In his interview on tht official site, Rob says that he is in the last year of his contract and wants to carry on playing. Whether this will be at NUFC or elsewhere he doesn't know. Anyway, who thinks we should give him another contract? I am not sure we can afford to give him one if he wants the same pay as he's currently on because by then we will hopefully have a younger man in his place. On the other hand, if he was happy to have limited time on the pitch and do some coaching, I think I'd be very happy to keep him.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

Answers

AP.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

Much wider discussion needed with him.

For a start he cannot expect the same pay as his talent is now in decline. Why would we wish to retain him? His use this season should be limited and next season he should be very peripheral indeed, if the team is improving. However he may be of value on the coaching staff although he has not, to my knowledge, expressed desire in this direction and has no qualifications (unlike Bartinho). Then again, the cynic might ask if he is just saying this to attract offers of a 2 year contract from elsewhere immediately after his testimonial is played.

Looks to me very unlikely we would wish to make him an offer unless the price is a substantial reduction on his current package AND value is seen in him as a member of the coaching staff. Although I don't know the ins and outs of the Gullit saga, Lee is at least slightly tainted by the factionalism of that era, and it's not clear to me that the blame for that can all be laid at Gullit's door. I'm not knocking Lee - I just think there's a possible question mark about attitude which club insiders can answer better than we can.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I've seen very little of him recently but get the impression he's just not good enough any more and only retains his place because of the paucity of talent we have in central midfield. The fact that he keeps mentioning the possibility of finding another club sounds to me like a tacit acknowledgement that he should be stepping down a level at this stage of his career.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I know this is a long shot, but he played well as a sweeper in a match last year. Could he find a new role more suited to his current ability? Do we try him in a defensive role this year to see if it's better for him?

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

Thank you Rob, it's been great. By the way how old was Jackie Milburn when he went to Linfield? 35?

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

Why, though, Sparxx? We have loads of defensive resources who are much younger and cheaper - in fact, we lost two of the games he played as sweeper, the Arsenal game spectacularly.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

the idea Dougal was to reward a player who has always gone out and given his best for a club. I realise that's what his testimonials about, but wouldn't you hate to see him pull on another shirt at this time? man it would break my heart. The club might even look at him taking a coaching role, somehow someway we need to hold onto the players that have served us best....and that includes Wozza as well!!!

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

When we finally find someone who can play consistently better than Rob Lee in central midfield we could let him go. That is the only reason he is still playing - despite all the Machiavellian (sp?) theories.

Like sparxx I would prefer he finished his playing days with us, but if not good luck to him wherever he went.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I would like him to finish his career here, if it came down to money then he should be on a reduced fixed salary supplemented by play bonuses. Lets face it the older one gets the more injury prone you get plus recovery times tend to be lengthy.

On the other hand if it did come down to money and another club offered him more do you think he would turn them down? I have never heard of any aspirations to stay on in another capacity so it could be he wants to maximise revenue from his playing days then open a night club (or do footballers not do that these days?)

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

For God's sake his legs have gone. As Freddie Shepeherd said Lee was our played of the 90s, but that has gone. He now huffs and puffs but is on the verge of mediocrity and I'd rather not see him playing embarrassingly. Let him go to Man City and have some fun for a year.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I agree that if he wants to be involved in coaching, then he, along with Warren Barton and Shearer, should be invited to remain in coaching capacities, Sparxx, but we can't hold back young players who may go on to be great servants, just to reward a player who has had his time. He must be played until we replace him but we need to replace him urgently.

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2001

I agree that he should finish his career here but that should have been at the end of last season anyway. Lee was a fantastic player in the 90's but I've been saying for 5 years now that he isn't worthy of a place in the starting 11. Just because he has been a good servant (a highly paid on at that) it doesn't mean that he should be kept in the side because of that reason. If there are better players, and there are, currently in the squad then they should get in first.

Why even keep him on as a coach? The only reason Barton is still here is because noone has offered us any money for him. Griffin or even Hughes as a right back would be sooo much better for the club.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Who are the better central m/f players than RL at the Toon right now, TJC?

I assume you're not going to tell me it's Bassedas, or Acuna for that matter.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I think Acuna was as good last season as Rob Lee, Clarky.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

We'll just have to agree to differ on that one dougal.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Fair enough. I maybe should explain my thinking, Clarky. Acuna scored a couple of goals (both in important wins over Leeds) and was, time without count, the only of our midfielders actually covering the pitch and giving the defenders some protection. In fact, at White Hart Lane, he ran himself into the ground - Rob, with the best will in the world, just couldn't do what Acuna did.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Bob has been great for the club , id give him a contract use him as a squad player and help with training the kids.

As for barton id not want him training our lads hes never been good enough.

ken

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I'm not sure there's necessarily a link between being a good player and being a good coach: Houllier and Wenger were both shocking footballers.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Alex Ferguson? Was he a footballer?

Conversely, Bobby Charlton and his Uncle Jackie Milburn were tremendous players unable to manage.

Barton has the right attitude which is all important in turning raw talent into a great player. Whether or not he can fire others up with that attitude would decide whether or not Barton could be a great leader. Of the players on the Toon's books, I'd bet that Barton has the potential to become the best manager of all of them. I really hope that YBR and others are giving this some consideration.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Dougal,

IMO Rob Lee runs himself into the ground for us in every game he plays, without exception. I'll willingly admit that his actual achievement in 'running himself into the ground' these days is not as a significant as it was a few years ago.

To effectively replace the guy - which undoubtedly must be a high priority - will require finding someone with more qualifications than simply 'running himself into the ground'.

I've got nothing against Clarence Acuna, who is an honest journeyman, and a valuable squad player, but he is simply not the answer to this significant problem.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

IMHO, Nicky Butt (spit) combined with Bassedas could form a potentially brilliant central midfield. We've lacked tenacity in midfield since Nora went back to Leeds. Is it a coincidence that is when we started our decline???

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

No the decline began with Batty in the team, if my - what's it called again? - memory serves. He was a lovely player in the KK team but rediscovered his thug tendencies when obliged to play sideways and backwards under TSM.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I've said before that I believe Nicky Butt would be a good acquisition for us, and as you suggest provide the bite that is and has been lacking - something I thought was noticeable in both the TwoBob games I've seen.

However, by all accounts BR is looking for a creative m/f player rather than an "enforcer". This suggests to me he may be close to writing off Bassedas.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I've not ben shy in criticising Bass, but I'm prepared to give the guy a chance. He's an Argie international so that has to say something (and the Argies aren't cr@p). I don't think he fits into our team at present, but that team includes Lee and Bollix Speed, who I believe are yesterday's players. OK, we might get a bit more out of GS but I believe RL should be limited to a bit-part role.

If either Butt or Bass could contribute as many goals from MF as Speed does, then I'd quite happily look forward to them in central MF with Robert out wide on the left and Nobby/Dyer fulfilling the other MF role.

As has been mentioned (by me and others), what is LKD's best role still seems to be undefined. Out wide on the right (but what of Nobby?)? Just behind the strikers (so who drops out of MF?)? Or as a striker playing just behind the main striker (which one?)? Hmmm - it's a bit like playing Monopoly andonly having Park Lane alongwith all the brown squares.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I'd happily limit RL to a "bit-part role" - when there is someone capable of adequately replacing him. That is the reason BR keeps selecting him.

I can't really see KD playing in m/f with Robert and Solano wide - unless that is, we had a really top-class enforcer playing behind him. I can't see BR playing him wide either, so it seems to me he has to play up front, just off the main striker, with two strong, "up & down" central players completing the m/f. Right now that has to be two from RL, GS, and Acuna.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

..........and therein lies the biggest problem. I felt that we needed a choice up front. Previously it had been Shearer and Sir Les/Tino/A N Other/Cort. Now we seem to have Shearer, Cort, Lua x2, Shola and Bellamy contending for those 2 roles - hopefully we should be able to perm any 2 from 5. We also had a major problem in defence (OK, so Farcelino is still here but we have Elena waitng in the wings) but Dabs, Hughes and the acquisition of O'Brien, not to mention the Caldwell sisters seems to have given us some options in the middle, and with barton and Grif on the right and Elliot and Quinn on the left (plus the versatile Aaron) I think we have ab adequate, if not outstanding defence - not to mention 2 good keepers.

But midfield is where we seem to lack. As Clarky puts it, we are forced to play an ageing midfielder (unlike Liverpool where McAlister seems to have had a new lease of life) rather than having a ready-made replacement.

Until this is sorted, Rob Lee will continue to figure big-time - we have little choice. But if Bassedas is as good as YBR thought at he time he splashed out approx £4.5M, he surely must figure in the medium term - more than can be said about Lee who can only be seen as a short-term option.

So, assuming Bassedas is here to stay, is Acuna (or Speed) good enough to partner him? I think Acuna has something to offer.

As I hinted, Speed's main contribution is 10-12 goals per season. If we can find a partner for Bassedas (who along with LKD is our most "creative" player) who along with Bass, can score that many then perhaps Speed is an asset we could cash in on. Alternatively, as Clarky suggested, maybe Bassedas is about to be put on the scrap heap. And at what cost??? What did he cost and how much coulD we expect for a "failed" player?).

Answers on a £50 note please (I'm not greedy).

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Two points

Robert Lee does little but run himself in to the ground as Clarky puts it. For me the end of his career should have been after Boro last season where Paul Ince gave Lee and Speed the run around. There is no way in the world we would dream of saying we wanted Ince in our side yet he was clearly better than our two 'runner'. Robert Lee is only there because he never lets people down. The thing is he never does anything else. I agree with the sentiment that Butt would be better, and that is a sad indictment on how far Lee has gone.

Now where on earth does this illusionary 10-12 goals per season come from for Gary Speed. He has played 118 league games for us and scored 19 goals. This works out as 6 per season of 38 games. He doesn't play 38 games cos he's suspended from all those bookings for mouthing off. We do need a midfield player who scores 10-12 goals, but it hasn't been, nor never will be, Gary Speed.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001

Several sites are reporting that Rob Lee is after all set to be offered a new 1 year contract by the Toon having proved his fitness after his knee surgery.

-- Anonymous, August 12, 2001