Scottish Mag

World Cup 2010 hosts South Africa have handed Newcastle United midfielder Matty Pattison a first squad call-up for a friendly against Egypt in London next month. Pattison, born in Johannesburg but who left for Britain while still a child, made his Newcastle debut at the end of last season. The Belgian-based pair of Jeffrey Ntuka and Elrio van Heerden, former captain Sibusiso Zuma and the French-based striker Katlego Mphela have been recalled. The Nov.15 match has been scheduled for Brentford's Griffin Park. Squad: Goalkeepers: Rowen Fernandez (Kaizer Chiefs), Calvin Marlin (Mamelodi Sundowns) Defenders: Ricardo Katza (SuperSport United), Siphiwe Mkhonza (Kaizer Chiefs), Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England), Nasief Morris (Panathinaikos, Greece), Jeffrey Ntuka (Westerlo, Belgium), Lucas Thwala (Orlando Pirates) Midfielders: Mlungisi Gumbi (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Matty Pattison (Newcastle United, England), Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Gert Schalkwyk (Kaizer Chiefs), Macbeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Siphiwe Tshabalala (Free State Stars), Elrio van Heerden (Club Bruges, Belgium) Strikers: Siyabonga Nomvete (Aalborg, Denmark), Katlego Mphela (Racing Strasbourg, France), Sibusiso Zuma (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany).

Antoine Sibierski is poised to come to Glenn Roeder's rescue in Palermo this week after the Newcastle boss insisted he is hopeful the Frenchman will be fit to travel to Sicily tomorrow morning. And with Emre also closing in on his first-team comeback having missed United's last three matches, a manager who has endured so much misfortune on the fitness front in recent weeks is keeping his fingers crossed that his bad luck is finally changing. Shay Given yesterday resumed full training for the first time since he underwent a serious bowel operation seven weeks ago and although the Irishman will not be in contention for Thursday's Uefa Cup encounter with the joint leaders of Serie A, his imminent return will help to raise spirits at St James's Park. Of far greater significance in the short term will be the progress that has been made by Sibierski (pictured left) and Emre in recent days. Both are scheduled to train under the close supervision of the club's medical staff this morning and Roeder hopes both will demonstrate that they have recovered sufficiently to merit inclusion in his travelling squad. "I'm hoping that both will be fit to take on the trip," confirmed a manager whose options have rapidly diminished in recent weeks as a string of senior players have fallen victim to various injuries. It is a trend he is desperate to buck. Sibierski's prospective return will come as the most-welcome news to a coach who had been considering the prospect of taking on Francesco Guidolin's in-form team at Stadio Renzo Barbera without the services of any of his frontline forward players. Giuseppe Rossi is ineligible for Continental competition under the terms of his loan contract, Obafemi Martins is facing two weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem and Shola Ameobi's troublesome hip appears to have caught up with him at last. Having initially been omitted, Albert Luque was last night added to the Newcastle reserve team that played Blackburn at Kingston Park, presumably in order to boost his fitness levels. But it seems the under-employed Spaniard would only be used as a final resort - with Roeder preferring to field Damien Duff as an emergency striker against Charlton at the weekend while the former Deportivo La Coruña favourite watched from the bench. It is a decision the United boss will hope to be spared in Palermo and, although few Magpies supporters were thrilled by Sibierski's arrival on a free transfer from Manchester City this summer, there is no doubt he has emerged as an important player in a depleted senior squad. Having seen the striker score vital goals against Levadia Tallinn and Fenerbahçe, Roeder will hope the 32-year-old is a lucky European omen. He will take no chances should Sibierski's fitness still be in question on Thursday evening but, having shown signs that the severely-bruised toe he suffered against Middlesbrough should have vastly improved by then, the French forward will be confident of being involved. Emre has not played since hobbling off with a back problem during Newcastle's last Uefa Cup fixture against Fenerbahçe two weeks ago. Like Sibierski, the midfielder's performance will be monitored in training this morning. But with Nicky Butt rated doubtful with a neck injury, his potential return could not be more timely. Meanwhile, Newcastle have been credited with an interest in Zoltan Gera, with reports in the West Midlands last night insisting that West Bromwich Albion officials are bracing themselves for a January bid for the Hungarian. With Aston Villa's interest in James Milner understood to remain intact despite the collapse of a proposed transfer in August, United's scouts are reported to have identified Gera as a potential replacement. Nigel Pearson, Roeder's right-hand man, worked with the 27-year-old during his time alongside Bryan Robson at The Hawthorns.

That was in Italy with Lazio. I now don't trust any managerial record in that country. Were his successes with Gothenburg a figment of my imagination then? He's been successful at club level wherever he's been. Yes, both at Benfica and Sampdoria too...

SVEN GORAN ERIKSSON has targeted Newcastle as the stage to resurrect his career — and the Toon are ready to listen. Eriksson, who left the England job after the failed World Cup campaign, believes he can turn Newcastle into champions. And the Swede is ready and waiting should chairman Freddy Shepherd decide he has had enough of the Glenn Roeder regime. Newcastle lie just above the Premiership relegation zone after 10 games and Roeder is under pressure to turn results around. If he does not, Shepherd will embark on yet another search for a manager who can transform Newcastle’s potential into silverware. Eriksson is willing to modify his huge wage demands, which were £5million a year, to a more realistic £3m a year in a bid to land a job. A close friend of Eriksson said: “Sven is determined to take a job which will give him the challenge of taking a club back to the top. “The prospect of an English club would be very appealing as he feels he has something to prove to people in this country.” Eriksson thought he would walk into a top post after the World Cup but his inability to get the best out of England put off potential employers. He lost out to Fabio Capello for his dream job as Real Madrid boss. But Eriksson loves the passion generated by the Toon Army and always talked during his England reign of their fanaticism. Whether the Toon Army would welcome Sven is another matter. The fans have become so cynical no manager would satisfy them unless hero Alan Shearer took up the managerial reigns — a prospect not seen as likely in the near future. Eriksson’s agent Athole Still has linked up with Peter Harrison, a North-East agent who retains connections with Newcastle despite being the central figure in the Panorama ‘bungs’ documentary.

Monday 6th November

Newcastle United go to Serie A title-chasers Palermo on Wednesday with a striker crisis after £10m summer signing Obafemi Martins joined their growing injury list. The Nigerian has a tight hamstring after playing on a hazardous St James's Park pitch against Portsmouth on Wednesday, meaning all United's senior strikers are out of or doubtful for the Uefa Cup trip to Sicilly. Giuseppe Rossi, impressive in his first two Newcastle starts last week, is ineligible under the terms of his loan from Manchester United. Antoine Sibierski - with Martins, the Magpies' joint top-scorer in the competition - has a bruised toe and Shola Ameobi's hip problem continues. Kieron Dyer could have deputised had he not suffered a training ground injury to his left eye last week, while Albert Luque is an alternative but since the arrival of Sibierski and Rossi it is an option Glenn Roeder has only used in two substitute appearances. Damien Duff partnered Rossi in the 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic and seems certain to play up front, possibly alone. "Oba (Martins) won't travel," Roeder said with the former Inter Milan striker out for a fortnight. "I would be foolish to say any others because their manager would not want to tell us who they have available." Of Ameobi's problem, which has prevented him starting any of the previous four games, Roeder added: "Shola is not in a position to play every week. The hip injury is deteriorating and he needs an operation. "It would be negligent of me not to assess his injury and put his career at risk. If we have to take the hit (of an operation) and he is not available for a long time, so be it. We are getting him ready to play as soon as possible but if I feel in the next game he plays he is putting his long-term health at risk he will have to have the operation." With the Magpies still in the League Cup, Roeder is reluctant to rotate his squad. "I want to put out the strongest team we can for whatever competition we are playing in," he said. "But when you are playing every few days and picking up knocks, players are not having enough recovery time."

Scott Parker inisists his Newcastle United are playing their best football since he arrived at the club - but warned they are still involved in a Premiership relegation fight. The Magpies' failure to convert their chances against Parker's old club Charlton Athletic on Saturday, combined with West Ham United's victory over Blackburn Rovers last night, left Newcastle just one place above the relegation zone ten games into the campaign. And although impressed by the quality of his side's performance in the 0-0 draw with the Addicks, United's captain is refusing to shirk from reality. "Yes, of course that's the reality we are in," said the 26-year-old when asked if his club was in a relegation fight. "We are near the bottom of the table and it isn't looking good. There's no doubt we should be up the table, we are a big enough club to be up there. It won't be too long before it all clicks and we get a great result." The England midfielder, though, has no qualms with his side's performances. "I think it's the best we have played for a long while and I include last year in that," said the player who joined from Chelsea in the summer of 2005. "We played some great stuff and the first half was absolute domination of the game. If the game had ended up 4-0 everyone would have said deservedly so. It hasn't turned out like that and that's the way it is going for us at this moment. "For 60-70 minutes we dominated and looked a class above them, really. But if you don't put your chances away it is going to be harder as the game goes on. "It gives them something to hang on to, which they did. The performances are certainly there but the points ain't. It's a bit of a worry but we keep going." Nevertheless, Parker is not prepared to let his team fall into the trap of believing they are too good to go down. He warned: "We could go through the season saying we are playing well and not winning and that doesn't keep you in the league. We need to win games and if that means playing rubbish and winning, so be it." Parker did, however, point out the difference with the side's form at the turn of the year, which cost then-manager Graeme Souness his job. "Last time the performances weren't there and the result weren't either," he said. "We were struggling a bit. We looked bitty. The good thing now is the performances are there. Confidence and belief is better. "But we are not going to kid ourselves, we are in the results business. You can play as well as you want but if you are not winning it is not good enough and we all know that. "We are all under pressure. We need to win games. We are playing well so there is confidence there and it's just getting that result. Once we do we can kick on from there." United's undoing on Saturday was an inability to convert chances but Parker was impressed with a front two of Giuseppe Rossi and Damien Duff. The latter was making his first Newcastle start up front, the former his maiden Premiership start in any position for the club. "Rossi is a young boy who has done brilliantly for us," said Parker. "Damien was brilliant as well. When the (transfer) window shut we knew we were light in the striker department. It is showing at the moment. "That's the hand we have been dealt. We can't whinge, we have to just get on with it. Obviously the legend that Alan Shearer is you are going to miss him.

I dont think we get the full picture! But a fair enough idea of what was going on you do get. Look, so maybe my first post came out as pompous. If so excuse me and forgive me, wasnt my intention at all. I made it 10 minutes after the game and I was a fair bit frustrated and perhaps not as careful with words as I should have been. But some of the response was still unwarranted. It seems to me that leaning towards a slightly different opninon on this board is asking for trouble. Not just my posts, I know you lads think Im crazy, but Ive noticed anybody who seems to have a, lets say 'revolutionary idea' gest a fair bit of stick. This place reminds me of a group of old Grandma's sitting together, everybody sharing their common problems and past experiences with each other and congratulating each other on their wisdom and how well they've done with their kids and all that. Anybody who says 'well, I think this or that could have been done differently' is kicked out. Thats bollocks and a piss poor argument. People have differing opinions all the time you only have to look at the Robert and Bellamy debates, Gemmills defence of Souness and Leazes infatuation with F Shepherd. I am all for everyone to have their own opinion even if I disagree with it, as I do with yours, however I do expect it to be backed up with some substance rather than going off on a complete tangent and having a dig at the board to back up your opinion..

Thats where we could be come next Saturday night. Whilst I know there is a good chance it will not happen the fact there is a possibilty of it is a fecking joke... Charlton v Man City, 15:00 Watford v Middlesbrough, 15:00 Newcastle v Sheff Utd, 17:15 Charlton and Watford both have winnable games at home, if they both manage to pull off a win and we get turned over by Sheff Utd we could be sitting rock bottom of the league at full time next week. And if both Charlton and Watford do pull off those results it could effect us psychologically before we have even kicked off as we will know going into kick off that a loss would see us bottom. Not the ideal scenario for our squad of bottlers to go into..

http://www.true-faith.co.uk/

We really are up shit creek. I blame Gemmill and his booing tbh..

They get better...

NEWCASTLE are lining up a double transfer window swoop for strikers David Nugent and Kevin Davies. Toon boss Glenn Roeder knows he must land some more fire-power in January. Preston's England U-21 star Nugent, 21, is one of the Championship's most feared hitmen and has attracted interest from a host of top clubs. And Roeder sees Bolton's Davies, 29, as the type of player who can fill the huge void left by the retirement of Alan Shearer. Roeder said: "Everyone knows where we need strengthening but I will not give my hand away by revealing who we are after. "Hopefully, money will be available to bring in the players we need." The Magpies do not have a lot of money to spend after announcing losses of £12million last week. But they are negotiating with the FA over compensation for Michael Owen's World Cup injury and that cash will help fund their rebuilding plans. Roeder also hopes to land defenders Matthew Upson, Wayne Bridge and Lucas Neill.

If he did return you would just spend the whole match shouting abuse and booing him though with that nasty streak of yours...

FORMER Newcastle winger Laurent Robert has revealed he wants to move back to St James' Park. The controversial French 31-year-old is currently with Spanish Primera Liga outfit Levante but wants a return to England. Robert was forced to leave the Magpies after a bust-up with hardline boss Graeme Souness. "I really loved my time there as I enjoyed English football and I'd love to come back if (chairman) Freddy Shepherd would have me," said Robert. "When I think of my time at Newcastle, I can think of only one word - fantastic. There was only one reason why I left Newcastle and that was Graeme Souness." Robert would be available when the transfer window opens in January.

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I just sold mine on ebay tonight, I never played it..

Do any of the Xbox 360 owners know the best place to purchase 12 months of live at the moment? I know at times you get offers of an original x box game +12 months live for 19.99... Cheers

They do not even ow the majority of their squad, if any club was to come in for the majority of their players the money would end up at Kaunas as that is where half their squad is on loan from and the money would go straight back to Romanov with Hearts seeing none of it and would still have the big debt hanging over their head. One of the only ways I seen Hearts as having a chance of getting rid of some of the debt was through the Champions League but without that I think it will end in tears.

Hope the little un has a quick recovery dude...

Doug Ellis has revealed that Randy Lerner turned down the chance to invest at both Newcastle and Everton. Lerner, owner of NFL outfit Cleveland Browns, bought Villa from long-term chairman Ellis earlier this year in a deal worth £64 million. Ellis ended a 35-year association with the club by doing the deal, but he insists it was the right one for the Birmingham outfit. "I have to praise Mr Lerner wholeheartedly," he said. "There were five consortiums interested in buying Aston Villa but I always knew he was the right man and I have been proved 100 percent correct. "They had looked at the likes of Newcastle and Everton and others but they all carried debts. "But I had never borrowed a penny at Villa until 2005 and that was because we needed to rebuild the training ground at Bodymoor Heath and needed £4 million. "Bodymoor Heath will be the best in the country. We have borrowed the best ideas from everywhere from Middlesbrough to Arsenal." Ellis says it was his first impression of Lerner that persuaded him to sell to the American. "It was instinctive. I am a devil for first impressions and he has kept every single one of his promises," he said. "Randy Lerner gave me the right feeling the first moment we met. "We were on the same wavelength from the very beginning. Mr Lerner and his people are not only extremely warm people but football people through and through. "That was clear from the outset. They are absolutely driven by Aston Villa, the name, the history, everything."

Jimbo