Assuming Bobby does have some kind of war chest this summer, lets take Barton at his word in that he claims the senior pros need to take responsibilty as they are playing for their futures!

So who will Bobby try to get rid of come the July sales?

Lets just assume marcelino is one. Dont count him!

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

Answers

Untouchable: Dyer, Given, Hughes....Shearer (wouldn't mind if we got a HUGE bid for im from some Italian or Spanish side)

£5m or more: Solano, Speed

Make me an offer club: Bassedas, Marcellino, Gallacher, Cordone (loaner, will probably go back).

The rest are good enough to keep, but we should see if any offers come in

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

They ALL have their price and the vast majority can get stuffed as far as I'm concerned.

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

Given/Harper, Dyer/Acuna , Cort/Shearer/Amoebi, Dabias/Caldwell`s/Hugh Keep ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Obviously the promising young uns

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-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

Aim to keep Keep - Given, Hughes, Acuna, O'brien, Ameobi, Dyer, Solano - Untouchable: Dyer £8m or more Solano & Hughes £4m or more:Speed,Shearer (Spurs might go for him) Make me an offer: W Quinn, Barton, Bassedas, Marcellino, Cordone pretty much all of 'em over age 24. Move to coaching: Lee

Buy: Simon Davies, Prutton, Lee Clark, Sir Les on a Free, Ginola, Robbie Elliott 9free), Stevie Watson

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

Yeah your right Pete, Marcelino is one. The spaniards version of the little waster come sid the sexist lookalike etc.

But, to rip a squad out and replace with another squad is not the way as was proven by KennyD.

We will obviously buy some players, a couple of big names(A Brazilian number10 version etc), a few locals coming home(***LEE 'A QUALITY FOOTBALLER' CLARK*** to help reinforce the NUFCnumber1 culture on the club, which is much better than any gaffer reinforcing the values) and hopefully a sprinkling of a few seriously watched, researched, scouted, *****quality*****, exciting, hungry, young players.

But you cant just chop and change squads like that in my opinion- its dangerous. What if the players who are coming in with reputations are really worse than the one you are getting shot of?? We just cant risk that at this moment in time, can we????

In my opinion the way it is done is a process of evolution, slowly releasing the weakest links etc- providing you are a club which can??:

is to keep your nucleus of good gem players (which we should, 'we are one of the biggest clubs in the world. This is not me having a go at wor Dough by being sarcy, ITS ME ANNOUNCING A FACT')you know your Shearers, Corts??, Dyers, Beckhams, Giggs, Keanes, Fowlers etc.;

with this keeping your strong characters(perhaps even keep them as squad players to have around the clubs enviroment to keep reinforcing the good habits of the club culture?) who are decent competent footballing pros who know the club and its succesful strong club culture your Neviles, Bartons(was there under Keegan), Watsons(why did Ruud replace competent local lad Steven), Shearers(also in this catergory), Clark(also in this catergory) Keanes;

Then secretly question the players you feel are incompetent, and constantly search for replacements, the likes of Lee(OAP, soon wont be good enough, I'm not discriminating so dont call Age Concern!) perhaps Speed, Nol Solano(because of his commitments), and Cordone (for obvious reasons);

When you have found a target 'playerA'(unless of course it is an exeption like Rivaldo etc.) who you think is better (KEY: remember just because you think a 'playerA' is better than another 'playerB,' that does not mean he 'playerA' is better), buy him bring him in to the club culture and test him against the player 'playerB' in question who you think he could replace.

If you find your new bought 'playerA' is a worse player than the player 'playerB' you have tested him against, then in essance you dont go down a level or a few in the league(like we did with Kenny D), because you still have the original playerB before him. You havent sold the original 'playerB' full back, so you can now make the preperations to shift out your dodgy new 'playerA' with out affecting the team.

In brief, you could probably call this squad strengthening model I suggested as 'level insurance' and your model 'chop and change?'

I prefer 'Level Insurance,' I dont want to gamble another Kenny D situation, I'd hate to go down after another usless limp chop and change.

I suppose it down to opinion. But the word clearout gives me nightmares for some reason.

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

My feeling is that it isn't so much the players themselves, let's face it, they all have skills, some more than others granted. But the training/coaching staff and the facilities STINK. Like I said on another thread, two weeks between games isn't utilized at all. We should be uppung the training levels, improving coaching at things like set pieces and crosses, so when we get to the next game with fresh legs, we also have fresh ideas. Build up the confidence levels by having "fun" training sessions instead of just going through the numbers. The players are all afraid of themselves now, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to try the "outrageous pass", afraid to try the shot on goal. All terrified they will bugger it up and feel even more stupid than they look. It's not so much about changing players I think, as much as changing behaviours. that's what the coaching staff just don't get. Same old Same old every day for an hour or two. Change it up, step it up. Too many comments from departed players about shit training and coaching. Maybe Bobby is still thinking in Barcelona terms. But Barcelona we ain't, so lets get them back to WORK, practice practice practice. build up the confidence, It will show on the playing field but has to start on the training field.

That's my opinion anyway. And yes we can always improve the squad, but have we gotten the best out of what we have now?? Absolutely not.

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

Given to stay? Mike Hooper now bounces in the Fighting Cocks in Durham and reckons that they can't get Given a job as glass collector because of the obvious drain on resources and the fact that he can't see if the tables have any empty glasses on them without standing on a chair. For Gods sake get rid of him as soon as possible. Hooper may have been rubbish but at least he covered more of the goal area than Given is ever likely to. Signed by Dalglish, I rest my case. Martym Proper Toon fan Hated Dalglish before he signed Hated Dalglish when he signed Hated Dalglish from his first day at Newcastle Hates Dalglish.

-- Anonymous, March 31, 2001

I'd get rid of Marcelino, Cordone, Gallagher, Hamilton, Cerrant, and Barton, and as we know Stephen Glass will leave.

I'd seriously consider cutting Bassedas, but knowing I wouldn't get anything for him, I'd give him another half season or so to prove himself. I'd also considering replacing Solano and Speed if I could get better players in.

I'd be extremely concerned about the lack of talent in the Reserves, and would be looking to buy a few promising kids, particularly in midfield where there is nothing coming through. In this regard I'd look to get rid of Jamie McGlen and David Beharall, neither of who will make it at this level. In addition, we really must give Gavilan a run in the first team - say 6 games - to find out whether he has it: if not, we should get shot of him as well.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001

Get rid of: Gallacher, Cordone, Serrant, Marcelino

Bassedas has never been played in the middle yet, which I'd like to see for a few games. I wouldn't mind seeing Gavilan and Bonvin given an extended run in the side. People think they can judge players on a couple of games but this is never true.

Keep: Given, Hughes, Griffin, Dyer, Shearer, Acuna, Dabizas

Also, has anyone thought what it would be like to buy another left back and play Wayne Quinn as a left winger?

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001