For some reason, I thought there would be a real scramble for the lad at 2-3 million. What is putting people off? Or is it just old news?

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2000

Answers

See what you mean Pete. Thought I'd answer just to let you know youre' not alone in your thinking. Its certainly all gone quiet over there! My feeling is he's OK but not the future. We need more craft and invention. A creative playmaker. Old IVAN De La Pena did well last night when he came on. Ran the show against the blue Scum. We need a young IVAN. Dyer needs to practise shooting and learn to know when to pass. Capt Lee needs a successor but who. Not Hutchison though for me.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2000

They way I percieve the situation.

Not to many clubs have a transfer kitty to go out and spend 2 or 3 million pounds. Of those that do, few if any need Hutchison, other than possibly Sunderland, and we know Monkey head has an aversion to spending and would be concerned about being burnt if Hutchison openly favoured NUFC.

Secondly, Hutchison has about 3 or 4 years left a contributing at the highest level consistantly. Now for some teams that may be enough value for money. However I believe NUFC is looking to get atleast 2 contracts out of who ever they sign.

We all agree that left sided midfielder is more of a priority than a central midfielder. Plus the balance of our current midfield has been worrying me for some time. And no, not about a left sided midfielder.

What gets me is we have Lee and Speed as our recognised central pairing. Both hardworking, and generally holding their own in the centre of the park. We do not have any cover for them.

Next we have Nobby on the right wing. Regardless of the current speculation, if he is on our books and healthy, he starts. Since we have no recognisable left winger, we play Dyer in the hole behind the strikers. That leaves Gavilan on the bench to sub for Nobby or YKD.

Now what gets me is if we play a left winger, who of the above four drops to the bench. For me it would be Speed or Lee. Which means we play with a percieved light weight midfield, but I believe it would be capable of doing the job.

The last point of note relates back to Hutchison. We do need another central player to run the engine room. Lee has possibly one more season at which he can contribute at the desired level. Speed, while forming an effective partnership in midfield with other defensive style players, does not instill confidence if he is the lone defensive presence in the centre.

So an upgrade on Lee/Speed is needed. This begs the question "Who is available?" In the EPL Hutchison. David Prutton at Notts Forest is viewed as a possible future player for this role. However he is not likely to go anywhere for the for-see-able future. Outside the EPL either Olivier Dacourt or some (dodgy by certain accounts) Dutch player who is the same age as Hutchison. Then we have younguns from the academy to consider.

With a limited summer kitty my belief is that Helder, a striker and left winger should be taken care of and then hopefully we'll have the funds to spare to pick up Hutchison if Dacourt isn't brought in. Then in a year or to either Prutton will be ready and available or another younger target identified.

Tre

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2000

Hutchison will probably end up at West Ham.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Bloody Hell Dougal!

Anything else you have prior knowledge of????

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

Bloody Hell nick

How the hell did you find that amongst 100,000 other postings?

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

the heading HUTCHINSON was the giveaway Rik.....

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

... and of course having a shit-boring job helps too. Anything to pass the time...

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

.. and having a shit-boring job gives me time to look at old threads!

Actually I was looking for something completely different when I found it. Naturally didn't find what I was looking for...

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001

Nick, You to?

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001