5 players itching to leave Newcastle
The fact that Newcastle are talking to Venables - a man who, in case you’ve forgotten, was the Assistant’s assistant and for his 30 years of experience has little to show for it - is an indication of the hard times the club has fallen upon.
All this could have been stopped if Ashley had kept Keegan onside or at least handled his departure better. Putting the club up for sale has just shoved the club deeper into a cesspool of uncertainty and confusion, and there will be several players in the Newcastle dressing room who would be looking at the club’s situation, their contracts and then thinking about January and next summer.
On the surface, Newcastle, like Tottenham below them, are too good to be relegated. But where Tottenham have quality players who are slowly settling in and money to throw at their problem (not to mention a proven manager), Newcastle have none of the above. Newcastle as an institution thrives on inspiration, and with no one touching the club with a barge-pole, players will be wondering about their futures.
Here are 5 players most likely to look to jump ship in January if things haven’t drastically changed by then:
5. Obafemi Martins
Martins was quoted in April 2007 as saying that Newcastle had the ability to challenge for a Champions League spot in 07/08. Clearly that didn’t happen, and it doesn’t look like happening this season either.
Regardless of whether he was high at the time or not, the fact that he thought this and the fact that he hasn’t gotten anywhere near to Champions League football (and doesn’t seem like getting there next season either, unless Nigerians come in swinging and bring the whole national team… now that should be interesting) for several years now, his agent will intensify his search for a new club. I hear Tottenham are looking for a striker?
4. Damien Duff
If he stays fit, Duff is a quality player who can handle the left flank and a technically sound player overall. Tottenham again come to mind although Liverpool (the city) could be an option as well.
3. Steven Taylor
He wants to play for England, and playing for Newcastle at this stage isn’t going to get him the exposure he needs to improve. There’s a good chance that he won’t make it at a bigger club, but if push comes to shove I see Taylor leaving by next summer, and if things go really bad Coloccini will leave with him.
2. Charles N’Zogbia
He’s young and like Taylor, needs a top-quality, stable environment to grow in. He’s not going to find that in Newcastle and there is little to suggest that he would be willing to ’stick it out’ at Newcastle if things keep going south. No shortage of suitors from mid-table Premier League rivals for a young talented winger either.
1. Michael Owen
The only reason he didn’t leave in the summer was because no one was willing to pay his wages while he was unfit AND pay a transfer fee. Owen wants to play at the top level; he hasn’t had that chance now for several years and no amount of ‘loyalty’ to Newcastle will change that - he’s out the first chance he gets, and at his wages, it won’t be a moment too soon.
Of course, a few of these players may stick around if the takeover happens but realistically speaking Owen is out no matter what happens and like Milner leaving this summer, Taylor and N’Zogbia could be the next disillusioned set of youngsters to leave St James Park.
Who do you think will leave Newcastle?
Are you saying that players now have the power to just rip up their contracts when they see fit and walk out?
If the club doesn’t want to sell them then they will stay whether they like it or not so i can’t see any purpose in this article.
Take Taylor… please. He’s shite. Maybe we can get 12M for him too. Can’t say I’d blame anyone for wanting out now. What a sad state of affairs. The Toon is a bloody mess at the moment (OK, the last couple of years). I just hope we can pull it together and stop the rot.
I agree with Tripp about Taylor. He has a lot to learn and I’m not sure he is improving. The last two weeks he has failed miserably in the penalty area. Against West Ham for the second goal he ran past the ball to take up position near the goal line then only to advance out where he was comprehensively beaten by De Michelle. Last night he again tried to let the ball run past him only to be caught again and consequently gifted spurs the winner. We need another central defender to work with Collicini.
Those players who do not want to stay should be isolated and allowed to go as for me they all are not players to play for a premiership club. I understand the mismanagement of Ashley and the departure of Kevin but as professional players they should have shown a bit of interest about the team who is paying them the huge and astronomical wages and the only thing they can do is to crawl on the pitch. NUFC does not need such players who I dont know how have emerged into the side. Shame on the players , they should play in the championship and as a matter of fact I dont think that there is a descent team in the world who cannot beat Newcastle now.We are going freewheel for relegation and as they say the fish gets rotten from the head and followed by its body. The players are good for nothing.
I forgot to mention Vennables…..PLEASE dont bring him in …take me as a manager instead..
on paper newcastle may look like a team that are too good to go down.but i don’t by in too this pish that certin teams are too good to go down on paper they may be but like spurs if the players don’t click or lkie us have no confedence or moral and don’t play to there best then they can go down.
Why isnt Shay Given on the list?
Of the most valuable: Steven Taylor, Charles N’Zogbia, Shay Given, Danny Guthrie, Habib Beye, Nicky Butt, Fabricio Coloccini, Jonás Gutiérrez, Obafemi Martins the rest isnt that worth it.
Adding Michael Owen and Damien Duff, that is probably their strongest 11. Maybe if they sell those that i have mentioned, who knows the club might be lead by the fans.
Miss Taylor? You must be joking, he’s crap, nothing more than crap. Useless. Zogg? No coment. Duff? Makes me laugh. Martin? Does he play for Newcastle? Owen is the only player we’ll miss, but nobody’s here forever. If he want to go, good luck to him.
Previously, when has Michael Owen ever said he was unhappy at Newcastle?
I agree with T Kvicksson, Taylor is a crap defender and has only lasted so long here because he is a Geordie, I welcome him walking out of the door for Bassong to slot right in. Martins is a great player and he wont leave, you may be forgetting that he pledged his future to the club on 2 different occassions. Duff seems to be one of the few players on the pitch who cares when we play, he wouldn’t be much of a loss if he went as he has barely played, but again I don’t see him just leaving us. N’Zogbia is a likely departure. Owen would be a huge loss, but, and I have been saying this from the start, I really don’t think he will leave, he has been our best player by miles for months now, he cares about playing and I think he cares about the club.
Maybe I’m getting old and cynical, but the only player I’d miss from that lot is Martins. The rest are just highly paid reputations.
Get rid of them all I say, and let’s start again.
two guys said taylor is crap he is good.plus someone said butt is a one of our best players and part of our best 11
is he fuck butt is pish and gives the ball away to much he is the wek link in that team
I hope liverpool grabs Taylor, N’Zogbia and michael owen.
haha…but wishful thinking…newcastle will give a high quote for the player’s prices….and rafa dun realli nid another centre back or left midfield, doesnt he?
but lets see…$4m for owen, $5m for taylor and n zogbia each shld be worth it…
Well, i hope that Owen leaves and joins Manchester United, i know he is old, but he still has the ability when he is fit, and he is now. he will be a good addition to manchester’s blostering attacking play