Newcastle-Online comment: 4th July 2004
Last month Freddy Shepherd insisted; "Money is available, but it
has got to be spent wisely". Well he got the first
part right - indeed money is available but has he got the second
part right - does Newcastle's first transfer in 15 months represent
a wise signing?
Newcastle over the years have had their hands burnt in the transfer
market, especially pinching other clubs's talented youngsters. Kieron
Dyer 5 years on from signing for the Toon from Ipswich still hasn't
fulfilled his potential and doubts remain whether he ever will.
Titus Bramble hasn't exactly set the world alight has he? He goes
from the sublime to the ridiculous. Jermaine Jenas didn't even look
like a player at all last season following on from his excellent
debut season. And Hugo Viana at £8.5m will never make it at St.
James' it seems so signing another highly rated, highly talented
youngster in James Milner for big money doesn't exactly smack of
being a wise signing does it?
Or does it?
There is no doubt we have bought potential here, a player who should
give us years of service and hopefully play an integral part of
a bright future for Newcastle but following on from a shocking season
Toon supporters were hoping the club bought for now - and not for
the future, after all that is what we need, players that can come
into the team, improve it and do a job. The players that we had
bought for the future (Dyer, Bramble, Jenas, Viana etc.) were some
of those that under performed last season and contributed towards
our failure in not securing 4th place and that elusive trophy.
Signing an 18 year old with 26 games on his C.V doesn't exactly
give us that experienced top-class player who will come in and improve
the first-team does it?
Although we have been linked to Milner before I doubt many expected
Newcastle to actually sign him, I know I didn't, and when the rumours
resurfaced I hoped they were just that - rumours. But he his here
now, we have signed him and I can see why Bobby has signed him.
In James' Milner we aren't just buying potential and youth, Bobby
has bought a player that gives us options - something
we didn't have much of last season. Bobby has quite rightly been
criticised for many of his signings but hold the front page, he's
actually made a canny signing if you look at what Milner represents.
Milner is the player Viana should have been. We bought Viana without
a place for him, he gave us no options and therefore he has become
a waste of money. A mistake. He represented a signing we just didn't
need.
Milner on the other hand does give us options and
we do have a place for him. He can play right across
the midfield, left, right and in the centre. He can play just off
the centre-forward too. Viana can't even play in the centre...cheap
shot I know but he hasn't looked the part has he?
Milner however looked the part for Leeds, a struggling side. He's
no world-beater (yet) but at 18 and to contribute with goals and
assists from the left flank in a team decimated by in-fighting,
financial disaster and going out of the League speaks volumes of
not only his willingness to adapt to an alien position but to also
get stuck in. Those fighting qualities if you like can't be taught,
you either have them or you don't. Milner appears to be an all action
player blessed with a footballing brain and tremendous skills with
a real aptitude to learn and get stuck in. We could have done with
the likes of Jenas and Viana getting stuck in last season.
Terry Venables who handed him his debut at 16 describes him as a
"very special young man". Claudio Ranieri after seeing him score
past his then Chelsea side said of him: "He has the brain of a 30-year-old".
But it's not the high praise that excites me or the undoubted potential,
it's the options he can give us now that excites
me, options that makes Milner a wise signing IMO. If Robert is to
stay, Milner can come in if the Frenchman is injured or suspended
out on the left and do a job, we know this because he did a job
for Leeds on the left. Furthermore the threat of competition could
be the kick up the arse that Robert needs. If Bobby wants to tighten
things up away from St. James' Park by dropping a winger (Ambrose/Dyer)
as he did by playing Bowyer at times on the right last season, he
can play Milner, who unlike Bowyer can play there. If Bobby wants
to change the way we attack teams he con drop Milner just behind
Shearer to give us a link man to link up the midfield and attack
- a playmaker if you like (something Viana was hoped to be able
to do - remember Chelsea away?). If we have heavy injuries in the
centre of midfield (like we did at the tail end of last season),
Milner can come in and do a job - unlike Viana who failed miserably
when handed the opportunity.
Milner is not only one for the future but he addresses current squad
depth problems too - versatility is often frowned upon but one of
our best results last season was earned via the versatility of certain
players - Aston Villa away when we lost two players to injury and
one to a sending off.
Milner might not be what we expected or wanted but he is a good
player, a good signing - a wise signing.
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