Is N'Zogbia's exit inevitable? (Maybe not - Page 24!)

[Dave]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/boussoufa-ready-to-take-emres-place-on-tyneside-808216.html

 

Manager Kevin Keegan said yesterday that N'Zogbia needs to integrate himself more at the club if he is to stay.

 

"When I first came in there were eight days left of the transfer window," Keegan said. "Charles and his agent wanted to move him out of here and I wouldn't allow that. Having said that, I said that if he did his best until the end of the season and felt the same way, if he still wanted to go, I would let him. But it would be on our terms. He's got three years left here.

 

"I've had a chat with him today, his training in the last week has been the best since I've been here. If he can learn to be a team player, with his individual skill, he will be a hell of an asset for any club and I would like that club to be Newcastle United."

[Thespence]

Charles shite effort in training is one of the reasons he doesn't even make the bench, yet the professional but disappointing Alan Smith does.

[Cronky]

Lennon and N'Zogbia are pretty much identical in terms of talent, attitude, average end product and hype. A direct swap then.

 

I pretty much agree with that. In terms of pure talent, better than both is Kazenga Lua Lua. Let's bring him on.

[Cronky]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/boussoufa-ready-to-take-emres-place-on-tyneside-808216.html

 

Manager Kevin Keegan said yesterday that N'Zogbia needs to integrate himself more at the club if he is to stay.

 

"When I first came in there were eight days left of the transfer window," Keegan said. "Charles and his agent wanted to move him out of here and I wouldn't allow that. Having said that, I said that if he did his best until the end of the season and felt the same way, if he still wanted to go, I would let him. But it would be on our terms. He's got three years left here.

 

"I've had a chat with him today, his training in the last week has been the best since I've been here. If he can learn to be a team player, with his individual skill, he will be a hell of an asset for any club and I would like that club to be Newcastle United."

 

I agree with that as well. The main problem with Zoggy is between his ears. He's a good player who could be very good if he applies himself. He thinks he's a great player who hasn't been recognised yet.

[Dave]

What he needs to realise is that none of the top clubs will take him if he's not a team player.

[fredbob]

What he needs to realise is that none of the top clubs will take him if he's not a team player.

 

Do you not sympathise with his situatio even a little?

 

No doubt Willie Mckay has been having a quiet word in his ear every other day.

[Dave]

What he needs to realise is that none of the top clubs will take him if he's not a team player.

 

Do you not sympathise with his situatio even a little?

 

No doubt Willie Mckay has been having a quiet word in his ear every other day.

 

Yes and no. Looks like he has an inflated opinion of himself, probably egged on by that twat you mention. Just saying, if he thinks the top clubs want him he's wrong if what Keegan hints at is the case; ie he's not really a team player at this stage.

[Thespence]

He could be the next Oliver Bernard. Shame Olly's agent can no longer fix him up with a club these days, gone are the days of asking for 50k a week.

[fredbob]

 

The club at the moment is on the verge of turning a corner, if he can get himself amove to a bigger club, then fair enough, maybe Wenger will follow up the apparent interest but he'd be mad if he thinks that he'd have a better future at another club outised the top4, even in the top4 he'd never get the games.

 

Alot rides really on Keegans choice of formation.

 

 

[toontownman]

Keegan has it quite right, as you would expext.

 

We dont need players here that:

 

a) Dont want to be here

 

b) cant be a member of this squad and cope with not being picked if he hasnt got the right attitude or tactics call for it.

 

It wouldnt suprise me to see him stay, really he would be stupid not too. Spurs are the only club that will take him that are arguably better than us, maybe Pompey.

 

Unfortunately its another example of footballers with limited brain capacity and expanded egos, fed and corrupted by agents that just want a bigger pay day.

[Taylor Swift]

I think what Keegan means by team player is not only for Zoggy to stop being selfish and actually pass the ball, but more that he needs to track back and seriously develop his game defensively as well as that's the only way he's going to get into the midfield 3 atm.

[Guest NUFC4]

we need to be hanging onto players of zoggy's quality.  agreed that he has a lot of work to do to become polished when attacking and must improve his defensive abilities but he's a different player to most that we have in that he's not afraid to run at people with the ball.  every team needs those type of pacey skill players.  plus he's only what? 21 or 22 he's got loads of time to prove himself.

[Unbelievable]

I don't get this team player business at all to be honest. N'Zogbia hasn't struck me as a selfish player or somebody who doesn't track back or doesn't help his teammates. Sure, he will sometimes attempt to shoot when he could pass the ball, but he has actually scored a few vital goals that way this season, and other than him we lack the threath of shots from outside of the box (on target that is). Is he being villified for this? I sincerely hope Zoggy doesn´t take this the wrong way, as I think we would be mistaken that none of the bigger teams are interested and this actually puts him in the shop window at a discount imho. I have no doubt a manager like Wenger would have N´Zogbia play to his strengths (i.e. not in a defensive position) and he could be exactly what he few teams need (Spurs being another). I don´t understand why we keep playing one of our brightest talents out of position, occasionaly openly critisising him. It´s no surprise that this agreement about his lack of team play (whatever that is) coincides with a run of good results in a system and with a team that he wasn´t a part of. If we were going to go 442 next season, which a lot of people seem to think, N´Zogbia would be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

[TRon]

I think Keegan is spot on really. N'Zogbia is one of my favourite players at Newcastle and has been for a long time but that's not to say he hasn't got a lot to learn. He has got fantastic assets but he could be even better if he used his head a bit more.

[James]

I don't get this team player business at all to be honest. N'Zogbia hasn't struck me as a selfish player or somebody who doesn't track back or doesn't help his teammates. Sure, he will sometimes attempt to shoot when he could pass the ball, but he has actually scored a few vital goals that way this season, and other than him we lack the threath of shots from outside of the box (on target that is). Is he being villified for this? I sincerely hope Zoggy doesn´t take this the wrong way, as I think we would be mistaken that none of the bigger teams are interested and this actually puts him in the shop window at a discount imho. I have no doubt a manager like Wenger would have N´Zogbia play to his strengths (i.e. not in a defensive position) and he could be exactly what he few teams need (Spurs being another). I don´t understand why we keep playing one of our brightest talents out of position, occasionaly openly critisising him. It´s no surprise that this agreement about his lack of team play (whatever that is) coincides with a run of good results in a system and with a team that he wasn´t a part of. If we were going to go 442 next season, which a lot of people seem to think, N´Zogbia would be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

 

He's not a team player.

 

He's always running down blind alleys and giving the ball away in the process.

 

Dyer was better at what N'Zogbia thinks he's best at.

[Shearergol]

I don't get this team player business at all to be honest. N'Zogbia hasn't struck me as a selfish player or somebody who doesn't track back or doesn't help his teammates. Sure, he will sometimes attempt to shoot when he could pass the ball, but he has actually scored a few vital goals that way this season, and other than him we lack the threath of shots from outside of the box (on target that is). Is he being villified for this? I sincerely hope Zoggy doesn´t take this the wrong way, as I think we would be mistaken that none of the bigger teams are interested and this actually puts him in the shop window at a discount imho. I have no doubt a manager like Wenger would have N´Zogbia play to his strengths (i.e. not in a defensive position) and he could be exactly what he few teams need (Spurs being another). I don´t understand why we keep playing one of our brightest talents out of position, occasionaly openly critisising him. It´s no surprise that this agreement about his lack of team play (whatever that is) coincides with a run of good results in a system and with a team that he wasn´t a part of. If we were going to go 442 next season, which a lot of people seem to think, N´Zogbia would be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

 

He's not a team player.

 

He's always running down blind alleys and giving the ball away in the process.

 

Dyer was better at what N'Zogbia thinks he's best at.

 

Agree with that completely.

[Skirge]

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/04/12/n-zogbia-warned-to-watch-attitude-61634-20754794/

N’Zogbia warned to watch attitude

 

Apr 12 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

 

CHARLES N’Zogbia has been told by his Newcastle United team-mates to buck up his ideas or leave the club, writes STUART RAYNER.

 

The Frenchman had a transfer request refused in January and while Kevin Keegan has not given up on the talented 21-year-old, he revealed he is not the only person at St James’s Park to warn N’Zogbia about his attitude.

 

N’Zogbia was one of United’s best performers under Sam Allardyce despite more often than not being asked to play at left-back, a position he had been reluctant to fill in the past. But he has started just two games since late January and is unlikely to do so in this evening’s 5.15pm kick-off at Fratton Park.

 

Keegan is not the first Newcastle manager to openly question N’Zogbia’s attitude. Then-caretaker Nigel Pearson dropped him from the substitutes’ bench for the final game of last season, at Watford, annoyed that N’Zogbia was more engrossed in his mobile phone than the team meeting he was in. Now Keegan has inherited the problem of engaging his talented midfielder.

 

“What we’ve got at this club now are 16, 17 players who are totally committed as a pack to taking this club forward and Charles has just got to come into it a little bit more, in all honesty,” Keegan explained. “I think he’s been told that by the other players. The players and myself would like to keep him here because they know he can be a tremendous asset. But he’s got to be fully, fully, fully committed to Newcastle United and I think he might decide to do that. He may not but I hope he does.

 

“When I first came in there were eight days left of the transfer window. Charles and his agent wanted to move him out and I wouldn’t allow that.

 

“Having said that, I said if he did his best until the end of the season and felt the same way, I would let him go. But it would be on our terms, he’s got three years left here.”

 

As is his nature, however, Keegan is optimistic about the future of a player Newcastle only signed with great difficulty from Le Havre in 2004.

 

“I had a chat with him on Friday. His training in the last week has been the best since I’ve been here,” he said. “If he can learn to be a team player with his individual skill, he will be a hell of an asset and I would like that club to be Newcastle United. But he has got to come into the team and he knows that too. I’m not saying anything to you I haven’t said to him.”

 

With Newcastle’s Premier League future now all-but assured, Keegan’s thoughts can now turn to the summer, when he insists the only departures will be on his terms.

 

“We are safe, I think, but we’re not mathematically safe yet,” said a manager who has finalised his pre-season plans but is yet to tell his squad.

 

“When we are, we’ll talk about Stephen Carr and Peter Ramage, there’s also James Troisi (out of contract in the summer). We’re aware of that but, with the greatest respect to those players, they’re not the priority when we’re fighting for survival. They’ll come up over the next week or two. We’re doing everything stage by stage.

 

“But there’s no point strengthening your squad and then letting your best players go. None of those players have come and knocked on my door and said they want to leave so, until that happens, I will just assume they want to play for this club and fulfil their contracts.

 

“I don’t think you will find any of them coming in front of the cameras or in front of the Press and saying it is not a good club to be at.”

 

Keep up to date with the news. Receive our free

 

AND

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_3413612,00.html

 

Magpies open to N'Zogbia exit

Winger to decide future at end of the season

Newcastle winger Charles N'Zogbia has been told he can leave the club at the end of the season.

 

The Frenchman has been unsettled at St James' Park and was linked with a move away during the January transfer window.

 

Tottenham and Arsenal are thought to be monitoring N'Zogbia's situation and could make a move for the versatile performer in the summer.

 

Magpies boss Kevin Keegan says if N'Zogbia still wants to leave in the summer he can go if the price is right.

 

"When I first came in there were eight days left of the transfer window. Charles and his agent wanted to move him out of here and I wouldn't allow that," said Keegan

 

Exit

"I said if he did his best until the end of the season and felt the same way, I would let him go - if he still wanted to go. But it would be on our terms because he has three years left on his contract here."

 

Keegan has not entirely given up hope of persuading N'Zogbia to stay on Tyneside and he has enlisted the help of the players to try and convince the French Under 21 international to stick around.

 

"If he can learn to be a team player with his individual skill, he'll be a hell of an asset for any club. And I would like that club to be Newcastle

 

Committed

"We have 16 or 17 players who are totally committed, as a pack, to taking this club forward and Charles has got to come into it a little bit more," said Keegan.

 

"I think he has been told that by the other players, that both them and myself would like to keep him here, but he's got to be fully, fully committed."

 

[Yorkie]

I hope we're scouting plenty of left-wingers.

[gray]

have to say i wouldnt be that bothered. seen him for years now, and despite flashes of brilliance, havent seen much to think he's goin any further.. not sure if people would agree or not

[Guest Edd]

I don't get this team player business at all to be honest. N'Zogbia hasn't struck me as a selfish player or somebody who doesn't track back or doesn't help his teammates. Sure, he will sometimes attempt to shoot when he could pass the ball, but he has actually scored a few vital goals that way this season, and other than him we lack the threath of shots from outside of the box (on target that is). Is he being villified for this? I sincerely hope Zoggy doesn´t take this the wrong way, as I think we would be mistaken that none of the bigger teams are interested and this actually puts him in the shop window at a discount imho. I have no doubt a manager like Wenger would have N´Zogbia play to his strengths (i.e. not in a defensive position) and he could be exactly what he few teams need (Spurs being another). I don´t understand why we keep playing one of our brightest talents out of position, occasionaly openly critisising him. It´s no surprise that this agreement about his lack of team play (whatever that is) coincides with a run of good results in a system and with a team that he wasn´t a part of. If we were going to go 442 next season, which a lot of people seem to think, N´Zogbia would be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

 

He's not a team player.

 

He's always running down blind alleys and giving the ball away in the process.

 

Dyer was better at what N'Zogbia thinks he's best at.

 

Agree with that completely.

Spot on.

 

As for being a team player then there's more to that than just what you do on the pitch.  Zog comes across as the sort of person that wont mix well with the other players socially, and his sulky, miserable attitude isn't good for a dressing room.

[Dave]

It's strange considering he's in all those Facebook pics with Martins, Beye etc, that he's not yet bought into the whole team spirit thing like they obviously have.

[Unbelievable]

I don't get this team player business at all to be honest. N'Zogbia hasn't struck me as a selfish player or somebody who doesn't track back or doesn't help his teammates. Sure, he will sometimes attempt to shoot when he could pass the ball, but he has actually scored a few vital goals that way this season, and other than him we lack the threath of shots from outside of the box (on target that is). Is he being villified for this? I sincerely hope Zoggy doesn´t take this the wrong way, as I think we would be mistaken that none of the bigger teams are interested and this actually puts him in the shop window at a discount imho. I have no doubt a manager like Wenger would have N´Zogbia play to his strengths (i.e. not in a defensive position) and he could be exactly what he few teams need (Spurs being another). I don´t understand why we keep playing one of our brightest talents out of position, occasionaly openly critisising him. It´s no surprise that this agreement about his lack of team play (whatever that is) coincides with a run of good results in a system and with a team that he wasn´t a part of. If we were going to go 442 next season, which a lot of people seem to think, N´Zogbia would be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

 

He's not a team player.

 

He's always running down blind alleys and giving the ball away in the process.

 

Dyer was better at what N'Zogbia thinks he's best at.

 

Funny, because they way I see it he has been putting in our most dangerous crosses this season, and that was playing as a left back. Also, in the first half of the season he was one of the very few players capable of scoring or creating a goal even though he was out of position. He takes chances, hence he may lose the ball more often than some of our more mediocre players who don't and he isn´t as consistent yet as you would want, but I thought we had said goodbye to percentage football and welcomed a more attacking, flair style of play? It's funny how a few good results without him in the team and a few articles about doubts over his future seem to have affected how he is perceived as a footballer. For me, he is still one of the first names on the teamsheet. He is still young and learning and more importantly, he is a confidence player, so he should perhaps most of our bunch of players profit from Keegan's approach.

[Guest alex]

He seems like he's being a bit of cunt to me like. Shame because he's got excellent potential.

[fredbob]

See i really sympathise with the lad. I think he's had an absolute shit deal with nufc, and i mean absolute wank deal.

 

Im sure people may retort with this "he's a pro and getting paid to play football so should shut up" line of reasoning, but i honestly think that that is bollocks.

 

Im not saying he's an angel, under the circumstances he's had i can honestly 100% side with him on this one, he only needs to hang on for one more season to see where his future truly lies, becuase in my opinion we're about to turn the corner in a massive way and he'd be a fool not to see it.

[TRon]

“What we’ve got at this club now are 16, 17 players who are totally committed as a pack to taking this club forward and Charles has just got to come into it a little bit more, in all honesty,” Keegan explained. “I think he’s been told that by the other players. The players and myself would like to keep him here because they know he can be a tremendous asset. But he’s got to be fully, fully, fully committed to Newcastle United and I think he might decide to do that. He may not but I hope he does.

 

Seems to me the door is very much still open for Zog to stay if he is prepared to buy into the obviously great team spirit KK is building once again. Hopefully he'll want to be part of something special, if not he doesn't belong here in any case.