Carling Cup Round 3Tonight’s Carling Cup 3rd round tie with Peterborough is likely to see a few of Newcastle’s youngsters get an outing.
It’s partly forced on Hughton as Ameobi, Gutierrez and Simpson are injured and Khizanishvili is cup-tied, but I think Hughton will also see this as an opportunity to rest a few players anyway. We’ll certainly want to win of course but in the grand scheme of things promotion is far more important to Newcastle than Carling Cup progress.
On paper we’re 16 places and 12 points better than recently-promoted Peterborough in the Championship, although Peterborough are unbeaten in their last 5 games.
We’ve never managed to beat Peterborough in the two previous League Cup meetings between the clubs and the last time Newcastle met Peterborough in the League Cup was in 1991 when Ossie Ardiles was manager and Justin Fashanu made an appearance for the Toon. (more…)
Hip young thang.H’way, h’way, it can’t be true? The deviants down the road are scavenging from our rotting squad? To be honest, I’m not sure where the rumour has materialised from but it’s said that they have joined a group of potential suitors for the highly-rated young Dutch stopper.
We’re led to believe that there were a dozen or so scouts representing top-flight clubs at the Euroborg Stadion, including those from Arsenal, Portsmouth, Wigan Athletic and Hull City who are all said to be keen on Krul.
Krul made a fist of his opportunity when he replaced Harper for the second half against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. It went some way to further proving he’s a young fella with onion bags of potential. Bags that he likes to keep empty. He also comes across as passionate, level-headed and focused young bloke so it would be a crying shame were he to be swooped on by the vultures. Because as far as the sticks go, he looks like the future. (more…)
Jonas pleads for exitThe Daily Mail is reporting that Barry Moat must find another £10m for his offer if he wants to buy Newcastle United after Ashley is said to be ‘insulted’ by his current offer. Let’s have a whip round.
The Guardian speculates that Moat is making his bid with backing from local nightclub owner Allan Rankin, rather than the previously speculated ‘American Backers’, and that the two have set up a new company called Tandem Bars specifically for the purposes of acquiring the club.
The vacant manager’s position gets some exposure with The Shields Gazette claiming that four managers have been short-listed by Ashley, should he keep the club. They claim those managers are David O’Leary, Gordon Strachan, Alan Curbishley and some unnamed ‘overseas manager’.
The Telegraph goes one better and claims five managers have been short-listed although it doesn’t name any others beyond the three listed by The Shields Gazette. Any advance on five? Surely one of the papers could manage six. (more…)
Hopefully nothing is at 70% offIs it really time to hold our breath? Could the end really be nigh?
Sky Sports News is reporting that Wolfsburg have agreed a £9m fee with us for Obafemi Martins. Though it’s yet unconfirmed by Newcastle, Oba was left out of the squad for the friendly against Leeds, which has given credence to the claims.
Speculation is also mounting about an imminent agreement with Spurs to ship Bassong off to White Hart Lane. Habib Beye threw a paddy after being taken off in the game against Leeds and given his recent comments, he could also be on the way out. Guiterrez, Coloccini and Xisco are all being monitored by clubs in Italy and Spain and Krul is apparently being monitored by Arsenal.
So if the Martins sale becomes fact then it stands to reason the other speculation could materialise into reality. Of course, more pertinently or at least as pertinently, is the implication that if Martins is allowed to leave then the ’embargo’ placed on transfers has been lifted. Which means either new owners are now calling the shots and making their first business decisions. Or Mike Ashley is getting his fire-sale underway and it’s anyone’s guess what that could mean for us. (more…)
McMahon gobs off A lot of the papers have picked up on The Profitable Group withdrawing their interest in the club. The Telegraph quotes Steve McMahon as follows:
“We have pulled out. How long can you keep hanging on?
“We have put a bid in and we have had no communication, no response – nothing.
“It really is poor form from Newcastle, but if that’s the way they want to run their business, good luck to them.”
There were some suggestions that The Profitable Group had not demonstrated their ability to pay the £100m that Ashley wanted, but McMahon refuted this:
“That is completely inaccurate.
“I just feel sorry for the supporters – they deserve much, much better. They deserve to know what is going on.
“We wanted to come in and turn the club round because it clearly needs something at the minute.” (more…)
