Kev: Signings may not be stars

[Dave]

The thread is currently about you thinking we can cherry-pick the best players from clubs like Blackburn. Nobody criticised the old board, or disputed what they did for us.

 

As usual you're just building straw men left, right and centre.

[buzza]

what did you mean with the straw men reference? not a dig, just a bit thick this morning, weekend debauchery n' all...

[NE5]

The thread is currently about you thinking we can cherry-pick the best players from clubs like Blackburn. Nobody criticised the old board, or disputed what they did for us.

 

As usual you're just building straw men left, right and centre.

 

All I said is that I would love to sign David Bentley - which I've been saying for ages - and the roof caved in

 

 

[Dave]

Deliberately constructing a flawed and easily disproved argument and incorrectly attributing it to the person you are debating with.

[NE5]

Deliberately constructing a flawed and easily disproved argument and incorrectly attributing it to the person you are debating with.

 

you've got your psycho-analysis head on today then ?

[LoveItIfWeBeatU]

If you picked a squad using the best players from all the non-top four teams it would be possible to assemble a team that would more than likely break into the top four. We may have to gamble a bit sometimes like we did on the non-obvious choice players like Ginola, Robert and Bellamy but there are players that the top four teams don't spot.

[Dave]

It's a well-known phrase NE5, and something you commonly do, inadvertantly or otherwise.

[NE5]

It's a well-known phrase NE5, and something you commonly do, inadvertantly or otherwise.

 

you mean like saying "some people want the team to fail so they can be proved right " 

[Dave]

Not really.

[Thespence]

NE5 -  I also belive Bentley would come here.

 

As for the 3 players who left the club in the 80's, I think they all went for record fee's out of the club & not many clubs turn them numbers down. The clubs they went to were bigger than us at the time (& Liverpool still are).  Eventually someone further up the food chain went out took Gazza & Waddle off Spurs. Of course at the time it hurt badly & which Geordie didn't get pride seeing all 3 play for England & think what if.  I think it is fair to say if it wasn't Spurs or Liverpool it would of been some other club. This is not a defence of Mckeag, more of a look back in hindsight without the raw emotion of wanting to pelt coins at Judas or chuck Mars bars at the nutter from Dunston or being a  pumped up schoolboy who chanted "SACK THE BOARD" in the Gallowgate.

[Thespence]

If Keegan is to make any "star" signing or preferably "high quality" signings then a centre back and cover for full backs is essential.

 

All Keegan has said is  top-class players will have other clubs that they will class as there first option. He is not saying we wont be signing star players but it may prove hard to get them because other clubs can offer CL & some can offer bigger wages.

[Guest Knightrider]

Newcastle United have always been able to attract star quality players or big name players for one reason or another and I see little reason why that won't continue to be the case in the summer should we pursue such players. We are never going to be able to attract the likes of Ronaldinho or Kaka to come play for us of course but we will stand a good chance of signings players of the calibre of Bentley, although personally I don't think he'll move from Blackburn unless one of the 'big' 4 come in for him. You never know until you show your hand though. If anyone can sell this club it is Kevin Keegan and any half intelligent footballer would know that Newcastle have the best chance of joining the 'big' 4 on a permanent basis of all the other clubs due to fanbase and potential and even discounting that, St. James' Park is a big platform for any would be up and coming talent to showcase themselves.

 

We underestimate our club's appeal sometimes. I remember reading a few years back a straw poll of Premiership players asking to name their favourite away grounds and St. James' topped the poll. I think NUFC is held in high esteem within the game. A lot of players refer to us as a big club, a sleeping giant and when players like Theirry Henry and Marcel Dessailly recommend us to their fellow countrymen it speaks volumes.

 

Our problems over the years have been in signing the wrong type of player or at the wrong time. Under Sir Bobby though we beat off Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal for the signature of Jermaine Jenas. We beat off Arsenal and Liverpool for Woodgate and spurned the advances of bigger clubs for the likes of Solano, Dyer, Shearer even and others over the years.

 

Lets not forget that our club is still a fantastic club to play for. There are not many better places to ply your trade, especially if you're an up and coming player. The fact that consecutive managers have failed to harness that doesn't negate this.

 

Historically and traditionally Newcastle is recognised as an established big club, one steeped in history. We may not have won anything in years but players don't look at that, they see what's ahead of them which is that huge dominating stadium on top of the hill, 53,000 passionate fans week in week out, a recent history of challenging for the upper echelons of the Premiership and European football, a history of signing big name star quality players and showing ambition.

 

One day someone will get it right here and for a good number of footballers who aren't quite good enough to star for your Man Utds week in week out, I know if someone offered me such a chance of making it at this 'sleeping giant' I'd think to myself 'I'll have some of that please'.

 

We mustn't forget also the Keegan factor whose name is still held in high regard in the game. You just have to listen to the reaction of players when it was confirmed he was returning to Tyneside once again to know that. Anelka waxed lyrical about him and how much fun he had working with Keegan for example. Football may be a global sport but it's quite the walled garden behind closed doors and things like that go a long way. If word of mouth is the key in marketing then reputation is the key in football and KK has bags of it, all good. Newcastle have quite a big reputation too, not all good but to the mind of an insulated footballer being advised by his money driven agent...

 

And speaking for money - every player has their price and I doubt Blackburn would be able to hang onto Bentley if someone was offering them £15m for example. And that goes for every club. Spurs couldn't hang on to Carrick and if someone offered us daft money for N'Zogbia we wouldn't be able to either.

[NE5]

 

Newcastle United have always been able to attract star quality players or big name players for one reason or another and I see little reason why that won't continue to be the case in the summer should we pursue such players. We are never going to be able to attract the likes of Ronaldinho or Kaka to come play for us of course but we will stand a good chance of signings players of the calibre of Bentley, although personally I don't think he'll move from Blackburn unless one of the 'big' 4 come in for him. You never know until you show your hand though. If anyone can sell this club it is Kevin Keegan and any half intelligent footballer would know that Newcastle have the best chance of joining the 'big' 4 on a permanent basis of all the other clubs due to fanbase and potential and even discounting that, St. James' Park is a big platform for any would be up and coming talent to showcase themselves.

 

We underestimate our club's appeal sometimes. I remember reading a few years back a straw poll of Premiership players asking to name their favourite away grounds and St. James' topped the poll. I think NUFC is held in high esteem within the game. A lot of players refer to us as a big club, a sleeping giant and when players like Theirry Henry and Marcel Dessailly recommend us to their fellow countrymen it speaks volumes.

 

Our problems over the years have been in signing the wrong type of player or at the wrong time. Under Sir Bobby though we beat off Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal for the signature of Jermaine Jenas. We beat off Arsenal and Liverpool for Woodgate and spurned the advances of bigger clubs for the likes of Solano, Dyer, Shearer even and others over the years.

 

Lets not forget that our club is still a fantastic club to play for. There are not many better places to ply your trade, especially if you're an up and coming player. The fact that consecutive managers have failed to harness that doesn't negate this.

 

Historically and traditionally Newcastle is recognised as an established big club, one steeped in history. We may not have won anything in years but players don't look at that, they see what's ahead of them which is that huge dominating stadium on top of the hill, 53,000 passionate fans week in week out, a recent history of challenging for the upper echelons of the Premiership and European football, a history of signing big name star quality players and showing ambition.

 

One day someone will get it right here and for a good number of footballers who aren't quite good enough to star for your Man Utds week in week out, I know if someone offered me such a chance of making it at this 'sleeping giant' I'd think to myself 'I'll have some of that please'.

 

We mustn't forget also the Keegan factor whose name is still held in high regard in the game. You just have to listen to the reaction of players when it was confirmed he was returning to Tyneside once again to know that. Anelka waxed lyrical about him and how much fun he had working with Keegan for example. Football may be a global sport but it's quite the walled garden behind closed doors and things like that go a long way. If word of mouth is the key in marketing then reputation is the key in football and KK has bags of it, all good. Newcastle have quite a big reputation too, not all good but to the mind of an insulated footballer being advised by his money driven agent...

 

And speaking for money - every player has their price and I doubt Blackburn would be able to hang onto Bentley if someone was offering them £15m for example. And that goes for every club. Spurs couldn't hang on to Carrick and if someone offered us daft money for N'Zogbia we wouldn't be able to either.

 

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

I'd love us to go in for Bentley myself, he's an excellent player that ticks all the right boxes. Even if it took daft money he is the type of player we should be looking at and while I stand by my comment that I don't think he'd willingly leave Blackburn unless one of the so-called big four came in for him, if Blackburn get too good an offer to turn down then there is every chance we could snap him up and indeed players like him.

[NE5]

I'd love us to go in for Bentley myself, he's an excellent player that ticks all the right boxes. Even if it took daft money he is the type of player we should be looking at and while I stand by my comment that I don't think he'd willingly leave Blackburn unless one of the so-called big four came in for him, if Blackburn get too good an offer to turn down then there is every chance we could snap him up and indeed players like him.

 

indeed, and my point is that a club like us should be making players like him that offer.

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

And I agree wholeheartedly. We may not get our man but if you don't try you won't get anywhere anyway. In many ways we can't lose. The good thing about KK is that he is of that "if you don't buy a ticket...." mentality and I can't see our current lowly standing and potential rival clubs for signatures putting him off from going for the kind of players he wants in his side.

[Thespence]

indeed, and my point is that a club like us should be making players like him that offer.

 

I would rather we go for someone like him rather than rescue some fringe player from Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal.

[gray]

I think if we made moves early in the summer we could get the like of Bentley, Diego, Fred, Zarate, but i think we HAVE to be early in the market regardless of who we go for. Hopefully thats the reason for Wise and the rest.

[NE5]

indeed, and my point is that a club like us should be making players like him that offer.

 

I would rather we go for someone like him rather than rescue some fringe player from Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal.

 

precisely

 

 

[Baggio]

Strange debate this.

 

We've signed better players than Bentley in the past yet been turned down by worse than him too, it'll depend what his mindset is at the time because if he thinks he's good enough to get a move to either Man Utd, Liverpool or Chelsea in the near future then he's got no reason to join us, we don't even know if Keegan is interested yet anyway.

 

How much do people think we'd have to pay for him if we were interested? I think around the £18 million mark, great player though who's got the potential to be up there with Gerrard in a few years if he's used properly, I'd play him trough the middle as I think he's wasted out on the right.

[Dr Venkman]

the only person on hallucinogens in this thread is the guy who WANTS Taylor to be in the starting line up next season, jesus wept

[La Parka]

Strange debate this.

 

We've signed better players than Bentley in the past yet been turned down by worse than him too, it'll depend what his mindset is at the time because if he thinks he's good enough to get a move to either Man Utd, Liverpool or Chelsea in the near future then he's got no reason to join us, we don't even know if Keegan is interested yet anyway.

 

How much do people think we'd have to pay for him if we were interested? I think around the £18 million mark, great player though who's got the potential to be up there with Gerrard in a few years if he's used properly, I'd play him trough the middle as I think he's wasted out on the right.

 

I can see him going to Liverpool, or even Chelsea. I'm afraid we are a good two years too late to be looking at signing him. The only place he is going is the top four for me.

 

£20m is what I'd expect, the kid has it all.

[Guest Phil K]

we need to look to buy good players with poetential to be great

 

Third.  Playing in a rubbish team but still a spark, the sort of player that would have helped us much this season

 

Exactly.

We've signed far too many "good" players that have turned out not to have any drive apart from their obsession with buying more and more bling. And I'm not just talking about those that spring to mind in that - Dyer, Jenas and Bellamy

[Baggio]

Strange debate this.

 

We've signed better players than Bentley in the past yet been turned down by worse than him too, it'll depend what his mindset is at the time because if he thinks he's good enough to get a move to either Man Utd, Liverpool or Chelsea in the near future then he's got no reason to join us, we don't even know if Keegan is interested yet anyway.

 

How much do people think we'd have to pay for him if we were interested? I think around the £18 million mark, great player though who's got the potential to be up there with Gerrard in a few years if he's used properly, I'd play him trough the middle as I think he's wasted out on the right.

 

I can see him going to Liverpool, or even Chelsea. I'm afraid we are a good two years too late to be looking at signing him. The only place he is going is the top four for me.

 

£20m is what I'd expect, the kid has it all.

 

I could see him going to Chelsea and SWP coming here actually.

[La Parka]

Strange debate this.

 

We've signed better players than Bentley in the past yet been turned down by worse than him too, it'll depend what his mindset is at the time because if he thinks he's good enough to get a move to either Man Utd, Liverpool or Chelsea in the near future then he's got no reason to join us, we don't even know if Keegan is interested yet anyway.

 

How much do people think we'd have to pay for him if we were interested? I think around the £18 million mark, great player though who's got the potential to be up there with Gerrard in a few years if he's used properly, I'd play him trough the middle as I think he's wasted out on the right.

 

I can see him going to Liverpool, or even Chelsea. I'm afraid we are a good two years too late to be looking at signing him. The only place he is going is the top four for me.

 

£20m is what I'd expect, the kid has it all.

 

I could see him going to Chelsea and SWP coming here actually.

 

Me too. But I think Bentley could also be Lampards replacement if he buggers off.