Replacing Rob Lee

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To qoute YBR

'He (Rob Lee) will take some replacing'

Well Bob, you have had a couple of years in the hot seat and Rob has not got any younger. You have recindled a career lost under Guillit, but you knew the time was fast approaching that Rob was going to be gone.

So now your hand has been forced perhaps a tad earlier than you thought.

In Bassedas you have not bought wisely. He has had a chance to fit in and alas he has not proved to be the quality we need. No arguments there.Several times, even with Speed injured Bassedas has not made the bench.

Acuna is, at best a squad player.No Lee replacement. Not close.

So seize the moment. Our season, imho rests on the decision as to when and with whom replaces Lee.

Noe Rob has laid his cards on the table, it should be very soon rather than later.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

Answers

SETH JOHNSON

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

We have the same dream Pete

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

Agree about Seth Johnson. He looks like the most possible replacement. Derby need cash - we need Seth Johnson.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

You are quite correct Pete - and NOW is the time to finally bite the bullet. We must acquire a top-class central m/f player now, or jeopardise our entire season - much as we did last season by procrastinating for months.

Hopefully, Rob Lee's action in requesting a transfer will crystallise our thinking and galvanise our management into action - preferably before yet another season passes us by.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


top class midfielders don't grow on trees, finding one now will be tricky, especially since we've failed to track one down in the past 4 years. lee isn't much more than a mid table player anyway, losing him won't be such a big deal in fact it may give some of the young players a chance without affecting our final league placing too much.

as far as the season being wasted, we are there already. bobby has not done a great job in the transfer market, we'll finish somewhere between 8th and 12th this year whatever happens with lee.

depressing isn't it

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001



So you don't think Robert or Bellamy were good additions to the team then? Plus there are 2 other players due to return. You can't say we will end up 8th to 12th. The season has hardly even started?

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

George, Bobby has done OK in the transfer market. Andy O'Brien for one million - we robbed Bradford; Acuna - one million, about what you'd pay for a squad player although he has moments of being better than that; Cort - no one could have predicted his injury record but his strike rate suggests that he is a good buy; Robert - happy with what we paid; we don't know what we paid for Bellamy but he appears to be good value; Bassedas is the only questionable buy and let's face it, Keegan bought some duffers too. What Bobby is compensating for is two feckwit managers who wasted our money buying crap left backs and injury-prone centre halves.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

of course robert & bellamy look like good additions, but there have been a few others recently who don't look so good. we've needed a class central midfielder for about 3 years but bob hasn't even come close to signing one.

i was actually agreeing with clarky's point that the season will fizzle out if we don't get a class midfield player, (without expecting one to materialise). i was also making the point that lee isn't that good any more so probably wont be missed. unless stuart green and brian kerr are utterly useless of course.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


Fair enough GB but I think you are being a tad pessimistic for this stage of the season. So far there have been a mix of performances but the team have shown they CAN play and at a better level than last season.

Don't give up on the season yet. Still time to buy someone. BR is on record as saying he wants a quality MF player and they are looking for one.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


dougal,

the value for money argument is interesting. you mentioned o'brien and acuna as good value, but can you imagine either of them playing key roles in a top three team. robbie elliot was good value, but it doesn't turn him into paolo maldidni. he won't put the shits up thierry henry just because he was free.

my beef with bobby is that he's failed to make too many signings that make a real tangible impact on results, and that he's relied on the consistent mediocrity of some of the senior players rather than make changes and address obvious weaknesses.

i'm not saying he's been a bad manager just that he's missed the boat a few times.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001



Muzzy Izzet would fit the bill nicely.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

Not a big fan of Izzet, he is very inconsistent, IMHO certainly no better than Acuna.

Seth Johnson or David Thompson would be the ones I would pick.

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


The ideal man to go into midfield to suit my envisaged team pattern, is Edgar Davids, he can dig in , good technical skills , will run, harry, close down for a full ninety, still I can wish,can`t I ?

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

Dyer?

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001

People keep wittering on about Seth Johnson, talented but not that good. Don't forget we were in the market for a key midfielder anyway and Lee IMHO was just filling in which is why the club won't give him a big extension (oooeerr) but Buff is right, and one of my favourite players apart, is the sort of calibre we are after. Either that or we go young and blood a prutton or who ever, mind you Davids and Dyer make yer want to salivate, might be a possiblity Davids needs a new challenge.....alright! I've been off the angel dust for months man!!

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001


I think we're not looking for a replacement for the Rob Lee of old. That job has passed to Speed/Acuna and Bassedass, or even Dyer. What we need is to replace Batty. Lee has covered for that gap since Batty left but Lee was never that good as a tackling terrier-like midfielder. We don't need a new 22 year old Rob Lee, we need a 22 year old Venerson/Bracewell.

Now what about Nicky Butt?

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

We must believe that Bobby knows what he's doing. Losing Lee will be a MAJOR loss to the team, his heart and determination are morale boosters for everyone in the side. IMHO to replace him we need someone who is willing to go to war every week, and leave everything on the pitch in the same manner Rob does. Who fits that kind of bill??? I'm not sure, but whoever it is won't come cheap, and we haven't been big in-season spenders the past few seasons.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Lee Clark? Probably not .. just a thought. I was just thinking that as a replacement for Lee he probably fitted the bill - a bit slow and doesn't score enough!

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

The Sunday Sun this morning reckons we are tracking Blackburn's David Dunn. We have apparently already been told to bog off, but are contemplating a £7mm bid.

They also report he is a local Blackburn lad who is chuffed by our interest, but indicates he is happy to stay where he is. Looks like another blind alley.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001


These hacks must be reading this bbs. It'll be Matt Holland next, mark my words!

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

The scene: Sunday Sun hack hunched over with stomach gripes from too much coffee, chest wheezing from too many gaspers, slapping his numb cheeks to come up with some pitiful transfer rumour for the morning paper. In the corner "The Manchester United Television Show" flickers away. The filler before and after each section this week consists of friends and family of David Dunn. Ping! A lightbulb comes on above the hack's head, "Didn't we make up some crap about Bobby Robson enquiring after Dunn in his first season at NUFC? We could just rehash that for tomorrow, same as when Robbie Savage was on the trailers and we put in a link for him the other week. Nobody will ever notice, sorted!"

Somewhere in Whitley Bay a light flashes in a control centre. The BBS Bullshit Detector springs into life. Why wait to make it tomorrow's chip wrappers when you could wipe your backside on it today folks? :-)

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001


Does that mean you don't believe it Softie??

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Let's just say that I'm undecided ;-)

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Sorry you pathetic bunch of whingers, Seth Whoever, Carrick, Jansen, Izzet and any other player in an average team is not who we need. They may be who we can afford but NOT who we need.

We should be going to Italy or Spain and coming back with someone like Veron and b*gger the expense.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001


But do we want someone with an Argentinian past or an England future?

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

OK Gus, it's got to be Roy Keane. Now what?

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

I don't suppose we could get Veron as well Clarky? Perhaps if we sacrificed (now ther's a good idea) Farcelino to help shore up their leaky defence?

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Davids is class, but would he come here?

I suppose he could always discuss "things" with Acuna.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001


Come on clarky, all I am saying is that if we are to compete with the teams above us we have to have world class players.

If we continue with the players already identified as having potential we will remain a mid to low table team.

You can get by with EPL journey men in some positions however your core of Striker, Central M/f and Centre backs need to be a step up.

It should not matter how much they cost if they are needed they should be got. manure did not blink at the prices for Veron and van rental

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001


Clarky's got a point - anyone as good as Davids could have his pick of European clubs. It's not just a matter of Newcastle coming up with the cash, you've got to be able to persuade the player that we're a better bet than the Champions League regulars. Until we become Champions League regulars we need to accept that we aren't necessarily going to be able to get the players who we can guarantee will improve our squad. We need to take a gamble - sometimes this works (Robert) and sometimes it doesn't (Marcelino, Bassedas etc). In other words, we need to accept that Roy Keane isn't going to sign for us, and look at players who have not yet established themselves as top players. Also players of undoubted talent who have not hit it off in other leagues - the way Arsenal took a gamble on Bergkamp after he failed in Italy. We've all got a wish list a mile long - imagine a Newcastle side with Vieira and Davids bossing the midfield? The trick is to find the new Vieira and Davids before they become so big we can't get them. Then when we're playing in Europe regularly (and no, the Intertoto or even the Uefa cup don't really count) we can compete for the big names again.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

There are teams in Italy and Spain who are not in the CL they have class midfielders as well, also when new coaches come in some are made available.

If you have to pay money you pay it. Get into the top 6 in the EPL then buy those with potential at 14 - 15 bring them through and sell the ones not quite good enough for the CL and keep the others.

Ajax have been doing this for years. Every now and again they have a slump, but these times are few.

You then get to the position of them down the road and spend 40 million on 2 players, not on 36!!

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001


Not sure about bemoaning Seth or Pruton or Carrick for playing for unknown sides, cos Robert Lee was such a household name in Charlton before he joined us. And Roy Keane and Paul Ince were at West Ham and Forest before they joined whatstheirname

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Isn't Davids supposed to be a make weight in a player plus cash for Viera deal with the Arse?

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2001

Look over to your right see it? Thats the point you are missing.

I am not bemoaning those players Mac, just saying the bleeding obvious.

We need a Veron, Beckam, Keane type player not one that will become one in 2 or 3 seasons. THEN we can start taking risks on the latter type players.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001


Gus no arguments that we could do with a Veron/Keane/Beckham - what side couldn't? The point is that even if we were to bid 30m or whatever it would cost to buy Beckham he wouldn't sign for us as things stand. Yes there are some quality players in Italy who aren't playing in the CL, but how many of them were superstars when they were signed? My suspicion is that the bulk were lesser known names when they signed. Plus we have to accept that for foreign Charlies Newcastle just isn't as appealing as Turin, Rome, Madrid etc.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001

Turin's a f......g dump: it's sole appeal is Juventus. Couldn't agree more with your general argument, though..

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001

Why does it matter if they were unknowns when they signed? If they are the quality we need now I do not care if they have one leg.

Get a side good enough to stay in the top 6 NOW use the Johnsons, Carricks etc to replace them over the coming seasons. By the time these future stars become good enough our established "stars" Shearer, Dyer, Cort, Solano, Robert will be leaving because they are too old, crocked or fed up of being in the longest developing team in the history of football.

You are all pissing in the wind waiting for the next George Best, NO not our GB the old one who played for Ireland!

To successfully play the developing game you have to have the developed team first.

All the arguements for this good young un and that good youngen are irrelevant if the rest of the team are knacked, nicking off or nobodies themselves.

For goodness sakes we need 3 developing defenders, 3 developing midfielders, hope that any of them are OK or we need a good central defender and a good midfielder.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001


We had problems developing the team photo's until recently Gus, no surprise really

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001

That is why they got a digital camera I suppose!

What is the matter TM can't sleep? Or is it that you started posting this at lunch time and Loonys computer takes this long to post?

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001


I don't think we should rush in and get a replacement for Rob Lee. The time is WRONG . No decent central midfielders will be available untill the end of the season. We should work with what we have, Rob Lee isn't that good, he wouldn't be missed. If he finds a new club before the end of the season, so be it, let him go . make do with a central midfield partnership of Acuna or Speed alongside Dyer. If they get crocked bring on Kerr / Dimas or Green. You never know we might unearth another Aaron Hughes or Shola Ameobi.

Then at the end of the season , when we are in Europe go out and get the best. If we don't make it try for Carrick or Johnson who will both be available when their clubs are both relegated.

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001


How gus - stop taking my kompwter's name in vain. BTW Rog is it still as crap as when you got your sweaties on it ??

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001

Who Gus? So far you've mentioned Veron, Beckham & Keane, I think we can all agree that we're not going to sign any of them this year. It's all very well saying we should sign 2 players for #40m, but which players who are worth #20 each could we realistically sign (even if we could afford it). Do you think Shearer would have turned down Man United & come here if we'd finished 12th for 3 seasons in a row?

-- Anonymous, October 16, 2001

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