Newcastle need blood and snot, not glitz and glamour
When it comes to Hollywood signings, they don't come any bigger than David Beckham.
Beckham has had a fantastic career in the game with Man U, England, AC Milan and Real Madrid and the mighty LA Galaxy.
However, whether Newcastle United need Becks right now is open to much debate.
It's understood that Newcastle are NOT really interested in signing Beckham and Pardew's post-game comments at Wigan were more out of respect for the England legend.
But the question has to be, can Newcastle United stay up without signing a big-name like Beckham?
The answer has to be YES.
If Becks was to make an unlikely arrival on Tyneside, then with him he would bring a media circus that Newcastle United just do not need at the moment.
At 35, his best days are behind him.
Of course, Beckham can cross a ball better than most players on the planet and that aspect of his game would greatly benefit Andy Carroll.
But in terms of signing the superstar, with 25 points on the board and hopefully 15 or more to come, I wouldn't swap the blood and snot style of play of Joey Barton and Cheik Tiote for anybody in the Premier League battle we are currently involved in.
Final product and perfection of crosses is something we need to find another solution for.
Beckham would be a luxury player and in my own humble opinion, he wouldn't fit in within the Newcastle United locker room at the moment.
If anything, the current training ground environment is a down to earth one with several players from working class backgrounds all fitting superbly into a team that does best when grafting their socks off.
Barton, Tiote, Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor and Andy Carroll are all a major part of the make-up and the atmosphere at the club right now will not let anybody get above their station.
It's one of the reasons why Carroll has been a success on the field this season, because he has players such as Barton and Nolan who won't let him get too far ahead of himself.
Like it or not, Beckham is one of football's luxury players and whether in his advanced years he has the stomach to deal with the dogfights that lie in wait is unlikely.
Give Beckham the big stage in Serie A at the San Siro to strut his stuff and spend his time shopping in Milan with the wife and he'll be happy.
Give Beckham and Posh the constant limelight of the Goldfish Bowl and a browse around the Grainger Market sidestepping the pigeons before trips to Blackpool, Stoke and Birmingham and I'm not so sure.
Early suggestions that a deal to play for Spurs developed after he bumped into his Cockney pal Jamie Redknapp in Harrods to set up the deal to play in the Champions League tells you everything you need to know about Beckham's mentality.
In my opinion, he won't be able to handle the down to earth honest banter flying around the Toon dressing room which includes an interesting mix of Geordie and Scouse and is based for the first time in a long time on values that come close to matching the same of the fans.
At Wigan, I watched Joey Barton chase a lost cause to set up the only goal of the game when many a player would have just left the ball to be cleared.
He then won a tackle by sliding in on both knees to win the ball with the odds stacked against him.
In a recent game I witnessed Tiote attempt to tackle somebody with his HEED.
I can't see Beckham having the same type of attitude, especially with one eye playing for England and another eye avoiding injury to be fit for LA Galaxy when the MLS starts again in Spring.
It's all or nothing at Newcastle United as they look to secure Premier League status.
And Beckham can't give his all because of other interests.
Therefore he is not the right fit for the Magpies.
16 Comments
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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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Give me Beckham over Routledge any day.
Give me Beckham over Jonas any day
Spot on LR, any toon fan who wants to see us sign Beckham must have a very short memory or have wiped the name Michael Owen from their recollection of huge money signings, around whom we then tried to build a team
We have a team, a very strong team with one of the hardestwork ethics in the Prem so any signing we will make MUST fit into that ethos
Sorry Becks, maybe 10 years ago when you were 25 and we were a different club, but not now thanks
We need a right winger who can cross the ball, Routledge is like a rifle without a bullet useless
Why don't we do the obvious thing and put Jonas on the right wing where he belongs? I'm sure we'll see a better player straight away. And could we possible see Enrique move up to mid-field now and again and put Kandar in at left back? Jonas plays 100% everytime but he is way out of position and everyone can see that...
Routledge is about as useful as Ann Frank's drumkit.
Absolutely spot on Lee!
Santa Claus before Beckham!
Happy New Year.
The chemistry and work-ethic are a pillar in the locker room, mess with chemistry and a bonfire will erupt. Not to discount the quality of some names of possible signings, I'll take our chemistry over the former.
Shola's fine when he brings his 'A' game for 90 minuted....it's the 'C' and 'D' game that worries me about him....Ranger needs more PL experience, Keane or Becks on loan? If Becks does go to Spurs, Keane'll really flip his cajones and if it's all about money and the glory of ChampsLeague he'll stay at WhiteHeart Lane, if he just wants more playin' time he may be a good fit in the locker room for less than the 6m...that said, he's gotta fit in with the Lads far as work ethic goes, what it'll do for chemistry is an unknown.
Howay The Lads, yesterday's result improved my demeanor....a loss Wednesday will make me 'demeaner' as ever before.
Totally agree Lee.
But surely this is none story, there is never any chance of him coming here. If it was a case of Beckham saying he wants to join us then we would have a debate of for or against him coming.
What a "nothing" article. Personally I think Beckham is long past it but don't make the team out to be pie and chips!! We have some class players who belong in the Premiership so let's not create some 70s working class heroes scenario which takes attention away from the club's undoubted quality and the fact we're punching below our weight.
The London press is clearly playing the let's wind up Magpies game again. All it takes is the muttering of those majic words "we are a big club" and sanity flies out of the window. The4 only claim Beckham has to fame these days is being married to Posh Spice and even her shelf-life is now limited.
Lee has oudone himself with the "blood and snot" line! One only hopes that the season will not end with those fluids covering the faces of the Toon Team.
And, on a totally differe4nt subject: If Spurs, Man City or any other team were to offer two good players this month for Carroll then Parwho should snap their hand off. Why is because Ashley needs the cash and the manager needs to offload a player who will never be worth more than at present.
Finally, my prediction is that the Londoners will again be having a laugh after West Hum have been to Toon.
M.Sebastian T - As always your predictions are way off the mark and I am surprised you have the nerve to come back on here after your embarrassing predictions and following humiliation regarding the slaughtering of the Mackems. The time of your comment shows what a sad life you lead stuck on a computer at 3:42AM! As for Beckham, we don't want him and don't need him and we certainly don't need the media circus that would arrive with him.
Beckham would be a silly signing and AP should have nipped it in the bud when he was first asked about him. I hope we don't sign bentley as his attitude is all wrong. Whatever you think of the abilities of some embers of our squad you cannot argue with the commitment - we haven't had that for many years so AP must be careful with who he signs. Keane would be a good loan signing but I don't see him as a long term solution. We badly need a striker - does FC Twente not have one they want to get rid of for around ã3.5million?
Lets hope the Beckham thing is pie in the sky media rubbish. . .. however . . . .
should Barton be out the door - as has been intimated in the past (and lets not put anythign past the owner) - then the beckham move would make a little more sense.
Give me Joey any day at the moment though.
Like you Lee - I believe we can get through without a big name signing - however - I think that Pardew needs one if for nothing other than to seal his acceptance with the fans and announce himself to the premier league. His ego is to large and too fragile to allow him to manage CH team, he needs the bigname signing more than the club or the team . . .
watch this space . . . .
1. LR - this is a nothing article. You are writing about something that will never happen so what is the point? Concentrate on commenting on players who might actually sign for Newcastle.
2. I disagree with some of the comments about Beckham. Like I said we won't sign him but he is a player who always gives 100% to the cause and despite his celebrity status and big money history I've no doubt that he would give his all to Newcastle. He is no mercenary like Owen.
3. Agreed. He is not a player we need. A striker should be our priority.
Beckham. I would love to be a fly on the wall during the negotiations between his agent and Mike Ashley over any proposed contract.
If Mike Ashley can link Beckham to the sales of his sports clothing/equipment - and turn a profit on the deal - believe me it could well happen.
Meanwhile, back to the future eh?