Have been tipped off by Taxi 276 :-) that Bobby's number 1 summer target is Joe Cole. I don't know what to make of this? Is he still the player that he was supposed to be? Could make a midfield of Cole Dyer Jenas Solano, doesn't look too bad?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Answers

'arry's protege

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Phew! I thought you meant Andy Andrew Cole!

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Nee chance. Cole would cost a fortune, and West Ham aren't going to let him go without a fight. Does he even want to move? Same goes for Carrick (who I'd rather we went for).

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Bobby really rates Cole though. Read an interview with Bobby where he was praising Cole to the roof, sees him as a sort of Gascoigne of the future. He might want - but can't see it happening. West Ham would mutiny.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I think the WHam board would sell him if they could get a fair price. Di Canio was on his way not so long ago, who is one of their best players and fans' favourite.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

No, it's COAL, Bobby can't be doing with this new-fangled gas central heating.*

ML³

*Apologies to those who heard the joke first time around.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

According to press reports WHam have no money and Glenda wants to rebuild. He'd be prepared to let one or two of his stars go provided he's given the money for transfers. WHam also have a bit of a reputation as a selling club. However, I don't think that we have the money to buy someone in the class of Cole, or if we did, he would be our only summer signing.

Would we rather see one really classy player signing, or would we be better off with 2 or 3 not so good players to stregthen the squad?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

We should be Joe Cole at any cost. He is wasted at WHU and look what coming to NUFC did for Bellamy.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

We really need another 2-3 "really classy players" nick if we get into the CL - LB, one more central m/f player and one stiker.

Gawd knows where all the money will come from mind - although FS sees to be willing to gamble £30m-ish, ie. the crown jewels and the kitchen sink!

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

That's the nub of it Clarky. There doesn't seem to be much sense in signing 'not so good' players just to make up the numbers.

I'd rather see one real world class player in, if that's all we can afford, and take a chance we can cope, assuming it's Europe we're trying to cope with.

You never know, the right player could even be all we need, if he has the same effect on the rest as Bellamy has had.

And at the risk of sounding like a stuck record (if anybody can remember such things), once we get through the next 2 or 3 weeks, we should take every opportuninty to get more of the kids used with the top level.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

You never know, the right player could even be all we need, if he has the same effect on the rest as Bellamy has had.

Nail. Head.

Forget about "World Class" or "Squad Players". We need the RIGHT players. World Class means nothing if the player doesn't fit into the squad or gets a pet lip, disrupts team spirit, and starts looking elsewhere if/when we go out of Europe next season.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I'll hammer away at that nail too if I could. Softie's analysis also backs up the theory that the most valuable players to the team aren't necessarily the one's that cost the most, and patience is needed to get things right.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

.... so why would you assume that BR would approach this challenge in any other way?

I haven't seen any evidence of him panic buying, although like KK before him, he did make some early mistakes when I suspect the general tightness of the budgets encouraged them both into some injudicious low-to-middle end buying.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Don't think anybody has assumed BR won't do a good job with his signings, Clarky. In fact I have more confidence in his choice of players than any recent manager. Just reiterating a point in advance of the summer onslaught of people wanting £30M spent to show we are 'ambitious'.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

We also don't want to end up like Leeds with a massive squad, huge wage bill and a failing team.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

With Cole, Jenas, Dyer, Bellamy we'd have the cream of the British midfield/attacking under 22, scary. Cole IS Peter Beardsley, without the good looks.

All we'd need to complete the set would be Michael Owen, although that would be unfair on Dabizas in training

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

That would be one hell of a midfield, I suppose we'd get £10 or so for Robert which would finance Cole.

There is no way either of them could fit in the same team.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

That should read £10m.

Obviously we'd all be disappointed if Robert was only worth a tenner.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I'd take Joe Cole any day over Michael Carrick in a straight choice.

Or if you're really feeling lucky (punk), why not take a bigger gamble and bid for Jermain Defoe instead of either.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

I'd take Joe Cole any day over Michael Carrick given a straight choice.

Or if you're feeling really lucky (punk), why not take a bigger gamble and bid for Jermain Defoe instead of either the other two.

Anyway the ket shop's not open yet so let's just concentrate on this term's schoolwork first shall we ?

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Hmmm. Excuse the stutter folks

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2002

Defoe is a mint player, in a few years he'll be worth an absolute fortune.

I would actually take him to the WC ahead of Phillips. It's nothing to do with local rivalries, I just think as a like for like Michael Owen replacement, Defoe is the closest we have.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002