By European Football
May 14 2005

After a farce of a season, we get the chance to brace our selves for a farce of a pre-season next time out. Personally I am not against us entering the Intertoto Cup; anything that can make certain players suffer this season is alright by me. But how has it come to this, last season, we were universally disappointed at only managing 5th, this year I would have shot someone’s Granny for the chance to finish that high.

Freddy is saying we won’t believe the players that are wanting to join Newcastle, well he is half right, I won’t, not until they are paraded in front of the Gallowgate wearing black and white.

New home strip is being worn on Sunday and released to us lot the day after, so no doubt that’s a sizeable chunk out of next weeks wages when I buy the 4 I need to buy and get the names on the back.

Usually I don’t mind what Newcastle cost me, but bloody hell it would be nice to see something in return, some players would obviously die for the cause, but we have too many waste of a shirt types, talented, rich, worshiped for being lazy, arrogant and completely out of control.

We should have made a step forward when Bobby left, a top class coach, with some new ideas, we didn’t we made a massive great leap off a mountain backwards. Souness had better prove himself quickly, with ‘his team’, when he builds it.

Fred for once better back up his words with actions and non of this bidding for players like Rooney that we are not going to get, the PR department needs to be shaking warmly by the throat and our players need to start fighting for the cause and not each other.

For me, Robert has to go, but we have to have a replacement, there is little doubting his talent when he is in the mood, but how often is he in the mood?

We need to replace Bellamy, with some one of the same class, because whatever your personal feelings on Bellamy, you have to concede we lost our most potent attacking threat.

Kluivert will be leaving, which is a shame in a way, is he could just bring himself to care and remove Greggs from his training session, he could have been a legend.

Bowyer, as unpopular as this is, I would keep. Just before the fight with Dyer he was getting back to his best and regardless of his past problems, up until that moment he had been as good as gold here.

Dyer, what to do with Dyer? I would sell him, alright he was coming good last season, but that was after years of under achievement and constant whingeing, I honestly think he had more to do with Sir Bobby leaving than anyone else.

Ambrose, has shown in the last couple of games, that he is worth another season to see if he can make the adjustment.

Jenas, again a keeper, not his best season, but I still think great things will come off this lad.
Keepers, about the one position I am contented with.

Baba, just go, leave now, do not pass go, do not collect 200 pounds.

Bramble, actually showing now, that with the right person beside him to keep him concentrated, he is a decent defender.

Boumsong, so far so good.

Carr, again in patches not looking a bad buy, needs more consistency though.

Taylor, the one real bright spot of this season, this lad is going to be a star.

Shola, bags of commitment, but can he really cut it? I like the lad, he works hard and is a Geordie to boot, I just harbour doubts as to whether he will really be a star.

Shearer, well obviously it will be his last season, lets hope we can win something for him, and more importantly us.