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Swoop suggests flying in there and grabbing players, when really these 2 could not really move fast enough to escape us..

United line up double swoop

 

May 3 2007

 

By Luke Edwards, The Journal

 

 

Newcastle United are contemplating moves for Sol Campbell and Sami Hyypia as manager Glenn Roeder looks to add an experienced centre-half to his squad this summer.

 

But it is Campbell who is heading the list after the former England international told friends that he is close to completing a move to the North-East less than 12 months after Roeder turned down the chance to sign him.

 

The 32-year-old has been a massive success at Portsmouth this season after a five-year association at Arsenal ended last year, but the powerful centre-back is still keen to play for Newcastle despite Roeder's snub last summer and is available on a free transfer.

 

Campbell would be a popular signing among supporters and will bring a wealth of experience with him, as well as the organisational skills so often lacking in Newcastle's back line this season.

 

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp had hoped to keep Campbell on the south coast and was looking to pair him with United's Titus Bramble at Fratton Park next season.

 

That now looks unlikely, although Bramble is still expected to sign for Portsmouth on a free transfer when his contract with Newcastle expires at the end of June.

 

Nevertheless, Roeder is also tracking Hyypia, who has fallen out of favour at Liverpool and is looking for a new club. The Finnish international has been one of the most consistent defenders in the Premiership over the last eight years but has lost his place in the starting line-up to Daniel Agger.

 

The Champions League finalists are also planning some major changes at the end of the season and Hyypia appears to have accepted the time is right to move on.

 

The 33-year-old, like Campbell, has plenty of top-level experience and is also capable of organising a back four, something Roeder believes will help the development of his young defenders like Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Paul Huntington and David Edgar.

 

Roeder was, typically, keeping his targets secret yesterday - neither confirming or denying his interest in Campbell - but the manager confirmed he was looking for an experienced centre-half.

 

Meanwhile, Roeder has attempted to explain his decision to make Kieron Dyer captain against Reading after it drew an angry response from many supporters.

 

Dyer admitted in The Journal he had not repaid his manager's faith after suggesting he was to blame for the 1-0 defeat which means United's hopes of an Intertoto Cup place are finished with two games left to play this season.

 

The Journal understands Dyer was initially reluctant to take on the responsibility because he feared many supporters would be unhappy with the decision, but was persuaded to take on the role by Roeder.

 

Scott Parker, who has also had his problems with the club's supporters this season, is expected to return to the side against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend and will take the armband back.

 

But Roeder said: "I made Kieron Dyer captain for purely motivational reasons and when I told him his eyes lit up. It was a special moment for him.

 

"I thought he carried off the responsibility of being captain very well, even though a couple of vital aspects of the game went against him. He is an England player and an experienced player, and he was playing in a position on the pitch on Monday night in which he was in touch with the rest of the team.

 

"The majority of people do not understand Kieron Dyer. If you sit down with him he has a lot of football intelligence and has a good understanding of the game."

 

Campbell, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the last two games of the season and faces the near certainty of surgery on a torn Achilles tendon as Portsmouth face an injury crisis which threatens to destroy hopes of a Uefa Cup place.

 

Campbell's first real injury worry this season is a blow for Redknapp who said: "He's been struggling with his Achilles for a little while and he has now had a scan which shows a little tear in there.

 

"It looks like he's out for the season and it only remains to be seen whether he needs surgery. What we don't want, though, is for him to rest the Achilles through the summer and then start the new season and find that he needs an operation then."

 

Despite the setback for Campbell and other fitness doubts for Saturday's trip to Everton concerning Matt Taylor (ankle), Richard Hughes (knee) and Dejan Stefanovic (thigh), Redknapp is smiling over the news that Tony Adams looks set to stay at Fratton Park.

 

Assistant manager Adams is ready to shelve his managerial ambitions for at least another season. The former Arsenal and England star, 40, is close to an agreement with the Pompey board on a new contract to replace the one-year deal that expires in June.

 

It means he must continue to put up with a gruelling round trip of nearly 200 miles every day from his home in the Cotswolds and despite telling Redknapp earlier this season he was keen to look for a new club to manage, he now says he would `love to stay'

 

"I want to stay part of this even though the driving is getting me down," he added.

 

* IT was confirmed last night Antoine Sibierski will miss the rest of the season after undergoing an operation on his broken arm.

 

The 32-year-old former Manchester City player suffered the injury during the 1-0 defeat at Reading.

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Campbell - Bramble straight swap

 

That wouldnt be a bad piece of business.

 

It would, like. I'm sure there's some mug out there willing to pay money for a youngish defender who they optimistically think they might fix.

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Campbell - Bramble straight swap

 

That wouldnt be a bad piece of business.

 

It would, like. I'm sure there's some mug out there willing to pay money for a youngish defender who they optimistically think they might fix.

 

Bramble's contract expires this summer, so its not as if we can get anyone else to pay up.

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Campbell and Hyypia would bring enormous experience in our defence

I will be over the moon if we sign him

The only other thing i hope for is that Allyrdace will be their manager next season not Roeder

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Campbell, Hyypia, Distin, Taylor as CB's next season - sorted.

 

Solano & Carr RB's - can live with that

 

Babayaro & New LB - Can live with that

 

Then Hunty, Ramage, Edgar backing them up

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Guest teepee

i said it last summer, and i'll say it again - campbell is probably the best possible and realistic signing we can make.

 

he could help taylor immensely, and would free up a lot of cash for the all important left back.

 

baines/bridge - campbell - taylor - nobby

 

that is a very good back four if you ask me. and campbell can easily play on for another two years.

 

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Guest teepee

Neither Nobby (at RB) nor Carr will be good enough for a top 10 team in the PL next season.

 

i don't agree - but even if i did, we should have enough cash for both a left and right back as well.

 

given

 

new rb

taylor

campbell

baines/bridge/bale

 

milner/dyer/nobby

parker/butt

emre

duff/zoggy

 

owen/ameobi

martins

 

looks like top 10 to me....

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Guest graemeh72

Redknapp just recently said we havent got a prayer of signing campbell, esp after he chose pompey over us last summer..

 

According to the nufc club spokesman, Campbell approached us last week and his bird lives in Ncle

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Guest mishka17

2 experienced CB will sort almost everything in hear of our defence except-our bench-who left? ramage, tayls, hunty if bramble, moore ang gooch will go...  i've also heard that luque is going to psv on loan, and that they've made an agreement already... dunno if that's truth, but i think it's worth to mention

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Redknapp just recently said we havent got a prayer of signing campbell, esp after he chose pompey over us last summer..

 

According to the nufc club spokesman, Campbell approached us last week and his bird lives in Ncle

 

Where at?

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Guest graemeh72

Redknapp just recently said we havent got a prayer of signing campbell, esp after he chose pompey over us last summer..

 

According to the nufc club spokesman, Campbell approached us last week and his bird lives in Ncle

 

Where at?

 

Club Spokesman - Sir Alan Oliver

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Redknapp just recently said we havent got a prayer of signing campbell, esp after he chose pompey over us last summer..

 

According to the nufc club spokesman, Campbell approached us last week and his bird lives in Ncle

 

Where at?

 

Club Spokesman - Sir Alan Oliver

 

Ah that bellend.

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Hyypiä doesn't want to leave! He knows he won't get too many games next season but he loves the club and is satisfied with a place on bench as well...and a decent wage for being such a humble fella :)

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Guest graemeh72

Campbell and Hyypia would bring enormous experience in our defence

 

Hyypia is about 12 years too late

 

If only Keegan had signed him when he was here on a 2 week trial in 1995 - doh!!!!

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