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for those thinking Pennant will be cheap? Isn't it the case they pool already want 15m for Crouch (probably putting that figure out to put people off but may deal for about 10-13m Pool paying nearly 7m for Pennant it would not suprise me if they look at him and say they see other english players going for good money we want 10m for him does he then seem less of a good prospect?

He is 25 in october I think, so definetly still a young prospect I agree to an extent my impression of Duff's situation was he was top class with blackburn and chelsea threw money here there and everywhere got too many players and a player that was once a jewel in the crown of one side is basically fighting to keep their place or break into the side. After 2/3 season of this you have zero confidence lack compeitive match fitness and basically your cast off to the highest bidder. I dont see that happening with SWP if he can get a run in the team he will produce the goods certianly some positive fan support go along way. As I said before he can go on to a dramtic turn around like dofoe has however there is always the risk that he moves and he is a shadow of his former self i.e like duff. No player is without risk which is why I agree with Parky we need to be aware how much a young english international player would cost.

I always used to dream of signing Duff now we have him I regret it every day. We have not had a good track record taking surplus to required players from any of the big sides. Not that I am saying SWP has not got the quality to get over being a bit part player I am just always wary of us putting alot of eggs in one basket. I guess picking up on Parkys point i think the board are looking to get these scouts out there to try and avoid having to buy players who have already shown their class at the big stage (and there for their value is at a peak) and find a gem out in the market. Saying that I still think it would come down to price if all we had this summer is 30m to spend and SWP was to cost 13/15m do you go for him when there is an obvious need for at least 2/3 quality signings needed.

I was just about to say that as well Parky I wonder though arent they about the same age? Surely SWP has proved himself more at the highest level although he may cost more it may be more worth it in the long run as Pennant is in my opinion a bigger gamble.

SWP for me having worked with Keegan before and always seems to improve when he has a good run in the side. I would hope a move from rotation to first team place when fit would work wonders in the confidence department much like happened to dofoe. Although Pennant has come on leaps and bounds I just worry is his improvement due to his development personally or the players around him. a tough one.

I would rather aim low and get a suprise than aim high only to feel the season was a "write off" or a "disappointment" climbing the table and playing some memerable football is enough to make me happy. I remember the old "where will we finish this season" thread from last summer and some of the comments were cringe worthy to say the least. All the clubs problems cannot be laid to one person alone i.e FS last year and not every solution can be laid at one person i.e keengan this year. I have faith that Keegan will be putting us back where the fans want to be soon I just cannot see it being turned around in one summer. Maybe I have my bar far too low for some but I guess each to their own

It is a dangerous game the fans play to put so much expectation onto a side, just the right ammount gives the team the drive to do well for the fans. Too much and you see mass walk outs "sack the board" chants and the team does suffer for it . We will have a difficult patch next season like every side seems to have we need to be prepared to take the highs with the lows. Pushing into the top half with the current side playing the way keegan wants them too seems probable add 3-5 signings and the team could challenge for a uefa place but it all comes down to what other teams are doing which is totally out of our control.

You are simply wrong, 91-92, we were dreadful, avoided relegation to third on last day... (keegan wasnt there at start) 92-93... 11 wins at start....Champions 93-94.... 1st season in prem...3rd 94-95....Team rebuilding....6th 95-96....Eric Cantona robbed us the Tiltle.....2nd 96-97.... played over half a season under KK....2nd thatl be, 1st, 3rd, 6th , 2nd 2nd, seasons began with KK as manager, And it was F-king great, i was there home and away. anybody thinks we are finishing half way down the league next season, is wrong. it has been 11 years now sinse keegan was last here and by hell have times changed the league is alot stronger and Iam sure you have noticed there is almost 3 mini leagues going on every year now. Keegan will want to be playing with the big boys but he knows it will not happen over night.

As much as I would love to agree Keegan is no fool and he knows the side has to walk before it can run. I can only predict what I hoped for last season a 8-10 place finish. Depending on the signings that may go up to a uefa place but it all depends on how much stronger the teams around us get.

19 years old, 6'3, good goal scoring record at U21 level. Worth a punt? Certainly cheaper and younger than crouch would be a good replacement for shola if he does eventually go. Depends how much money we want to throw into the striker force this summer.

Just saw abit of news on SSN that said that he's out of the oz squad because of injury. Might have miss read but if true that must mean he's injured atm. I took it from what I have read that he is in need of an operation which will be done in the summer so I think he is available for selection Aye achilles problem. He's been playing with injections in the last few. It may go some way to show why he has been poor in terms of his fitness the last few games if he has been carrying an injury.

Just saw abit of news on SSN that said that he's out of the oz squad because of injury. Might have miss read but if true that must mean he's injured atm. I took it from what I have read that he is in need of an operation which will be done in the summer so I think he is available for selection

It's what he knows. He introduced the unedifying spectacle of mass player protests to try and influence officials on the pitch during his Manu days and it's no surprise he now has his charges doing the same. Be glad when that all comes to a stop with ref's being told to clamp down on mass protest and poor conduct I know tempers run high on the pitch but bullying the ref to do anything is not on.

we all seem to agree that although the squad is playing well we need to add to the squad spending may come down to what positions we need to fill in the managers opinion and if we are going to do our buying before or after the euro's as some players we may like but wait on could have one hell of a tornament. Loads of different factors make it difficult to tell how much we are going to spend. If we spend big and they dont work out we will all be saying we should have bought wisely after all there are only so many gems out there and every team cant get them. As usual the big teams will need only add one or two true quality players to their ranks to keep the positions in the league relatively safe. With our team we still need to push on to challange for europe so unfortunately you can see us having to spend big to not only keep up with teams more settled than us that will be throwing cash around but to make a "more comfortable gap" between ourselves and some of the teams we are in front of but not by much.

Find myself agreeing with Dave on this I dont care how much we spend although at times it feels like a competition with other clubs to see who can spend the most, spending wisely is more important no point slapping bids in here there and everywhere if we have to spend 80m to get what keegan wants then fine if we spend 30 to get what he wants then fine all that matters is the team improves because of the changes.

would finance a 30m bid for berbatov and their midfield is so strong already no doubt the rest would go straight back into the squad or would it....

We all know his overall fitness is/was shocking alot of boro fans either loved him or hated him. But I agree with you both, his movement is excellent and he will score goals really the type of player to partner any the strikers. Be good to see him back really as the team could do with the boost.

I know it seems a long way comming but bad result after result has had to make some impact of the team it will be interesting to see what a win will do for the side more than anything else that is what we need even if it takes a dubious pen or a tap in from close range or an own goal. Getting through this season even 4th from bottom is good enough then let the summer fun begin.

It was actually a serious question i dont think we will win reading am i being negative again just like when i said we were in a relegation battle only to be laughed at Have to say I think Reading probably are one of the stronger teams from down there as usual i look at the fixtures and say to myself which newcastle will turn up. The battlers or the team just praying the 90 comes and goes fingers crossed it wont come down to that but by god we are giving ourselves a hard time of it.

some people recon we could go down, Boro were dog shite V cardiff and only have one point over us so I still think they are in the mix with the rest of us.

Boro, derby and birmingham loosing would come in handy at the moment mind

very true but as with anything never say never...

yea increase it to 120mph i mean the A19 never has any accidents on it....

wonder in terms of creating something on their own something out of nothing show flashes of amazing skill rather than someone who is going to win world player of the year.

totally agree. Coupled with the lack of a leader in the side that raises spirits etc the side seem to just never shrug off going a goal down. not even a leader,we need more than someone who'll clap and shout,we need someone to spark something football wise. I will never see more of a classic example of that then Beckham did V greece and what gerrard does for liverpool time and time again. One player who takes the game by the scruff of the neck and makes it work. We just dont have a wonder player in our side bar zoggy and owen that could do that for us and unfortunately for us they do not do it consistant enough. maybe it is the language barrier that holds our communication play behind, we have struggled for a while to break play up and to break defences down