I'm as frustrated as anyone over the lack of quality incomings. However, I've picked up some information from what I would regard as reliable source that the Toon have actually made approaches for a frightenly large number of players this summer, and been shocked by the almost universally negative response they have received.

I feel quite certain at this point that The Club are indeed putting the required effort into acquiring players, but the lack of success is becoming deeply worrying - to Club management as well as it's fans .

In a more negative vein, Barcelona's daily 'Sport' has damned the Toons efforts in Spain. They say "This Club in the NE of England is using the names of the Barcelona players (Zenden and Kluivert) to increase the sale of their season tickets".

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

Answers

The Sunday Sun has us after Helder again - he's been made available for transfer by Deportivo for £2mm. However, it seems we now face competition from - wait for it - Arsenal!

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

We have reportedly had a bid of £6.5mm for Juninho accepted by Athletico Madrid. However, the player, who is presently on loan at Vasco da Gama, would prefer to remain in Brazil!

Fulham are reportedly interested in taking Aaron Hughes for £2.5mm.

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

Obviously flogging a dead horse on here tonight - Good night.

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

I hate to keep on about this, but why do we need "big" name players to come on board here? Do we have a problem selling tickets? Let's look at why these players won't come here.

1) We are not in Europe. Intertoto or no Intertoto, this is definitely more of a negative as it means there is less time off this summer and that is extra important going into the World Cup next year where the big name players will be going straight from their league teams to their national teams, then back into training with their leaguie sides again.

2) With it being the year for players to shine in BIG competitions, those clubs who are not in the BIG competitions are bound to suffer. This again has everything to do with the World Cup. Players who are stars will need to re-inforce their spots in their national squads and will only do this performing at top level. Once again, we are not at that level. Yet.

I have a problem bringing these over priced prima-donnas in to our side. It was that reason we lost players the like of Robbie Elliot in the first place. As I said before I'd much rather have a player who WANTS to bleed black and white rather than one who bleeds the Euro.

Now I hope to god we are good enough without having to sign any of these players. If we do, and we are better for it then great, but if we do and still struggle, we lose all around. Players the like of Hughes and Elliot and Shola, hell even Chopra may well move on.

As I said you need to go through a lot of shite to find a truffle or two. If we sign any more JDT's or Marics or Anderssons, how the hell is that gonna help anything?

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

The fact that so many players isn't the least bit surprising to me. What is surprising is that we have actually approached so many. It's good that we seem to be trying at least. Just seems to be a case, perhaps, of the powers that be waiting far too long thinking Bobby Robson and Alan Shearer are enough to convince players to join us.

We need to show ambition and start being run like a modern, professional club. That should see us having more success. Then we should start becoming an attractive club to play for again. Hopefully the new training facilities, new Academy, and crop of good young players are the beginning of this.

-- Anonymous, July 01, 2001

I think it would help if we had an idea of what to do with the players before they arrive. If the whole exercise is to inprove the quality of crosses to Shearer (who we can't really be sure will be there of still fit enough to get there), I really think Bobby & the fabled coaching staff need to be a little more broad minded as to how to create goal opportunities.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

"frightenly large number of players"

is that the collective name?

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

These arseholes are living in a dreamworld in which they fail to understand that big name players have no motive to come to Newcastle. So Shepherd makes his barrow-boy big-spender boasts, then realises he can't follow through, so sanctions the overspending on players like Bellamy, as if the very act of spending money will placate the supporters, regardless of who the players signed actually are.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

A train of thought is, spend 20 million on players and in two months sell Dyer to Leeds, I have a funny feeling Bellamy is meant to be his replacement. They are all over pampered pillocks. Swap them all for the Bedlington Terriers.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

Alright, "frighteningly" to you swifty - 'scuse me!

sparxx - your point regarding the World Cup is an excellent one. Hadn't occurred to me before, but will certainly be a driver in the current situation.
Regarding Maric, JDT and Andrea - this is the crux of our problem. If you pay really top dollar you usually get reliable goods, and if it doesn't work out you can usually recoup your outlay. However, over the last few seasons we have made a succession of what I call "compromise buys". All three you mention fall into that category. These are not established stars, the definitive article, but still cost multi-millions. IMHO, these are the truly high-risk buys, players who have not demonstrated their ability consistently at the highest level - and if they flop their resale value plummets.
I personally feel Bellamy falls into that catgory - if he works out, great. However, if he doesn't work out we'll be lucky to get £2mm back for him.
I really believe we need to be largely operating at either end of the spectrum - either paying top dollar for proven, established stars - which by necessity you can only do occasionally - or buying young players with genuine potential to supplement our in-house developed talent.
If we can't afford to operate at the top end, dropping down a level to "the pretenders" - as dan says, simply to appease the fans, is a sure recipe for disaster. Clubs like Man City and Everton have already found this out in the recent past, as such flawed transfer policies have taken them both almost to the point of bankruptcy.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

TOTALLY spot on clarky

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

It goes back to playing style & tactice, if we play in a good fluid passing style (AKA the Keegan Years) it doesn't matter who we have in the team as long as they are of a reasonable quality. Ruel Fox, Scott Sellers, Keith Gillespie, Killer Kilkline, Darren Peacock all played in a class team but really weren't better than average.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

£2.5m for Hughes?????

Seriously? That is a ridiculously low price and I'd be shocked if we sold him at all, never mind selling him at such a stupid price

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001

Cross Luis Enrique of the list, now standing at 149!

"Spanish international Luis Enrique has ended speculation about his future by signing a new contract with Barcelona.
The 31-year-old agreed a three-year deal that could lead to him seeing out the remainder of his career at the Nou Camp.
His previous contract expired in June, and he has been linked with a move to Newcastle".

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2001