I don't often post, but since no-one else has picked up on this I thought what the hell.

Since it was recently announced that Zenden would move to either us or Lyon, and given that Newcastle have a propensity to draw the short straw every single bloody time, I've been picking up the Journal looking for the inevitable "Bobby's Zenden Blow" headline on the back page. Today it duly arrived (not quite the headline I expected but the essential word "blow" was there).

Here, courtesy of icnewcastle, it is:

Zenden Bid Blow

Bobby Robson's pursuit of Boudewijn Zenden suffered a blow last night when his club Barcelona revealed an interest in French starlet Jeremie Brechet of Lyon - Newcastle's main rivals for the Dutch international.

The Anglo-French pair have both seen £7.5m bids accepted for Zenden and are set to battle it out for the signature of the left-winger who has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp.

Lyon boss Jacques Santini remains favourite to win the race for Zenden, but is also keen to avoid Barcelona overtures for a potential swap deal by holding on to his prize asset Brechet.

The 21-year-old defender has been watched by scouts from a host of top European clubs, including Inter Milan, following a string of impressive performances for French League runners-up last season.

Seen as one of the brightest prospects of the next generation of French footballing talent, Brechet underlined his growing potential with elevation to Roger Lemerre's full squad which won the Confederations Cup last month.

However, revelations that Barca are keen on a player who turns 22 next month puts Newcastle's rivals in a strong bargaining position for Zenden, this in addition to being able to offer Champions League football.

Former PSV Eindhoven favourite Zenden has struggled to command a regular first team place with the Catalan giants following the arrival from Arsenal of Marc Overmars, prompting Robson to identify the 24-year-old as an ideal addition to Newcastle's left flank.

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001

Answers

Ay Pee

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001

Really, even though I think it would be great for us to get him, it would hardly be surprising if we didn't. While it is absolutely necessary for us to get some cover down the left, it will probably be etched as Robson's legacy at Newcastle, much as Keegan couldn't find a center half, and TSM had a side full of left backs, and Gullit will be the man that benched Shearer, we may have to live with the idea that Robson couldn't find someone to play down the left....

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001

While it is absolutely necessary for us to get some cover down the left, it will probably be etched as Robson's legacy at Newcastle, much as Keegan couldn't find a center half, and TSM had a side full of left backs, and Gullit will be the man that benched Shearer, we may have to live with the idea that Robson couldn't find someone to play down the left....

Offloading just such a person to Watford doesn't help him any.

-- Anonymous, July 07, 2001