Debuchy: Still no confirmation.Since the allegations that the arrival of Lille and France international Mathieu Debuchy on Tyneside was imminent, I have been poring over various French sources for details.
This is because it seems that the information coming out of the UK media on the story has just been lifted from a story in French journal, “La Voix du Nord” or “The Voice of the North,” which I translated in my previous piece on this seemingly everlasting imbroglio.
Casting back our minds to the failed bid for Debuchy in the Summer, you might recall that Newcastle United refused to go beyond €6 million (around £4.9 million at current rates) for the €15 million rated (£12.2 million) player, with Lille holding out for €8 million (£6.5 million).
Moving forward to the negotiations for a move this current window, it seems that Newcastle United’s offer was slightly increased. The €6 million basic figure was the same allegedly. However, there was supposedly an offer of a €500,000 bonus (£407,000) on top of this, dependent on appearences, with Lille supposedly suggesting that the offer would be accepted if the bonus was increased to €1 million (£800,000). (more…)
Not him again!News has been circulating all over the UK and French media that a deal for Lille full back Mathieu Debuchy had been resurrected, and that the Frenchman would sign for Newcastle United for a fee of around £5.5 million in the imminent January transfer window.
So I decided to probe deeper and chase up the original French story which “broke” the news. It turns out that it is another one of this “According to a source close to the club” stories which are, more often than not, specious guff.
Here is my (dodgy) translation of the original as it appear in the French Journal “La Voix du Nord” or “The Voice of the North”
“The deal is not yet official yet, but according to our information, Mathieu Debuchy will no longer Lille in 2013. While its leaders finalise at this very moment an agreement with Newcastle (Premier League), who wanted to him to come this summer, the side prepares for the departure of the 27 year old. A page turns. (more…)
Debuchy: No January move.Any fading hope of another Newcastle United transfer move for Lille full-back Mathieu Debuchy in the forthcoming January transfer window were seemingly extinguished by the player himself in one of his most recent press conferences.
Speaking on the forthcoming January transfer window, the silly haired Frenchman had this to say:
“I will not be leaving the team in the middle of the championship, I don’t like the Winter transfer window,”
However he then started to tease potentially interested parties once again by saying:
“In the future you never know what can happen. I prefer not to think about it.”
Speaking of a conference with the Lille leaders after his potential transfer in the Summer, the slightly petulant, attention seeking full back then added:
“I saw the leaders of the club in the Summer. They’re were some things I liked and others I didn’t.
Nolan: Still Chicken dancing on a regular basis.Of course, Newcastle United’s game against West Ham on Sunday will see the return to St James’ Park of two ex Magpies, Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll, and also an ex manager, Sam Allardyce.
In this piece I intend to concentrate on one of those, Kevin Nolan, who has received much undeserved flak from the less “gifted” sections of Newcastle United’s fanbase since his departure. Though Carroll has almost certainly received even more, that is undoubtedly a whole story on it’s own and as a Newcastle United blogger, I am still suffering from Carroll fatigue, and possibly you are too?
Getting back to Nolan though, below is one example of the kind of thing I’m writing about from so called “fans”. It is from the commments section below a story on the midfielder in local rag, the Chronic.
“Yes kevin Nolan, one word springs to mind that actually rhyms with “Fishbowl” when talking about the south….”**ithole” Thank you for your service, but sorry, you wouldn’t get into this squad ahead of Ben Arfa or Cabaye, get your head out of the smogg air son, big clubs have demanding, passionate fans, that’s why so many can’t handle the pressure up here and depart for debt laden clubs willing to overpay on salaries, smaller crowds, less expectation, and poorer playing standards installed by useless fat Sam!”(more…)
Pardew: More hot air.Alan Pardew has revealed to the Shields Gazette that though he feels that Mike Ashley has found the manager of his dreams at last, he’s going to need players who can pass the ball better to improve the team.
Although some of us might say that the teams problems in possession might have something to do with Pardew’s direct style with lots of very long passes to go astray, Pardew has chosen to blame the quality of the players in his current squad. Newcastle currently make the third highest amount of passes over both 25 and 35 yards in the Premiership, behind his Reading protege Brian McDermott, and of course, Stoke City.
Speaking on the recent eight year contracts handed to himself and his assistants recently, and how he feels Mike has found his dream manager at last after being let down by predecessors such as Chris Hughton and Kevin Keegan, Pardew reflected: (more…)
