Do we really think big Al is our future. If players won't come for Bobby do we believe they will come here for AS. We've got really big problems with our public image. It is clear that in the eyes of the kind of players we should be buying our image is poor and I hate to say it but AS is not the kind of future manager that is going to inspire top players to join us. He will inspire the kids and local talent because he is a legend(locally)but we need canny international players who know European football for them to learn from. More to the point do we believe Bobby is the future? Maybe we need a young modern well respected throughout Europe coach with Shearer working alongside him learning his modern methods? The problems/weaknesses could well be with the current management and coaching set up. A few have said so and a few have left( remember Dyer recently fell out with Wadsworth but Bobby backed him!). A few(how many more?)do not want to come because of this as well. Ch ch ch changes?????

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Answers

Keith, You ask if Alan Shearer is our future ?, At the moment he is the only future we have , untried, untested , uninteresting as some say but so is SAF so that does not break ice with me. YBR is not in anyway our future , he is our present, I know from experience that as you get older your enthusiam and ideas on the training ground begin to wane and its time to move upstairs,advising,consoling,encouraging,he has not learned the trick to climb out of his track suit, the players may admire his past achievements but that does not last forever, I could go on, whats the point , nice guy , picking him off achieves nothing now, but let`s get one thing straight , if Bobby even in his later years had started off with SJH we would not be in this position now, no way. This opinion of mine probably only shared by Sparxx and the majority of football supporters outwith the North East has been reinforced by some of the postings this week bemoaning the fact that since Keegan we have been unable to attract world stars , Keith you ask the near enough same question , I now ask this forum , what world stars did Keegan sign ?, Les was quality,in his last few months he was missing chances tho that were schoolboy stuff ,Pedro was always a great player, Asprilla come on people , Albert workmanlike , been world class would have played serie a at the time , Ginola had star quality, other teams in the league apart from the few had not at the time embarked on this recruitment of so called foreign stars in great no`s,we had a good team, that clicked for a pair of years but one that had no foundation or continuity, clubs now would buy Dyer and Solano for more than that team was worth. The big players know and under- stand quality, So why are ordinary players not coming to Newcastle, sofar been out of Europe appears to be the most popular suggestion , also the NE location has been touted, cos its away from London , I doubt it,in fact if Celtic/Rangers ever get into the Premier this will disaprove that theory, the quality of life living on the shores of say Loch Lomond with a 60,000 support beats anything that London has to offer for the tru professional. A manager can and will attract players to join him, it helps if his playing capabilities are still in their memory. no doubt that Luca Vialli for example will have no bother at Watford, Tigana at Fulham , Mendes if it came to the crunch will not know of Bobby`s past achievements . Star players do not look 2 years down the line at the future of the club, they are now , and on being presented with the now that is Newcastle Utd by their advisers/agents it is obvious that we are going to get a big non-non,nein nein ,

That is why I am not giving a toss about the lack of perceived quality signings, happy to play with what we have, injury free , as long as they give 110%, play to our strengths , appreciate the fans (the clapping season is near) , what I do object to is the future of the club and in a way football as a whole being thrown down the swanee by lack of vision and integrity by the management of the board and professional staff, if Marcellino plays today instead of Caldwell Beharrall or any other promising young player my loyalty will be severally tested.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001

Buff - Agree with everything but the Marcellino comment. I'm certain the guy is class but he hasn't struck it off here (mild understatement there) but if we're going to sell him he has to be seen playing.

Would you have bought him on his last few months record ? As long as YBR lets the kids know why he's playing him I can't object - their chance will come.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2001