N'Zogbia: I am happy to stay at United

[TheMoog 0]

Let's hope he goes to Arsenal and takes Taylor with him

[The Fish 9103]

wouldn't want either of those two to leave and I think it's pretty petulant behaviour by some fans when they say these players should leave. They're both decent prospects, Taylor's becoming a scapegoat because you lot demand one.

 

Still think they're very much part of Keegan's plans, but the moment the crowd turns against them they'll be off, for less than they're worth.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

N'Zogbia will be off because there is no point in keeping an unhappy, potentially disruptive player.

 

Taylor isn't anywhere near as good as he thinks he is and should bear that in mind in upcoming contract talks.

[Park Life 70]

wouldn't want either of those two to leave and I think it's pretty petulant behaviour by some fans when they say these players should leave. They're both decent prospects, Taylor's becoming a scapegoat because you lot demand one.Still think they're very much part of Keegan's plans, but the moment the crowd turns against them they'll be off, for less than they're worth.

 

Scapegoatism only £12.99p per month unlimited usage.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

I'd prefer The Keegmeister to put his arm round Charles, get him to commit to the team. I don't think that the minute someone shows unrest we should hound them out of the door. It's a little counter-productive iyam

 

 

You really do talk a load of shite sometimes Fish and make yourself look like a twat in the process.

 

 

Zoggy has been linked with a move away for the past three seasons or more and any Newcastle fan with half a brain knows that, it's time he went as it's best for him and the club.

Edited April 13, 2008 by Wacky Jnr

[luckyluke 1]

wouldn't want either of those two to leave and I think it's pretty petulant behaviour by some fans when they say these players should leave. They're both decent prospects, Taylor's becoming a scapegoat because you lot demand one.

 

Still think they're very much part of Keegan's plans, but the moment the crowd turns against them they'll be off, for less than they're worth.

 

It's not like they've done nothing wrong though, Zog's in a sulk and Taylor thinks he's billy big bollocks. They're both good prospects but they need to sort their attitudes out. If not, then they must go, which would be a shame.

[ewerk 26738]

It's the first time we can use the "Look at the progress we've made in this short time, let's see how things go next season, if at January you're still happy to give up then we can readdress this."

 

That's nearly exactly what Keegan said to him in January and the yappy little fucker still wants to go so fuck him, we can do without his sort around the club.

[The Fish 9103]

I'd prefer The Keegmeister to put his arm round Charles, get him to commit to the team. I don't think that the minute someone shows unrest we should hound them out of the door. It's a little counter-productive iyam

 

 

You really do talk a load of shite sometimes Fish and make yourself look like a twat in the process.

 

 

Zoggy has been linked with a move away for the past three seasons or more and any Newcastle fan with half a brain knows that, it's time he went as it's best for him and the club.

Wacky you can't accuse anyone of talking shite, you ramble on about fuck all most days. I reckon it's easier to convince someone like Charles N'Zogbia to stay, than to find a replacement. If he goes to a London club and does well, you'd be amongst the first to bemoan the selling of our good players. What harm is there in trying to keep a player who's shown genuine ability?

 

Oh and Wacky, just because I disagree with you, doesn't make me a twat.

[Asprilla 96]

Oh and Wacky, just because I disagree with you, doesn't make me a twat.

 

 

 

That's just his way of showing he cares....!

[Jusoda Kid 1]

I'd prefer The Keegmeister to put his arm round Charles, get him to commit to the team. I don't think that the minute someone shows unrest we should hound them out of the door. It's a little counter-productive iyam

 

 

You really do talk a load of shite sometimes Fish and make yourself look like a twat in the process.

 

 

Zoggy has been linked with a move away for the past three seasons or more and any Newcastle fan with half a brain knows that, it's time he went as it's best for him and the club.

Wacky you can't accuse anyone of talking shite, you ramble on about fuck all most days. I reckon it's easier to convince someone like Charles N'Zogbia to stay, than to find a replacement. If he goes to a London club and does well, you'd be amongst the first to bemoan the selling of our good players. What harm is there in trying to keep a player who's shown genuine ability?

 

Oh and Wacky, just because I disagree with you, doesn't make me a twat.

 

 

See the bit I highlighted, 'the minute they show unrest', he's been at it for years so therefore you made yourself look like a twat imo with your lack of knowledge about the Zog, so have one back

[MrBass 2293]

Steady on fellas, there's no need to start trading rolly-eyes smileys!

[Guest BigThompers]

Wacky aren't you due a Gemmill-wank?

[Dr Gloom 20034]

we should be doing everything we can to keep him. young, pacey left sided players with his ability don't grow on trees.

[Guest Patrokles]

we should be doing everything we can to keep him. young, pacey left sided players with his ability don't grow on trees.

 

If the desire's gone, it's pointless. Look at Robert's career.

[Guest Patrokles]

It's the first time we can use the "Look at the progress we've made in this short time, let's see how things go next season, if at January you're still happy to give up then we can readdress this."

 

That's nearly exactly what Keegan said to him in January and the yappy little fucker still wants to go so fuck him, we can do without his sort around the club.

 

Racist.

[Scottish Mag 3]

Charles N’Zogbia has been a rare bright spark during some dismal times for Newcastle United but the young Frenchman still believes he needs to leave. Chief sports writer Luke Edwards urges him not to make a big mistake.

 

ACCORDING to Kevin Keegan, Charles N’Zogbia’s desire to leave Newcastle United is not due to football reasons, it is simply because he is homesick.

 

Such a condition is not unusual for a young man living hundreds of miles away from home and the distress it causes can lead to a loss of motivation, bitterness and resentment at what keeps you apart from the familiar faces and comforts of a family environment.

 

In such a case it is difficult not to feel sorry for N’Zogbia, a 21-year-old living on his own in a plush city centre apartment on Tyneside, except that the midfielder wants to move to London, not back home to France.

 

Instead of a chance to live with his family and be surrounded by friends in Paris, the dubious logic behind N’Zogbia’s strange thinking is that, if he lives in the capital rather than Newcastle, it is easier to get a flight back to his homeland.

 

That could be a reasonable explanation, but when you consider N’Zogbia left home when he was just 16 to join the Academy at Le Havre and was then willing to move to England to join a Premier League club when he was just 18, is homesickness something he really suffers from?

 

We can only take N’Zogbia’s words at face value, or rather we can only accept the information that Keegan has passed on to us, but there is a nagging suspicion it is the bright lights and glamour of life in London, rather than football, which is really pulling him away from St James’s Park.

 

Last summer, N’Zogbia was adamant he wanted to join Fulham before Geremi arrived at the club and persuaded Sir Bobby Robson’s final signing as Newcastle manager he would be taking a backward step if he moved to Craven Cottage.

 

That decision to stay was followed by some excellent performances, a switch to left-back, a pay rise and a long-term contract from former manager Sam Allardyce.

 

N’Zogbia, in a rare interview shortly after the ink on his new deal had dried, insisted he was happy at the club following the sacking of Glenn Roeder and spoke excitedly about what the future might hold. By January, however, that stance had changed again and with Tottenham Hotspur keen to take him south, N’Zogbia claimed his homesickness had returned.

 

“It’s well documented and it’s on record, so I’m not saying anything you don’t know, but he wanted to move just as I came in,” said Keegan, who selected the player as a substitute against Chelsea for the first time in more than a month. “I came in with eight days left of the transfer window and I told him what I think was common sense, that looking at my players, and the limited chances I had of getting anyone in, I’m not going to let you go now. But if you still feel the same way at the end of the season then you can go, but it will be on our terms. That’s exactly what I said then and that’s exactly how it is now.”

 

Of course, N’Zogbia would not be the first foreign player to believe that a life in London is more rewarding than one in the north of England. His fellow Frenchman, the centre-back Alain Goma, made a similar mistake when he decided to leave Robson’s revolution on Tyneside to sign for perennial strugglers Fulham. The Magpies team-mates he left behind went on to play in the Champions League, while he struggled to keep the Cottagers in the top flight.

 

Yet, in the modern world, if N’Zogbia wants to leave, there is little Keegan and Newcastle can do to stop him and if the France Under-21 international plays against Everton at Goodison Park today many fear it will be his final appearance for the club.

 

Given that N’Zogbia’s pace and ability to beat players with the ball at his feet has been a rare cause for excitement over the last two disappointing campaigns, his loss will be acutely felt by supporters who relish attacking flair as much as good engines and work rate.

 

N’Zogbia’s attributes would also appear to make him a Keegan-type player. Sadly, he has failed to grasp the fact that Keegan will help him develop and has spent much of his time going through the motions since January.

 

“I think that Charles has shown the desired reaction following our chat a few weeks ago, even though he had to wait to come in,” said Keegan, who was unwilling to even give N’Zogbia a place on the bench when he failed to show the necessary commitment to the club and his team-mates.

 

“To be fair to Charles N’Zogbia, he has trained fantastically well and he has had to wait for his opportunity to get back into the team because there’s no way I was going to put players in when the players who were in possession were doing so well. It’s a different thing now with Everton because there’s no Mark Viduka or Joey Barton because of his bail conditions so there are opportunities and I will take one or two young players with us.”

 

We are likely to be given indication as to whether Keegan will make one final attempt to keep the player at the club by what happens at Goodison Park. If N’Zogbia starts, his manager will be showing him he is still part of the plans. If he does not, it is more than likely one of the most exciting young players to be seen at St James’s Park in the last decade is on his way to a new life in London.

[Happy Face 29]

With Everton on edge and chasing Europe while we'll have a relaxed squad high off a good run sent out to play like it's a training session, I reckon we could give them a reet caning.

[Howay 12495]

I wish players would just grow some balls and say they want to go to live in London rather than all this homesick nonsense.

[Guest alex]

Typical frog.

[Guest BigThompers]

Typical frog.

 

Should prosper in the goldfish bowl, amphibians after all

[Tom 13895]

Typical frog.

 

Should prosper in the goldfish bowl, amphibians after all

[Lazarus 0]

Id be gutted if he went tbh.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Heard form a very good source last night that Zoggy is going to Liverpool but Tottenham are still interested.

[Guest Patrokles]

With Everton on edge and chasing Europe while we'll have a relaxed squad high off a good run sent out to play like it's a training session, I reckon we could give them a reet caning.

 

[Scottish Mag 3]

CHARLES N’ZOGBIA has insisted he is happy at St James’s Park, but is angry at reports of an alleged bust-up between himself and his Newcastle United colleague Abdoulaye Faye.

 

United’s French Under-21 international woke up to a report yesterday that he had been involved in an altercation with Faye before the final match of the season with Everton at Goodison Park.

 

But N’Zogbia has denied this, and certainly neither Kevin Keegan nor any members of his coaching staff were aware of any row between the two players.

 

The 21-year-old midfielder does not give many interviews, but he told me today: “I am happy at Newcastle United and, to tell the truth, I have always been.

 

“At the moment, all I am concentrating on in playing for France Under-21s in Sweden at the end of this month and then, like the rest of the Newcastle squad, I will be looking at what players we are going to sign.”

 

N’Zogbia was not keen on saying that he will be definitely staying at St James’s next season because he is uncertain as to whether the club will sell him or not.

 

But at least his positive attitude will encourage United fans who know that he has the potential to go on and be a big name in the Premier League.

 

However, he was willing to talk about his alleged bust-but up with Faye, saying: "I have been at Newcastle since I was 17 and I have never been involved in a fight with anyone.

 

"And why would I pick a fight with Abdoulaye Faye? Not only is he a friend of mine but he is also a little bit bigger than me."

 

N’Zogbia started the season with United’s first goal at Bolton Wanderers and he ended it by winning the penalty from which Michael Owen scored in Sunday’s defeat in the finale at Everton.

 

He was a Charlie Woods signing in his time as chief scout at St James’s Park, and I remember reserve team coach Tommy Craig telling me after his first look at N’Zogbia that, after working with him for a month, he would have him in the first-team squad, and this turned out to be correct.

 

Those were happy days for Craig, but he was left devastated today along with thousands of other football fans when it was announced that his big pal Tommy Burns had died at the age of 51.

 

The Celtic first-team coach originally contracted skin cancer in 2006. Although he received treatment, the disease returned in March.

 

Former Scotland international Burns, who spent 15 years as a player at Parkhead and also managed the club for three seasons, had been undergoing treatment in both Glasgow and France in recent weeks.

 

A statement from Celtic on their official website said: "It is with great sadness that Celtic Football Club confirmed this morning that Tommy Burns has passed away.

 

"Tommy, a true Celtic legend and wonderful man will be sadly missed by us all.

 

"Clearly, our thoughts are very much with Tommy’s wife Rosemary and his family at this extremely difficult time."

 

Burns joined Celtic as a teenager in 1973 and went on to play 352 league games for the club.