Well now that we seem to have secured the deal to bring Craig Bellamy (It has been decreed that he is the worst signing in recent NUFC history, which is quite a tag!), who are we supposed to sign?

The Zenden deal is apparently the most unlikely thing since NUFC's qualification for Europe.

So say we have another £15million to spend, not including the £6million we have 'thrown away' on Bellamy, who would you sign.

The current squad is, in many eyes, only capable of securing relegation, so taking that train of thought, we have to add to that squad. We have discussed at length the problems we will have attracting the top stars, so we should be realistic in our targets.

Robbie Elliot on a free is not included!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Answers

Any players?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I hope the Junhino(sp?) is not just summer-paper-bollox and I like the look of Ball from Everton. Spending £11mill is easy isn't it!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I think I could do a good job for NUFC. I'm only 43 this week and have a dodgy hamstring and a recurrent achilles problem. I'm overweight (slightly) and drink far too much alcohol to be healthy.

3 milllion?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I don't think there would be any point in signing anyone with a birthday that falls on the Thursday of this week, that would be ludicrous.

Now if we were to sign anyone with a birthday that was this Friday then that is a different matter altogether!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Hmmm I think your policy is birthdateist De B and I will be reporting you to the relevent European Court

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Are you sure that shouldn't be the irrelevant European Court?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

may i reccommend my nurse deb? :-)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

No you may not, I've seen what he's done for you this morning and I'll continue taking my happy pills if it's alright with you.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

As I indicated on another thread, Fabrice Fernandez is available from Rennes for £4.5 million. I believe he is only around 21. He finished the season on loan at Rangers, after playing for 18 months or so for Fulham.
I saw him several times on telly, and he looked an outstanding left wing prospect, and also one who could hit the net. Clearly I can't attest to his character etc., but he looked an entirely different class to Bellamy to me, and cheaper.

As a more mature and even less risky alternative, I'd like to see us use serious money to try to spring Patrik Berger from Liverpool.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

[...very strange - the following bit got deleted from my previous post]

BTW, we've still got no midfield - so a concerted move for Seth Johnson, or even Nicky Butt, would make real good sense. Just thought I'd mention it.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I still think we need 4 top strikers, so along with Shearer Cort and Bellamy I would make a move for mark Burchill. and spend the rest on Helder and a left back.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Rik I saw Mark Burchill last year and he was hopeless, not even as good as Bellamy, so I suppose we could get him as cover for Bellamy ?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I would snap up Helstad from Brann in Norway before Anderlecht do it. £3,5 million is cheap for last years topscorer in Norway. In addition he has scored 9 goals so far this season (12 matches)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Burchill went to Birmingham and didn't impress enough, he went to Ipswich and didn't impress enough. I'd hate to see him come here and not impress enough

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

James Beattie would have been a start. Good backup player with Premiership credentials. Recommended by Shearer 3 years ago. Could have got him for nothing last Summer, and Southampton's current predicament should be used to our advantage.

If we're after class then we have to build the academy and run it professionally.....well if you can all talk about Kluivert coming to NUFC then I'm entitled to use the "P" word, okay? :-)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Not sure about Beattie.

He scored a few goals in a purple patch last season, then rumours of a big money transfer seemed to call a halt to the goals. If we could predict when his goal spree would start and end he'd be a good buy!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Not based on last season DeB, have been an admirer for a few seasons now, as has clarky. The guy has pace, strength, courage and ability. Classic centre forward to stand in for Shearer. We have all these player who provide chances for big blokes fighting in the goal mouth and yet nearly all our forwards are light-weight, goal-shy and act like a tortoise when the ball is being crossed.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I'd have gone for Beattie like a shot as well....unfortunately I think Bobby wants a nippy pacy striker to complement his big uns and Beattie doesn't fit that mould....

Would definitely go for Seth Johnson as well....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I share deB's concerns about Beattie, albeit almost entirely based on the one game I saw of him last season. Seems to me he comes from the Le Tissier School of lazy talent. He has the ability, so will always do enough to get the odd video-byte, but over 90 minutes....hmmm...not convinced at all.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Now that Ken's gone, I may be the only one flying this flag, but...

Pahars.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Chelsea sign petit we sign bellamy, this is so wrong so very wrong!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

What? First we have no chance in hell of signing Petit. Second, I wouldn't want the whinging french tosser at this club because a) He'd be here for the money then look for a move and b) It would give more ammo to the doom-mongerers on here who like nothing better than a good whinge about the state of the club, signing Petit wouldn't change that!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Wouldn't have dreamt of Petit.....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I was talking in terms of quality, not attitude. Petit is a world cup winner, When I hear the name bellamy I think of flowerbeds, plants and insects. The best signing Robson has made to date was Gallagher, and he was the finished article.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Seth Johnson (again)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

As a mid table side for the past three years we have no chance in hell of persuading a World Cup winner that moving to our club is the right move for him.

Zenden is beyond our means really and any talk of Kluivert is plain idiotic.

Like it or not we are in the business of signing players who are stars of the future not the present. If Robson believes he can make something out of Bellamy then I tend to believe him. Signing the big players has never really been Robson's style so why should we belive he will go down that route now?

He is not going to sign the big names, he will sign players who we thinks will benefit the club in a couple of years time and further. When he had so much success at Ipswich he made the inspired signings of the Dutch players who went onto become such well respected players.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Have you forgotten about how easily we got Guivarc'h DB?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001