[Archived] Big Fat Sam's Shopping List

[patrickvalery]

Patrick, the players you mentioned I wouldnt want to see any of them playing for Rovers we've enough dross at the club without adding to it.

I agree that we are carrying a lot of dead wood. But i simply cannot see past the likes of Hyypia this summer. That isn't to be confused with me giving him a ringing endorsement. But all this rubbish comes up every year. We're linked to numerous big names from the continent and we never come up with the goods. Experience tells me we will inevitably end up with a short term, cheap sollution. Hyypia would be that sollution. Should he top our wish list? Absolutely not. But the debate was raised over the out of contract players and he, amongst others were players i could envisage Sam looking at.

As for Adriano. I'd steer well clear. He strikes me as the sort who may come up with glimpses of magic once in a while. But i doubt he has the commitment and desire to satisfy the ewood faithfull. He will milk whatever cash cow he ends up at.

[The Rover of Finland]

Finnish biggest tabloid wrote that BS is very keen on Hyypia and he won´t continue at Anfield

[gumboots]

I would have thought that he is a player we could well do without as we have cover in that area. If he's coming, who's going?

[patrickvalery]

Now that Southampton have been relegated to League One we could do worse than look at Andrew Surman and Adam Lallana.

I live in Southampton and work with a close relative of Andrew Surman. Its hardly suprising with the club in so much turmoil, but i know he has been unhappy there for most of this season. Will be no suprise to see him leaving. I spoke to his cousin about him almost 3 weeks ago and he said there had been definate interest from Everton and Villa. I have no idea if this was the case in January or not. Saints have wasted him to be honest. He is best as an attacking midfielder but all too often he was deployed at left back.

[T4E]

Rovers will sign right-back Steve Finnan, 33, on a free transfer from Espanyol in the summer.

They will also move for Rangers midfielder Steven Davis, rated at £3m.

I'd take Finnan if it meant Emerton getting a run in Centre Midfield.

Davis is excellent, but I wouldn't want us to spend £3m on him.

Now that we're safe (!) perhaps we need to start turning our attention to who we can pick up from those that go down. I'd like to see Duffer back, we need another experienced option on the left to whip MGP in to shape. Gary O'Neill, Robert Huth, Adam Johnson, Nicky Butt and Geremi are probably the only other attainable options that would be any good to us.

[beanie]

No way to Geremi i know a lot of newcastle fans and i do not know one who rates him nicky butt is past it as premierhip player with him and nolan in midfield newcastle have almost no mobility if we are talking about bringing in a mid from them it would have to be barton hate him as a person but the only one who could improve our center mid.

wheater johnson huth and 'o neil would be ok can't think of anyone i would buy from W.B.A though

[Lathund]

Finnan would be a good short-term option. I really do like Bert as a right back, but if Ooijer leaves then Bert would be the only right back we have, and we can't have that. Bert is also a good CM, and provides backup at the right wing and even left back.

Heck I bet he'd make a fairly decent goalkeeper too should the need arise.

[Amo]

Nicky Butt? Joey Barton? Err, no thanks. Nicky Butt is past it, and Joey Barton is a liability.

I'd take Martins though. Sam could be the man to revitalize his career, and he'd be the perfect foil for a target man.

[costakiau]

The squad needs a major makeover. a left back, central defender , right back, creative central mid, right mid (i dont think diouf is good enough), and three strikers considering RSC and Derbs will most likely be gone.

With derbyshire being a success in greece, probably more so than Olympiakos' big name striker Diogo, i wonder if we can offer then him and some cash for Galletti. The guy is class, yes a bit of a gamble but a matchwinner, something we lack. Our only matchwinner is sadly Benni.

[LeChuck]

Why a left back? Warnock certainly isn't one of the problem areas of the team, and it seems likely that Givet will stay if the money is available.

[costakiau]

Why a left back? Warnock certainly isn't one of the problem areas of the team, and it seems likely that Givet will stay if the money is available.

In saying left back, i had Givet in mind.

[rovers1993]

i say priority is central midfield x 2... then add one quality striker, then comes the right wing and right back.

surely with emerton coming back, our right back will be better and also diouf will be there so right wing is solved for now. also with doran up and coming he can surely provide back up until we have the funds for a quality right wing.

we just have to make do for now.

[costakiau]

.... and i didnt mention left wing only because i mentioned so many other positions, i thought it would look excessive. The fact that we are accepting of MGP as our starting left winger is indicative of where this club finds itself.

[DE.]

Now that we're safe (!) perhaps we need to start turning our attention to who we can pick up from those that go down. I'd like to see Duffer back, we need another experienced option on the left to whip MGP in to shape. Gary O'Neill, Robert Huth, Adam Johnson, Nicky Butt and Geremi are probably the only other attainable options that would be any good to us.

Have you actually seen Newcastle play this season? Butt and Geremi are awful. MGP is twice the player of Duff, we do not need him draining our wage bill as an overpaid, slow, injury-prone back-up. O'Neill's an interesting one, but Huth isn't a player we need if we've got Nelsen, Samba and Givet jostling for DC spots.

[Hughesy]

Oba Martins & Adam Johnson - Thats about it.

[T4E]

Have you actually seen Newcastle play this season?

Nope

[Hughesy]

Wonder if United will send alot of their reserve type players who go out on loan to Peterborough next year now that they are in a decent enough league? It wouldnt suprise me.

Looks like Simpson is well out of the frame at ewood - so there is no doubt he is off, along with Ooijer & Mokeona.

[gumboots]

Nope

Is that you haven't seen a Newcastle match or haven't seen them play any football in the matches you've seen?

[Iceman]

Unless its freebies or loans, where will we get the money from? Roque might still be here, and we wont get much for the other rejects. However with BS here, dont rule out Saviola and Eidur Gudjohnsen starting up front lol. Koren(sp) and Roman Bedtner(sp) at West Brom aint bad, but we have to do better and i dont think those 2 will improve us as a team.

[JAL]

Why a left back? Warnock certainly isn't one of the problem areas of the team, and it seems likely that Givet will stay if the money is available.

Warnocks not the best left back, easily roasted by the Wigan winger, made some poor decision making against Wigan, losing posession when Rovers should have been on the attack, he came inside instead of playing the ball out wide to Pedersen which ended up in setting Wigan on their way to attacking our goal - a Warnock for Burnley moment.

Warnocks cost us many a time in games throughout this season if theres someone better out there than Warnock then Sam shouldnt be afraid to bring that individual in if it means selling Warnock.

[begresko]

I am a keen fan of gary o'neill. I like him as a player and feel he is a realistic target who would slot in perfectly. He provides versatility, something which i have started to admire after listening to tony parkes on the radio. He would be my pickings from a highly average boro side. Downing is decent too but no chance obviously.

[T4E]

Is that you haven't seen a Newcastle match or haven't seen them play any football in the matches you've seen?

Whenever they've been on telly I've not bothered watching. So I guess both.

[gumboots]

Warnocks not the best left back, easily roasted by the Wigan winger, made some poor decision making against Wigan, losing posession when Rovers should have been on the attack, he came inside instead of playing the ball out wide to Pedersen which ended up in setting Wigan on their way to attacking our goal - a Warnock for Burnley moment.

Warnocks cost us many a time in games throughout this season if theres someone better out there than Warnock then Sam shouldnt be afraid to bring that individual in if it means selling Warnock.

He's also won us games this season with his goals and assists so it's swings and roundabouts really. And his tackle on Pantsil set us up to win the Fulham game by stirring the entire team up. I seriously hope we don't sell him.

[The Rover of Finland]

Tribalfootball says we are keen on Alan Smith. Hah, what a joke. He is an idiot and an expensive one. What next? Barton?

[LeChuck]

Warnocks not the best left back, easily roasted by the Wigan winger, made some poor decision making against Wigan, losing posession when Rovers should have been on the attack, he came inside instead of playing the ball out wide to Pedersen which ended up in setting Wigan on their way to attacking our goal - a Warnock for Burnley moment.

Warnocks cost us many a time in games throughout this season if theres someone better out there than Warnock then Sam shouldnt be afraid to bring that individual in if it means selling Warnock.

I think there will be enough upheaval this summer without needlessly replacing one of our better players. Maybe if we sort out our main problems then we can start to look at improving other positions, but until then I don't see the point in even beginning to think about replacing Warnock.