ml1dch

Well, Distin has now apparently agreed to sign for Portsmouth. So that's that one out the window.

I think that next season that will be Young or Maloney, depending on who is on the pitch.

I'd hope that nobody was 'guaranteed a first team place'

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=39947 It's good to see the young man talk about us like that, i hope he comes in and puts pressure on Fred, and with him apparently being a free kick expert we could be getting a star for the future!!. Who does Fred play for and what position?Can't say I've heard of him unless he is the brazilian Fred who used to lay for Melbourne Victory.Signing someone like Antunes would be great or the club.We need cover for the leftback position as Samuel's leaving and Antunes can be Bouma's understudy. I think that the 'Fred' that Sid is referring to has the surname Bouma and plays at left-back for us.

Yup. So....this would make it twice in our 120 year history? Not exactly 'always'.

McCarthy actually said: Wouldn't most players from most teams say words to that effect if asked the question "would you like to play for a club in the Champions League?" In fact, I'd imagine the question was along the lines of "would you like to work with Jose Mourinho again?"

Aha. Comprendo hombre.

I'm fairly sure that Nesta won't be signing anywhere as a 'squad-player' or as 'cover'. And certainly not to us in that context.

Ben Haim, Sidwell, Gera, Fowler, Sinclair, Kanu, Duscher, Nesta... For starters. Metzelder, Dudek, Zenden, Figo, Mahdavikia, Hildebrand, Basturk, Saviola, Babic and Pizarro for a few more.

Ben Haim, Sidwell, Gera, Fowler, Sinclair, Kanu, Duscher, Nesta... For starters.

Yes.

But then some players can't transfer their Spanish/Italian/French form to the English leagues. Surely Riera's Man City form is a better thing to judge him with (in terms of his suitability for us) than his Espanyol form?

Good. We need someone to be a bit selfish and smack the ball occasionally.

Dreadful, dreadful band.

No smoke without fire... I'd say that that could just as easily be dry-ice.

We are. Samuel and Hendrie aren't having their contracts renewed. You can't just boot somebody if their contract still has time on it, which isn't the case with the five Newcastle players. Of course you can. Pay them and send them away...easy as that! We do have a few I would like to see MON practice that on. So what would be the point of paying up their contracts and just letting them leave? Why not just continue to pay them their contracts on a weekly basis and have them at the club if we need them, like we're doing at the moment?

He probably isn't, no. There was probably a bit of hyperbole on the part of the original poster in my opinion. But then again, what was Gerrard doing for Liverpool at age 20, in his breakthrough season? If memory serves he played a couple of dozen games, scoring once. Gardner seems to be following a similar career trajectory so far. I know I'm a bit of a Gardner groupie but Craig said the other day that Barry had a word with him about taking a chance on making runs to feed off Carews flick ons and if you watch the match tapes back he looks just like a young Gerrard in the way he makes those clever marauding runs into the box, and then he demonstrated Lampards ability to hit a sweet volley. If you look at the header that Carew glanced wide not only did Gardner start the move but he then ran twenty yards knocking a Bolton player flat on the way to arrive and fling himself perfectly at a cross that Carew got the skin of his forehead to. ml1dch, you're probably right about the hyperbole, but this guy is a quick learner with all the equipment to go all the way, imo long term injury is the only thing that could stop him. I'd agree with all that. He was also waiting just behind Luke Moore had he missed his volley.

We are. Samuel and Hendrie aren't having their contracts renewed. You can't just boot somebody if their contract still has time on it, which isn't the case with the five Newcastle players.

He probably isn't, no. There was probably a bit of hyperbole on the part of the original poster in my opinion. But then again, what was Gerrard doing for Liverpool at age 20, in his breakthrough season? If memory serves he played a couple of dozen games, scoring once. Gardner seems to be following a similar career trajectory so far.

I have a feeling that Charlton aren't really in the position where they'd want to help West Ham too much. I can certainly see them accepting bids from other clubs but not West Ham out of principle.

Why would he want that clause in there though? Surely he'd only need a clause to protect his interests, and his interests would be playing in Europe.

D'Allessandro to Wolfsburg? I'm in the middle of the two camps here I think. Try and get them by all means. But have a back-up if (as expected) it doesn't happen. And try not to complain too much if we end up with Defoe rather than Huntelaar.

Which in this case I see as a positive, not a negative. Experience can be just as valuable a commodity as youth, more-so when we're bringing through as much youth as we are. I'd rather have two years out of Viduka, bringing Gabby and Luke along with him until we're in a position to upgrade. I think in the long-term he'd be far more beneficial for us. And we'd finish higher in the league next season with Viduka, Carew, Luke and Gabby than we would with Yakubu, Carew, Luke and Gabby. I'd put my mortgage on it. They may well want to. But nobody should expect to.

post not poster, this is a simple Q&A thread, nothing more. please remember that jc Sorry John, I will rephrase as a question/comment to the general. General, I'm delighted to hear this. In years gone by our old chairman would have wanted to get involved and have his say. Our new regime know when not to get involved, they know this is not our problem and are leaving it alone. We can concentrate on our own team all summer. Bravo General! General I believe the above to be incorrect, and would urge you understand and note that the majority of posts on this thread and other areas of the board would fully endorse any support the club could offer in any capacity to Sheffield Utd in their attempt for justice.

I would hope that every player on our books feels like that.