Raconteur

I have to say I've got a very different perspective than most people here - and in my opinion anyone objecting to Oba playing for Nigeria should speak to Sepp Blatter, not the Nigerian FA.

You see, I also come from a minnow nation with very few international class players. Australia can field maybe 6-8 players worthy of the name, and those players are under intense pressure to wriggle out of international commitments. David O' Bleary was a master of it, using the press to intimidate Viduka and Kewell into relinquishing their duty. Indeed, my pathological hatred of Kewell began when he regularly pulled the "broken nail" routine to avoid playing for his nation.

Similarly, Nigeria have few star players, so when they play they want every single one available. It's a friendly, so what? As a predominantly European board, you guys have a fundamentally different view on the importance of international friendlies. Lets not forget that the Nigerian FA has already compromised by playing the match in London (as do Australia), so as to minimise travel time and ensure that better facilities, pitches and access to medical treatment is available.

Under the current system, FIFA mandates that players must be available - don't criticise the member nations for following this edict. Complain to Sepp!

Was just wondering if someone could explain to a non-local some of the background about this reporter and his publication...

I know enoguh to recognise the "most trusted reporter" as the much-despised Anal Oliver - does this Neil Farrington character write for a published paper or is icNewcastle an online-only thing? (I notice LoveItIfWeBeatU mentioned his match report that someone reproduced after the match, which was cutting to say the least)

What I'm wondering is whether this sort of article will have any impact on the mandarins of St James' Park?

I don't know enough to point fingers directly, but to paraphrase the Bard "something is rotten on the River Tyne"

i'm pretty sure moore has made clear many times that he only intends to stay the two years of his contract and then head back to australia.

I can appreciate that - but so Roeder said many times that there would be signings in the winter transfer window, and Shepherd said that we wouldn't believe who wanted the NUFC job. In other words talk is cheap, and I don't believe him for one second. From the two quotes I have provided it doesn't sound very likely that coming back home is his priority

Forget OO, we have bought no one, not one single repectable player this term.

 

That to me shows where we are and what the management think...

 

Most of the players dont perform, more reputation than skill and i think for the forseeable future there will not be any "glory days"

 

GR is awfull, no other word for it, bring back BR or KK .................................................. 

 

Also, introduce wage caps to the Eufa leagues and video ref-ing.

 

Get shot of parker. Satistics dont lie.

What's the weather like in Fantasy Land?   

Shall we also have cheerleaders, sirens sounding when goals are scored and stop the game for advertisements? 

Just thought I'd provide an update.. It seems everyone on this board except me is convinced Moore is going back to Australia - I'm equally convinced he is not coming back (even if he doesn't stay at NUFC)

From today's Courier Mail - media whore/Queensland coach Frank Farina's column:

...The recruiting drive continues, as do discussions with members of our playing squad.

 

I'm still in contact with Craig Moore about his plans for next season, but he's still a young man and is definitely good enough for a few more years overseas.

 

Hopefully one day we'll have him at the Roar, but whether it's next season remains unknown...

I'm of the opinion that Moore is hanging out for another contract with NUFC, and if that doesn't happen I reckon he's more likely to end up in one of the "retirement leagues" of the Middle East hoping for one last payday. Coming back home to Australia, contrary to what he may have said earlier in the season, is his last choice in my opinion...

I don't think we will be their target. As seen on the Why Oh Why thread, NUFC isn't on the radar of outsiders. It's a media driven kudos thing.

 

So Belgravia and Polygon were local businesses?... 

Portsmouth and Villa are massive clubs too

Issnt it on the same deal we wanted him on? Loan with a view to make it permanent? Massive screwup (again) if true.

I'm not saying that we've had a good transfer window, but there's no shame in being beaten to a signing by Monaco - one of the biggest clubs in France. For all we know he might have wanted to stay in France, or avoided paying taxes on his income, or any number of other reasons - to call missing out on him to Monaco a "massive screwup" on our part without knowing anything of the details is frankly ridiculous. It's not like we lost out to an inferior club...

The Magpies chief has seen a number of moves fail to bear fruit this month,

Shades of August 31st, surprise surprise....

Hands up those who believe Roeder will cock up again.....can't see the arms for the forest of hands......

 

I would be surpised if we even managed a panic signing at the moment!

Quoted for sad truth...

Didn't Bellamy win Young Player of the Year in his first season with us? (Not that winning that award means much - after all, Jenas won it the year after...)

Anyone got a link to a bookies to see what odds Oba is paying to win this year - and please no cracks about his age, it's so 2006...

And frankly I think anyone who would swap Bellamy for Oba needs professional help!

Annnnnnnd..... Saints reject 10mill Bale Bid.

 

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/coca_cola/article2177929.ece

Quality journalism that - the headline might say "Saints reject bid" but there's no confirmation of it in the actual story! Yes, the Spuds and Man Yoo bids were rejected, and Burley "insisting" Bale will stay... but no mention of the 10m bid being rejected...

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~969095,00.html

 

Joining the Oz NT team in London.

Not for the first time either - he trained with the squad for the Australia v Ghana match in November... It's something Hiddink introduced and Arnold has continued - bringing in young fringe players to train with the senior squad to have a look at them, get them used to the players and so on. He's miles from actually playing in the squad, but so were the likes of Neil Kilkenny and Kristian Sarkies who trained with the senior squad before the World Cup and ended up getting capped in warm-up matches...

You can change your wife, but never change your club. Altough I think this is a sad joke

I thought the proverb went "You can change your woman, your politics and your religion, but never your football team"

That said - someone who chooses to support Newcastle at the moment needs to be commended... or committed

 

I can understand the impulse though. The A-League is growing rapidly and having a famous local star come back from the big leagues is always an excellent crowd draw. Plenty of non-English players in the later stages of their careers return to their home leagues, even if they might be slightly lower in quality, because they figure it's a good time to give back to Football in their home country by helping their local league develop.

Craig Moore's reputation in Australia is as a no-nonsense defender... and drinker! The farce in Moenchengladbach coupled with the drunken antics last time he was home for the Socceroos has tarnished his on-field reputation, which was pretty solid...

I went to my first A-League match last night - and my God is it shite, even more shite than it appears on TV. Watching "returning heroes" like David Zdrillic and Damien Mori , and "young guns" like David Carney and Alex Brosque bumble around the pitch made me despair for the game in this country. So it's going to take more than Craig Moore coming back home to lift the standard!!!

The following article is from Brisbane's Courier-Mail - no link as I copied it out

Moore Putting Out Feelers

 

The likelihood that Socceroos defender Craig Moore will be wearing an orange Queensland Roar jersey later this year has increased to “30 per cent” according to Frank Farina who had a “text-versation” with the Newcastle United defender.

 

“He sent me a text wishing us luck for the finals and he indicated to me that he is keen to come here to the Roar if he does return to Australia this year,” Farina Said.

 

“There is dialogue there. We are interested, of course, but it all depends if Newcastle makes him an offer for next season.”

 

With just four months remaining in the English Premier League season, it’s unlikely Moore will have his deal with United renewed for the 2007-08 season, leaving him free to link with the Roar.

 

Queensland are also believed to be in talks with ex-Socceroo and Leicester City midfielder Danny Tiatto.

What must be kept in mind is that Queensland "coach" Frank Farina is a media whore, and also that while utterly incompetent, the former national team mentor has strong ties with his former charges...

Sounds to me that far from choosing to come home to Australia Moore is deemed surplus to requirements and will be allowed to leave on a free. And to think they gave Bumble a new contract :roll:

Lassana cops £60k Jose fine

 

By IAN McGARRY

 

January 10, 2007

 

 

JOSE MOURINHO is to fine Lassana Diarra £60,000 for defying his authority.

 

The Chelsea boss got tough on his midfielder after three breaches of club discipline in two weeks. The midfielder, 21, first argued with Mourinho after being denied permission to join Paris St Germain on loan.

 

In protest, Diarra turned up 40 minutes late for the team-meeting ahead of the FA Cup third round match with Macclesfield on Saturday.

 

Diarra had been told he would start that match 48 hours earlier, his first start of the season, and his decision to arrive in a suit rather than the regulation leisure gear was viewed as another blatant act of defiance.

 

Frank Lampard was forced to play even though Mourinho had planned to rest the England man.

 

SunSport understands Diarra has since aggravated the situation by being absent from training on Monday without permission.

 

Now the club is to hit him with a massive fine of six weeks’ wages.

 

Diarra’s actions are being seen as agitation in order to be allowed to leave the club.

 

He is likely to be left out of tonight’s Carling Cup squad.

 

If this is true, then that should end our interest!

Why because he is unhappy that he hasn't played single game this season? I'd be unhappy if I was a pro footballer and I didn't get a single game until after Christmas.

Imagine the ruckus on this forum if a certain Spaniard pulled a similar caper when trying to force a loan deal

Sven rejects the story - http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=399210&cc=3436

Eriksson quashes Olympique Marseille link

 

MARSEILLE, France, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has no interest in joining Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille.

 

'These were only rumours. I never considered joining Olympique Marseille,' Eriksson was quoted as saying by local newspaper La Provence on Tuesday.

 

 

Eriksson made the comment after he attended a Dubai Cup match between Lazio and the French league side.

 

'I'm here on holidays, that's all,' he said.

 

French press reports hinted that the Swede could become Marseille's next team manager as main shareholder Robert Louis-Dreyfus was said to be eager to sell the club.

I have to say I have a soft spot for Marseille too - but if there's one club (apart from the Toon ) that has "poison chalice" written all over it then it is OM...

Make or break for Sven - either he gets it right now or his days of managing top-tier clubs is over...

Don't believe we've got £10m, or at any rate don't believe we can afford it. Will probably also have to offload players to cut the wage bill before we can take on any expensive players.

 

Would spend whatever peanuts we've got on a left back. I Expect to see some more cut price last minute buys of the kind that brought in Sibierski, Bernard and Rossi.

 

So I guess that makes me a doom monger then...

This

BTW - Moe-Ali, I'm curious to know why you're so much against Ben-Haim? Was suggested as an excellent option in the summer - and rumoured to be on Mourinho's shopping list: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=398649&cc=3436

He's a bastard in my opinion.

Harry has got him back in form, and he's scoring for fun, now he's saying he wants to leave! :|

I'd be REALLY pissed off if I was a Portsmouth fan...

Especially this particular line:

He told the Vanguard newspaper: "I want to go to Ajax. Portsmouth should be grateful for what I have been able to do for them and allow me to go."

Outrageous!

I had a feeling they may fail spectacularly simply because south americans have a very poor record in England.

 

However, I think they also haven't been given a fair chance either. My mate is a big west ham fan and is very frustrated at the lack of opportunities. It may have something to do with the complicated nature of their transfer and the fact the club was then bought out by a different owner.

 

there is only one south american that springs to mind that havent been a failure!

Fumaca?

I don't get the Taylor hype myself. As far as I'm concerned, the thing with young, inexperienced players is that you put them in the team, they make mistakes, the learn from their mistakes, and become better players. If they don't learn from their mistakes, and keep on making them it makes me think that their learning curve is going to be pretty short. And Taylor, keeps on giving away stupid fouls and picking up stupid bookings. The 2nd yellow he got for the U21s against Germany was absolutely criminal - Diving in from behind 40 or 50 yards from goal when he's already on a yellow? Good grief. He's been around a little while now, and if he hasn't got it in his head that making a decision like that is probably not the thing to do I can't see him picking up much nous in his career and fulfulling his potential.

 

As for Ramage, not sure why so many people seem to have such a downer on him. I think he has looked pretty comfortable in the european games at centre back.

 

PS: Steve Howey!

And that's why you won the "2006 Best non-NUFC poster" award - balanced, insightful, fair... and mentioning the one and only Steve Howey

 

You have totally missed the point. I was asking WHY Pav was playing instead of Krul. I assumed that if he was on the bench he was fit to play. Reagarding my comment about Pav being a 50 year old, that was said with toungue in cheek, I am fully aware of how old he is having seen EVERY game he played for NUFC, my whole point was that he is no longer good enough for football at this level and I don't believe any other premiership club would have put themselves in that position.

 

I hope that explains my light hearted opinion, which, I am actually entitled to.

 

By the way, congratulations on your sense of humour by-pass, it was obviously a 100% success

Pissweak response really

I addressed why Pav was playing instead of Krul - see point three. Don't bite back because you make foolish assumptions about a player's fitness...

I also argued that keepers are not necessarily "past it" once they reached a certain age, and provided examples - see point one

I further provided an example of where another club - one bigger than us even, spent money on an experienced back-up keeper - and then Towlie provided another example where, again, a bigger club than us have done something similar...

And I clearly haven't had a sense of humour bypass, because I found your attempt to pass of a weak argument as "light-hearted opinion" most amusing.

Hold whatever opinion you like, but it would be nice if you could respond to my argument instead of merely reiterating yours and then trying to take a lame dig at me

both players were at fault for me. srnicek waited all day to finally move for the ball, and i think if given had been in net it would have been his quickly. ramage however, had two or three opportunites to whack the ball away on the half volley once he saw srnicek hesitate. shit all around

 

over the course of the game though ramage was crap, sure he headed a few balls clear in key situations with his solid positioning. but it is imposible to start or build an attack at this level when your defenders continually fail to find a player of the same shirt with senseless long balls!! that crap doesn't even work over here in the United States in high school soccer!! for christs sake, compose yourself on the ball, look up and distribute....

 

we were pathetic after the half and the "planned" dyer substitution really put a hurting on our attack. sibierski was as bad as we've seen him yet this season. oba coulda done some damage if he had gotten the ball more than twice with any support.

I have to say I disagree with the bit in bold - only because if Given had been playing in that exact situation he wouldn't have come at all, therefore he would still have been on his line and Ramage's ill-advised header might have dropped safely into Given's arms...

I used to play with a keeper so rooted to his line that we used to joke "You'd never know if he's gay - he never comes out"... The same might apply to Given*

* That's not to deny he is an outstanding keeper, but racing off his line has never been a strength of Given's...

What I don't understand is, why we are playing a 50 year old goalkeeper who hasn't played at the top level in more than a decade when we a young talent like Krol sat on the bench? There is not another premiership club who would put themselves in that position.

You thought this argument was so significant you started your own thread about it - and yet it it is hopelessly flawed!

1) Obviously you studied hyperbole at school today - 38 is very different from 50! Point your browser at Mr Google and see what the likes of Shilton, Seaman, Yashin and Zoff did at that age...

2) Hasn't played at the top level for more than a decade, eh? So using that argument, the last two seasons in Toon, two at Sheffield Wednesday, first two (of three) at Brescia - all but his last year at NUFC as first choice don't count for anything?

3) Young talent Krul is expected to come back from surgery straight into the first team, is he? Hell, why not just expect Shay or Harper to make miraculous recoveries while you are at it?

4) If no other clubs put themselves in such a position, then why did Ferguson pay money for a 37 year old Andy Goram?

I'm not saying Pav is a top keeper anymore - nor am I saying I would name him in the team except in desperate circumstances, but the fact is that he was fourth choice for Christ's sake! That means when the three better keepers are unavailable, then Pav steps in. Can you even name the fourth choice keeper of any other club?

Yes, claims of cronyism and "jobs for the boys" can be levelled at the club from time to time, and certainly Pav might be one of those instances, but as has been stated before - look at Chelsea's third choice keeper, and then imagine who might be behind him!

Methinks some perspective wouldn't go astray...

Yup - one court case and it'll be shit all over the place again

 

the danger is, of course, when you go to court you NEVER know what the results are

 

imagine if the courts rule that selling players contracts is illegal.......... which a lot of lawyers think is the case

The transfer system has been declared illegal in Australia (for domestic transfers) for nearly a decade for employment law reasons...