we'd have to be bloody quick to get Shorey, Reading are trying to tie him down with a new contract.

And I haven't seen enough of him to give my opinion, but after one good season in the Prem with a newly promoted team, I'd be a bit wary of spending too much

bellamy plus 4-5million would do me for owen personally. the good thing about owen is that he has pace and can finish. his offside goal vs someone (wigan?) at the end of last season showed how composed and what a good finisher he is, but the bad thing about owen is that he is on around or over 100K a week, has a puny release clause and i'm not sure whether he wants to stay here.
Bellamy plus owen could work. neither have any height, but as long as allerdyce doesn't want bolton style football and we break the habit of panicing and going long ball when things are going badly it could work.
the good thing about bellamy is that in my view there is nobody in this league better at this (except maybe henry) as getting behind a defence and playing a perfect ball to the striker. with bellamy feeding owen we could see great rewards next season, solano at rb if he plays there could let him have space to cross, which would also = goals for owen, as he has an excelent delivery. so if we were to play those two up front and find a way of releasing bellamy then i think we would have a brilliant strikeforce next season.

I am a big fan of martins, but he is a completely different striker to bellamy. he is all about power and pace, whereas bellamy is far more intelligent. he is only 22 so could improve in those areas, but i'm not sure if he would be the best partner for owen.
berbatov is also a newcastle fan though. Martins, Owen, Berbatov, Viduka, Bellamy = premier league title

seriously say we were to lose owen and get bellamy. i reckon either berbatov or viduka would be able to perform the owen role. we need a composed finisher and both fit the bill. berbatov would cost a lot though so is a no go for me unless ashley fancies an investment.

benhaim free would be a must for me. Then we will need someone to create in midfield. maybe sell emre to part finance this, he is good, but i reckon we could sign better, although we haven't seen him play for a team that wasn't controlled by roeder or souness, so maybe we need to see what he can to with a tactically competent manager.
Say we get benhaim for free, and that parkers sale is not part of the 40mill then we have 41.5 to spend if reports are to be believed. maybe someone like vandervaat or kaalstrom, a player like that anyway, even if not them. we then need two fullbacks, maybe three. bridge is one option, he should be quite cheap. Baines maybe as well. i would also think about ryan taylor. nick both of wigans full backs. shorey maybe as well, i'm not sure about young, definately not brown.
we will then need another cb. a good and experianced one to partner haim until taylor is ready for first team football.

this should only cost around 25mill max. benhaim free. 2fullbacks around 10-12 max hopefully. another cb maybe 5-7, and bellamy has been swapped for owen. the am cost would depend on who we get.
then maybe think about appiah and others who are not needed but could boost the squad/first team.

I'm very worried about Owen's contract, tbh less worried due to the arrival of Ashley, but pride would still be stung if we get fuked over on this one.

We can lose all of the £9m on Luque, but to lose the same on Owen due to the circumstances would be painful, bit like what Boro are experiencing right now with Viduka 

If we could get Bellamy back with money on top its worth considering. I think Owen is the better goalscorer, but Bellamy is Newcastle, its no wonder he wants to come back here, he belongs just like Owen belongs with them.

Ben Haim's mates with Uri Geller. Can we honestly take the risk of that t*** turning up at SJP?

Well, at least there's a good chance he'll turn up at the wrong SJP, then.

Just read this , from Uri Geller's site:

'He told a reporter this week: “The conversations with Uri help me enormously. He persuades me to believe in myself and other things that may help my game with Bolton and Israel. I feel confident every time I go on to the pitch."

And he’s not afraid to tell his colleagues how he achieves his mental strength. His fellow defender, Rahdi Jaidi, told the national press: “Tal is a very positive person and I know he puts a lot of that down to his sessions with Uri Geller. He fills his mind with positive thinking.”

When I read that, I knew how it must feel to power the ball into the net from 40 yards out. Tal, I’m proud to be part of the team'

No way Colloccini would cost 6mill. We tried to sign him in January for 1,5 (at least aproxomatly), but Deportivo wanted 2,7mill (aproxomatly I think ) and Freddy didnt want to give them that. He har fallen out with the manager in Deportivo and been s**** the last year. But still, I think he can become quality again eith a manager who doesent hold any grudges against him or he doesent hold any grudges against.

To be hounest with you I seriously doubt Mancini and Diego would come to us. Both are playing for better clubs and can probably move to many better clubs if they were to be sold. Plus I think both would have been s**** in Premier League. Mancini fits better in Italy or Spain and Diego is not a normal CM. More a very very offencive midfielder. But still, they are great players that unfortunately probably won't play for us in the nearest future.

Colloccini would be good, I agree there. But Diego is more a La Liga or Serie A-player than a PL-player IMO. I think Mancini is too. But lets hope I am wrong if they come to us, and right if they go to someone else! I know I would be happy if they came, but I was happy when Luque came as well. (not that I am comparing him with these two).

It would make a change to make a few signings that weren't attention-seeking, and actually did us some good in the long term.

   

Id like to see us make a move for Borowski in Werder Bremen. He is very versatile and would give our midget midfield som height. He is a fantastic header!

Does anyone know this? How long has Sam had Bolton as a 4-5-1 side? Good few years now...

Honestly can't see anything other than a 4-3-3/4-5-1. He isn't really a 4-4-2 man. I know he's got the funds and the backing now, but there's no reason for why he should change a formula that he's proved does work.