June 2009 Archives
UPON this very Wednesday, Newcastle United will report back for a season in the Championship, God help us all.
Players are set to return to the scene of their crimes with no new owner, no manager, no skipper, no signings to inspire hope, and no sense of purpose or plan.
Desperately requiring promotion in a solitary season, the only way the Magpies will get out of the Championship right now is by dropping into League One like Leeds, unless bold and decisive action is taken damned quickly. Like this week.
TURKISH giants Fenerbahce are monitoring the situation surrounding disillusioned Toon defender Steven Taylor.
The injured England Under-21 star had the chance to join the Yellow Canaries last summer before he signed a three-year deal at St James's Park.
Back then Taylor was in contract limbo with United, who dragged their heels over offering him a new contract. However, the defender, along with a clutch of other Newcastle stars, has became unsettled amid confusion over United's future.
CHRIS Hughton is hoping that his third spell as caretaker boss of Newcastle United is a brief one - after admitting that the club need to appoint a permanent manager "as soon as possible".
With the squad reassembling for the start of pre-season training tomorrow, Hughton has again been asked by United owner Mike Ashley to take charge on a temporary basis. He will be assisted by Colin Calderwood, who has rejoined the club on a week-to-week contract, and goalkeeping coach Paul Barron until there is a breakthrough in Ashley's attempts to sell United.
Hughton admits he has "no idea" how long that will take, but is at pains to point out that his sphere of influence will not include recruitment, player contracts or deciding which of the squad members will be allowed to leave.
NEWCASTLE United defender Habib Beye is facing a race against time to be back for the start of pre-season training on Wednesday after finding himself stranded in the Caribbean.
The Senegal international was supposed to come back from the sun-soaked island of St Barts on Thursday evening in order to give himself plenty of breathing space ahead of United's July 1 return date.
Beye arrived in St Barts almost a fortnight ago after spending some time in Miami with close pals Djibril Cissé, who has since signed for Greek giants Panathinaikos, and Arsenal ace Samir Nasri.
NEWCASTLE United Academy director Richard Money believes the club's crop of emerging talent will fill the void created by the exodus of their big earners - if the new manager gives them the chance.
United's squad reports back for pre-season this week to a club racked by uncertainty, with Alan Shearer unlikely to have been appointed by Wednesday's return date and new owners up to a fortnight away from taking over.
With the squad set to disband and time running out to bring in seasoned replacements, the new United boss will have little choice but to rely heavily on a clutch of precocious players who were playing reserve and youth team football last season.
FORMER Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd has blasted the critics who insist he should never have signed Toon flop Michael Owen.
Owen joined the Magpies for a club record £16m in 2005 after Shepherd engineered what was widely seen at the time as an audacious swoop on Real Madrid.
But Owen's imminent departure from St James's Park after just 58 Premier League starts in four seasons at Newcastle has prompted some to ridicule Shepherd's judgement.
ALAN Shearer will not be attending a meeting with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley in London today and United's manager-in-waiting fears he will not be able to take control of the team for the start of pre-season training.
Shearer has never had any intention of travelling to the capital to discuss matters with Newcastle's want-away owner and no meeting was planned for the end of the week as Seymour Pierce continue to negotiate with a number of groups who have shown genuine interest in buying the club.
Instead, Shearer will wait for managing director Derek Llambias's return to Newcastle on Tuesday before asking for any fresh updates on his bid to become permanent manager.
ARSENAL and West Ham United are ready to test Newcastle United's resolve to keep first-choice defensive pairing Sébastien Bassong and Steven Taylor by formalising their interest in the duo imminently.
Hopes are rising that the uncertainty which has surrounded the club's future since relegation to the Championship will lift in the next few days - with "decisive" movement expected on the unresolved ownership and management issues before the start of pre-season training next week. Both serious bidders favour Alan Shearer's claims to be manager which should pave the way for his belated appointment - but his first task will be to ward off interest in Bassong and Taylor.
West Ham, who have former Newcastle number two Steve Clarke on their coaching staff, are at the head of a clutch of clubs interested in Taylor, while Arsenal are keen on Frenchman Bassong.
NEWCASTLE defender David Edgar is poised to join newly-promoted Burnley.
The versatile Edgar, unhappy with the terms of a new contract offer at St James's Park, had held talks with another club moving up from the Championship, Birmingham City.
But with discussions at St Andrews having stalled, Burnley boss Owen Coyle has moved in for the 22-year-old.
THE FUTURE of Newcastle United - and Alan Shearer - should finally move closer to being decided on Friday.
Sources in London have confirmed to the Chronicle that decisive movement on Mike Ashley's attempt to sell the Magpies is finally expected at the end of the working week.
And Shearer has been made aware of imminent developments which may belatedly hasten his permanent appointment as Newcastle manager.
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