Ready for a new challenge?Hot on the heels of the totally unexpected coup of Wayne Routledge from QPR, Chris Hughton has gone on record to say that he’s targeting Everton’s James Vaughan to fill the void left by Marlon Harewood. In view of missing out on Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford, it was expected that Hughton would turn again to the Aston Villa striker after his steady if unspectacular loan spell.
However, with news that Harewood has suffered a broken bone in his foot whilst training with Villa, Hughton has turned his attentions to Vaughan instead. Speaking to local press, including the Chronicle and Shields Gazette, Hughton had this to say:
“Everybody’s aware we’ve been looking for a striker,”
“We missed out on our main target, and everybody knows who that was, and I’d have taken back Marlon had he not been injured badly.”
“James Vaughan is a player we’re aware of, and one we’re interested in, but I don’t know if that one will happen.”(more…)
So who fancies living up to this then?Well here it is, the third and final chapter of my mid-term player review. And a topical area for discussion, as speculation remains over a move for Leeds Utd’s Jermaine Beckford, or A.N. Other should we fail in that bid.
The No.9 shirt is almost as synonymous with Newcastle United, as St James’ Park, the black and white stripes or that deed funny accent we’ve got. It’s been made particularly special in this part of the world because it’s been worn by some of the best players this country has seen. The likes of Gallacher, Milburn, MacDonald, Cole, Shearer have graced that shirt and it will undoubtedly always be a big shirt to fill.
Ironic then, given that the No.9 shirt and the prestige it carries with it is currently up for grabs, that we have a group of strikers who fall somewhat short of the standards we’ve come to expect from our centre-floorboards, and that none of them look like earning that honour just yet, particularly in this current barren spell…..
Back for good?Interesting article from the News Of The World, which reports today that Aston Villa have offered striker Marlon Harewood to Newcastle in a permanent deal. In all honesty, we probably would have signed him by now had Aston Villa not wanted a £250,000 loan fee plus player wages of £28,000 per week paid by us!
The Midlanders have pitched their price at £1.5 million, presumably to try and tempt us away from their target, Leeds striker Jeramine Beckford and get us to plump for the experience of our former loanee instead. Marlon Harewood scored 5 goals in his loan spell earlier in the season but has yet to win all the fans over yet, his seemingly lazy and lethargic attitude being a contributor to that.
I’m not sure what to make of Harewood? Can he score goals at this level? Yes! But is also 31 years old now, so we would be signing a player with a limited amount of fuel in the tank. (more…)
Bottle half full?Following on from the theme of the hour, I thought I’d spread the joy a little and reiterate the news in The Journal that Chris Hughton is apparently relatively happy with what he’s currently got at Newcastle. Considering the concerns of fans about our strength-in-depth, that might come as a worry.
Particularly when all the noises over the last few months have been about not panicking in into getting loan deals and signing players for the sake of it. And Hughton himself said it was about working to a plan for the January transfer window, so we had probably all hoped that the plans were in place, but it seems like there is a bit of backtracking.
Speaking about the January transfer window, he had this to say:
“I would like to have the same numbers for the second half of the season,”
“But where we are at the moment, I am very very happy with the squad. I do not feel I need to add an awful lot.”(more…)
Maybe a Magpie?Despite shying away from continuous transfer speculation, it would be a bit folly not to mention this snippet from the BBC website, on a day when Newcastle allegedly raised the bid for Jermaine Beckford.
‘Leeds United striker Jermaine Beckford has handed in a transfer request, his agent has told BBC Radio 5 live.
Beckford, 26, scored United’s goal as they clinched a shock 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in round three of the FA Cup on Sunday.
He has been linked with a move away from the League One leaders to Championships side Newcastle. Beckford, who joined the Elland Road outfit from non-League Wealdstone in 2006, is out of contract in the summer.’(more…)
