Scottish Mag

The furore over the failure to deduct points from West Ham has left the future of the Quest transfer bungs inquiry in limbo. But the hiatus could allow investigators time to reinterview new Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce about his time at Bolton. It had been expected that Quest’s update delivered 10 days ago would be their last, with the Premier League board keen to draw a line under a probe which has lasted over a year and cost more than £1million. But the West Ham case has so dominated the agenda that League chief executive Richard Scudamore is not thought to have had the chance to read the report thoroughly. It is unlikely any decision will be made before the League annual meeting on May 31 and June 1. So Quest have in effect been given at least another month to try to get to the bottom of 17 transfers which they had been unable to sign off, which are believed to include deals which took Tal Ben Haim and Blessing Kaku to Bolton. As a result of what unlicensed Israeli agent David Abou told Quest, they want to speak to Allardyce again about the transfers, in which his son, Craig, received secret payments. The FA are also said to be keen to talk to Allardyce about the transfer of Idan Tal to Bolton last year, a deal which falls outside the remit of the Quest inquiry. Allardyce’s appointment at Newcastle means he is once more obliged to cooperate with the inquiry.

too rights Clueless...

5 places better off than last season. Whilst they continue to show improvements I think most Villa fans will be happy. If Allardyce moves us up 5 places next season I'll be pretty happy

I am sorely tempted to drive up on the Thursday now! Jimbo text me saying the same thing.

Piss up extended to three nights now?

Would much rather have O'Connor as back up than Sib, but he wouldn't come cheap having cost Moscow 1.6 million

Pavel Srnicek has expressed his disappointment at being released by Newcastle United, but hopes to remain in English football. The Czech keeper returned for a second spell at St James' Park last autumn and made two Premiership appearances over the Christmas period. But he has not been offered a contract extension by new manager Sam Allardyce, leading him to look elsewhere to finish his career. "It has been a big disappointment as I had pre-agreed with the club that I would stay for a year and then would end my football career," Srnicek told Pravo. "Unfortunately, not everything in our lives turns out as we wish it to." Regarding his future, Srnicek would accept dropping down divisions, providing the interested club will be challenging for promotion. He added: "I would like to (stay in England), but at 39 it is extremely difficult. "I cannot choose much. I must wait if someone contacts me." On playing in the Championship or League One, he said: "I would certainly consider it. "It would have to be, though, a high-quality club with ambitions for promotion. "I would not like to go to a club which would be satisfied just with the fact they remain in the league."

Bolton Wanderers are hoping to ward off Sam Allardyce’s advances for Mike Forde, their highly regarded performance director. Sammy Lee, the club’s new manager, will hold discussions with Forde in the coming days to ascertain his intentions and has already offered the 31-year-old the position of general manager at the Reebok Stadium, but now faces stiff competition from Newcastle United. Allardyce is revamping the coaching set-up at St James’ Park and is eager to sign both Forde and Mark Taylor, Bolton’s head of sports science and medicine. Tal Ben Haim, the Bolton defender who is out of contract, is a target on the playing front, as is Mark Viduka, the Middlesbrough forward whose contract expires at the end of the month. “This summer is about recruitment and getting the best players we can for this great football club,” Allardyce said. “It’s about building day-to-day team spirit and everyone learning to trust each other and that will pay dividends in the end. I have to get the playing squad all pulling in the same direction. There could be one or two factions in the dressing-room and I have to sort that out. “We have the players to beat any team at St James’ Park and, with the right team spirit and a few additions, I am sure that will happen over the next year. “With the help of the fans, I want us to build something special here. Their backing is so important for us.”

Scotland international Garry O'Connor claims Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion are both interested in his signature. O'Connor currently plays for Lokomotiv Moscow, but his family has been unable to settle in Russia. He has been linked with a return to the UK, with his former Hibernian manager Tony Mowbray keen to take the striker to West Brom. But O'Connor, who is weighing up his future with Lokomotiv, has also revealed Newcastle are on his trail. "I have options," O'Connor told a Russian media agency. "I have thought about Newcastle and West Bromwich, who are both interested. "WBA are managed by my old coach Tony Mowbray, who really improved my game in Scotland. "He is trying to build a new side and they also have a good chance of going up to the Premiership. "I'm not decided what I will do, but I'm interested in the options I have and will need to consider what I do this summer. "My wife has not settled and if an English club make an offer I will think about it."

Carrie Underwood - I aint in Checotah anymore

Wayyyy too much debt. It's funny though cos a mate from the US rang me this week offering me a job to go and work at his place on crazy money, so when I got offered this other job it was a slight disappointment cos I'd been sat daydreaming about being loadsamoney in Boston. So why didn't you take that one?

Hes going to be a "mature" stoodent...

Newcastle United are hoping to succeed where they failed in August - by signing Aussie international striker Mark Viduka in the close season. And the word from Tel Aviv is that Israeli international Ben Haim is ready to jump on a plane and join his former Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce at St James' Park. Viduka has not signed a new contract for Middlesbrough and, like Ben Haim, would not cost United a penny in transfer fees, leaving money to be spent on other players. The burly striker is now back in his native Melbourne, but I understand he can expect a phone call from United in the immediate future. Viduka was desperate to join United in the 2006 summer transfer window, but Middlesbrough blocked this. However, he is a free agent now and those close to him tell me after playing in front of empty red seats at the Riverside Stadium, he would love the chance to do his stuff in front of the 52,000-plus every other week at St James'. And although he is now 31, the former Dynamo Zagreb, Celtic and Leeds striker showed he can still cut it in the Premiership with seven goals in his last six games, including the equaliser against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, like Viduka, 25-year-old Ben Haim is back in his native country and is set to get married next month. Allardyce took him to Bolton from Maccabi Tel Aviv, but he is now out of contract and, despite interest from both Chelsea and Spurs and the offer of a new contract at the Reebok Stadium, I am told Ben Haim would love to follow his former boss through the door at St James'. His record of nine bookings and one red card last season shows that he does not take any prisoners - and isn't that just what United need? Allardyce will talk to Michael Owen in the next couple of days, but the new boss has also to sort out the little striker's fellow England international Kieron Dyer's future at United. Like the now-departed Titus Bramble, Dyer was booed off in the final home match of the season against Blackburn Rovers, and his body language after he scored at Watford on Sunday was not that of a player who wants to stay with United. My information is that Frank Lampard is leaving Chelsea and heading to Real Madrid in the summer, and there are whispers linking Dyer with a switch to Stamford Bridge. But any move for Dyer would mean he has to pass a medical, and as his injury history is not great, this could cause insurance problems because of his long-standing hamstring difficulties and undisclosed medical condition. Whether Owen or Dyer goes or stays, Freddy Shepherd is knuckling down for a busy summer after handing Sam Allardyce the task of reviving his club's fortunes. This week Shepherd finally got his man, three years after first setting his sights on Allardyce, when he appointed him as Glenn Roeder's successor. The pair have wasted little time in preparing the way for new arrivals by releasing Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Pavel Srnicek, Olivier Bernard and Oguchi Onyewu barely 24 hours after the new regime was put in place. Shepherd will leave Allardyce to talk to Owen, amid talk he could leave the club after managing just 14 appearances in two seasons, as well as dressing- room rebels Obafemi Martins and Charles N'Zogbia. He knows there is no time to waste as the club prepares to bounce back from a disappointing, injury-plagued season which fell far short of expectations on Tyneside. Shepherd said: "It was important to bring someone in quickly. It is a revolving door and when Glenn resigned we did not have much time. "We have the whole summer to plan ahead and, believe me, we will need every minute of every day to do that." Shepherd gave Roeder the job on a groundswell of popular opinion after his heroics as caretaker and was desperate for him to be the man to finally bring success to St James' Park. Like so many managers before him, however, it simply did not work out that way. Shepherd said: "Every manager who has come here has always done his best, or tried to do his best. Nobody came here and tried to do their worst. "It just has not worked out for them. It is quite simple. "Glenn deserved a chance after last season and we gave him that chance, but it did not work out for him for various reasons which everybody knows."

I have the day off after having just worked the last 11 days in a row and 5 evenings too. But have so far spent most of it trying to get my internet connection sorted as I have dial up speeds and spent about 3 hours talking to BT India. Also went to the doctor this morning, somewhere I rarely go, to find I have whooping cough even though I had my jags etc when younger. Oh joy...

If Sam brings in a couple of centre halfs for next season I could see Taylor being played at RB quite a bit..

Just signed for Ajax

They must have been reading the Daily Star..

He was good in Happy Gilmore..

I hope you have taken out a loan...

Bolton star El-Hadji Diouf is considering leaving the club after being left stunned by Sam Allardyce's resignation. The 26-year-old Senegalese star, who would miss a month of next season's Premiership campaign because of African Nations Cup duty, wants to discus his future with new boss Sammy Lee and chairman Phil Gartside soon. The striker told the Bolton News: "I do not know what I am doing next season. "I need to talk with the gaffer, chairman and my manager. When I saw on TV that Sam had left I was very sad." Diouf added: "I will never forget him. He did a lot of things for me and that is why I have played better here than at Liverpool. Sam gave me confidence and respect.

Who? Duno if I should say tell us ..go on go on go on go on Craig and Ritchie Cheeky fucker, I have a long time until I get anywhere near your age...

Whilst I did not want Souness here and was delighted to see the back of him I still cant help wondering how different last season would have been for him had he been allowed to get Boa Morte and Anelka?

SOL CAMPBELL has moved a step closer to joining Newcastle after admitting he is considering his future after Portsmouth's UEFA Cup blow. Defender Campbell (above), 32, has been lined up as one Sam Allardyce's first signings as Toon boss. The ex-England star told fans after Sunday's 0-0 draw at home to old club Arsenal he was unsure if he would be staying. Pompey needed to win to reach Europe for the first time in their history. Campbell has a year left on his £50,000-a-week Fratton Park contract after joining from the Gunners in the summer and Pompey would demand a substantial fee. Manager Harry Redknapp will not let Campbell leave without a fight. The Pompey boss said: "Newcastle did not want Sol last season so why should they have him now? "Sol has another year left on his contract and there is no chance of us letting him go. "He still plays to a high standard and I am delighted to have him here." Campbell started 32 of Portsmouth's 38 Premiership games as the south coast side secured their highest finishing position for 52 years in ninth place.