KaKa

Huddlestone has to be in a 4-3-3 to be most effective I think otherwise he will find it hard to get into any team. He needs to have a strong ball winner and a goal scoring midfielder alongside him, which will allow him to be a playmaker, which is his strength. He would indeed develop into something quite extraordinary if he was used this way but I don't think Tottenham will be playing this way (i.e. in a 4-3-3) anytime soon with the strikers they have which is a shame.

Very cute.

I reckon the stripes will be light blue and dark blue (rather than white).

I was especially suspicious when the same info was repeated in the evening chronicle after it had appeared in the independent in the morning. It basically made the claims in the independent legitimate. Not only that, but the chronicle also felt the need to then repeat that Owen was available for £9 million just in case anyone forgot! I am not sweating it at all, provided we move people on in time and get new players in quickly. Defoe and Diouf are easily within reach and if we used the money for Owen and Martins on these two we would probably have an extra £6 million or so left over.

I don't think it is a coincidence this Martins story emerges after the shooting episode. Appears as though we are practically begging other clubs to make offers for bot Martins and Owen. I don't think we need to worry as there are a lot of options that we could go for to replace these two, players who would fit Sams 4-3-3 better. For example both Defoe and Diouf would be healthy replacements and would be more effective alongside Viduka in a front three.

Ashley wants troubleshooter to sort out Newcastle Louise Taylor Thursday June 21, 2007 The Guardian A summer of revolutionary change at Newcastle United will not be restricted to Sam Allardyce's overhaul of his first-team squad and backroom staff. While the club's new manager pursues fresh signings, Mike Ashley, Newcastle's new owner, will shortly appoint a troubleshooter charged with scrutinising all areas of the business. The resulting extensive review will encompass Allardyce's role and its findings are likely to define the scope of the former Bolton Wanderers manager's powers. The future of Freddy Shepherd, who still holds the role of chairman despite selling his shares in the club to Ashley, a sports retail billionaire, will also hinge on the troubleshooter's review. Shepherd, currently recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia, hopes to remain as a salaried chairman and effectively play a chief executive's role. Article continues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It will be the sort of thorough, objective, stragetic review that invariably happens when businesses are taken over," explained a source. "It will show how the club operates at every level including team manager and above." Although sources close to Ashley are anxious to dismiss suggestions that the fact that Allardyce was named in the recent Stevens report on the probity of football transfers - Lord Stevens was unhappy about a potential conflict of interest at Bolton involving Allardyce and his son Craig, then an agent - might have placed the Newcastle manager's job security in doubt, it is understood that Quest's findings will also be considered by the troubleshooter. Ashley is said to be "supportive" of Allardyce and enjoyed convivial and productive meetings with him at the training ground, but he did not appoint the manager, so Glenn Roeder's successor, hired by Shepherd literally days before Ashley's surprise takeover, inevitably has much to prove. "There's no great change in mood because of Quest. Mike is supportive of the manager," said a source. "But there is about to be a long, hard look at the way Newcastle is run." This will encompass the role of Kenneth Shepherd, Freddy Shepherd's influential son, who was mentioned by the Stevens report when it highlighted a potential conflict of interest in having relatives work so close together. Although there was no suggestion of wrongdoing by United officials, four of the 17 transfers that Quest refused to clear involved signings made by the club, namely Jean-Alain Boumsong, Albert Luque, Amady Faye and Emre Belozoglu. In fact eight of those 17 deals involved either Newcastle or Allardyce, the latter in his former capacity as Bolton manager and featuring the incoming transfers of Ali Al-Habsi, Tal Ben Haim, Blessing Kaku and Julio Correia. It has not been revealed whether the troubleshooter will be recruited from the ranks of Ashley's existing employees or be an external appointment but no one on Newcastle's payroll, from Allardyce and Shepherd to the tea ladies, can expect to be shielded from intense scrutiny. Meanwhile, Obafemi Martins has said he is happy at Newcastle after his future had been put in doubt when he failed to turn up for the club's final game of the season at Watford claiming injury. "I signed a contract with Newcastle and I am happy at the club, and the way the fans supported me even when I wasn't scoring was great. If I am fully fit, there is no way I will back out from playing any game for Newcastle," he said.

I guess we should just be grateful that we have a new owner who is in a position to fire the chairman. I wonder if this is all beign revealed by the person who was recently hired to look through all of the clubs dealings. As for Martins ... well let's just say the random shooting is beginning to make more sense. If he has indeed fallen out with his previous agents then I will not be surprised if they are the ones after him!

Nasty shock of Martins' buyout clause puts Allardyce revolution on back foot The Newcastle manager is unhappy that both the Nigerian and Michael Owen can leave for a set fee, reports Jason Burt Published: 21 June 2007 Sam Allardyce faces the prospect of losing both of Newcastle United's first-choice strikers before the start of next season after it emerged that Obafemi Martins, like Michael Owen, has a buyout clause in his contract at St James' Park. The existence of the agreement in Martins' contract - the Nigerian is available to any club willing to pay £13m for his services - has infuriated Allardyce, who was unaware of the clause when he moved to the North-east. That anger has been heightened by the fact that it has become public knowledge that Owen can leave if a bid of £9m is lodged for the England forward, following Newcastle's failure to qualify for Europe next season. Newcastle do not know whether or not Owen wants to stay but are acutely aware that Manchester United and Arsenal - should they sell Thierry Henry to Barcelona - may well come calling before the transfer window closes. Newcastle also fear that the indications they have so far received from Owen would suggest that he wants to leave. Allardyce wants to keep both Owen and Martins. However, the former is causing particular concern. Allardyce has signed Mark Viduka on a free transfer from Middlesbrough, but wants Owen and Martins to work alongside the Australian striker rather than be replaced by him. Martins is also a worry for Allardyce. After joining Newcastle from Internazionale a year ago, he apparently wants to return to Italy and believes that a club, thought to be Juventus, is willing to trigger his buyout clause. Allardyce is also concerned at the chaotic nature of Martins' private life, which is in disarray with reports claiming yesterday that a car carrying the 22-year-old striker was riddled with bullets in the Nigerian city of Lagos. That incident happened on Monday night, 48 hours after Martins had helped Nigeria to edge closer to January's African Nations Cup finals by playing in the 3-1 win over Niger in Niamey. After the match Martins also spoke about his decision to be unavailable for Newcastle's final match of the season at Watford. He said: "I signed a contract with Newcastle and I am happy at the club, and the way the fans supported me even when I wasn't scoring was great. If I am fully fit there is no way I will back out from playing any game for Newcastle. But it would not be right for me to wear the shirt and play when I know that I will not be giving my best." However, it is understood that Martins is agitating for a move, especially as he did not receive a substantial signing-on fee for joining Newcastle and because he has fallen out with the agents who previously represented him. Newcastle are aware of the upheaval in the striker's circumstances and have also said they will renegotiate Martins' contract and offer him a pay rise if he is willing to commit himself to the club and put his life in order. Allardyce wants to keep Martins and is as exasperated that he has a release clause in his contract as he is that Owen has a similar addendum in his deal. Newcastle are undergoing a major overhaul of their squad with Allardyce having released a number of defenders while selling Scott Parker, the club captain, to West Ham United for £7m. Allardyce has also made it plain that he regards a new defence as his priority. He intends to retain only Steven Taylor - although he may keep the full-back Stephen Carr if he can prove his fitness and appetite for the new campaign - having already dispensed with many experienced defenders, including Titus Bramble, Craig Moore and Oguchi Onyewu. Newcastle have been offered West Ham's Anton Ferdinand and the West Bromwich Albion captain Curtis Davies, who were both targets for Allardyce's predecessor, Glenn Roeder. But, having missed out on Talal Ben Haim, the Bolton Wanderers defender who was out of contract and who has joined Chelsea, they are looking for more experienced players such as the Czech Republic international David Rozehnal, who plays for Paris St- Germain and is available for around £3m. Allardyce has already signed Joey Barton for £5.8m from Manchester City - including covering the midfielder's £300,000 loyalty bonus - having sold Parker. He is also toying with the idea of offloading Kieron Dyer, whom he regards as unreliable and who has attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur, and Emre Belozoglu. Newcastle are also interested in buying the Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng from the Israeli club Beitar Jerusalem. A complication for Allardyce is the takeover of the club by the billionaire businessman Mike Ashley. Although the manager's position would appear safe, it is unclear what budget he will receive should the club's ownership change hands. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2686730.ece

Please tell me he didn't say that ... You never heard about the poll that was on their forum? Nope ... please spare me the details as I can only imagine. Nothing wrong with supporting your players but I cannot stand the whole blind loyalty thing. Better then Fabregas??? That is just outrageous. Wouldn't that mean that he would then be the best midfielder in their team? But yet he doesn't play? Where is the logic?

Please tell me he didn't say that ...

Huddlestone!!!!!! King Dawson you really are clueless. We know you support Tottenham but please be freakin' realistic for goodness sake! Barton, Parker, Barry, Carrick, Nolan, Sidwell to name a few would all get in ahead of Huddlestone not to mention Reo-Coker and even Noble who kept him out in this tournament! Ridiculous claim that.

I like him. He's got guts. Just keeps playing hard irregardless of how things are going for him. When England got that penalty everyone else looked away and he was the only one who stepped up with any confidence. He just overdid it a bit going for the corner. I'm pulling for him to get the top scorer he deserves it.

It's shocking how many want Milner to be an automatic first choice next season. I think some of the heat has to be taken off him and he needs to be brought along a bit slower. He has the talent bu tit needs to be nurtured. He isn't good enough to play every game yet. He'll eventually get there though, if handled correctly.

Brutality/fatality all the same spiel really. This is football not a fight to the death.

Brutality??? This ain't Mortal Kombat son!

When you consider the other defenders he has been around since he emerged, it is nothing short of a miracle what he has been able to achieve (ie not looking totally hopeless), as he has had no one decent to learn from at all. He will do well under the Allah'dyces guidance and he will look a lot better alongside 2 more experienced defenders in a 3-5-2, which is looking increasingly likely.

How does Ritgers look playing out wide as a wide forward at Nac Breda? Is he good in this position?

Hopefully Alou Diarra will be coming to us soon ... Diarra sows deal doubts Tue, Jun 19 2007 17:31 Portsmouth target Alou Diarra wants Newcastle to make a firm bid for him as Harry Redknapp closes on agreeing a fee for the Lyon star. The French international midfielder would reportedly prefer to move to St James' Park and has ordered his representatives to sound out Sam Allardyce. But the Toon boss, who is an admirer of Diarra, now has other priorities after completing the capture of Joey Barton and may not be able to move quickly enough. Lyon and Portsmouth are close to settling on a £5.5 million fee for Diarra, who made only a handful of appearances under Gerard Houllier last season. New Lyon coach Alain Perrin is not expected to stand in the way of Diarra's exit, having seen his club snap up Lille playmaker Mathieu Bodmer last week. http://www.eatsleepsport.com/news_details.aspx?story_id=584706&l_id=1&t_id=52

It's the Michael Owen 'I want away kit'.

Well judging by Gooch and Bramble's performances I would say it's about time we gave the skinny guys a chance wouldn't you?

Great stuff Shak! I agree with the original article completely. I also agree about the 4-3-3 formation too, it definitely suits our squad better and I do think that this formation can produce very entertaining football depending on th e players who feature in it. I believe that with better players than he had at Bolton the system will produce better football. You only have to look at pretty much all the top Spanish and Dutch teams and this is the system they use, and they play brilliant football. The players in the system clearly play a big part. Rather than Kevin Davies we will have someone like Viduka for instance and that is a huge upgrade. It is Sams first season and he will have a big job in trying to re-establish a Newcastle side that is in pretty bad shape. I would be a lot happier if in his first season he goes with what he knows has worked very well for him in his time at Bolton. This was the 4-3-3 and I would much rather have him go with that, as I would be a lot more confident about our chances of making quick progress. Shak it is also a good point you make about the wide forwards in Allardyces 4-3-3 at Bolton, as they were genuine forwards who had the ability to create opportunities from wide positions; rather than out and out wingers. It was definitely a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-5-1. I believe Martins has the ability to be utilised in the same way Anelka was at Bolton as a wide forward but Owen certainly does not fit into this system at all. I would not be adverse to Owen leaving at all. A hypothetical front three of Martins, Viduka and Diouf would certainly create a lot of goals.

Gab Marcotti sang his praises tonight on the rumour mill... Thought he would make a good number 2 CH to play alongside a stronger more agressive partner. Very quick and comfortable on the ball... guess he'd be worth £5-6mil so could be getting a bargain if all is true. If there is one thing that I certainly noticed in the Czech game against Wales it was his speed. Very fluid athlete.

----------------------Given------------------ Sagna----Rozehnal----Taylor----Baines ---------------------Poulsen----------------- -----------Barton--------------Koumas----- ----Diouf---------------------------------Defoe ----------------------Viduka----------------- If Owen, Martins, Emre and Butt move on, I think the above would work a treat.

Linked with El Hadji Diouf today in both the Journal and the Chronicle. It's looking like a strong possibility, which likely means that one of our strikers might be on their way out. Another player with a very head strong mentality (just like Barton). I think Allardyce might be targetting these types of players as he knows they won't be rattled if the fans get on them, as too many of our players have been lately (see todays article about the players having to deal with the pressure).

Actually ... thinking about it, Kanoute was probably someone we just inquired about in case we didn't manage to get Viduka.