Pah! Clearly a foreign mercenary who is more interested in the cash than in playing in Champs League with a superior team.

What is it with NUFC and these French defenders?

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Answers

If the reports are true and the wage difference is that big (£8000 week) then I cant really blame him.

Still I would have liked to see him in the team. £4M sounds like a pretty good price for him. Maybe not the solution to our problems in defence but we need a big squad and he would have been a good part in it. Especially since he can play both central and out left.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

We need players who want to play for us, not greedy mercenaries. Though to be fair, he did seem to do his best all season, and at least didn't do a Domi or Hamman on us, so I'm not that angry with him just very disappointed that he's putting money ahead of his career. I mean really, is 12k/wk even before taxes that difficult to live on? How many people only earn that in a year?! Oh well, it's his decision.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

....£20k pw is a lot easier easier to live on ciara.

Why should a Frog give a toss whether he lives in Darras Hall or Knutsford, Cheshire, or whether he plays in b&w or pale blue? Does anyone really expect the Frog to believe the things we cherish are more important than banking £20k pw rather than £12k? And he does get to play for Kevin Keegan.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

News just in: hurricane en route to North East from Barbados. Arrival imminent ;-)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

If we only sign players i WANT to play for then we wont have many options. Like clarky says, why should he or anyone else care? The only thing more we have to offer is European football and that should be a huge advantage, but maybe £8000 evens that up. Its when they are here we should get them to love Newcastle, Im afraid you cant do that to a foreinger in a season.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Softie ???

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

I see Sky have got hold of the story that LR said Distin was off on his website. I can't imagine Bobby and Freddy being too pleased about this! Full Story below:

Laurent Robert believes Sylvain Distin is about to quit Newcastle for Premiership new boys Manchester City.

Distin has been on loan from Paris St Germain all season, but no deal has been done to make his stay at St James' Park permanent.

Toon boss Bobby Robson says he wants to sign the central defender, but Robert has revealed that former Magpies hero Kevin Keegan is likely to pip his old club to Distin's signature.

Robert told his personal website at laurent-robert.com: "I believe that today (Tuesday) he is at Manchester City taking his medical.

"It's a shame that he's packing his bags, but I can understand why. Newcastle have refused to budge, and they've not offered as much as other clubs.

"Sylvain would like to finalise his contract before going on holiday and he should sign in the next few days."

PSG are keen to sell off their star players this summer, including Liverpool-bound Nicolas Anelka, and Greek outfit Panathinaikos have also shown an interest in the 24-year-old.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Sorry, Clarky, I just don't see money as the be all and end all when it comes to a career particularly when he is essentially dropping down career-wise. At least he has the decency to leave now and not get into a snit midseason ala Domi.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Couldn't they just have split the difference? It unnerves me, with Robert & Distin being so close, and Bernard.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Thanks for today's new word, Ciara :

snit n. US a rage; a sulk (esp. in a snit).

Etymology 20th c.: orig. unkn.

;-)

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Agreed - Distin may have been just as important in terms of keeping Robert happy as on the field.

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2002

Sorry Josh, I was expecting clarky's final remark to bring a response from Sparxx and couldn't remember if he is in Barbados or Bermuda.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Clarky,

you sure there are no 'Frogs' in this BBS? Not trying to be too politically correct, but.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

I thought he was a class player, who showed pace when he needed to, and was rarely beaten ( yes, I can think of a couple but you can for any defender, otherwise all games would be 0-0).

I was happier with him at LB than at his preferred Centre Half position, but either way I would have tried to keep him. You need to look at the cost of replacement - and it's always more expensive, with lawyer's fees, agent's fees, wages (do you really think we'll get someone as good for 12k a week?).

If we tried to compromise, then fine, let him go. If we stuck to our guns too rigidly then we may have been cutting off our nose to spite etc.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002

Mika - you may be right, and if there are any "amis Francais" out there who I have offended then I apologise to them.

I must say I tend to regard the term "Frog" in a similar vein to "Manc" or "Mackem". Indeed, David Ginola semeed to enjoy his status as the "Frog on the Tyne", and certainly didn't appear to regard it as an insult.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2002