£3m bid rejected, apparently.Having strengthened the forward line, Newcastle United continue to pursue some cover in central defence. Although without much luck so far.
Now that we’ve unexpectedly strengthened our strike force with the addition of Papiss Demba Cissé, the club’s attentions have turned back to what they said was the priority position they need to get cover for. Namely the central defence. A fact that Pardew reiterated yesterday when he said:
“We want to bring a defender in, that’s what I’ve said and we’ll try and do that if we can because we ain’t got no cover. If we had an injury at centre-half, we’re going to look vulnerable. The phone will be switched on and I’ll be monitoring the transfer window”
According to Sunday’s Sun, Pardew still has his full £8m transfer budget available to him as the money to buy Cissé came from the summer transfer budget, and Pardew said:
“I wouldn’t bring a player in if I didn’t think he could challenge for the first team – full stop. If I don’t think a player can come straight into the first team, it makes no difference to me.” (more…)
Problematic past behind him now?Hatem Ben Arfa has been talking about some of the problems he’s faced in his career and how things are shaping up for him at Newcastle United.
Hatem Ben Arfa spoke to the French press yesterday about some of the problems that have plagued his life and footballing career to date and how they’re being addressed at Newcastle. Before going on, I should say that I used Google Translate and my grade 4 CSE French to translate a lot of this, so it might not be 100% accurate!
Benny starts by summing up the problems he had:
“I gave off something negative. I had bad energy. I am loud. I always wanted to participate in conversations. I had enormous difficulty submitting to authority”
He then goes on to say what he thinks the root cause of that ‘attitude’ was:
“My father never told me ‘I love you’. He ran out of affection in my life. He never managed to externalise his feelings. I do not want him. My father had no father. He reproduces a pattern I am trying to break for me because I have to move forward.” (more…)
Toon entertain possibly revitalised QPRNewcastle United entertain QPR on Sunday and will be hoping to make it 3 wins in a row against a Rangers who could be revitalised following the appointment of Mark Hughes as manager.
Venue: St James’ Park. Date: Sun 15th Jan 2011. Kick-Off: 13:30. Referee: Chris Foy.
QPR are in a bit of a pickle lately, having had a terrible string of results which ultimately led to the demise of Neil Warnock as manager and the inauguration of Mark Hughes as his replacement. Typically, Warnock has had things to say about being hoyed oot on his ear and there was more than a little bitterness when Warnock said:
“While I accept the owner’s decision, I do feel, if there were more people at the club in positions of power with experience in the game, they would have understood how well we have done in the circumstances.
“And they would have realised that, once we brought in the players I had identified, there would have been no problem securing a Premier League future. But no doubt the chairman has had a string of agents in touch telling them their man could do a better job.” (more…)
Picture not indicative of prizesLive life in the fast lane with the NUFC Blog prediction competition, the second of which starts this weekend. There are cash prizes to be won, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the ensuing fame leads to a book deal and your own reality TV show!
The second NUFC Blog prediction competition kicks off this weekend and once again £175 is up for grabs: £100 for 1st place, £50 for second and £25 for third.
The last competition – which finished at the end of last year – was won jointly by El Toro and GeordieMagpie who shared the £150 for first and second places with GrandPoobah coming a respectable third.
I should mention our own Clint Flick too as he was actually joint 1st but is forbidden from claiming prize as he’s a writer on the blog, but he certainly deserves a share of the kudos. (more…)
Zaha allegedly a Newcastle United targetRumours abound about Andy Carroll, Ravel Morrison, Junior Hoilett and Wilfried Zaha but so far there has been no action from Newcastle United in this transfer window.
After yesterday’s rumours about Andy Carroll‘s potential return to Newcastle, people have been queueing up to dismiss it all as twaddle. Apparently Newcastle have denied they’ve had any contact at all with Liverpool about Carroll and Carroll himself allegedly Twitted that it was rubbish, although the only quoted denial I could find was from Kenny Dalglish, who yesterday said:
“Och aye the noo, I am worried about the people that invent these rumours. They have absolutely no foundation whatsoever. I don’t need to justify what is in the paper. I have stood up – and always will stand up – for the players.”
And yet the rumours seem to persist and a lot of the press still think Carroll will eventually return to Newcastle, possibly at the end of the season. Make what you will of it! (more…)
