1st August 2005
By Richard Huggan
We are currently three players short of having a squad worthy of a
top-six finish. I know this, you know this and the manager knows this
and we all know which two positions need reinforcing first and foremost.
The manager seems to think that Nicolas Anelka and Luis Boa Morte
will address this problem and I agree, but which position should the
fabled "third top player" fill and who should he be?
After the somewhat downbeat arrival of Craig Moore on Tyneside this
week it is evident that the chairman is working hard to ensure that
we start the season with an adequate squad. Our central defensive
options have been reinforced at a profit of £2 million if you consider
that the 29-year-old is a direct replacement for Andy O'Brien, who
now has his own peg at Portsmouth. I would say that Moore is the better
defender of the two, which in my eyes concludes another very good
piece of business by Freddy Shepherd.
We have already seen the far more grand arrival of Scott Parker from
the illustrious Chelsea for £6.5 million and the drawn-out transfer
saga of Emre Belozoglu from the equally illustrious Inter Milan which
was concluded at a reported price of £3.8 million. Good business again.
Currently, Parker and Emre must be seen as replacements for Darren
Ambrose and Laurent Robert in midfield, until the impending departure
of Hugo Viana and arrival of a left-winger, perhaps Boa Morte, make
it otherwise so. Hopefully the club will also keep the rejuvenated
Lee Bowyer and give Nicky Butt one more chance to prove us all wrong.
All in all, the midfield looks very impressive when you also take
into account the young talents of nineteen-year-olds James Milner
and Charles N'Zogbia, the presence of Amdy Faye, the potential to
be great of Jermaine Jenas and the reignited Kieron Dyer. Perhaps
even the massive Geordie heart of Lee Clark could be added to this
list within the week, but then surely the exit of Butt or Bowyer must
loom, or worse still, Jenas could find himself wearing maroon instead
of black and white on August 14th.
Goalkeepers will not be a problem as long as Shay Given stays committed
to the cause, Steve Harper continues to be an outstanding deputy and
Tony Caig remains a solid third choice. Seventeen-year-old starlet
Tim Krul, signed for an undisclosed amount from Dutch side Den Haag
earlier this month, provides hope for the future.
If we pull a rabbit out of the hat and sign Anelka for the mooted
£6 million fee from Fenerbahce, despite the great protests of their
chairman, manager and fans, then it could be said that our striking
resources will have been replenished to an adequate extent.
It is highly doubtful whether the same would be said if Robbie Keane
or Andrew Johnson were to be our lone striking purchase. The departure
of Craig Bellamy is something which has been done to death and he,
like Patrick Kluivert, would probably still be in Newcastle in an
ideal world. This is not an ideal world.
In an ideal world Alan Shearer would not be thirty-five next month,
but the great man has been written off so many times that it would
be foolish to say he would not provide excellent cover in the lone
striking berth. However, one must agree that to rely on the number
nine as our main source of goals next season would be more foolish
still. Shola Ameobi is a bone of so much contention between supporters,
however, he is heralded in the media and by his manager and is respectable
cover for the front three positions, nothing more, nothing less.
If the formation plan works (the 4-3-3 come 4-5-1), we only need one
striker this summer, mark my words. Nicolas Anelka fits the bill perfectly.
The Frenchman possesses pace to burn, an eye for goal, the ability
to run at man or hold the ball up, a proven track record and a desire
to play in black and white. Louis Saha is the only other viable (better
even?) alternative I can see for around the same money (or even on
loan again).
Boa Morte is the ideal solution to our left-sided conundrum, so once
more you must appreciate the calibre of targets pinpointed by our
much maligned manager. If Jenas, Parker and Emre form the exciting
core of our new-look team then what better players to have in front
of them than Boa Morte, Anelka and Dyer? I would struggle to think
of a faster attacking line-up in any team throughout the world, let
alone just in England – we saw what pace alone could do in those magical
seasons of fourth and third under Bobby Robson.
Craig Moore and Lee Clark on free transfers appear to be the two squad
players that Graeme Souness said he was looking for. Nicolas Anelka
and Luis Boa Morte you would assume comprise two of the three "top
players" he admitted to hunting in the same breath. Who is the third
man?
Surely he must possess the same kind of reputation as the likes of
Parker and Emre. Surely he must be a defender who is relatively versatile.
Surely it can't be Phil Neville, can it?
News this week regarding the more infamous of the Neville brothers
is that Sir Alex Ferguson will allow his utility man to leave for
a fee in the region of £3.5 million. Would he be a good buy for Newcastle?
As much as he is unfashionable, you don't play for Manchester United
for your entire career unless you're something special. By the same
token, though, Ferguson does not sell players if he feels they still
have something to offer. See the Nicky Butt of last season in reference
to this. Perhaps Ferguson needs the money to fund other transfers
now his club is Glazer-run?
A more popular choice would be the more expensive, more injury prone
and more aged choice, Sol Campbell of Arsenal.
Though still probably the better choice of the two, Campbell is not
the player he was and he seems to be struggling more with injuries
as he gets older. With the World Cup in Germany on the horizon, however,
he would definitely have the appetite for first team football with
a club like Newcastle if he could retain his fitness. A partnership
with the excellent Jean-Alain Boumsong would leave a lot of us salivating
at the mouth. Though where would it leave the development of Steven
Taylor and the resurgence of Titus Bramble?
Would Taylor be seen as direct cover for both full-back berths instead
of being used in his favoured role of centre-back? Would this do him
any harm? (See Jamie Carragher's immaculate season for Liverpool last
term after years of playing all over the defence.) To be on the safe
side though (both financially and in respect to the efforts of Bramble,
Taylor and Ramage), I would be looking for a left-back to challenge
the injury prone Celestine Babayaro.
Defying the "top player" comment, Olivier Bernard is available for
free and while not the calibre of Campbell or Neville, the money could
be better spent elsewhere and the brave Frenchman was our most improved
player in his last full season here.
This current squad is not as weak as people think, especially with
Parker, Emre and Moore added to the mix and Clark mooted to follow
in a player/coach role. If Anelka, Boa Morte and a defender, Bernard
for me, also take up permanent residence at St. James' Park then surely
optimism will start creeping back into our minds. I would consider
this to have been a successful summer of transfer activity both in
terms of numbers brought in and ability over what has been sold (if
it happens).
If we have a slice of luck on the injury front, bring in Clark and
three "top players" (Anelka/Saha, Boa Morte and Bernard/Campbell/P.
Neville?) and don't get bogged down in Europe (Deportivo may well
see to that) then we have to be looking at the top six places of the
Premiership as a realistic ambition for the coming season and at least
one domestic cup run, if not a trophy at long last. The squad will
be no weaker in terms of numbers; the dressing room atmosphere should
have improved no end and we should be looking at a good season.
For all the reservations about the ability of the people in charge
at NUFC; please realise that they have set about their tasks very
professionally this summer, though there is still work to be done.
Souness and Shepherd are on the road to redemption in my eyes with
what they have accomplished so far since the end of last season, Anelka
and Boa Morte would speed the optimistic band wagon up considerably.
However, the "third man" may well prove to be the most important signing
this summer… he could be the key to whether we finish tenth, sixth
or fourth, whether we're winners or runners up or even simply whether
we play better football than we have for the last three seasons.
This is all if the "third man" exists at all outside of Souness' mind
and if the cash exists to get him, that is. We cannot afford to rest
on our laurels at such a massive transition point in our existence,
so much so that every player we buy and sell counts enormously. I
think we've made a good start, but will I be right for putting my
faith in Messrs Souness and Shepherd?
Time, as always, will tell.
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