin to be back in charge otherwise they might not continue their interest.”

South African group in pole position to get Newcastle Jewellery billionare Johann Rupert changes mind on owning British club Those hoping for clarity at Newcastle United thought they found some yesterday. It is 18 days since Mike Ashley put the club up for sale and there have been almost as many theoretical buyers in that period, but that is because there are several credible interested parties and some names were put on the South African consortium yesterday. It appears to be ahead of others in rivalling unknown groups in China and America in completing a purchase that Ashley hopes could be done within six weeks. In sporting terms, and perhaps economically, Johann Rupert is the most significant figure to have emerged. Rupert has been described as South Africa's richest man. Two other names that have surfaced are Brian Joffe and Vivian Imerman. It was claimed yesterday that a bid of £280m has been lodged already by the collective and that their first aim would be to restore Kevin Keegan to his post as manager and offer him a share in the club, much as the five percent shareholding Peter Reid had at Sunderland. But Keegan, just returned from a break in America, has not yet received even third party contact from this group, whereas it is understood the Nigerian consortium fronted by Chris Nathaniel have been in touch with Keegan and those close to him. Partly due to the noise they have created, the Nigerians are not being treated as seriously as the South Africans. If Rupert is a key player, then that would explain why. A 58-year-old billionaire based in Stellenbosch, Rupert has made his fortune from jewellery and telecommunications among other things. He was linked to a possible £50m purchase of Blackburn Rovers last June but rejected any connection emphatically, saying at the time: "You can never, ever show a return on a football/soccer team in the UK." However, that was in regard to being a sole purchaser whereas the mooted South African consortium offers shared financial responsibility. Rupert is known in British sport via his background ownership of rugby club Saracens – in March one of his companies, VenFin, purchased a stake in the holding company that owns Saracens, Premier Team Holdings – and also because four years ago he and other South African businessmen and rugby players proposed the creation of a new club that would represent South Africans in London. The Rugby Football Union were unwilling to allow the "London Tribe" immediate access to the top divisions of English rugby and so the idea withered. A spokesman for Saracens said he was unaware of which or any games Rupert has attended at Vicarage Road, where Saracens share Watford's ground. One of Saracens' players is Michael Owen and at Newcastle it would be the same. Newcastle Owen's contract is sure to be different though, and is in need of extending or he will leave for nothing next summer. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/south-african-group-in-pole-position-to-get-newcastle-948465.html

me too. He said he`s going to weigh up his options in the summer so I take it Wigan don`t have an automatic option for him......might be difficult to sign him if he keeps his form up. Tbh, not sure if I could see the likes of the big 4 being in for him though? http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1751976.ece

Carr, like Kinnear, is a former Republic of Ireland right-back, and United’s interim manager added today: “We are looking at his position, but a lot will depend on his fitness. “We are short at both right and left-back, and it is not fair asking young boys who are really central defenders to play there. When that happens they look what they are – central defenders playing as full- backs. “Stephen Carr is available and he is an experienced full- back, so we will just have to wait and see.”

Some good news (and bad? ) Habib Beye may be fit for clash with Everton Oct 1 2008 by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/10/01/habib-beye-may-be-fit-for-clash-with-everton-72703-21938904/

1st I heard of Phil Brown being linked with us......no doubt because of the geordie connection Brown happy at Hull Boss is flattered by interest http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4230086,00.html

don`t think we turned him down? We were just too busy fannying about deciding whether to sign him or not before Hull nipped in with a concrete offer

Pistone is playing at a club, don`t know what Stephen Glass is upto

whose our right back in the reserve team?

tbh I thought it was going to be Terry Mac returning when I saw the title But Carr? Well he didn`t look too bad towards the end of last season tbf......might take him on a short term deal under the (dire) circumstances

just from the tribalshite website but copied from Guardian Nigerians yet to table offer to Newcastle lawyers 30.09.08 | tribalfootball.com The Nigerian consortium seeking to takeover Newcastle United is still to lodge their bid, it has been revealed. The Guardian says the identity of Newcastle United's prospective purchaser will not be unveiled publicly until the deal is as good as done. As one source close to the situation said: "Money talks but wealth is silent." However, the Nigerian consortium said to be mounting a bid is taking anonymity too far. Despite PR talk of an offer going in, no contact has been made with Newcastle's lawyers about the lodging of a £200m bond. Although there are a number of interested parties the Nigerian group, if one exists, can be discounted as a runner.

Duff the saviour! Kinnear - Duff the man for Mags Newcastle interim boss believes winger can be key player Joe Kinnear has backed Damien Duff to help lift Newcastle out of the Premier League doldrums. Interim manager Kinnear watched from the stands at St James' Park on Saturday as the Magpies suffered their fifth successive defeat, going down 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers. The former Wimbledon, Luton and Nottingham Forest boss has been brought in by owner Mike Ashley on a short-term contract as he looks to sell the crisis-ridden North East outfit. And having witnessed his first 90 minutes of his new charges in action, Kinnear has already identified fellow Dubliner Duff as a key man. Ability He said: "I thought Damien Duff was superb and got in some fantastic crosses. I said at half-time: 'Your outlet's Damien Duff - you need to give him the ball early'. "He's got the ability to run at people, and he can pick out a pass as well. We don't want to be passing it to him when there's people marking him, but when the full-backs are dropping off. "We want him to beat people, and have people on the end of his crosses. "We had a half-chance with Geremi, and the crowd was buzzing. It was almost like the shackles were off. "Duff tortured them down the left-hand side, and with 15-20 minutes left we should have gambled a bit more and overloaded the penalty box."

like this 1984/85 season http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/428.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/429.jpg 85/86 season http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1161.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1162.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1167.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1171.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1175.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1170.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1173.jpg http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/stickers/1174.jpg Here`s the rest http://www.craigcullen.co.uk/asp/club85.asp?club=Newcastle

f***!!!!, that is bizzare. Bacon sandwiches are the nectar of the gods. Wise move, Joe. Get some pre-match Burgers and Kebabs in as well, never did Le Tissier any harm. let the players chain smoke too while they eat their sarnies. Maradona, Prosinecki, Bilic and LeBoeuf had no problems chain smoking throughout their career

I guess that`s because of what he`s been brought up on, passing from the back and on the deck rather than hoof it up the pitch and out of play. We clearly don`t have the players for the continental style of course though

I don`t

just waiting for the usual battlecry from Taylor in todays Chron