Well rid if he'd prefer to go to Scotland. Anyone who chooses to participate in that 1 horse race when a Premiership side is in for them has no faith in his own ability. What passes for competetiveness up there is taking bets on how quickly Rangers win the title. You don't get enough experience of decent opposition to make any use of your guaranteed Champions League berth so even that is a flawed triumph.

Balls to him. The only thing at Rangers is guaranteed (hence unrewarding) silverware and more money. If he doesn't respect YBR enough to want to join up with him then let him rot. Silly boy. I want someone who can see what he can do to make things at NUFC successful, not another one of these poxy accountants.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Answers

Self inflicted again though. Why didn't they just keep their gob shut till it was done and dusted ?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Probably shook hands on it. Bloody worthless with this new breed.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Not surprising if he listens to Brian '3 clubs in one season' Laudrup for his advice.

By the way did anyone see that Gazza was offered on loan to finnish side FC Jokerit? Top name for the headline writers

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

If we can get him, get him. #1.25 million will be cheap if he realises his potential and almost 3 times less than Maric so what have we to lose.

Sure enough if he does well he'll probably go to a European Giant but then we get the +#5 million profit.

Cynical?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

If he doesn't want to play for a manager who has managed Gazza, Lineker, Beardsley and Waddle in their England pomp, taken a tiny club to UEFA and FA Cup glory (being robbed of the Championship by Aston Villa en route), won things in four countries, managed Romario, Emerson, Guardiola, Figo, Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooj (putting him on the map in fact) and countless other world stars but would prfer to play for the manager who left PSV in tatters (to be mopped up by one YBR) to manage Rangers, then he doesn't deserve to be managed by YBR. So there. Oh, and Bobby won THREE trophies in one year with Barca.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Have we dfinitely been gazumped? Let's face facts, we can no longer class ourselves as one of the big clubs, three seasons of bottom half mediocrity tell a story, maybe not to us but they do to Johnny Foreigner. We are going to find it VERY difficult to buy top class players.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Kegsy, to an extent you're right: Not in Europe, not a fantaistic side and perceived issues with geograohy might hold players back from joining. However, these players have no understanding of football history if they don't want to get on the great ride that Europe's best manager will take the club on.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Dougal, I don't think the average player is that intelligent. (Especially the English ones!)

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Anyone with the eyes to see it would recognize us as a club about to climb back to the top. A lull was turned into a major upturn and a striker with an eye on the main chance will recognize that there is an opening here to really make a name for himself. Good service, fabulous strike partners and improving defence and increasingly creative midfield behind you. You want to put your name on the map? Go to a club where people will say: "Look what happened at Newcastle after X arrived!" You don't go to a place where the best you can hope for is "Newton Heath/Rangers win title again" but possibly "X is so bad he can't even score for Heath". Make your mind up; if you have any faith in your ability then join the club on the cusp, the other ones only have the wane to face up to.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

OK then Softie, imagine you're a young striker with a lot of potential and a choice of any club in the world to play for (except Newcastle United to remove the B&W glasses). Who do you choose?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

The issue here appears to be a simple one of immediate financial reward. Apparently, Rangers have offered the lad #10,000 pw, which is a lot more than The Toon have, probably quite sensibly and prudently. Unfortunately, fiscal prudence doesn't secure top prospects these days.
He must be a decent player if Rangers are so seriously interested as to be offering such big bucks to lure him.
FF has apparently been in Copenhagen overnight talkng to the lad, and one can only assume will have increased what we were originally prepared to pay him - if not then we can almost certainly forget him.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

You'd need to have a choice of two. If you were offered Lazio or Roma right now you'd be better off going for Roma as you have a better chance of being that player who makes the difference (ask Batistuta, that's what he's aiming to do). Again, you look and see where the real openings are. Then again, if you don't fancy your chances of displacing Serginho, Totti, Del Vecchio and Nakata, then you'd be better off going elsewhere....like NUFC for instance, where there are 2 strikers and plenty of opportunities for a game since at least one of them is likely to spend weeks crocked. Throw in a world class manager and what the Hell are you waiting for? Sitting on the bench at Rangers surely can't compare with being a major player in one of the best domestic leagues in the world?

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

The Chronic has Shepherd chasing the kid, but either way, it looks like the attraction north of the border will be stronger than we can counter. They must be a close family if having his brother an hour's drive away would make a difference.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Trouble is, it's not the first deal those pillocks have screwed up..

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

With all due respect. Who are we to criticise the way the Directors go about trying to sign players.

We don't know the ins and the outs of this deal. These deals could be very basic or very complex but whatever they are, then these Directors are more experienced than most in signing players just look at how many we have. They are obviously under the direction of Bobby Robson as to who to sign.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Got this from a Danish webmaster on the FC Midtjylland site.

Lovenkrands is a very young player - that has made his breakthrough this season - he hasn't done much at the start of the season but a change of manager saw him in the first team. He made a lot of goals in the last couple of games and i think he made 2 or 3 in the game that was watched by the Newcastle representatives. I know there are a lot of clubs that want's him but how good he is is a very good question. Jon Dahl was not given any justice when he was at Newcastle he was used as a striker (Shearer sub.) and that not his position, i think thats why he didn't succed, today he has great succes in Feynoord.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

and surely, JDT was played completely out of position by the Dutch git......so where does that hold any water these days.......

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

Aye but let's face it, Van Hooijdonk has scored loads in Holland and he's not that good.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

ITK

>>>>JDT was played completely out of position by the Dutch git

TSM was responsible for this waste of talent. As we had Shearer injured, I'd love to have played a front 3 of Tino, Pedro, and JDT which I reckon might have made grown central defenders cry - they'd have been chasing shadows.

For TSM's next trick he played Tino as the big target man up front which prompted Tino to say that TSM had lost the plot. Or was it plotted the loss? Same thing really.

-- Anonymous, June 07, 2000

The sale to whichever club, will be announced on the Danish Stock Exchange. Anyone know how to access this via the Web.

I think Rangers will get him now thanks to club-trotting Laudrup.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

JONNO

Haven't you finished venting your spleen over Dalglish yet? As you well know, cos like me you went to the games, Pedro was past it, Tino had lost it and JDT was lightweight and couldn't adapt to the pace. Playing all three up front would have been suicide leaving us seriously depleted in midfield.

As for Tino accusing Dalglish of losing the plot that's a case of kettles and pots surely!

We've finally got a manger who can claim the majority of our support and the best qualified we've ever had, harping on about "TSMs" and "Dutch Gits" is getting tiresome.

All we need now is for Robson to buy a few players, lose a few games and no doubt he'll become the 'Durham Dickhead' or TEP, the English Pensioner. Build 'em up, knock 'em down. Here we all go again.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Dread

>>>>harping on about "TSMs" and "Dutch Gits" is getting tiresome.

Well I didn't start it and I didn't coin the term "Dutch git" so why address the thing to me???? (The question is NOT rhetorical).

I merely set the record straight that Gullit had nowt to do with JDT - agreed?

As for Tino having lost the plot you evidently never saw any games that season. He was played as a lone striker receiving the long high ball with the other 9 men in defence. A disgraceful waste of talent. Like JDT, played out of position. Like Speed, played out of position. Like Rush, played out of era.

>>>>Build 'em up, knock 'em down. Here we all go again.

For the record I have only ever "knocked down" one significant employee of the club in the capacity of player/manager/director. (And that after he had had my unswerving support long after he had ceased to deserve it). The knocking down was richly deserved too judging by 95% of the other comments on this BBS. Why pick on my comments when others say the same?

Also for the record Dread, ALL of United's history is constantly up for discussion here, be it Veitch, Gallacher, Milburn, Keegan, Dalglish, Gullit etc. If you find any of these subjects "tiresome" avoid reading them.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Well Rangers have him.....here's hoping he's a flop ;))

By PA Sport Staff

Rangers have completed the signing of Danish youngster Peter Lovenkrands after the striker was advised to commit himself to the Glasgow giants by former Ibrox star Brian Laudrup.

Lovenkrands, 20, has joined on a four-year deal from AB Copenhagen after talks with Rangers chairman David Murray persuaded him to put a move to Glasgow ahead of a possible switch to Newcastle.

His older brother Tommy Lovenkrands was another influential figure in the move having recently himself completed a switch to Premier League St Johnstone for a nominal fee.

Murray said: "We are pleased to sign such a young and obviously talented player whom many other top European clubs were seeking to secure for themselves.

"It was helpful that Brian Laudrup was able to speak personally with Peter in helping the player make his final decision."

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Well we'll just have to make sure we don't lose out on the next guy. It is becoming a bit of a habit, missing out on players. Mind you, at least we're not throwing silly money at everyone now.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

According to PA, the Toon have threatened to complain to FIFA after Danish youngster Peter Lovenkrands signed for Rangers. They say they have written proof that the AB Copenhagen star had pledged to join them and are "bitterly disappointed" he has instead joined the Scottish champions for around #1.5million.

"We have a letter of acceptance to our offer from AB Copenhagen and clearly we are bitterly disappointed that they appear to have broken the agreement," said a statement from the club. Their representative even travelled with the player and his agent to negotiate with Rangers when the club had a prior standing agreement with us. Promises regarding the player's visit to Newcastle today were made in Copenhagen some 48 hours ago but these promises were also broken".

"We believe that as a 20-year-old, he may have had a pressure applied on him by third parties. We will be reporting what we believe may well be considered irregular conduct to the Danish FA and possibly to FIFA."

Something is rotten in the kingdom of Denmark, methinks!

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

I can understand that they are really pissed off that he has gone to Rangers, but I have a horrible feeling that yet another PR disaster is looming.......

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

If the facts as reported are true then they have every right to be pissed off. However, in footy as in virtually every business these days, money talks more loudly than honour or rules & regulations.
My guess is that a liberal sprinkling of dosh has been floating around to steer this in Rangers direction - above board or not. However, as you suggest Ken, The Toon need to consider the PR implications before embarking on any crusade. IMO, better to just move on and find someone who does want to play for us.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

That's the bottom line innit........I'd rather sign someone who is at least commited to the club, rather than someone who is only using us to see where they can get.....we have had (and still got) enough of them already.

This kid from Oxford seems to have created abit of interest in the past.....what do we know about him?

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000

Who knows Ken. I just about recall seeing him play one half for Oxford v Norwich on Sly about a year ago, and he looked good in that company.
However, as Pete in Canada is bemoaning on another thread, while all the serious competition are getting good players in and improving their squads, we appear to be f@rting around and are still at the starting gate - in fact 4 furlongs back if AS's knee is knackered!

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2000