Scottish Mag

My neck of the woods.. Fuck travelling to Edinburgh each day.

an FM legend along with Montilivio, as daft as it seems you could do a lot worse than use FM as a basis for scouting, Real Madrid seem to have picked up a number of recent FM star players, and Mourinho has an FM specialist on his scouting team. Gago, Higuain and Marcelo being the latest additions..

I hope you see why that statement is a little iffy in comparison to what Roeder inherited. Yes there is a huge difference in the standard of squad between us and Man Utd, however as much as we all slag off the current group of players we have at the club he took over a club with some good players that finished 7th in the league last year. He then had 15 million, which to most of the clubs in the league is a hell of alot of money, and we are going backwards... I'm not sure we're going backwards. I think this season has been a massive disappointment for everyone, but at the same time, it's been a useful reality check for all concerned. The acid test for Roeder is now what happens this upcoming summer. If he messes up this summer, and next season begins poorly, then I'll be more than willing to revise my opinion of him downwards. But I think he's made a few realisations this term, and we'll see whether he learns and puts things right. We're not some kind of manager's school for little Glenn to learn his trade, we're a top flight Premiership football club, and it should be ran like one. As ewerk says, what else could he know in the summer? That not addressing your team's shortcomings in TWO transfer windows isn't a good idea? See above. It's actually quite clear what the difference is between last summer and this. He's going into this summer long after the expiration of his honeymoon period, his side isn't getting results, players such as Bramble, etc. are showing themselves not to be good enough. That's a COMPLETE CONTRAST to last summer. Bramble has shown himself to not be good enough from the day he signed tbh

I hope you see why that statement is a little iffy in comparison to what Roeder inherited. Yes there is a huge difference in the standard of squad between us and Man Utd, however as much as we all slag off the current group of players we have at the club he took over a club with some good players that finished 7th in the league last year. He then had 15 million, which to most of the clubs in the league is a hell of alot of money, and we are going backwards...

* and to micktoon and vimalraja too*

Happy Birthday Dude.. Hope its a good one

Christian Dailly

We should never have been in that position? We have 3 keepers on our books in Given, Harper and Krul, whilst I criticise Roeder for his handling of the defender situation regardless of the injuries (as we all knew Bramble, Moore, Baba and Carr always pick up injuries) I fail to see what Roeder could have done to prevent the goalkeeping situation we were left in. I don't think we are really in a position to pay a 4th choice goalkeeper to do fuck all but sit on the reserves bence each week.

Fair enough Glenn so lets have a look then... Damien Duff, Paul Huntington, Obafemi Martins, Giuseppe Rossi, Antoine Sibierski, Olivier Bernard, Pavel Srnicek, Oguchi Onyewu hmmmm I would say that overall based on that list Glenn you are a fucking failure son. Martins being the only one out of that to look world class, Sib has been worth the "money" we paid but frankly he was a panic buy that nobody else wanted otherwise you wouldnt have waited til the 11th hour to sign him. The rest are failures (Pav excluded but frankly we should never have been in that position in the 1st place). Whilst I am far from being on Roeders side, did you really expect to see him bring in anyone that looks "World Class"? Even Martins isn't world class tbh..

NEWCASTLE are eyeing Manchester United defensive duo Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre as they look to shore up their creaking defence this summer. The Magpies are also pulling out all the stops to tempt Reading contract rebel Steve Sidwell to St James' Park on a Bosman. Toon boss Glenn Roeder hasn't been happy with his back four for most of the campaign and the final straw came when they twice chucked away a three-goal lead to go out of the UEFA Cup to AZ Alkmaar earlier this month. The inevitable end-ofseason clear-out could mean the end of the road for centre backs Titus Bramble, Craig Moore and on-loan Oguchi Onyewu and there must be doubts over injury-prone fullbacks Stephen Carr and Celestine Babayaro. Newcastle are keen on both 27-year-old Brown and Silvestre, who is two years older, because both experienced internationals can operate in central defence or at full back. It is unlikely, however, that Sir Alex Ferguson will want to let two top defenders leave together. Brown wanted to move on in 2005, but eventually signed a contract until 2008. But there is a feeling that Ferguson might reluctantly decide to cash in on Brown once he enters the final year of his contract. Silvestre has two years of his present deal left. Newcastle are pushing hard for Sidwell and feel they have a good chance of landing the 24-year-old midfielder.

Glenn Roeder last night came out fighting in defence of his under-fire reign at Newcastle... Insisting no Premiership manager could have done better with United during their injury-hit season. Roeder is standing defiant amid claims that the Magpies' campaign has been a failure, also claiming . . . He feels under NO pressure, despite United's woeful UEFA Cup exit, lowly league position and fans' unrest. He is staying at St James's Park for the "long haul" in a bid to rid the club of its culture of failure. And he should be judged only on the success of the players he brings to Tyneside - not those he inherited. But Roeder admitted he will only regard himself as a success when he has won United a major trophy. The mood among Magpie fans is black after capitulation in Holland saw their side crash out of Europe. Failure to strengthen in key areas during two transfer windows has been blamed for the surrender in Alkmaar. But Roeder has also fielded flak over his tactics and team selections at home and abroad in recent weeks. However, the United boss is dismissive of talk that his job is under threat - and that he has been a failure this season. "There isn't any manager who would have kept Newcastle in the top six this year," a fiery Roeder told the Sunday Sun. "No one would have done better than me. "The ones who think they could have are on fantasy island. "Considering we have had the worst injury crisis in this club's history - and in any other flipping club's history - we have done the best we can. "I'm not an excuse maker, but the fact is that we've had nine operations this year when, over the last 20 years, we have averaged two-and-a-half a year." "We have done as well as we could in those circumstances." Thus, Roeder is equally contemptuous of suggestions that he is feeling the pressure of life in English football's ultimate hotseat. "No. None. None at all. I don't see why I should," he added. "Though it suits negative people to say that or write that. The most important thing at a football club is the football team, and we have had a dozen players out for six months. "I am not yet working with my squad. I am working with other managers' squads. "Three players (his signings Duff, Martins and Sibierski) is not my squad. "I will get judged on the players I bring here in the summer. I have to find good character and mental strength as well as ability. "The players that come in will have to perform to a level that keeps Newcastle in or very close to the top six all season." As for criticism from unhappy fans, Roeder said: "It's easy being the manager 12 rows back behind me: easy. "But I got brought up on criticism from people I respect and trust. Anyone else's criticism? It's `ta ta, bye bye'. "I sleep well every night. In my own mind, I'm here for the long haul. "To be successful you have to win something," he added. "So I'm not calling this season successful. "We have got to get a mentality that when we don't play well we don't lose," he admitted. "That's something we cannot do at the moment." And Roeder expects time to teach his players how. "Every club that changes its manager all the time, struggles. Look at this club. Where has the continuity been? And what has happened? "Where are the trophies?"

Glenn Roeder last night vowed to rebuild a Newcastle scouting network he claims is all but non-existent . . . In order to identify transfer targets worthy of his quest for success at St James's Park. While Roeder describes his summer player search as his biggest challenge as United boss, his first - and biggest - signing of the summer may perform off the pitch. "We haven't got the recruitment personnel - ie the scouting network - we need, and we're working on that," Roeder revealed. "We've got one full-time scout. Frank Arnesen, at Academy level at Chelsea, has got more than 20 full-time scouts all around the world looking for young talent under 21. "The chairman is trying to help me and we've highlighted someone we want to employ. "We are trying to persuade him to leave his current club to come to Newcastle, and he would help me greatly. "We would be employing his address book. He has got contacts, and we haven't."

MICHAEL Owen has pencilled in Newcastle's April 22 clash with Chelsea as the target for his first appearance at St James' Park in more than 16 months. And if Owen makes that home date, then comes through the Toon's final three Premiership games against Reading, Blackburn and Watford, he will get the go-ahead to make his England comeback in the June 6 World Cup qualifier in Estonia. Owen has not played at St James' Park since a 1-0 win over Arsenal on December 5, 2005. According to friends, if his return to full training keeps on track he will probably aim to make the bench for the clash with the champions in a live Sunday pay-per-view game. The source said: "Michael doesn't want to go public with a definite date just in case something goes wrong. A minor setback like a hamstring strain or pull could change everything. "Whoever the opponents, it will be a very special occasion for him to run out at again at St James' Park after such a long absence." Chairman Freddy Shepherd admitted: "He has been a massive miss both for Newcastle and England. It seems like a long nightmare since he got injured in that clash with Paul Robinson at Spurs on New Year's Eve. "Thankfully, at last there now seems to be light at the end of the tunnel." Owen's impending return is welcome news for national boss Steve McClaren, who feared being without Owen in Tallinn if England's fourth top scorer of all time failed to play in the Premiership before the end of the season.

Its a decent day..

Shota Arveladze, " get it right up yi!!"...........

Olivier Bernard will be allowed to slip quietly out of Newcastle United at the end of the season. The French defender was given a one season contract by United on September 1 but he will not be given another one. And the 27-year-old will leave without getting anywhere near a first team game in his second spell at St James' Park. That is bound to be a huge disappointment for Bernard, who signed on transfer deadline day on August 31 last year. For he said at the time: "Leaving Newcastle United was the biggest mistake I have ever made" "There hasn't been a morning I have not woken up and wished I was back at St James' Park. "This is my club. They gave me my chance and I cannot wait to play for them again." Bernard must be rueing the fact that talks about his new contract in the summer of 2005 broke down and this led to him leaving St James' Park. And he must be regretting that after an unsuccessful spell with Southampton, he decided to go to Rangers where he came under manager Paul le Guen. For his fellow Frenchman ordered him to lose weight and this had a detrimental effect in the opinion of the managerial and coaching staff at United. They felt that after duly shedding the pounds, Bernard also lost the pace and power that is so vital in the Premiership. It was Paul Montgomery, working as a scout for Sir Bobby Robson, who brought Bernard from Lyon to St James' Park in 1999 and he became a firm favourite with the supporters. Ironically, it was also Montgomery who, in his role as European scout for Rangers, persuaded Bernard to make that ill-fated move to Ibrox. And just as ironic is the fact that Montgomery, who worked with Glenn Roeder at West Ham, has now returned to United as a scout and has been given the job of finding a new left-back.

Glenn Roeder jetted to Lisbon today as the Newcastle United manager stepped up his search for new blood for next season. The United boss took in Portugal's Euro qualifier with Belgium at Sporting Lisbon's Stadio Jose Alvalade, scene of his predecessor's Graeme Souness's UEFA Cup exit in 2005. Indeed, Roeder, his scouts David Mills and Paul Montgomery and coaches Terry McDermott and Lee Clark are all out this weekend with one aim - to find United some quality defenders. As revealed in The Chronicle on March 3, United have an interest in Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell, especially as Emre's future at St James' Park is unclear. But this apart, when United move into the transfer market in the close season, the players who will be coming through the St James' Park door will mostly be defenders. Indeed, Roeder said today: "I am not looking for any nice guys." And the message is clear that United are looking for players who will come in and bring to an end results like the recent away trips to Fulham, Wigan and Charlton. "If I get the right players you will see the results on the pitch next year," said Roeder. "The chairman is aware of the players I am looking at and hasn't said `you shouldn't be looking at that quality'. "I'd assume that the sort of money we would need to acquire players will be made available." While last Sunday's defeat at Charlton Athletic was a bad one, it finally convinced the United hierarchy that certain players are just not good enough and some do not have big enough hearts to wear the black-and-white shirt. I would be surprised if the likes of Titus Bramble, Craig Moore and Oguchi Onyewu are around next season, while Stephen Carr and Celestine Babayaro can feel grateful that they are still contracted for next season. Roeder has already decided to get tough with United in pre-season and turned down glamour friendlies all over the world. Instead the United players can look forward to heading out to Austria on July 9 for a five-day training camp. They will then have a couple of attractive friendlies at St James' Park on July 26 and 29 before taking part in a prestigious European tournament in August.

Nothing new there then...

Happy Birthday sheepshagger...

Michael Owen is set to return from a career-threatening knee injury with a determination to finally repay Newcastle United's record £17m investment. But Magpies manager Glenn Roeder has warned the club must match Owen's ambition in the transfer market if they are going to hold on to one of the most revered goalscorers in European football. Owen is still on course to make his eagerly-awaited comeback from the terrible knee injury he picked up in last summer's World Cup before the end of the season. But even before he has kicked a ball again in a Newcastle shirt, there is already speculation that the 27-year-old could leave the club in the summer if United have not qualified for a European competition. "If there is no European football next season, there will be the year after," vowed Roeder, who will be keeping an eye on Portugal against Belgium, as well as Holland versus Romania tonight as he checks up on potential summer transfer targets. "I speak to Michael every day, I have a very good rapport with him, a very good relationship. I knew him at 18 when I was an England coach. I got on well with him then and I get on really well now. "I would be shocked if, when Michael Owen is fully fit, he was not playing his football here at Newcastle. I would be shocked if he is not here next year. There is no reason why he should not be playing here next year." Nevertheless, as Roeder was forced to defend his record as Newcastle manager yesterday, he also warned that Owen needed to believe the club was capable of challenging for honours. Roeder is hoping to sign at least four players when the transfer window opens in June, having failed to correct the squad's deficiencies in his first full season in charge. And while his success in the market will determine his future as manager, he feels it will also play a big part in shaping Owen's plans. Despite playing just 11 games for the Magpies since his £17m move from Real Madrid, Owen will be able to negotiate a Bosman-style free transfer in just over 18 months. Roeder added: "Like a lot of senior players, the big hitters - we have some big hitters, even though we have not got a team of them - Michael will be looking to see what I bring in as the big hitters want to be in a winning team. "Michael wants to be in a winning team, so too does Scott Parker. Shay Given wants to be in a winning team. He has just signed a five-year contract. Shay has shown immense loyalty to this club, I think we need to return that loyalty by the quality of the players I am allowed to bring to this football club. "Ultimately you will be judged on what you bring in when people can say, `Glenn, that is your squad'. You cannot say that at the moment. Three signings is not my squad. If we can get another four or more, then half the squad will be mine."

Glenn Roeder has warned Titus Bramble and Oguchi Onyewu they have eight games to save their careers at Newcastle United. Roeder has made no attempt to disguise the fact he is looking to sign two centre-backs in the summer and it would appear United's manager must decide whether to keep Bramble or Onyewu to add competition for places at the heart of the back four. Bramble is out of contract in the summer, but had new contract talks with chairman Freddie Shepherd cancelled earlier this week just days after Roeder criticised his performance in the 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar. Onyewu's loan spell at St James's Park will also end in June and, while the American has not been a disaster since he arrived from Standard Liege in January, he has not yet proven he deserves a permanent deal. When asked about Bramble's future following the defeat in Holland, Roeder said: "He has done that sort of thing before, but nothing has been decided with him. If he wants to stay here he's got eight games to prove he should. He is fighting for his life and he has to finish the season strongly. "Titus is a very frustrating player because when he is good, he is very good. But, one of the responsibilities you must fulfil as a defender is consistency in every minute of every game because it only takes a second to score a goal. "There is a lot to like about Titus, but again, he does have those lapses in concentration. I'm sure he goes out trying to make sure that doesn't happen. "But no decision has been made. No senior player has definitely been told they are staying. The chairman and I have not discussed it with these eight games to go. If Titus wants to stay, he is fighting for his life." Roeder's response was equally vague when it came to Onyewu and there is a chance neither player will still be at the club next season. Roeder said: "Goochie was a loan signing, it's a free look, it's the best way to have a look at a player and it can't do any harm. If they aren't good enough, you send them back to their clubs. "He has got eight games left to prove he is good enough. I'll use those games to make my mind up about him, as long as I decide he is the right man to play. "If he doesn't start he can't impress so he has a fight on his hands. I've seen enough of him, without the European games, to get to know him."

From what I hear you had a right good breaststroke...

Not at all, I mean look at all that we have to be optimistic towards....