Alan Pardew: “We are very close to securing another key player”.

Posted on January 23rd, 2011 | 63 Comments |

Pardew: New player on the horizon?
Pardew: New player on the horizon?
Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, has admitted in an interview that there is still work to be done before Newcastle United were a “good team in the Premier League”, hinting that he will not be complacent or rest on his laurels in striving for further improvements in the side. He also said that he was “close” to securing a key player, and also bringing in a new one before the end of the current transfer window.

He began by looking back to the previous two games, against the Mackems and ‘Spurs respectively, where on both occaisions, the team surrendered leads to injry time goals from the opposition. Pardew said on this:

“When you are a nailed-on good team in the Premier League that wouldn’t have happened,”

“We aren’t that yet and still have to work towards that.

“If you’ve got a regular team who are winning every week and confident then you can see games out and probably be a bit more relaxed.

“But because we conceded so late last week through being so deep, we obviously thought the answer was to go forward and get the second.

“That has cost us, and the balance is somewhere in the middle.

But on a more optimistic note he added:

“But there were a lot of good signs. The squad players have come in and done terrific.

“Guthrie came in and did great, Peter came on and was superb and Nile was good as well.”

Pardew then proceeded to give a tantalising glimpse into how the club were “close” to securing a key player, and securing a new one, with Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright Phillips and Sebastian Larsson being candidates recently touted by the media.

As for the “key player” who would be secured, Joey Barton, on whom there has been speculation about taking a pay cut on a contract extension, could be one, with Jose Enrique and Fabricio Coloccini also being candidates. Pardew said on this:

“I had a good meeting with Mike (Ashley) this week where we discussed a lot of things.

“I keep stressing to him the importance of the group that we’ve got, and we are very close to securing another person, a key player, and that’s been my focus.

“For the next 10 days I will focus on bringing a player in who will help us.”

Let’s see what the remainder of the transfer window brings!

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63 Responses

  1. I think you’re misinterpreting what Pardew said. The reference to being close to “securing a key player” is almost certainly a reference to Joey Barton signing a new contract.

  2. I read somewhere a similar interview in which AP conceded being close to securing another squad player on a long term contract, could be any one of three players, JB, the bull or Collo….

    Additional players to the squad would also be welcome, and in fact are also needed as we’re struggling a little due to injuries at the moment. But when we get our full strength team back just watch us go ! Howay the lads !!

  3. clarky says:
    January 23, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    “I think you’re misinterpreting what Pardew said.”

    Yes clarky, I think that you are right, but I was in a hurry as usual and published too soon. I was hurriedly corrrecting that after I realised my haste there.

  4. Agree think it is Barton! But we defenitley need a winger before the end of the transfer window! Think West Brom. winger Jerome Thomas would fit into our team! He is speedy and working hard for the team!

  5. Kris says:
    January 23, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    “Agree think it is Barton!”

    I hope it’s all three in time, Kris. Both Coloccini and Enrique and have been outstanding, especially so in the last few games.

  6. With Gosling and HBA waiting to make their comebacks, I find it strange that Ashley would sanction a move for more midfielders. Having neither of them made an impression on the first half of the season (for differing reasons!), their return would be considered as “acquisitions” during the January window.

  7. Yes, it is a reference to an existing squad member,, but he goes on to say he will be looking at bringing someone else in once that’s done.

    I hope we aim for a quality first teamer in a specialist position – i.e. right winger/ support striker who will improve upon what we have,, not just another body.

  8. I do somewhat disagree with this bit:

    “When you are a nailed-on good team in the Premier League that wouldn’t have happened,”

    It even happens to the best teams sometimes. That’s why at the end of tight Manchester United games, Fergie often goes an even pucer shade than normal, bangs on his wristwatch, and screams at refs to “look at the time!”. It’s happened to all of ’em at times, but it just happens less often.

  9. I’d like to call an end to people whining about players Pardew should be buying, or Simpson ‘standing off too much’. It’s pathetic. There are 13 teams in the league that would love to be in our position.

    Look at all the mistakes Rafael has made you dont see Man Utd fans jumping on his back.

    I think a lot of people are getting a bit ahead of themselves and it’s really starting to pi$$ me off. If we’d have held on at the weekend we would’ve been 5 points behind Tottenham, I’m guessing people wouldve taken that at the start of the season? Honestly get a grip.

    WE ARE PERFORMING ABOVE EXPECTATIONS. There are a lot of thick people on this blog that cant seem to get that through their heads.

    Every single fan should be ecstatic with the way we have performed this year, happy with the signings we’ve made, even if it is mainly tying people down, and be looking forward to seeing how it all develops next year.
    “oh but we should have signed Bentley or Robbie Keane” “Ameobi and Best aren’t good enough”, WE ARE THE LEAGUE’S FU**ING 5TH TOP SCORERS”.

  10. Solanos Trumpet –

    I agree with most of that but are we not allowed to discuss mistakes by players that cost us valuable points?

    Just because we are performing above expectations doesn’t mean we should accept losing valuable points that we could and should have had. I’m certain Pardew and the players won’t be looking at it like that either.

  13. Almost everything agreed apart from support for Ameobi and Best. The sad fact is that both of them are equally ineffectual for 95% of a game but playing BOTH of them togeryher is a criminal waste.

    I’d take Shirley for his hold up play or Best for his opportunism in the box but not both. If we havent got Carroll then we should work to a plan that fits what we have got.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/9364537.stm

    PS Proof if proof was still needed that the bloke is a top player at Championship level but not at BPL.

  14. I agree completely that mistakes need to be sorted out, but it is the constant moaning. Constant beating the players up about things. Again who would you replace Simpson with? It’s all very well complaining, but I think at the rate he is improving he is our best option.

  15. The team are doing exceptionally well and perfoming well beyond expectations. Of course individuals will make mistakes but as long as they learn from them we will get stronger. I don`t want to see us buying players for the sake of it. The january window is usually difficult, if we can`t get better than what we have wait until the summer have a clearout and go again. If you are looking to improve the left side with a strong player with ability take a look at Bradley Johnson at Leeds.

  16. I don’t moan about any player except for Simpson’s backing off and Nolan’s inability to play in midfield. I for one have supported Guthrie through thick and thin when there have been plenty who have written him off. Thought he proved alot of people wrong yesterday. And I would play Steven Taylor at right back instead of Simpson. Maybe dropping him for a few games would help to improve his game, just like it did for Jonas when he was dropped in favour of Ben Arfa.

  17. Is everyone at least agreed that they would rather not sign anyone than sign players for the sake of it?

    For example: I would rather see Best and Ranger get more opportunities than sign Keane for 6mill.

  18. Agreed. But we do need a winger that can either play on both sides, but preferably on the right. Who that man is, I don’t know but if Graham Carr had anything to do with the signings of Ben Arfa and Tiote then I trust his judgement to be honest.

  19. Agree with solanostrumpet in that we I don’t want keane, larseen etc. Also very happy with progress to date.

    I think that 4-4-2 demands good wingers and two good finishers., which may be coming through but are not there yet.

    Pushing up Nolan in a 4-3-3 makes sense, but exposes our lack of depth on the left.

    To me this indicates that we do need a couple of players to strengthen our squad. Given our new policy of buying young, lesser known foreign players, which seems to be working I have named who I want and why on previous posts.

    I think we are close to having and excellent first team, but in a couple of positions we lack experienced competition..

    I think we have some excellent youngsters coming through but I also feel that there is an interim that needs to be addressed.

    I am delighted with progress to date, that’s why I’m looking to develop. If we were performing as the bottom 6 are with negative goal difference 10+ then I might be looking at panic buys, but I’m not.

  20. Fake Cheik says:
    January 23, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    “I don’t know but if Graham Carr had anything to do with the signings of Ben Arfa and Tiote then I trust his judgement to be honest.”

    Fake Cheik, Tiote was on the club’s radar long before Carr came to the club. Hughton checked him out at Roda in the Netherlands (before he joined Twente) when he was a coach under Keegan.

  21. I’m supremely confident that the current management group, and that includes AP & to a certain extent John Carver will not make any stupid moves in the current transfer window. The right money will be paid for the right person, if and when they come available.

    This whole “will we/won’t we” debate always runs until the very last minute of the transfer window, because MA likes to wait and see who blinks first, and tries to get the player as cheaply as possible.

    However, at the same time this is somewhat risky, given the apparent lack in strength in depth of the current squad. We all believe that the squad should be strengthened, the doubt seems to be in which positions. At the same time, recent results with a supposedly severly reduced first team should be re-assuring for us toon fans, cos it only goes to show what could be achieved with a settled injury free first team, and some good aquisitions. Maybe we need to wait to see what the summer brings ? Would still like to see a few more points in the bag though so that we can all breathe a little easier !

  22. Fair Enough. Sounds like Taarabt had another great game for QPR today. Shame he wasn’t involved in a swap with Routledge but I suppose QPR aren’t in a financial need to sell anyone so doubt he’ll be leaving them any time soon.

  23. Haven’t QPR got an owner with loads of wedge ? Maybe they don’t need to sell Taarabt. Won’t take him long to work out he’s a big fish in a small pond though..

  24. So if he aint good enough playing in a championship team why is the likes of Tarrabt. How about a bit of perspective. Even more nuf said.

  25. Munich Mag says:
    January 23, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    “Haven’t QPR got an owner with loads of wedge ?”

    It must be frustrating for QPR fans. They’re owned by a multi billionire who is frequently at the top of the world’s richest men lists (Lakshmi Mittal), the billionaire head of Formula One (Bernie Ecclestone), and a multi millionaire (Flavio Briatore). Yet they’re still taking players such as Wayne Routledge back on loan rather than gannin’ for the likes of Messi and Tevez!

  26. Grumpy:

    Because we’ve seen with our own eyes that Routledge isn’t good enough for the Premier League. Some players just can’t make that step up. Routledge has tried, and failed time and again in the top flight. In the Championship, however, he is top class.

  27. No wouldnt buy just for the sake of it, thats a recipe which Fat Fred cooked up time and time again and look where it got us !

    For all sorts of reasons we need to look very closely at our next signings because there will be times when 4-4-2 doesnt cut it and for that I’d like another mobile, predominantly right sided attacking midfielder/winger whatever you want to call it or just switch Jonas in the short term when HBA returns.

  28. worky…you’re right mate, they’ve got a gaggle of owners with loads of wedge !!

    Looks like they’re trying to do it the MA softly-softly way on limited investment. Seems to be working for them too at the moment by all accounts.

  29. It’s a real pity with Routledge cos he has real pace, and that comes naturally to him and can’t be taught. Unfortunately his final ball is often poor, and he cannot cross the ball. He seems like a bloke not too high on self confidence, but if he’s in the mood he can be a real hand full…

  30. He score on the first game for QPR bot none to nearly in PRM this season for us TT. Mention we just only loan him out so if he can improve we can bring him back for us, can’t we ? But I think it will be the same as Milner case after loan ed him out to Villa.

  32. Munich Mag says:
    January 23, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    “Looks like they’re trying to do it the MA softly-softly way on limited investment. Seems to be working for them too at the moment by all accounts.”

    Munich, they’ve owned the club for quite a few years now, so they’re making very slow progress. I looked it up quickly and Mittal first invested in the club in December 2007!

  33. Ginkoh says:
    January 23, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    “But I think it will be the same as Milner case after loan ed him out to Villa.”

    He was another Newcastle winger who was accused of having “no end product”.

  34. worky…thats seriously softly-sotfly approach if Mittall first invested in 2007 ! QPR have had a bit turbulence though I recall, moving on a few managers on the way..

    It would be good to have them back in the PL, I always liked them, from the old days of Gerry Francis and Stan Bowles through to Les Ferdinand…..showing my age now though !

  35. To be honest Wayne Routledge at 1 million is a snip, when compared to Milner at how many millions !!? It’s a great move for QPR, but for the life of me I cannot understand it from the toons perspective, unless we have something better lined up….or it’s a deal for an old mate at QPR or summat…cannot work it out.

    I’m sure he’ll come back a better player, if we do sell him we’ll make a profit on him…

  36. IF QPR can promote to PRM next year, They will be the one of richest football team in England. If I’m not wrong their owner is rich just second to Man city.

  37. His post match interview was interesting, he said it was nice to actually get a “full game”, which I feel is very relevant to his form with us. Also he never said he wanted to stay with QPR even though the interviewer seemed to be trying to get him to.

    You could apply the full matches analogy to players like Collocini, Enrique, Carroll and several others who people were willing to write off as hopless at various times.

    I tend to agree to the Milner comparison.

  39. Ginkoh says:
    January 23, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    “If I’m not wrong their owner is rich just second to Man city.”

    Ginkoh, Lakshmi Mittal is usually said to be even richer than Man City’s Sheik Mansour. Last time I read, he was the world’s fifth richest man with around £20 billion. It was said originally that the investment group who bought Man City actually involved the whole of Abu Dhabi, and had hundreds of billions behind them, however this has been denied. So QPRs owners, most notably Mittal, are probably the richest.

  40. Fake Cheik says:
    January 23, 2011 at 7:31 pm

    “Could be a good replacement should we sell Alan Smith and provide some good competition for the midfield.”

    He knockin’ on a bit now though, Fake Cheik. Must be almost 30? With all this stuff about Arsenal model blah blah, young players blah blah, resale value blah blah…

  41. True. I’m sure his wages would be as much of a problem as his age too. Think he’d make a good partner for Tiote though.

  42. Carrick would be a good signing for the toon, a geordie boy too, but I cannot see it happening unless we got him for nowt on a free

  43. Fake Cheik says:
    January 23, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    “True. I’m sure his wages would be as much of a problem as his age too.”

    He gets knacked alot nowadays as well, Fake Cheik.

  45. I keep banging on about him, I know, but it seems that Charlie Adams agent is letting everyone know he is willing to move on. Why else would the £4m bid from Liverpool have been leaked?
    Connor Whickam scored again at the weekend.

    IMHO, these are the two players we should be going all out to sign.

  46. Micky Toon says:
    January 23, 2011 at 8:23 pm

    “I keep banging on about him, I know, but it seems that Charlie Adams agent is letting everyone know he is willing to move on. Why else would the £4m bid from Liverpool have been leaked?”

    Micky Anyone who puts in a bid get slaughtered by Ian Holloway. On the £4 million bid he said “put a figure one in front of that”, which would imply £14 million+!

  47. I’m probably the only one, but I am seriously getting p’d off with Holloway now. It seems to me like he has let his own hype get to his head. He is now commenting on things that have nothing whatsoever to do with him on a regular basis. I wouldn’t mind as much, but he seems to refer to tabloid speculation as if it were fact.

  48. I think everyone needs to give Hollaway a break. Charlie Adam is the spine of that team and is the most likely one to create or score or goal during 90% of their games. He is worth far farm more than 4 mill otherwise why would everyone want him but you all think he should be cheap as he is from Blackpool. Well thats why scum like Spurs think they can get Andy for 15 mill because he is just coming from Newcastle.

    Charlie Adam is worth 12-14 mill to Blackpool as he may keep them up single handed. To a team that see him as a good off the bench player he may be worth 5 to 6 mill. I think he will go for around 8 mill.

  49. Charlie, I would say that is a fair assessment. We’ve all said similar about Carroll. Sure he would probably be bought if we said give us £20m and he’s yours, but he’s worth more than that to us. What a player is worth to a team compared to his market value are often very different.

  50. For what its worth can I just say some great work by Steve Harper yesterday. Fully justifies his place ahead of Tim Krul.
    Unfortunatly the same must also be said about Cudichini. That was a great save from Sholas curling strike, also he got down and saved well from Lovenkrands.
    Its easy to blame our strikers for not scoring, but their GK is no mug either. Against another team both those attempts would have counted. Thats just the way it goes sometimes. At least we are getting shots away which is good to see.
    Also I dont think its fair to heap all the blame for the equaliser onto Danny Simpson. He was doing ok trying to force AL out right. If he had gone in for the tackle AL would have gone down for the pen. As soon as he cut in onto his right foot Willo was there and should have got his foot in, but never and allowed AL to get his shot away. Then colo blocked Harpers view. So thats 3 defenders in the mix plus the keeper never moved.
    They are all culpable. But in the end I think Pardwho? summed it up right in his post match int. Guilty of trying too hard for the extra goal as opposed to sitting too deep against the filth. It needs to be more about keeping the ball down the other end and running down the clock than scoring. But its all part of the learning curve the Lads are going thru.
    The overall performance of the Lads was IMO excellent. So what more could we have asked for. 1 point is better than none, and at least we didn’t just turn up ala stevenage ffs.
    I’ve said all along that if the Lads put in 100% results will come and at the end of the day a point against spuds who are doing well this season lets be honest is a good result. Just look at how many were predicting we would lose.
    I’m happy.
    HWTL
    Toon Toon

  51. zzzzzzzzzzzz
    Fookin Waffle,More of a puppet than CH !

    the minute you waled in the joint…i could tell you where a real big spakka :)

  53. From the Dail Mail:

    “Newcastle have made an inquiry for Bayer Leverkusen’s Swiss midfielder playmaker Tranquillo Barnetta – although the 25-year-old may not be fully fit for another four weeks.”

    Anyone else heard of him? i hope he plays with Tranquillo on his shirt!

    Or hear owt on Nigel Reo-Coker?

    Or Jay Bothroyd for £2m, at 28-years-old, good price and might add competition for the strikers…

  54. BB,
    fair enough that mate.
    Though i would add that PL’s attempt was as much thwarted by the defender sticking his foot in & stopping PL getting a proper contact(pen?) on the shot. As much as a good save.

  55. Just reading Mr. Teflon`s last statement.
    When you`r a nailed-on good team in the EPL, that would`nt have happened ?
    Well it has actually, twice and was it not Pardew in charge both times ?
    Hey, was there not a lesson to learn from the Sunderland game ?
    Look, who sets the tactics ? we played a very high line from the kick off, is Pardew saying he had no input on that that it just happened?
    And are you saying there was no intendid tactical change when we were ahead, that we just continue as before ?
    Of course there were opportunities for breaks as the game got into the later stages, where Spurs had to press. but the game should never have become so wide open with attack and counter attack, we should have never held so high a line or sent so many forward.
    C`mon we were leading and if Pardew could`nt or did`nt impart that to the side, especially following what accured at Sunderland, then we are in deep sh*t !
    But you gotta love the way he lays it on the team, hey was`nt my fault !

  56. I remember the days when Shearer used to keep the ball in the corners when we were leading and waste so much time. We need to get back to that.

  57. @56
    in order to do that we need possession of the ball the last two outings sunderland and tottenham have had the last 10 minutes or so of high pressure on us

  59. Steve_48, it’s Ashely’s money and if he thinks he can have fun and take a hit of near a meillion, then that’s his business.

    Must say though, I find such behaviour as immoral especially in these days when people are sleeping on the streets – probably a matetr of yards from the casino!

    However, what he does with his money’s got as much to do with me as me having a grizzle at how you or anyone else spends theirs.

  61. Shame to be dropping points in this sloppy fashion – don’t care what any of you say about who is to blame (Pardew, players etc.) it is unprofessional and careless – we need to be more cynical, i.e. boot it in the stands, take it in the corners, keep the ball etc. We havec been naive on both occasions……hpofully lessons being learnt. Also, some of the PArdew comments above are just stupid – short memories, we forget the we lost at home to Blackpool and Stoke at home under Hughton, lost 5-1 away to Bolton, 4 – 0 against Arsenal reserves, poor in a 2 – 2 draw home against Wigan…..these were bad results and not just isolated incidents, there are about 6 or more really bad performances under Hughton this season – Pardew has presided over these two draws, away to Sudnerland and home to Tottenham and is being accused of taking us backwards…….Hughton overal was doing a decent job, better than expected but not perfect, Pardew has carried it on in much the same vein….pathetic to suggest that he has done otherwise really – short memories, Chris is not being cast as the messiah and Pardew the bad guy – they are doing much the same job as each other were (which was why the change in manager was pretty pointless). As for him blaming the players, not sure that he is. He blamed the team, i.e. if we were are top PL TEAM that would not have happened. He is right, we ar not a TOP PL team, who thinks we are? He highlighted an error by Harper in a game, which was an error – he was annoyed with Enrique and his tweets, he is not alone with that one either – comon give the guy a break – this is nonsense!!!

  62. Does the thing on MA say that he may have won millions, before he lost £1m?
    I doubt they would like.

    The only way manusa would allow Carrick to come to NUFC is if we traded Tiote the other way, which ain’t gonna happen. carrick isn’t worth a third of what Tiote is, & i would even suggest that carrick was a relative failure at manusa.

    Wonder if andy gay & the hairy palmed one will be sacked by sly sports for their sexist outburst, just like Rodney Marsh was for his Tsunami faux pas or Big (medium, as i now call him) Ron for his racist one?
    Scum, get shot.
    :)

  63. Look when we hammered Sunderland, who took the heat ?
    Bruce did, and by publicly apologising to the fans.
    What i`m saying is, it`s gonna be a cold day in hell before Mr. Teflon admits fault.
    And the pathetic apology for him not sure he was blaming the player, he was blaming the team ? What !!!
    The man was on the sideline able to communicate and obviously didn’t impart the info. they should protect the lead by not holding a high line and not send so many forward on breaks.
    And for that reason,to lay it on the team/players is incredible and unjustifiable.
    Teams play the game as instructed, usually by the manager, no ?
    Guess Pardew just said, what the hell just go out and do whatever you feel like.