Worried slightly about how old we are. Shearer, Duncs, Speed, Lee and Barton - all in the senior player bracket. The thing is, these players won't bring us in any sort of cash as I fully expect them to retire with us. I love them dearly, but it's a fact. So, with our finances in their parlous state (a state that could potentially last 17 years!), where does the money come from the replace them. And it's frankly not as though we can depend on wor famous youth policy to produce the goods.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Answers

umm. Kind of worrying. We're still woefully short of new, young talent up front. We really do need to start generating local star talent again. does anyone have any info on the bairns? Note that the four guys who were involved in that car crash are on the mend. Only Kevin Wealleans is still in hospital, but he's now out of danger. Johnny Mann actually played the other night.

Clues Softie?

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

We've mad some investments over the last couple of seasons tro redress the imbalance due to KK's disbanding of the resorves. To that end, we have seen the arrival of Dyer, Gavilan, Serrant, Griffin, Glass and Given, all of whom are under 25 (possibly with the exception of Given?). Apart from Serrant, all the others might be expected to play a reasonable part in the first team. OK, so Glass might go but he could still be considered a potential EPL player.

The bairns take time to mature. So far, we have seen little evidence (McClen - shall I rest my case?) of any coming through, but it really is early days to expect many to bridge the gap from youth football to EPL standard. We hardly have the charisma of a Newton Heath to atract the bairns. But that will change.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

The re-financing means that, in theory, any profits from televsion rights, Cup Final and FA awards, merchandiding etc. are available to spend on the team. The stadium will be financed from gate receipts and corporate entertaining only.
So buying players is not just funded from selling players, although at the moment it has to be, because at this point in the season we've nothing else left.
But as well as our ageing players with ever decreasing value, we also must be sitting on a tidy profit with others - namely Dyer, Domi, Hughes, Glass, Solano. The real problem is decreasing the wages by getting rid of the dross. IMO this is also vital for the good of the team spirit within the squad. A good team is based around a well balanced squad of players all working together - the youngsters learning off the old pros and stars, but knowing they've a good chance of making it. No harm in having rivalry for positions, but having a whole team within the squad on the transfer list can't be healthy.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Well all I know is that Coppinger has the makings of being an excellent, short striker. It doesn't seem to stop Owen or Phillips from scoring (spit) and he scored on his debut for the Monkey Hangers. Let's hope the club see sense and hang onto him until they actually HAVE the striker of tomorrow.

I totally agree about Greene getting an extension to his contract and will be surprised if Brian Kerr doesn't get something similar, but this Coppinger snub completely baffles me - especially with Robinson being reatined despite hischildish outbursts.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

It occurs to me that the manager is knocking on a bit as well! (-;

It is a matter for some concern and I would have hoped that we would sell players before they depeciate significantly. I know I'm in a very small minority but I always thought that the sale of Sir Les was a brilliant deal (although I was very sorry to see him go). There you had a superb player who cost us a net zero in transfer fees. I would also have hoped that we would recoup a significant portion of the #15m sunk in Shearer but it seems now that he will retire with us (so let's hope he makes a good manager to compensate)

We still have young players worth more than we paid, Given, Harper, Nobby (although there's some doubt whether or not he's young!), and Dyer are worth a lot more than we paid (and well worth keeping for the forseeable) and hopefully Gavilan. We have youth players who may well make the grade notably Chopra and others. The jury is out on the likes of McClenn, Robinson, Coppinger, Kerr, Gall, etc.

There's also a lot of deadwood to be cleared away (Hamilton, Perez, Maric etc) and others we aren't sure of (Goma, Marcellino, Pistone etc)

I'd like to see us buying in "prospects" of the Gavilan variety as well as working hard on the youth policy.

I'm sure I'm wasting my time writing this, of couse. YBR has got it all under control and needs no advice from the likes of me.

Worry not.

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2000

Yup Dougal is certainly in fine form.

Lets counter the We're getting old with;

We're the Future (25 and under)

GK - Shay Given. Steve Harper.

RB - Andy Griffin CH - Aaron Hughes LB - Didier Domi

RW/AM - Nolberto Solano - Kieron Dyer - Diego Gavilan

Plus the only real concerns, age wise, in the club would be Rob Lee and Kevin Gallacher. And Gallacher is after an extension to his current contract and hasn't exactly been slow around the pitch.

Now if you were talking talent wise and depth wise, you might have something to discuss. But Robson has already worked out who he believes doesn't have a future here, though I'll add my voice to those who say Coppinger deserves to stay. I'd also say we're likely to see a few others leaving, but none who have been central to this years team.

Robson has also worked out how many players he'd like to bring in over the summer, 1 defender (and I bet that's on top of making Helder's switch permenant), 2 midfielders (with Olivier Dacourt a near certainty), and a striker.

I believe Robson will go for experienced players, but none who are over 29, so they'll have some of their best years to contribute to the cuase.

As for the bairns, well Mark Boyd, Stuart Green and Brian Kerr all look like decent midfield prospects, Gary Caldwell in defence and Chopra, Ameoba and Mann up front are also touted youngsters.

And despite the best efforts of Tottenham, there are still a few likely youngsters in the Lower divisions. After Bobby has got the team settled over the summer, the scouts can sart looking for young local players that can be monitored over the next couple of seasons, who might make the grade in the premiership.

Players like Clinton Morrison and Hayden Mullins at Crystal Palace; David Pruton (England U.18) at Nottingham Forest; And James Scowcroft, Titus Bramble and Richard Logan (England U.18) at Ipswich.

Then there are the possible Bosman free transfers who will cost the club nothing. We had the recent link to Oz defender Hayden Foxe, and a couple of months ago Louis Saha reminded NUFC that he is off contract in the summer and would like to come back.

So there's heaps of reasons for optimisim.

Tre

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2000