Watching the news of David Platt's departure from Forest on Sky Sports.com TV last night it got me thinking. Seeing as these so called 'star players' have turned us down would we not be better turning our attentions to the likes of David Prutton and Seth Johnson? I know Bobby has been quoted as saying he hasn't got money to spend on un-proven young players (Luax2 anyone?) but it has to be a better option than De Bilde for gods sake!

OK so maybe these young promising players haven't got international credentials (yet) but the two I've mentiond would probably only cost the price of Zenden. Also, being young British lads they'd want to play their hearts out for the club and prove themselves.

Go on Bobby, invest in the future of Newcaslte...

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Answers

Somebody might see the light, one of these days.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

I can't see many people arguing with you wonkey... :))

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Well I'll argue with that....

You're right, we don't want De Bilde or his calibre of ageing player. But how many youngsters do we need?

We've given about 15 of them squad numbers and have the likes of Chopra and Offiong, along with 30 - 40 others in the youth teams. Some will make it, most will not. Seth Johnson is a good player, but will he get to the top? Same goes for Prutton, we could end up getting 5 or 6 good prospects for £20 million, but how many are guaranteed to become megastars? Surely it's better to hold onto the money and keep trying to bring in the best.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Even though it's depressing that players have turned us down, if they don't want to come then F**K off!!! I'd rather have players who genuinely want to play for the club. Not someone who will get payed rediculous amounts, play one good season then seek to move on. Having said that buying someone like De Bilde is plain and simply a joke!!!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

I said the same thing on the PLAYERS thread. At least if we bought British, they know what the place is like, and I believe most would jump at the chance to play for the toon!!!!!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Rik, Pruttom and Johnson are playing 1st team football and are still young. Both are in the starting 11 for the England U21s. There's every chance they'll become top class players in the future.

I agree that I'd like to see 11 internationals on the field but I'd also rather we invest £7m in these promising young players than Bassedas, Cordone and Acuna.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Investing in youngsters hasn't hurt Leeds or Ipswich...

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

I still think that we need a couple of TOP CLASS players UNTIL the youngsters that we allready have mature.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

The top class players wont come at the minute so why not build a team of youngsters with bags of potential (Leeds for example) and then encourage the top players (Viduka at Leeds) to join and help the team fulfil its promise.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Remember that girl from Tyneside who was knocked back for Oxford because of her background yet she was clever as f.. anything. She got snapped up by an American Uni of excellent standing, Harvard or something. She gave an interview to a magazine and suggested that the NE was a cultural vaccum whose main preoccupation was the football. Put that together with Gullit describing Newcastle as a village and the well touted party city tag and you get a footballers dream home. So why are players so reluctant to come?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001