Don't really blame Shearer for thinking that way and I would agree with him regarding the need for more quality players. Looks like we need another scouting report from Stevo on the dutch based Aussie star we are reportedly interested in. Or perhaps some of our Aussie based correspondents could shed light on the virtues of the player.

ALAN SHEARER has expressed relief that Newcastle United failed to qualify for the Intertoto Cup, and then pleaded with the board to sanction a summer spending spree. Aston Villa will represent England in the competition that gives teams a second chance of qualifying for Europe, but they have to come back early as the tournament starts in July.

Early pre-season training, and the possibility of picking up an injury before the start of the league campaign, is something Shearer does not want.

"I`m delighted we are not in the competition," the former England captain declared.

"To be honest, I don`t think it`s a good move to be in a tournament that starts in mid-July.

"The last thing you want is to be injured for the start of the new league season."

Shearer did, though, reveal that they would be more than happy to accept a place in Europe through another back door route.

"If we make Europe through the Fair Play league, we`ll be more than happy going into the Uefa Cup preliminary round in August," he said.

Shearer, who is hopeful of making a return at the start of next season after undergoing knee surgery, has called for the board to hand manager Bobby Robson a substantial summer transfer kitty.

"Without doubt we need more quality players," he said.

One player who would bolster the squad is Feyenoord`s Brett Emerton, and Robson is reportedly looking at the powerful Australian midfielder.

A host of teams, including Liverpool and Ipswich, have been monitoring the player`s progress, and reports claim the Rotterdam club spurned a £5 million offer from The Reds.

The player has expressed a desire to play in the English top-flight, but Feyenoord are desperate to keep him at De Kuip and they will try to fend off all offers for the talented Australian.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

Answers

Aussie player?

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

When do we hear about Fair Play thing?

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

June 7th.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

The Journal's lead article this morning has us favourites to sign 22- yr old Emmerton who has generally been a right-sided m/f player, although he prefers to play through the middle - if he decides to leave Dutch footy for the PL this summer.
They say JDT has given the Toon and its fans a glowing reference despite his disappointing experience here.
"A source close to Feyenoord" is quoted as saying "Of the Managers who have shown an interest in Brett, there is no doubt that BR is in the best position to sign him.
They reckon Feyenoord will want a fee in excess of £5mm - a simlar amount to what they have been quoted by Fulham for Lee Clark. They feel the United coaching staff see Emmerton as a better long-term investment than Clarky.
Although Emmerton has 15 caps for Oz, he is a relative newcomer to the international scene, and there are as yet unresolved concerns over the Work Permit situation.
The say The Toon are in the market for two m/f players - this is a new line to the striker + left-winger theory - one wide man and a central m/f playeer capable of making an immediate impact.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

Forgot to ask - did anyone see AS on telly, punditing on the England game on Friday?
I was talking to a blerk this morning who reckoned Shearer had given a very strong hint that Michael Carrick could yet finish up at the Toon this summer.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

I didn't see that bit Clarky but during the match Beardo commented on Carrick saying how good we was playing. This comment came out of the context of the game and I for one wondered why he made the effort to single out Carrick who had only just recently come onto the pitch.

Martin Tyler obviously made reference to the fact that Newcastle could have had Carrick and Beardo said that Newcastle were continually reminded about it and the same situation surrounded Shearer.

Carrick's comments a short time ago about it being a bad move for him to join the Toon, seem all the more strange and could they possibly to pour scorn on the amount of tabloid discussion on the subject?

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

if as doug says we have bllions of pounds i could well see it, on the other hand...

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

I watched Brett Emmerton when Australia played Scotland about six months ago, could not get on here quick enough to have a go at Tre for keeping him in the dark, he is good, we need him , Get Brett , please

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

Yeh, I saw most of that match on telly, Buff - he looked tasty, murdered the Jocks.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

Buff,

Actually I mentioned Emerton a 'ell of a long time ago, but have never really felt the need to mention him again as NUFC have plenty of right sided cover. However after the Scotish game I was on here extolling his virues (as well as Lazaridis - why won't a prem team sign him?).

I've never thought of Brett as a central midfield player, but imagining it now gives me the willies thinking of the damage he'd do to opposing teams.

Bobby sign him.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

seems he has the steely resolve we need...put my name in the hat too, bob sign him!

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

The country that finished top of that list (Belarus) is entitled to enter a club into the UEFA Cup. The other two places are allocated by means of a draw featuring those associations which obtain an average mark of eight or more in the final UEFA rankings. At the final count, 11 other associations fulfilled the two conditions required for inclusion in the draw (an average of eight points or more and sufficient matches played) and they will go into the draw in Nyon, Switzerland on 6 June.

The identity of the other 10 teams being entered in to the draw is yet to be finalised by UEFA.

The final UEFA Fair Play rankings are:

1. Belarus 8.326 7. Finland 8.089
2. Scotland 8.222 8. Czech Rep 8.079
3. Sweden 8.181 9. England 8.073
4. Switzerland 8.142 10. Slovak Rep 8.068
5. Norway 8.138 11. Iceland 8.062
6. Estonia 8.132 12. Ukraine 8.016

Missing out on the Fair Play draw were the likes of Belgium, Denmark, Germany and France who filled the next four places in the rankings.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

Is it just me or does this whole fair play thing devalue the worth of the UEFA cup just a little bit? Call me old fashioned(you're old fashioned) but I would like to think a team gets rewards for ability and results not through some sad lottery. We were not good enough to qualify for a euro place on merit, we should just accept that and start to address why we aren't good enough. I bet ManUre are well pissed off that they aren't the cleanest team in the PL, same goes for Liverpool, Leeds, etc...

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

The Scottish representative is Dunfermline, so I've twice the opportunity of seeing black and whites in Europe

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

I agree it is a bit of a farce that a team that finishes 11th can get into the UEFA Cup, at best it should offer a place in the InterTwo Bob and even that would be ridiculous.

However, I'll be well happy if we get drawn on June 6th!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001

didn't we finish 11th in 68 before we won it in 69? at the expense of the cats down the road?

history...

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2001