We need someone to help Shearer We have no money We need someone to help Shearer We have no money

Glasgow Rangers have Mols, De Boer, Flo, Miller, Wallace and Dodds (and Negri !!) Dodds cost them £500k a year ago, Wallace nothing both would do a job, as per Kevin Gallagher, but further forward. Theyd'd cost ~£500k for a season or two and our forward options would be transformed. Maybe we'd even get them on loan.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Answers

I was pushing for James Beattie 2 seasons ago when Sotton would have accepted 50p and one of our pale, young Scandanavian trainees (allegedly) for him. Sob sob sob - you could see he was going to come good. Definitely give Coppinger a go playing off Shearer (15mins wasn't much of a chance, was it?) as he's highly nimble on his feet, reads the game well and has no qualms about shooting. Shearer holding the ball up and drawing defenders, Dyer to flit about passing the ball and Coppinger to actually run onto it and take the shot. Leave us with 3 at the back, and since we only have 3 defenders left at the club, why not?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

LOL, Softie.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

We aren't good enough to carry a kid whether it be Shola, Coppinger, Lua Lua or whoever. We need to take the load off Shearer and A Gallagher type is the answer. I feel a kid would add to the load on Shearer not reduce it.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

I think the club are actually going to have to bite the bullet and pay some cash for a striker. This bargain basement hunting is getting us nowhere. Then again... Actually, isn't Ronaldo now on the mend? Maybe we could put in another audacious bid for him on loan while he's recuperating. Or else, maybe Van Nistlerooj would like to train and play a few games for the manager he'd walk through hot coal for??

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

..... a Gallagher type is the answer.

Why not try Gallacher?

Not counting CC, who we haven't really seen yet, Gallacher when he's fit is arguably the best support striker we've got - and a current international in that position to boot.

BTW, what's the story with Negri, MacBeth? He was a sensational goalscorer a couple of seasons back.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Negri had 34 goals by Xmas, then got hit in the eye with a squash ball and ate too much pasta while recuperating and has never played since (3 years I think).

Bit of a Carbone, Di Canio lack of self esteem issue too. Wouldn't touch him with a gondola paddle

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

GAllacher's been out with a thigh injury. Anyone seen him training recently? Steph? I'm sure Bobby would use him if fit. He did a great job for us last season, has the right attitude, will run til his little legs fall off annoying the opposition. Reminds of a terrier like that. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Yep, another wonder-crock. Why does it keep happening? The answer is out there. Time for the Or should that be X-Fools? We demand an answer to why so many NUFC players get crocked.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

I remember Clarky saying that the medical side of things at the club was OK, but every single year we get decimated by injuries. It would be interesting to compare the rate of injuries at all the PL clubs over five years, and maybe include some European teams. The hardest thing would be getting the data.

We seem to suffer from a huge number of minor niggles, such as strains and sore fingers. As a physiologist, I'd be very interested to talk to the staff at the club about it.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Kiwi Toon,

It must have been someone else who said the medical side of the Toon was OK - cos I have reservations. The way Dabz' serious knee injury was handled, or possibly mishandled, bothers me greatly.

I have a feeling that the pre-match preparation could be better - we seem to do only a few minutes of stretching and general muscle loosening exercises, and some players seem to do virtually nothing. Most visiting teams appear to take this all far more seriously, and are still working on their muscles when our lot are just f*rting around with a ball.
Even at the Riverside, there seems far too little emphasis on stretching the muscle groups, and again way too much general dicking around. When I've been there - admittedly not that many times - my overall impression has been that there is too little real work done on skills training, fitness or tactics - unless of course there is a great deal more done in the gym, and behind closed doors.
I have no comparison benchmark with other clubs either so I may be off-beam.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

The web-cast on Sunday said Sammy Lee was out with the Liverpool players for about three minutes after the half time break warming the players up while we were still in the changing room.

I appreciate that things have to be said at half time but this sort of thing would reduce further chances of little strains wouldn't it?

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

The Liverpool players did come out before our lot at half-time, but they just seemed to be having a kickaboot rather than doing any stretching etc.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Clarky; what was it that bothered you about the way Dabz's cruciate injury was handled. Being in possession of a cruciate/lateral mangled left knee, I've become a bit of an expert in all areas of said injury. I'll happily yak on about treatment if you like.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Dabizas felt he couldn't trust our medical set up, whether at the club or our country, so he went back to Greece for treatment.

Didn't it take ages for the club to really see what was wrong with his knee?

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Back to the original thread. I'd like to see Henrik Larrsson in a B&W shirt. Class player. £10m?

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Quite agree Min. Class act and Viduka has made the transition well so why shouldn't Larsson. I'm sure O'Neill wouldn't let him go and not for less than £12-14 million given today's prices.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

true. I think he's JUST the type of player we need. nippy, quick footballing brain, sharp feet, great technique, scores goals from all over, links well with whoever he plays with.

AND he's obviously settled in Glasgow so it shouldn't be too hard to convince him of the benfits ot the NE.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Michael Bridges is too good a player for regular reserve football. Huckerby is also around at Elland Road. Time to see if Ridsdale wants a little slice of the Rio fee back? (I'm a big fan of Bridges)

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

I think Bridges is out for most of this season. I'd check this but I'm sure he has done his ankle ligaments. I agree about having him at NUFC though.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

I've just put this on another thread - why not try Speed as an inside-forward? He can jump, knock-down balls for Shearer, score goals, works hard, holds the ball up or lays it off. Try him and Dyer just behind Shearer, with Lee, Acuna and Solano in midfield.

It sounds a bit fanciful, but I've seen worse...

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000