Joe: We won’t beat the drop with kids
Jan 16 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal
IN an echo of Alan Hansen’s infamous phrase, Joe Kinnear has warned Newcastle United “you can’t fight relegation with kids” but the search for an experienced right-back will start afresh this morning after the Magpies were warned off Lucas Neill.
And it will be Tuesday evening at the earliest before winger Peter Løvenkrands and the loan signings Kinnear has targeted join after the Irishman demanded to see them in a behind-closed-doors game. Senegal right-back Habib Beye has been written off for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury picked up against Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day. United’s injury situation is now so bad, training was cancelled yesterday to avoid any more.
In a sign of how quickly the situation can change in the transfer window, Kinnear spoke in yesterday afternoon’s Press conference about his wish to land defender Neill on loan, only for West Ham United to deliver an angry reproach before the newspapers had gone to print.
The London club have complained about United contacting the player, who is out of contract at the end of the season, about a temporary move.
In 1995 Hansen memorably remarked: “You can’t win anything with kids,” a mantra Kinnear believes applies equally to fighting relegation, which is why a right-back has shot to the top of his list of priorities.
“We have a decent right-back who is virtually injured until the end of the season and a young kid (David Edgar) who is not anywhere near as good as the one we are losing. If we get any more injuries with our defenders we would be in serious trouble. You can’t fight relegation with kids, that’s for sure. If I lost a centre-half now I wouldn’t know which way to turn.”
The Hammers took umbrage when he mentioned 30-year-old Neill as a possible replacement. A statement from Upton Park read: “West Ham United would like to make it clear that Lucas Neill is a contracted West Ham United player and that we have received no approach from any club for his services, including Newcastle United.
“We are astonished today that a Premier League manager has claimed contact with one of our contracted players.”
Neill is contracted but, as he is in the last six months of his deal, he is free to talk to other clubs with or without West Ham’s knowledge – but only about a deal for next season.
Twenty-eight-year-old Danish international Løvenkrands, who has been training with Newcastle this week, will play in a friendly next week, along with the two players Kinnear is hoping to sign on loan. “We will have them (the potential loan signings) behind closed doors in a training game on Tuesday to see if they come up to scratch because we haven’t actually seen them play,” he revealed. “One of them had a long-term injury and I want to see how his fitness is.
“Peter will take part in the game too and we will decide on him after that.” If there is a risk blooding youngsters in a relegation battle, the same can be said for players without Premier League experience. But having bid £5m for Rennes’ Cameroon international Stéphane Mbia, United’s manager has no such concerns about a midfielder he likened to Patrick Vieira.
“I would hang my hat on him,” he said. “Mbia has played (15) games for Cameroon, Rennes are up near the top (of Ligue 1), he is a great player, the nearest thing I’ve seen to Patrick Vieira. He would be a big plus for us.” United scouted the 22-year-old before Kinnear arrived.
The same applies to St Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis, but he denied any interest, saying: “Right name, wrong club.”
VfB Stuttgart forward Mario Gómez is another previously watched by Dennis Wise’s team.
Meanwhile, United are reportedly close to signing 18-year-old Brazilian Caio Ferreira, who had a trial with West Bromwich Albion.
Is there another Gomis for another club, or have i read it wrong?
