Is your Toon tankard half full or half empty?
Whatever your feelings are going in the 2010/11 season the mood must be lighter than it was just 12 months ago when it felt like the world had came to an end for most Newcastle United fans.
Thus far, Newcastle - like five other Premier League sides - are yet to make a breakthrough in the transfer market and that has caused concern for large ranks of Toon fans.
But perhaps more importantly - if funds are tight - then perhaps retaining the United squad come the end of August will be the key to whether Newcastle's stay in the Premier League extends to beyond one season.
It's certainly got to be a case of more of the same from Enrique, Carroll, Guthrie Coloccini, Nolan, Routledge, Jonas, Simpson (when fit) and Lovenkrands.
In addition, you have players with points to prove such as Steven Taylor, back from injury, Joey Barton, Shola Ameobi and the likes of Mike Williamson, who enjoyed a solid end to the season.
The grand debate has to be whether, by playing the long game, United are allowing others to steal a march or whether panicking only results in attracting flops such as Boumsong, Luque, Babayaro or if you were being really controversial - the injury prone figure of Michael Owen.
Yes, in days gone by there have been some exciting summers on Tyneside, not least the summer of 1996 when stars like Les Ferdinand and David Ginola joined the club and later 20,000 fans turning out to see Alan Shearer sign on the dotted line - but those days appear to be long gone.
You look around and see the Boltons of the world signing Martin Petrov in recent days and West Brom and bolstering their squad while the big money is really yet to be splashed out in the Premier League by anybody, if it still exists outside of Eastlands that is.
Don't get me wrong, Newcastle need to strengthen this summer but if staying cool avoids walking disasters such as the above mentioned flops, then that has to be a positive.
What do you think?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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The squad as it stands are probably just about good enough to survive in the Premier League but the problem will be if we get a spate of injuries or suspensions, have we enough in reserve? and the answer is definately a no. I expect regular bookings to fall to Alan Smith and Joey Barton, meaning they will be missing for 3 games at a time and Andy Carroll will get his fair share of yellow cards which will also mean a ban at some point. I am glad we are not making stupid signings or panic buys, such as the Turkish striker being mentioned lately, but I definately want to see some incoming very soon and can't understand why we are not making a move for Kris Boyd.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty? that's the million dollar question for Toon fans. Every season we start off with high expectations and as another trophy less season passes we just fall into a state of oh well there's always next season!! We will win a trophy again one day and this will lead to celebrations on a scale not seen anywhere in the country before!!
I agree, why we are not going for Kris Boyd is stupid, at least 15 20 goals a season and in the prem we need that???
Also note Kris Boyd is a Newcastle fan and so was his father, That tells you a lot when it comes to commitment??
I too cannot believe we have not signed Boyd. I think he would complement our strike force quite well, something different to what we've got. We don't have a poacher, or anyone proven to be a prolific goalscorer. Sure the Scottish League is pretty bad, but he has resale value to a team in Turkey if it doesn't work out. Also there wouldn't be any issues with him adapting to the North East. Leon Best should be loaned out to rediscover his confidence.
I think that in midfield, Vuckic should be given a chance to develop in centre midfield as backup to Guthrie and Barton. On the wings I like to see Nile Ranger as a backup winger while I also think we should sign Koren who is free, technically sound, not a world beater but solid, and has plenty of experience... unless there is someone better out there we can get for free. I would sign Whittingham if we had a few million bob to spend on a young winger.
In defence, I would much rather see Steven Taylor played at right back than Ryan, who I think is an excellent squad player. Queudrue or Finnan would be good free signings to beef up our full back positions. Kadar should then provide some backup and given a chance to progress.
I think that would be a prudent way to go about things, look forward to see other suggestions.
As someone who lives in Scotland and (unfortunately) gets to watch a lot of SPL football I have to say that Kris Boyd would be a bad move. He is greedy, lazy, moody and very very static during games. He isnt what we need at all.
We need pace and strength in the middle of the park and that has to the priority.
I expressed these sentiments on another blog.
Although I understand that CH has to be careful about "naming names" I'm tired of waiting for a break-through! We've heard players mentioned then rejected, bosmans, loanees etc, we have money, we don't have money it's farcical! Once more it will be a last-minute panic with the good players gone and us scrabbling about for the left-overs! For God's sake CH do something positive!
appaently petrov ( a mediocre prem player) is on 35 k per week at bolton.
if the tight fisted coknee is only prepared to pay 20 k per week max,( think i read that in the ronnie gill) i dont hold out much hope in us signing anyone decent.
When it comes to avoiding players that have no loyalty beyond their dedication to making as much money as possible, then my glass is definitely half full. We're in line to become a club that signs unproven young players with promise, some will make it, some won't, obviously. But in terms of having an owner who can match the loyalty he apparently demands, (as opposed to him being a cheapskate), I predict a toon future of recruiting cheap and selling any player with promise on for a profit to the likes of man city, chelsea- or whichever 'big club' has the most spare cash at the time. So in the case of MA my glass is half empty- (even though 'drained, washed out and hung out to dry' may be a more accurate analogy).
I am exceptionally pessimistic and have very little faith that his dealings are anything to do with the long term benefit of the club.
We've got a really strong core of a team- and most of their loyalty is beyond question, after last season especially- but it will count for nothing when money starts talking.
I live in hope that the owner will make the profit he thinks is owed to him and then sells up. After what he has done to the club- i.e the consistent lies he has told and disharmony he has purposefully created- I find the recent trend in supporting the man, (because we got promoted from the fizzy pop league with a top flight team!?!?!?) and his policies naive and disturbing in the extreme.
In my opinion- he has no intention of working for the benefit of our club, the fans or the area- his concerns have proven to be only for himself and his companies, (of which we are now one)
Q: Is my pint half full or half empty?
A: As with all things NUFC- it really all depends what hour of the day it is!
should be 6 points in the bag forus Mackems,
love it,,,
Ryder's reply: Delusions of grandeur, granted we were terrible and went down but that season Sunderland scraped up and all the talk of dusting off passports at the start of last season just got you worked up for nothing.
For the best part of last season you struggled and 11 wins out of 38 says it all.
Newcastle at home first in derbies in October, should be good.
PSG buy young players from lower divisions put them in the window and sell them it follows they get nowhere as a club totally static.
i still believe we went down cause our main strikers were out. MO MV (JB Midfield). any team would struggle if they lost their best players. so have we replaced them? well unless AC can become an over night hit -no! can JB finish the season or even half? god only knows!? think the best bet to get a proven striker would be on loan as 10-20m looks out of the question. good luck there chris and congrats on your first signing, hope he turns out well for you.
Don't get me wrong, Newcastle need to strengthen this summer but if staying cool avoids walking disasters such as the above mentioned flops, then that has to be a positive.
So what about Leon Best Lee?
Methinks you are sticking your head in the sand here rather than being outspoken against the current shambles that is NUFC.
The fans need someone who is prepared to get on Ashley`s back on a constant basis, there is too much sucking up going on.
ATB