donttreadonred wrote:Currently, you can argue that the deals that have been made have bettered the club. (Notice that I said the ones that have been made. I didn't mention the ones that have not been made. ) Nolan, Barton and Carroll leaving all make sense in retrospect, because of the caliber of player behind them, or in line to join the club, and Carroll makes sense, because Newcastle would be dumb not to expect such a ridiculously inflated price for him. However, should Ashley sell Cap'n Colo, Gutierrez, Tiote, etc. it would be a sign that he really is simply in it to turn a profit. Colo MUST BE RETAINED. Tiote MUST BE RETAINED. If Newcastle want to be viewed as a "big club," as I believe they deserve to be, they need to hold on to the backbone of their squad.

On a somewhat unrelated note, I'm so glad to see Ba finally hit form and demonstrate why Newcastle went and got him. I honestly believe that his arrival was sorely undervalued by fans seeking a high-profile replacement for Carroll. Granted, he is not a rising talent, he is not world class and he most likely never will be. What he is is a very good, pragmatic striker that has shown a penchant for scoring needed goals, both for West Ham and in his short time at Newcastle. He is a big part of Newcastle's unbeaten run, and should be credited for his contribution. Now, I'm not saying that NUFC should not buy a striker. Ba needs a younger, developing striker to partner. This is why I'm unsure of Cisse or Maiga as they are approximately the same age as Ba. Perhaps I'm missing the boat and the idea is to buy moderately young already developed strikers and develop Xisco or Vuckic as the striking "projects"... It certainly wouldn't be the first time my nosebleed seat managing hasn't agreed with the real management.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:I agree on Arfa playing the CAM role, just is that our great start has been alot down to the form of the 2 strikers and i dont see no need to change something that isnt broken.....

Put Ben Arfa on the right or left( dont think it matters) and give him a license to roam

Maiga is better as an SS than he is as a centre forward anyway, so with him, Ba and Ben Arfa in the final third there will be lots of movement and pace.....

I dont like Obertan because he is all pace and no brain, the amount of times he gives the ball away is ridiculous, after seeing him i genuinely believe he was signed as a routledge replacement and not to be first choice long term....

Fabricio Coloccini is close to signing a new four-year deal at Newcastle – and has ordered his team-mates not to cut off his trademark mop of curly hair in celebration.

The Argentine is finalising the details of a new contract to cap a fine start to his first season as Magpies captain.

As he prepared to face Wigan at St James’ Park, aiming to maintain Newcastle’s unbeaten start to the season, Coloccini reflected on his “rollercoaster” career on Tyneside.

It started with the shock of adapting English football and continued with relegation to the Championship - and an accompanying plunge in his confidence.


But that has been gradually rebuilt and Coloccini, signed for £12 million from Spain's Deportivo La Coruna, is now one the classiest defenders in the Premier League.

His play and his barnet have helped him become such a cult hero in the north-east, there's even a terrace song in which fans offer him sex with their wives.

“That is all good fun and makes me laugh," said Coloccini. "I will never cut off my hair.

"I had it short for a brief period in 2000, when I was with AC Milan. But I’m not going back to that, it was a one-off, a story that I hope won’t be repeated at Newcastle!

“When I was there, the older players would often say to me, ‘Come on! Cut your hair, cut your hair!’

“At one stage, Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta cut it for me - straight off with scissors.

"I don’t think any of my current team-mates would do the same to me now! I will remind them I am captain!

“A lot of South American players go for the long-hair look. It’s just the fashion in Buenos Aires.

"I know that in the past a lot of people in England had a haircut like mine! The Beatles, as well.”

Coloccini can now recount, from a position of strength, his difficult start with Newcastle, which included Kevin Keegan’s departure, the brief Joe Kinnear era, being dropped by Alan Shearer and relegation.

“When I came in the first year, times were tough, now it’s one of the best given the start we’ve had," he said.

“When I came here, I didn’t know what English football was like. Every player who comes to England maybe needs six months to a year to get to know the league. The first year, I had a few problems because Spanish football is so different.

“When we went down - a terrible experience - there were some offers to leave, but I wanted to help rebuild and the Championship was a good experience for me. I played, got confidence.”

Coloccini is now the leader of the pack and helping to ensure a focused dressing room spirit, with no egos.

He added: “There have been a lot of changes. The character is different.

"Last year maybe when we conceded the first goal it was difficult to respond. Now, if that happens we keep trying, keep that winning mentality, one which might have been missing last year.

“I think this season is like building a house. First you have to put the foundations in place.

"We have to first get to 43-44 points, and when we’ve done this, we can start thinking about other things. Hopefully with the good start the foundations are in place this season.”

Coloccini it settled in Newcastle with his wife and two young children and hopes to pen his new deal in the next couple of weeks.

Not surprisingly, Toon manager Alan Pardew, who surprised many by naming him captain after Kevin Nolan was sold to West Ham in the summer, has warm words for the Argentine.

“He’s a Rolls-Royce player - and a Rolls-Royce person too," said Pardew. “He’s a really nice fella.

"I’d seen him play internationally a few times and a few times for Newcastle before I came here, but you never appreciate what sort of player they are until you have spent three weeks with them on the training ground.

“I was pleasantly surprised at what a hard-working, disciplined footballer he was.

"This year he has been outstanding. I would definitely say he has been our best player up until this period.

DeviAngel wrote:I want to pay respect to the almighty Newcastle currently you guys ROCK !


from a fratello bianconero aka Black and White ..

Black and White FTW !

RedOranje wrote:Still undefeated in regular time.

dostoevsky wrote:How did Santon play Mole?

dostoevsky wrote:Excellent.

Prepare the hype train.

fatman123 wrote:hopefuly stoke crush newcastle, like shawcross cruched ramseys leg, no way chelsea are falling to 5th place again!

RedOranje wrote:

fatman123 wrote:hopefuly stoke crush newcastle, like shawcross cruched ramseys leg, no way chelsea are falling to 5th place again!

Classy...

Like in any sport, you take out the danger person as quickly as possible, within the rules of the game. Someone should have taken Suarez out the other night.

Hope we can take "BA" out tomorrow night. If it happens to be on his dodgy knee, then so be it.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

RedOranje wrote:

fatman123 wrote:hopefuly stoke crush newcastle, like shawcross cruched ramseys leg, no way chelsea are falling to 5th place again!

Classy...

Similar to Stoke fans themselves......

Like in any sport, you take out the danger person as quickly as possible, within the rules of the game. Someone should have taken Suarez out the other night.

Hope we can take "BA" out tomorrow night. If it happens to be on his dodgy knee, then so be it.

Classy lot.......

kingsofthenortheast wrote:Santon is such a good signing but more Stoke fodder.

I hope we win the game tonight without any injuries.