In The Know: Rumour Review - 22nd May
By Kasper Hakunti On Wed 23 May 2007 |
While most people are losing their sleep over the color of Owen’s bed sheets, Allardyce seems to be already well on his way rebuilding the black & white defence. That’s if you believe what the papers say.
Tal Ben Haim is a name constantly popping up when you fight your way past the Page 3 girls to the football sections. Saturday’s The Sun reported that the Israeli defender is all set to follow Allardyce to St James’ Park within the next fortnight after turning down Bolton’s new contract offer. Believe it or not, Tuesday’s The Independent didn’t agree. Their information is that Ben Haim is Chelsea bound with West Ham and Portsmouth hot on their heels.
Speaking of Portsmouth, the rumour has it that the circus will be arriving to the south coast before the start of the season. That’s right, they’re licking their fingers at the prospect of pairing Titus Bramble with Sol Campbell. Although they also continue to be linked with another ex-Newcastle free transfer, Sylvain Distin. With all those centre halves arriving at Pompey I’m sure they wouldn’t notice it if by the start of the new campaign one was missing. Campbell to the Toon, you heard it here first. Well not quite but I just like saying that. Makes me feel important and all that.
Something almost as important is the task Sam is facing rebuilding the much ridiculed defence. Monday’s Manchester Evening News made most of the Newcastle support smile when they announced that Wigan left back Leighton Baines was high on Allardyce’s list of targets. What a great way to start a week you say. I agree, but The Daily Mail had more to come: Sami Hyypiä is on his way also. The 33-year old Finland international might not push Oba Martins to his limits on 100m sprint but would certanly do a job at the Newcastle backline. I don’t think I’d be exactly crying if by the first match of the season our back four would have either Campbell or Hyypiä partnering Taylor with Baines and Nobby working the fullback spots.
In our eagerly anticipated next review we’ll be going deeper than any man has ever gone before to find out what on earth is really going on with the Newcastle United strikers. Who is Martins hiding from? Did Owen really buy brand new Arsenal bed sheets? And who’s that big dark skinned guy with a ridiculous running style?
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In my opinion this is what we need
Out: babayaro, carr, pattison, dyer nzogbia
Ins: Baines, L.Young, ben haim, C.Pizarro (bayern quality striker for Free) Nolan, Anelka
Anelka is a quality striker whos scored goals wer ever he has been. nolan wants to stick with big sam and hes got better chance of playing for england when playing for the toon as mclaren is always there. Pizarro is on a free hes 29 a think and hes a quality striker. hes scores goals and has expereince especially in the champions league. ben haim is on a free and should come to us rather than sitting next to sidwell at chelsea. young is an england international and wouldnt cost that much. baines is a quality left back and i think he would b a better buy than bale as i think hes actually a better defender and would cost a lot less.
Hope mike ashley backs big sam and lets him run the team. i think top 6 next year
Haway the Lads!!!!
Sent in on: May 24th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
With Duff being injured for a long time now I could imagine N’Zoggy staying now, if thats a good thing. Has good potential but after he got injured he never looked himself, time will tell.
Sent in on: May 24th, 2007 at 8:25 am
Are Freddie’s Days Numbered?
(from Sky Sports)
Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley has bought a 41.6 per cent stake in Newcastle ahead of a proposed takeover.
Ashley, who made his fortune in retail and in February floated Sports Direct, has paid Sir John Hall and his family £55million for the stake.
Ashley has offered to buy the rest of the club’s shares at the same price, which would value the St James’ Park outfit in the region of £133million.
Stock Exchange rules mean that St James’ Holdings Limited, Ashley’s bid vehicle, must now make a cash offer for the remaining shares, around 29.8 per cent of which belong to chairman Freddy Shepherd.
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Seems this guy Ashley is a complete hermit. Lives alone, nobody knows anything about him in his home village, shuns publicity…..should fit in great at the Toon then!
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Stuff transfer talk! What’s this about Sir John selling his shares to Mike Ashley? Billionaire takeover bid it seems……
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
i heard zidane is coming to sign for toon coming out of retirement, henry is coming from arsenal as well in a straight swap for siberski & rio ferdinand & john terry are joining us on free transfers in return they get steven carr.
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i believe all of above has more chance happening than us signing Leighton Baines but ahh well, liked the article & cannot wait for Allardyce to start signing PLAYERS not names.
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
What about Luke Young again at right back? At one point he was being linked with everybody?
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 12:12 pm
The rumours do have one good thing about them, they are all concerning classier defenders that we have had in a long time. However Hyypia is not on my list when i use the classier expression. He has been at fault for many Liverpool goals this season, and seems like he is on the backburner, I would also like to think that we could get in a classy right back as i wouldnt want us to start the season with Taylor, Hyypia and Solano (Insert name for left Back here). We could do a good job with 3 free transfers tho, Distin, Ben Haim and Viduka (Possibly Ljunberg?) and then use the money on 3 good backs (Baines sounds like a good choice). I would even think that would leave us with money to spare for a big name signing later on.
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 8:24 am
At the end of the day if Ben Haim doesnt sign and goes to Chelski, i’m sure him and Sidwell will both be very happy sat next to eachother on the subs bench each week. If they both want to ruin their careers then good for them. But i do believe that Ben Haim will sign for us.
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 8:02 am
Whether Ben Haim, Baines, Distin or Ronaldihno end up at St James’ is not my point here; it’s a nicer feeling than last season or the previous ones to have some conjecture and rumour that’s basically quite optimistic about the forth-coming season. Makes a bit of a change. I think we need that after the last few seasons when there was more of a pessimistic outlook. HTL!
Sent in on: May 23rd, 2007 at 6:54 am