It seems to me that this is a much bigger issue than whether it's good business. Our turnover of players over the past few years has been extraordinary - Hamman here a year, Georgiadis here a year, Andersson here a year and a half, Charvet here for two and a bit years, Dumas here about six months, Goma and Marcelino here for just over a year and wanting out, Domi here for just under two years and allegedly wanting out, Pistone here for two years, Ferguson here for under two years and sold... I could go on. Now, it's easy to say that these people were crap, Dalglish/Gullit rubbish but the fact is, they are going all round Europe telling new team mates what a crap, shit, disloyal club the Toon is. Is it really any wonder that we are so unstable with this turnover of players? Views?

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Answers

My view? umm, a blank wall that used to have a nice framed print of London Bridge on it, but it fell off a few weeks ago and I can't be arsed to put it back. If I turn around and look out of the window it's a bit better, but the weather's just as depressing? Hmm, not even funny, sorry

Manager turnover and limited success on the pitch. Those are the main reasons for players coming and going. Hopefully a bit of stability on the management side, with a coherent long term plan, will result in improved performances, better morale and therefore less turnover of players.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Until the players have a collective memory of the variances in the teams performances the morale and team spirit will always be a little artificial.

Could one of the senior players turn to the lads and say, "Remember last season against Arsenal and how we managed to get a draw against the odds."

How many players who are likely to play on Saturday will be able to stop and recollect on that performance and see what it was on that day that made them get that point.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

We are not alone Dougal, the days of players staying for 5 or six seasons are well behind us. Testemonial matches are becoming a real rarity. Some players will probably go through 2 or 3 clubs per season the way things are going.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

>>>>>Hamman ...Georgiadis ...Andersson ...Charvet ...Dumas ...Goma and Marcelino here for just over a year and wanting out, Domi here for just under two years and allegedly wanting out, Pistone ...Ferguson...they are going all round Europe telling new team mates what a crap, shit, disloyal club the Toon is.

If that is so then I'm sure Des Hamilton will be able to put them straight. :-)

What's brought this on Dougal? If a player doesn't produce the goods he has to go. Or as in the case of the Jorman, if he doesn't want to play for us he must go. Or if he's injured all the time then there's no point hanging on. TSM bought too much junk and the RG record is also looking slightly suspect after Maric & Marcia in particular (although if Dyer IS worth 20m the RG balance sheet is in the black.

The lack of stability of which you speak comes not from selling players so much as having bought them in the first place if they were not good enough. Rest assured players will still want to come and play for Newcastle, because it is a big club and can compete on wages, and if the prospect of being managed by YBR isn't an inspiration to a potential signing then the potential signing can be ruled out on the grounds of stupidity.

We could have done with more stability over the last few seasons I grant you, but then again we could have done with YBR saying bye bye Barca and replacing Keegan when the job was offered.

The issue of selling players? We should always be selling players as long as we can buy better or replace with better from within.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000

Jonno, nowe shouldn't: we shouod be building a team that can play together. Man United isn't about having 11 Beckhams. It's about Beckham loving Gary Neville etc.

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2000