Healthy position after 3 games.Thanks to last night’s win over Sheffield Wednesday we go 3rd in the Championship, behind Cardiff and ‘Boro on goal difference, sharing 7 points with 5 other teams. Chris Hughton said of the game:
“I don’t think it was the prettiest win, but nonetheless it was very pleasing.
“I think we needed that second goal for the game to open up but their keeper has made some terrific saves.
“We got the early goal like we’d hoped and it was a great goal, real route one stuff and another fantastic finish from Shola.
“After that both sides have had a couple of good chances and we’ve got Steve Harper to thank for two great saves in the second-half.
“But we’ve got the win and that’s the most important thing.
“We’re back up to third and confidence is high and two successive wins.” (more…)
Moat still in the runningVarious media outlets are reporting that the takeover saga at Newcastle United is rapidly approaching its conclusion.
The Telegraph’s ‘source close to the board’ said:
“There are three parties now interested in buying the club from Mike Ashley of which Barry Moat is one and one thing in common for all of them is that the asking price is £100 million all ways round.
“Moat can now be considered as the outsider of three but if the business is not concluded by Friday then there is a problem and there is a good chance the club will be taken off the market.”
So from that report it seems that Moat’s chances aren’t too good. (more…)
Cottage industry beckons?Reports in the media tell us that Roy Hodgson has confirmed Fulham are very close to clinching a move for Damien Duff. Apparently the London club are prepared to offer the mooted £4m for the Irish winger. Of course, Roy Hodgson knows Duff well from when he became a regular at Blackburn in the late ’90s, while Hodgson was in charge.
He rates him very highly and according to the rumours Duffer is more than keen to get back down south, knowing the area well after his Chelsea days.
“The clubs are talking and I hope the deal will go through. He’s a player that interests us,” Hodgson said. “Damien and I go back a long way from when we worked together at Blackburn. He wants to come back to west London.
“Damien had injury problems at Chelsea and has done well at Newcastle given the turmoil there. Every time he’s played for Ireland he’s consistently been one of their best performers. We know what we’d be getting with Damien – he’s an experienced and quality player.”(more…)
Number one super guyPoor old Chris Hughton deserves a fair bit of credit for quietly taking over a job he doesn’t want and just getting on with it.
Ashley’s dumped him in it a few times now but Hughton simply remains unruffled, appearing to treat his frequent calls to stand-in as manager of one the most media-exposed teams in the country with no more alarm than he’d treat a hole in his sock.
According to The Chronicle, Hughton had this to say about the club sale saga at the club’s Benton training ground:
“I think the sooner there is a line drawn on the situation the better for everybody.
“I think that’s what everybody wants.”
That’s about as close as he gets to a complaint. If the man was any more relaxed he’d be horizontal. He puts me in mind of Hong Kong Phooey actually, although that’s probably more to do with my insane, laterally-articulated brain than anything else. (more…)
Winging his way to Lancashire?According to reports on Sky Sports News we’ve received an estimated £4m bid from an unidentified Premier League club for Duffer. And in keeping with recent activity it seems we are considering the offer for the Irish international.
As we expected, the fire sale is well and truly underway and we were always likely to lose players with Premiership experience. Duff is also one of the higher earners so the board will be keen to let him go for a decent price. Losing a million from the price we paid for him, all things considered, probably looks like good business to Ashley and co.
Despite stating his desire to stay at Newcastle, the likelihood is that a return to the top flight is sure to turn his head. Having scored in our draw with West Brom, Duff will have done wonders for his appeal to potential suitors and he arguably has a couple of years left in him if he can regain his form. (more…)