Derdiyok signing would be a shrewd move from King Kev

James wrote...

What a bad article.

Your vague reasons for derdiyok being a potentially good signing are that Marc Hottiger (that pillar of scouting excellence)has said hes alrite, other players from his current club have gone on to be ok in Europe, and he is young.

Poor.

Ryder's reply: The opinion of a well respected Swiss international and former Newcastle player who has watched the player on countless occasions for club and country is entitled to his opinion and guess what? It's an opinion I trust. So there.

Posted by: James  | June 29, 2008 2:41 PM

pedro wrote...

Great signing, looked alot better than Gomis at the Euros and at half the price
really hope he signs.
(p.s. alright Nokky!)

Posted by: pedro  | June 29, 2008 2:55 PM

Paul Patterson wrote...

Going for the overseas approach is something I hate doing, as it usually provides all sorts of risks and usually expensive ones, but the age thing is very admirable, keep the squads age down and get enough talent to look to break into the top 4 in a couple of years time, as at present we all know it’s impossible.

Sir Bobby Robson had a similar plan, get the best young talent available and then mould them into a side, except Freddy Shepherd disagreed with that and got rid off architect.

I had high hopes for Hugo Viana and still believe that he could have become good player if given time,- he only spent two seasons in the Premier league and compared to Geremi, Amdy Faye and Damien Duff, he was a revelation, he was a classic example of someone who couldn’t, or wasn’t allowed to, adapt to the league’s ‘Physicality’s’. Emre has gone exactly the same way, big reputation and a player I rated highly, but couldn’t hack it when the going got tough.

Which brings me back to overseas players being a very easy way out, nowadays, you can pick up an international player for £10m and really he’s only worth around £3m. Boumsong and Luque are our prime examples, but they need not be continentals to be overpriced- Alan Smith is certainly not worth £6m, nor is Rozehnal worth £5m,- I’ve been wanting to see Peter Crouch up front, but no way in hell would I pay the £15m Rafa Benitez is asking, similar with Darren Bent- £17m when he moved to Tottenham, probably worth £6m now, which is the same sort of bracket I’d value Crouch in.

The first thing that needs to be scrapped is the transfer window, because it puts much emphasis on getting player in as soon as possible and the closer that we go to the deadline, the higher we pay for players, and the more desperate the buying club becomes,- lets not forget, clubs all know we have sold a lot of players and now MUST buy, that’s going to be good for negotiations isn’t it?- If a player is worth £5m now, if we wait another month or so, you can bet that will double. Owen and Luque anyone??

The only bonus about the transfer window is that it makes clubs get in what they require for the months till January, so starts them off on a flat footing, maybe if the window is to remain,- it should close BEFORE the first game of the season?

The Chronicle has come in for stick on various forums, ‘Keegans funds dashed by Ameobi’s £3m blow’- is the prime example, if Newcastle’s success or failure this season hangs on if we get rid of Ameobi and pocket £3m, then we may as well prepare for relegation now.

Kevin Keegan has a great record with Newcastle United signings, this will continue if he is backed by the owner, but they all need to sort the funds out quickly.

Paul.

Posted by: Paul Patterson  | June 29, 2008 4:13 PM

Siomi wrote...

Oh God! Another striker! Aaron Spear, now Derdiyok...

Maybe you are right Lee; Obafemi or/and Owen or/and Carrol could be on their way out...

Stikers don't like warming the subs bench. They lose their touch and their confidence. We need to be playing our best strike force week in and week out.

We do need to cover for injuries and the odd spell in prison (this is Newcastle don't forget!), but an army of strikers supported by a skeletal and weak midfield does not fill me with a lot of confidence!

Posted by: Siomi  | June 30, 2008 8:53 AM

JC wrote...

I guess what James was trying to communicate is the lack of excitement a signing such as this brings. No reference to a scoring record just an opinion from a (below) average ex player. Now If you were telling me Derdiyok had scored 30 in 38 games I may have raised an eyebrow, but a reference to one goal against a poor England team does not make me stand up and take notice. As for the other players from Basle's 'conveyor belt of talent'....Hardly world beaters are they Lee? Perhaps what is needed is some balanced journalism on your part Lee! ie You dont always have to 'big up' players we are linked with.

Ryder's reply: We're talking about international footballers JC, of course they are talented players. This just seems like a senseless attack on a player who hasn't even pulled on a black and white shirt yet - and you're telling me to be more balanced!
You're having a laugh!

Posted by: JC  | June 30, 2008 11:01 AM

Topher wrote...

Blooming Heck Lee, I bet you wish you hadn't bothered! He looks a good player as much as anyone can at 20 I guess. Scored a good goal against England and perhaps more importantly he scored 7 in 5 for the Swiss Under 21's. None of it qualifies as "World Beater" status (answers on a postcard if anyone actually knows how to define it) but it's a good start and let's face it, we aren't going to sign any world beaters, let's be realistic.

Let's just look at other teams around us - Villa selling their best player and looking to spend 10 million on Anton Ferdinand...it could be worse.

Keep up the positive outlook Lee, it keeps most of us happy, even if we are sick of being linked with half the players in Europe and EVERY player ever to have pulled on a Seville shirt (Julio Baptista, what's that about? All he did at Arsenal was complain about the weather, hardly going to aspire to living on the Quayside is he?).

P.S. whoever above said that Rozenhal cost £5 million has been making up numbers. £2.9 million was the figure commonly touted around and we got that back. Agree on your point though.

Posted by: Topher  | June 30, 2008 12:25 PM

DAVE ROBSON wrote...

lee
i dont see why we have to take the risk with foreign imports when there is a couple of defenders available with premiership experience i.e steve hunt
nicky shorey probably for less than what there asking for 'Derdiyok'.
Oba will defintely go, which is of a greater concern, this lad deserves to be playing week in week out and to be given a proper fair crack of the whip.
i honestly dont think we need major influx of players just 4 or 5 real quality premiership players who are hungary players, i.e bullard, swp, shorey, hunt, dave kitson to go with the ones we have. maybe bapitusta on LOAN.

Posted by: DAVE ROBSON  | June 30, 2008 12:55 PM

halfmanhalfkeebab wrote...

The lad’s record of 11 goals in 44 appearances over 2 seasons for Basle is not earth shattering. 7 goals in 5 games for the Swiss u21's is reasonably impressive though, even at that level. It is interesting to note that Andy Cole's goals to games ratio was not much better when we signed him from Bristol City in 1993. How many people had heard of him at the time we signed him? When I look back on the previous Keegan managerial era, it's quite evident that he had an eye for a good player. I must confess that I had significant reservations regarding the wisdom of installing him as manager last season and if I'm honest, I still do. However, more often than not, a manager is judged by his success or failure in the transfer market. History dictates that we should put our faith in Keegan's ability to bring in the right players. Just because we have not heard of them or know much about them does not necessarily mean they will not turn out to be good signings.

Posted by: halfmanhalfkeebab  | June 30, 2008 1:31 PM

iain wrote...

there are lots of factors that determin whether players are a success in the pl or not and tbh you didnt need to be a footballing expert to see the pattern that players from hot climates who are used to slow paced non contact football will flop in the pl and esp up north at nufc.

cant see derdiyok fitting that description though, he has the attributes physically for pl football, has played in switzerland a country not renowned for its tropical weather (he coped very well in the rainy games he played in the euros) and on the big stage vs england.

as for viana he was just not as good as some thought (sir bob was hardly faultless in all his signings was he), viana still cant get a regular game for relegation battlers osasuna.

where we have missed out on signings is players from e.europe, croatia and russia mainly, although despite missing out on some big name like arshavin the countries still have plenty of quality players we could maybe attract.

if the bid we made for modric was serious i would just take the money we bid and wack a bid in for rakitic who despite being modrics understudy looks just as good a player, german clubs arnt renowned for refusing huge bids for players. we could do worse by using the 16m and bidding and gambling on someone like portugals moutinho simply becuase rakatic is a 6ft+ e.european and moutinho is 5ft something but very small and used to hot climates.

Posted by: iain  | June 30, 2008 1:34 PM

Deaco wrote...

I agree with JC. Lee your reply that "these are international players, of course they are talented footballers!" This isn't the case at all. Amdy Faye, Luque, Boumsong, Viana, Marcelino, Maric the list goes on of international footballers with very little talent but either lived on reputation built up by friends in the press or by scoring one decent goal against England.

I hope we do sign him but not because Hottiger says so and a reporter agrees with him. I think there should be more to it than that.

Ryder's reply: Having watched him play I think he is a good player and coincidentally agree with what Marc Hottiger said. As for the Faye, Luque, Boumsong argument - they were talented players, just not for Newcastle where they were terrible.
Jon Dahl Tomasson was terrible at Newcastle but then was a hit with AC MIlan where he won the Champions League, you'll be telling me he has no talent next.

Posted by: Deaco  | June 30, 2008 2:05 PM

BigSam wrote...

Sorry no, not shrewd. Two weeks ago you were praising Andy Carroll and were insisting we hold on to him as he is the closest thing to a local hero. Signing another striker, who is pretty much the same height and age is foolish. By the by what do you think Basle would do if they sold this guy? Buy a new player? No they'll just put another youngster in the thick of it. Instead of spending money we should just put our own yung uns in!

Ryder's reply: And I still think that - as Kevin Keegan says himself - "You can't have too many good players."

Posted by: BigSam  | June 30, 2008 2:10 PM

ronnie lambert wrote...

Keep a heed, keep a heed! in the immortal words of Rab.C.Nesbitt. I well remember saying Andy who? from Bristol city? I have as usual done my youtube homework on the kid Derdiyok and guess what? He looks a bit special, and not just his very smart goal against England which was Owenesqu, Sheareresque' Torresesque and Coleyesque. Had he been playing for any of the quarter-final teams we would've been looking at 15-20 mill, but if we can get him, I'll stop worrying about Viduka's fitness, or the other strikers come to it. The lad's only 20-ish and plays either wing, centre forward and can head a goal. Exactly the type we're looking for, rich in natural ability and young enough to be moulded Keegan fashion. Keep a heed man lads.

Posted by: ronnie lambert  | June 30, 2008 4:48 PM

ron lambert wrote...

Oh, forgot the youtube url for anyone wanting to check out Derdiyok's talents.
Good tip...be kind to yourself and turn that bloody obnoxious backing song down. I watched it twice and nearly blew a gasket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNxlFf5GTdE&playnext=1&playnext_from=QL

Posted by: ron lambert  | June 30, 2008 6:46 PM

chuck wrote...

Hey Lee, its apparent you have little knowledge about the game.
I suggest you write about cricket or snooker or somthing you know about.
So far your comments suggest an obvious naivety based on the opinions of newspaper articles and guys like Hottiger.
Truth is the guys no better than Ameobi or Carroll and you want KK. to spend £6m. Sure Ashley thinks you are a genius!

Ryder's reply: You are entitled to your opinion but that doesn't mean you are right.

Posted by: chuck  | June 30, 2008 6:54 PM

STEVE wrote...

HMMMMMM? negativity regarding a potential transfer target..........EH?????????????? do you lot want nufc to sign players or not...todays crack is that we aint got too much to spend....AND if OBA goes we need ALL the quality that we can get in...nobody in = relegation fight.....is that what weve bought our tickets for again...i think not.....i hope its a sign of things to come...B&W FOREVER.

Posted by: STEVE  | June 30, 2008 8:30 PM

Clarke W Griswald wrote...

We have probably the most injury plagued strikers in the league so I guess any cover would be ok. If he is bought to replace 1 of our current forwards I hope it isnt owen or oba.

Ive heard a rumour we've got another advisor helping us. None other than Domonic Littlewood from 'Dont get done get Dom'. Dom will be hiding in the blacked out van while Wise goes to another club to ask for a players 'best price' whilst getting haggling tips from Dom. It might save a bit of cash on the transfers!

Id much prefer some fast creative midfielders and a couple of defenders to any strikers right now. I wonder whose list this swiss fella is from? If this guy signs i'll give him a chance, he cant be as bad as smith surely?

Posted by: Clarke W Griswald  | June 30, 2008 9:18 PM

geordie jazz head wrote...

Gan canny there Ronnie,I've always liked your posts but Derdiyok's talents are one thing,you cant stand the classic "Zodiacs" by Roberta Kelly ,dust down the disco boots bonnie lad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wytWoO4A8A8

Posted by: geordie jazz head  | June 30, 2008 9:50 PM

Walter Ego wrote...

Geordie jazz head, I agree with Ronnie. I've just watched Derdiyok on youtube and he does look a bit tasty ( on the ball I mean ), and that song was a bit irritating.

Posted by: Walter Ego  | July 1, 2008 2:48 PM

sam wrote...

like most of u iv jus looked at derdiyok on youtube n he lokks like a younger and thinner vikuka. and after the game at wembley in febuary he said he wud love 2 play in the same team as owen so theres 2 great raesons to get him.

Posted by: sam  | July 1, 2008 3:57 PM

Geoff Forster wrote...

Give the lad a chance. He's obviously got talent. Hope he signs and develops into a superstar.

Posted by: Geoff Forster  | July 1, 2008 6:43 PM

Duncan Baines wrote...

'You can't have too many good players' - I don't think this is our biggest problem at the moment!

Posted by: Duncan Baines  | July 2, 2008 8:24 AM

Sillana2 wrote...

My submissions: ,

Posted by: Sillana2  | July 6, 2008 2:42 AM