Been away for a week, caught up with you lot of wasters on here (2hrs) and was amazed to find no mention of the Steve Caldwell two page article which was featured very prominently in last weeks SSS. Basically he has had enough , feels he is away back in the rating rumours of new CH - (Distin)?, is now 21 , been at Newcastle for over 4 years and should be making his mark now, complains he makes break-thro , makes mistake, back to reserves, has seen Robson about, does not want to leave the city or the club but he feels to further his career he must get away. Whether due to reporter or Big Brother speak , one had the feeling that young Gary felt the the same way and his future was away from the Toon. Well some of us did forcast that this would be the case in the quest for instant fix.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Answers

Away Players!!

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

news to me Buff, but not surprising. So how do we hold on to potential while it develops? Loans to feeder clubs? Would he be better off playing in Scottish 1st div and us paying half his wages as a retainer or summat?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

We have too many centre halves - this was always going to be a problem.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

why buy another?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Well, there's a difference between buying the experienced, geet hard centre half and a succession of young centre halves who may or may not be good enough - I think it's the latter that probbaly pisses off the Caldwells. You could probably accommodate most of them by playing with a sweeper or, in certain games, having someone like Hughesie as a holding midfielder, but that isn't really the long term solution...

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

We have too many cr@p centre halves, we need to keep the kids and loan them out till their ready. Sell the cr@p ones.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Exactly.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

right, meet at midnight by the farm with our burning pitchforks then?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Kennyboy - too many crap centre halves? Erm, we've got Marcelino and Dabs and loads of younger players. So, who would you sell? You could only sell one of Dabs and Marcelino for experience purposes, Hughes is too valuable even as a utility player to flog, O'Brien isn't crap. So, who do we sell?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Well im afraid Dabs is not brilliant he makes too many rash challenges in the box, Marcelino is cack, Obrien is OK, Hughes is OK, Caldwell has made a good impression when been on and id not like us to sell him.

Id keep them loan out the kids then sell Marcelino and dabs.

Whilst we're their buy this french lad who can also play left back and sell quinn.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

I agree regarding Dabs but I don't see how we can sell him until we have someone to replace him. Remember, we had Goma for large parts of last season so we haven't had to depend only on the kids except on rare occasions (and when it was just the kids plus Rob Lee as sweeper, we got stuffed). I wouldn't be devastated to lose the elder Caldwell but I think we'd lose Gary, too, which would be a minor tragedy.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

If your a sweeper you have to be a big lad with pace IMHO, Bobby Lee is neither. Dabs would make a decent sweeper if only he was a tad faster. Id love to see us playing a sort of Xmas tree formation. sort of Lets hope spaces work here..
Given
Barton(Griff) Obrien Hughes

Dabs

Nobby (lee Acuna Speed Bassadas) Robert

Dyer Bellamy

Big Al...

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Well they didnt , but you know what i mean

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

LOL. Actually, that looks quite good, but I still think the lack of experience might show.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Sorry KB, it won't work. I'll admit it;s a few years since I last did sums, but (assuming those in parenthesis) are options for those preceding, then I can only count 10. They might be good, but they ain't that good! (Unless this is a transfer rumour aboot some fella caalled "Big").

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

back on thread.

steve caldwell is not a kid!! he's 21 and a full international.

our defence is very suspect yet he can't even get on the bench. what does this say about bob's opinion of caldwell or his willingness to change what is already a weak element of a weak team.

bobby has always been too conservative with "young" players. remember the hero of italia 90 would never have played if neil webb had been fit.

in this case he has to either play caldwell and let him learn through experience or sell him. keeping him in the reserves serves neither party.

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

And on the subject of reserves; did you notice that KK tested out his new signing in an arranged friendly against Oldham rather than a reserve team game - obviously still feels that you learn nothing from playing second string 11s.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

To make the right decisions you need experience and to get experience tou will have to make mistakes. Caldwell is only getting the right experience when on International duty. It saddens me to think what we are missing out on here.

Let them go out on loan and get some real football. Dabizas and Hughes are not the future of our central defence.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

With wee Craigy`s future up the swanee, belatedly there is a youth campaign started , journo`s like sad Leckie picking their team for the meaningless Latvia int, as expected Caldwells (S) is in while U21 Boss is singing the praises of younger one. This would and probably will make Don (I am joining a better team ) Hutchinson the oldest player at 30. Advice to our Mackem friends on here, from experience beware of player who kisses the badge , sign a robust clapper , they stay longer.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

Ahh yes Softie - but City have just crumbled badly to WBA.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001