21st May 2005
Index:
Arsenal
Aston
Villa
Birmingham
City
Blackburn
Rovers
Bolton
Wanderers
Charlton
Athletic
Chelsea
Crystal
Palace
Everton
Fulham
Liverpool
Manchester
City
Manchester
United
Middlesbrough
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
Europe
Conclusion?
So Graeme Souness wants to bring in players who have Premiership experience
or who can perform in the League, then? Well lets take a look at our
Premiership rivals and see who is available, who could be available
and who we could potentially attract.
Buying from Liverpool?
Since winning promotion to the Premiership we have raided Anfield
on three occasions for the dubious talents of Mike Hooper, *John Barnes
and Paul Dalglish, son of that other dour Scot who sat in the Toon
hot seat. Could there be another raid on the cards during the close-season
transfer window? I doubt it because the players I'm sure Graeme Souness
would like to prize away from his former employers (who wouldn't?),
are simply way out of our league in one way or another.
So no Summer bids for Steven Gerrard and the excellent and much improved
Jamie Carragher then folks... but you don't need me to tell you that.
However we have been linked in recent months with two of their players
and it is these players we'll discuss in this installment of our Buying
From Our Premiership Rivals series.
First up is Gregory Vignal, Liverpool's French left-back
who is coming to the end of his year-long loan deal at another former
club of Souness' - Glasgow Rangers.
Vignal will be a free agent once his season in Scotland ends and looks
unlikely to make his move North of the Border a permanent one having
seemingly fallen out with Gers' boss Alec Mcleish.
The 22 year-old arrived at Liverpool as one for the future but a series
of injuries and a bad attitude has seen to it that he is not wanted
by manager Rafa Benitez.
He'll fit in great at United then...
Whether there is any truth behind this rumour, it's hard to tell.
No doubt Souness' recent visit to Ibrox to take in a Rangers match
and the uncertainty of Celestine Babayaro's future plus the fact he
is on a free have all added fuel to it.
Having seen very little of Vignal in action however, I can't really
comment on his ability (or lack of it) so I won't but from what I
gather from Liverpool fans, he has a bad attitude problem and is a
poor player. Say what you like about Liverpool fans, they know their
football and their players!
The other 'Pool player to have been linked in recent times, and the
more plausible of the two perhaps, is Milan Baros
who if reports are to be believed could be on his way out of Merseyside
as Benitez looks to reshape his forward line for next season.
And with the impending sale of Craig Bellamy and the departure of
Patrick Kluivert that's exactly what wor own manager will attempt
to do. We hope!
Baros, with a year left to run on his current deal has established
himself this season in the absence of strikers Michael Owen and record
signing Djibril Cisse through injury, he's been a mainstay but with
just 13 goals in 42 appearances there are question marks over his
finishing, with the forward fluffing his lines far too often when
one on one for my liking and I imagine many Reds fans too.
To be fair to the Czech Republic man though he has played up front
on his own for large spells of the season but for a player who finds
himself in such good positions through his intelligent running, he
misses more chances than he takes.
Quick, hard working and young, he has talent no doubt but I'm not
overly impressed and feel he's quite an average striker overall who's
main assets hide his poor leading of the line, rashness when through
on goal and frustrating heads down attitude. He's very raw and for
the money it would take to sign him, we could do better in my view.
He's a very poor man's Bellamy.
And even if we were interested and willing to pay the kind of fee
Liverpool would look for, would he want to come to Newcastle? And
do we need yet another player with an apparent poor attitude? With
ill-timed comments and sly digs at Rafa many Liverpudlians feel their
Spanish coach has lost patience with the player and will not fight
to keep him.
We would also face competition for his services with Spanish, Italian
teams and Aston Villa all rumoured to be interested. We could always
buy him and sell him on the cheap to Villa...
No, not for me. We have enough frustrating players on our books and
in conclusion I'd like it if Souness didn't turn to his former club
for any potential signings.
While I am on the subject of Liverpool I'd just like to wish them
good luck in the Champions League Final against AC Milan next week.
It would do the game well to see a traditional, Northern club who
aren't owned by a cash rich sugar daddy to bring home such a trophy,
a trophy they have won 4 times in their silver laden history no less.
I for one will be hoping they make it 5. To borrow a phrase from our
manager, they are a proper club with proper fans as Newcastle-Online
forum members have experienced over the course of the season. With
many of them joining in with the banter and sticking around to offer
their views on the game in general, unlike their City rivals from
the Blue corner. Great stuff.
I'll be rooting for them. If they can pull it off it would not only
be great for the English game in general it will also give me hope
because they aren't the greatest team in the world and if they can
win it, well, so can Newcastle one day. So a big Howay Liverpool from
me. Good luck lads and lasses over in Istanbul.
*Despite being past his best, it was a privilege to see John Barnes
up close and personal if you like and having met the man, he's a top
bloke. Crap auto cue reader mind...
Next up, a look at who is available, who could be available and who
we could potentially attract from Manchester City.
Write In... Who would you like Newcastle to sign
in the Summer? Write in with your suggestions, reasons for your choices
and what these players would bring to the squad and we will publish
your thoughts on these very pages. Send in your suggestions using
the below e-mail form:
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