Newcastle United – News Roundup – 31 July 2009

Posted on July 31st, 2009 | 10 Comments |

Smith - Toon enforcer?
Smith - Toon enforcer?
Predictably, a lot of the chat has been about the suggestion that an Iranian tycoon called Sirous Mahjoob is bidding for Newcastle United and may (re)install Kevin Keegan as manager.

Much doubt has been cast on whether this chap actually exists in the first place, let alone whether or not he’s bidding for the club. In general it’s the red-tops and Sky that seem to have been running with this story, although few of the broadsheets and local papers have touched it.

But let’s see what other news is around.

According to The Chronicle, Alan Smith has been laying down the law to players following the 6-1 defeat by Orient. Yesterday he said:

Some people have made it public that they want to go, while others have got their head down.

That is entirely up to the individual.

We won’t have a go at anybody if they want to go.

But they must cross that white line and give 100% when they wear a Newcastle shirt.

We won’t have any qualms if they walk away if they get a better offer elsewhere.

Every player in the dressing room last night, whether they want to stay or go, gave 100% and we cannot have any complaints.”

Also in The Chronicle, Chris Hughton claims he’s closer to knowing the starting eleven for the new season after our draw with Leeds. He told the newspaper:

As you reach the end of pre-season you start to formulate the team which is going to start the first game. Going into the last match against Dundee United, we need to be somewhere near the shape we start with at West Brom.”

So I’m gathering that the team we field against Dundee on Sunday is going to be close to the one we use against West Brom in our first league game on a week Saturday. I’m a little worried that a lot of the players selected will have either expressed a desire to leave themselves or will be players the club will look to get rid of to reduce the wage bill and that we might have to start working with a very different team not long after the season starts. But I suppose Hughton can only only select the best players from those at his disposal right now.

The Mail is reporting that Viduka is heading for Portsmouth after being released by Newcastle at the end of last season. Good luck to them I say. I think Viduka turned out to be one of our better players during the disastrous run-in at the end of last season but he had previously spent an awful long time on the treatment table. If they’re sensible (unlike Newcastle) they’ll have him on a wage structure based around the number of games he plays, similar the one Man Utd has for Owen.

That’s about all there is in terms of Newcastle news today but I thought this article might amuse you a bit. Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc insists Marouane Chamakh will not move to Sunderland as he will only let the wantaway striker join a “big club”. Perhaps we should put in a bid because, as everyone knows, Newcastle – unlike Sunderland – definitely is a big club!

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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10 Responses

  1. Morning Hugh
    You have to feel sorry for Hughton. In a job he doesn’t want, not knowing what players will be available to select next week for our first league game, some of the players who will be there, don’t want to be and are likely to put in half baked performances. Still he just gets on with it. These people who keep slating him drive me nuts. The man doesn’t want to step up to the managers plate but he has no option. At least he is trying unlike a lot of the team. Regarding Smith, whether he is effective or not in his position seems secondary to a degree. We need people with his determination and commitment to play for us next season. We can’t afford a bunch of lily livered wimps who won’t put themselves on the line in the championship as they will get slaughtered. Interesting article posted on one of the blogs yesterday regarding the truth behind Smith’s transfer to Manure. Basically said Leeds approached SAF at Manure as they were about to become insolvent and Smith was their most valuable playing asset. They agreed a deal and told mith he was going as they had no choice but to sell him or the club would go under. Smith being a Leeds fan went knowing the flack he was going to get from the Leeds fans. So ironically at that moment in time if he hadn’t of gone Leeds would have gone under.Leeds fans should think on that when they are shouting their vile abuse. I’m not a big Smith fan but credit where it’s due he has just got on with stuff and kept schtum even when taking a lot of unfounded abuse. That’s the kind of character we need.

  2. The championship is very physical. We need players like smudge who won’t be messed around and can dish it out.
    I think his career went off the tracks at Manure – he’d been an excellent forward at Leeds but Taggart tried to turn him into a midfielder to justify buying him……

    I’m sure a manager like Sir Kevin or Sir Alan could get the best out of him…

  3. Yeah, I do feel a bit sorry for Hughton. He’s been asked to step in so many times now and he just gets on with it. Okay, he hasn’t been particularly successful at it, but it’s hardly his fault the powers that be won’t appoint a manager.

  4. Too many people on other blogs are too bust slagging offHughton and indeed Alan Smith.From where I sit Hughton has just got on with a job he doesnt want after stepping in now on several occasions.Ok he has not been that successful but he gets his head down and just gets on with it,somebody has to.As for Smith yes he is paid plenty but nobody should accuse him of being a prima donna.He is another who just getson withit.Bearing in mind the serious injury he suffered he certainly doesnt pull out of tackles.

  5. I do not think the anger is being directed at Hughton more at Ashley for putting him in charge. You can not fault him as he does his best but he never should have been in charge.

  6. It may well be frustration at Ashley but again as an outsider it does appear to many others to be directed at Chris Hughton.Whilsy Im doing anOzzy and whingeing I cannot understand why again on certain other blogs folks always seem to be rude and angry with each other when opinions differ.It comes across as so infantile.People are entitled to different opinions.The blog I refer to was a good blog until this have a go at each became prevailent.Just hope this blog doesnt go the same way.At present the comments even if opinions differ is sane and sensible

  7. You’re full of it Stan :D

    There’s no guarantee it won’t get silly from time to time but I think we agreed we’d monitor things and hopefully keep things as sensible as we could without losing genuine craic.

    I agree re Hughton. He’s struggling but you can’t apportion blame to someone doing a job they’ve been asked to do but that they never wanted nor professed to be capable of.

  8. “Your full of it Stan”
    Careful bowburnmag or I will do a Keegan and throw my toys out of the pram and leave lol

  9. Hey, you know thati think Newcastle United – News Roundup – 31 July 2009 | Newcastle United Blog. is the best site on the internet right? Love reading it!