Quailman

Martins has dedicated himself to Newcastle at least for another season - clause or no clause Owen is the only one uncertain, but IMO he will stay with us for another season. He has to prove himself over a long stint aswell. So maybe January?? It's that old thing of, 'he owes us another season'. Sam needs to get Mike Ashely 'on his bike' to sort out these stupid clauses now! If Owen doesn't want to sign a new deal then he is not for Newcastle United and could only cause us more problems in the future, in which case, get rid of him - £9mil, well that's a blow - but fat fred set it up and let's hope that's the last thing he has anything to do with! Rumours are rumours, some are exciting, others are worrying. I take them with a pinch of salt though - until I see it for real, it's all shite to me!!

w00t! w00t! w00t! Bright future for Newcastle United!

I agree with you. It's highly unlikely we won't get injuries, even minor ones, and competition = motivation. If we are going to compete with the top clubs, it's exactly what we need. Exactly. We never had a squad of any depth last season so we're not used to it We need a large squad of quality if we are to achieve anything in the coming seasons blueyes.gif Exactly, if you look up and down the premiership table you will notice that teams with smaller squads very rarely get into the top half let alone battle for european places. It's because they have no depth and thus no creative choices! With options and Big Sams 'tactical genius' (not the long ball... the other one) we are sure to challenge better than we did in the last couple of seasons!

Oh f*** Ramage is still here!? You know what with all this positiveness, with new players coming in an rejects, well getting rejected.. I completely forgot that Peter Damage is still in our squad! Big Sam, get that screw up out!! He could do with at least a loan move away to the mackems!

I think it's definately a good thing. Competition is extremely important in the top flight and if players didn't have the competition, they wouldn't gain the motivation to deserve there place because it will be automatically granted. Also, with the injury woes of last season, even with the optimism from the new scientific approach, injuries are likely and I would rather have a decent defence with a decent bench, than a decent defence and a so so bench that would struggle to make the first team at say the likes of sunderland!

Absolute brilliant news... Big Sam is certainly on top of things, which I never doubted. With the influx of £'s from Ashley and his support it's going to be a very promising year for Newcastle United! Ben Haim interest, with all the rumours it was no surprise and i'm over the moon! Viduka and Barton are brilliant signings and I am expecting at least another 5 or 6 huge ones to come - Anelka maybe? I'm not sure about getting good ol' St Nic , but with the uncertainty surrounding Owen and Martins better be safe than sorry! Although, my personal opinion is we are going to keep both for at least another season...

I would love Maldini here Scrap that - Costacurta is en route to St.J right now. Costacurta and Maldini - Yes Yes! The oldest centrebacks playing the professional game, would definately suite Newcastle! All that pace! Aparently Costacurta is going to stay at AC to become Carlo Ancelotti's assistant coach, but I reckon if we offer him a night with Owen and a great pension scheme anything is possible!

The LG Amsterdam Tournament will take place on 2 and 4 August 2007, i'm assuming those will be the last ones, don't know when the first will be?

Why don't we get Maldini while we're at it, only 39 in June!

Yes, but Robson has had a long successful career in management and is grately respected all over the world. Who the hell is Glen Roeder?! Sure we don't know what Roeder is like in the dressing room, but we could speculate based on his appearence to the public about what he is like. Robson had something that worked for both himself and the club. Roeder has no presence - he needs to be dropped! He has failed in past jobs and has failed in this one and his track record is conference to Robsons premiership!

Yes, we can always say, what if we bought this player or acquired that manager. At the end of the day, we aren't going to have some billionaire like Abramovich coming in and revamping the entire team structure and talent. The Board have accomplished a lot over the years but as most clubs do, we are going through a rough period. I have full confidence that we will overcome this slump in the next 2-3yrs and once again become a top 5 team with Champions League possibilities. The board doesn't need to be changed because if anything that would tear us apart. Let's stick with what we have because right now there are more important things to be dealing with, like getting ourselves out of this slump with some fine re-structuring of the team. 1) Start with getting rid of Roeder - He has no confidence in front of the camera, so what on earth would he be like in a changing room with a tattered squad who lack confidence in themselves. There are a number of candidates who could come in and not only make a difference in the short-term (As we have seen too many times) but change things around and make us that team every Newcastle fan has been dreaming about all their lives! Big Sam, Sven, Houllier? I'd take any of those with the presence and mind to change Newcastle United for the better! 2) Dyer and Emre - Keep them both. I think a new manager could come in a serious kick their asses into gear! New AM, maybe... but right now the main concern is the defence! Bring in real talent - although it will be hard without European football next year. Which further backs my reasoning for a new creditable manager! FS says we can make big changes in the summer... I'll take his word for it. 3) Keep Owen and Martins - Martins has been a great striker for us this year, with the absense of Owen albeit with obvious faults that could be changed and worked on with what? A new manager! Owen owes us a good few seasons and I take rumours of a Man Utd approach with a pinch of salt.. certainly wont happen this season. Although I don't think Shola and Caroll are good enough back ups. We need to acquire another striker with strong stature, who can feed Owen or/and Martins whilst taking his chances!

Roeder isn't respected in the back, whereas a figure like Houllier would be. I would prefer a similar partnership to the Evans/Houllier at Liverpool, with a nice smooth change over... the last thing we need is yet another manager being fired and left in the dark when the next one comes in!

He will be sorely missed... Well that's what our opponents will say.

Agreed, Emre has creative flare when on form and butt and parker are too alike to play together. Similar to Lampard/Gerrard situation for England.

-------------------Given ------------Taylor------Gooch Nobby------------------------------Baba -------------------Parker --Milner-------------------------Duff -------------------Emre ---------Dyer-------------Martins

Actually you raise a good point, our cup game attendances have been awful! I don't understand why? Perhaps the lack of expectation in recent years, but FS needs to turn things around with a large cash injection in players!

Like FS said, independant from the clubs finances, we have made quite abit this season even without the desired silverwear. £20mil would be sufficient to get us started on the road to success come the summer.

It is as simple as that. Freddy is a businessman and by the looks of things he has pulled off a tremendous deal that hasn't set him back at all. The fact is, even though we aren't pulling in full attendance’s in a lowly position and abysmal performances we are still get huge numbers! In the premiership at home we have pulled in around 50k at all points of the season, I see no reason why we couldn't manage 60k! The thought of us getting relegated this season or any season in the near future is ridiculous! Ok, so i'm an optimist... but come on just look at our track record, the highs and lows we have gone through! As Newcastle supporters we should try to look on the brightside of things, I hate all this pessimism... we have to live with what we've got! So 60k and this mega business deal is helping Newcastle pull in the right direction!

There will be immense pressure on Owen when he returns, but he has a lot of experience at the top... so i'm sure the last couple of games will get him in the 'zone', so that next season he will start on the same level as the other players - not saying a lot mind you! I don't think there's any danger of Owen being sold, Shepherd wants a return on investment and it wont be getting more for him than he paid! He wants it in goals and Newcastle success... lest we forget Freddy is toon through and through and although we talk about these financial woes, he will do what he can do ensure we are scoring goals and conceding less! Owen has stated his committment to Newcastle and I believe he is an honest player.. he's only 27 and has many years to go and hopefully in a black and white striped shirt... no not Grimsby!

If he is really that bad then why on earth was it rumoured that other big clubs were after him, like Chelsea? He is still trying to fit in and with the other 3 defenders changing constantly how can he really settle in?

I actually haven't seen Gooch play many games, but from what I have seen he does have a way to go to obtain a contract. But then part of me thinks that Roeder will take him anyway out of desparation if he is cheap enough - If only to replace Bramble. We need someone who could lead a defense, but I doubt Gooch, with his lack of high league competition experience, could take on that role. But then again he has only played for a couple of months, it took Obe 6 months to really settle in. We need to get at least 3 top quality defenders in the summer and i'm not including Gooch as I assume he would have gotten the contract by then. We don't want old players who have been world class and are now stepping it down. Roberto Carlos, who has confirmed he will be leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season, is a potential target, certainly short term, as he is getting on a bit. What do you all think? I mean, he may be looking to join the EPL, and it is unlikely the Man Utds and Chelseas would be after him because of his age.

I think the sheer shock of what people were saying overcast my common sense. First topic I have read on the site, had to say my piece, whether I was replying to sarcasm or not.

I'm am utterly shocked at the support for someone like Peter Ramage. I am well aware that our choices are limited, but Peter Ramage is just not good enough to put on a Newcastle United shirt. Sure you could say half the team aren't, but that is your opinion and fair enough. But it is obvious that the teams structure starts with the defence and as our defence lacks in all areas (and has done for years!). It's reflecting badly on the shape and structure of the rest of the team. We have very good players individually in other areas and you have to ask the question of why they are not consistantly moulding and playing flowing professional football week in week out. Our problems are long from solved. Just because a player is fit and nufc.co.uk are hyping the return, and the quote, 'This is going to a turning point and I am fully committed to get us up the table'.. really doesn't mean anything, because it's just is never the case! Don't get me started on Paul Huntington! What a joke... cost us both goals against AZ, no matter what angle you look at it from, yeah made a clearly header of the line, but one good thing can't overshadow tones of mistakes. I was at the Birmingham City vs Newcastle FA Cup game at St Andrews and we should have really put them away with ease, but every single worrying attack they had was down our left side, clearly marked by Blues as a weak spot and they were right! I know its simplistic and perhaps overexhaggerated, but I am that pissed off with this sorry excuse for a player... he was responsible for us getting knocked out of both the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup! Problems solved at last... no A completely new defence with strong reserves will begin the road to success. We don't need hasbins, we don't need up and comers... sure in the long term, but right now we need proven and consistant talent. So forget spending money on midfielders or strikers, it's about time the board got there act together and pushed for an entirely new defence that are worthy of wearing the black and white stripes!