The “one in-one out” transfer policy.

Players out before players in.
I’ve noticed a few comments recently suggesting that we have a “one in-one out” transfer policy. Is it folly to expect anything else?

Over the course of the summer there have been a number of articles detailing just how close we are to having a full squad. People bemoan our “thin” squad and our “lack of numbers”, but once again I will go through it and show that it is anything but thin on numbers.

I maintain that our problem isn’t a lack of numbers – our squad is bigger than Chelsea’s squad for example. Our problem is that there is a lack of balance in some areas and a lack of quality in others. With our 25-man squad already full it leaves our hands tied until players are moved on.

So far, players who have to be registered this season include:

Tim Krul, Steve Harper, Fraser Forster, Danny Simpson, Ryan Taylor, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, James Perch, Wayne Routledge, Joey Barton, Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith, Jonas Gutierrez, Sylvain Marveaux, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best, Demba Ba, Peter Lovenkrands, Xisco.

I make that 24 so far, which leaves us just one empty space in the squad. People will point towards a goalkeeper leaving and maybe Wayne Routledge, but aren’t those the kind of players we want replaced anyway? Are they not deadwood now? Jose Enrique is a different matter of course, but he might not go yet. Put it this way, clubs aren’t beating down the door for him at the moment are they?

Others like Alan Smith and Xisco are naturally going to sit out their lucrative contracts. Wouldn’t you? They are showing just how hard it is to force someone out the door when they don’t want to go and if anyone thinks that Ashley likes having them around and paying them a fortune for essentially doing nothing (that includes being left out of the 25-man squad) then I’d also guess that they are a sandwich short of a picnic.

There is still a lot of moves that can be made to our squad to make it better, but it’s going to take time. We aren’t going to get a full compliment of 25 starters, much like any team doesn’t have a full 25-man squad of players who could start every week, even Manchester United are included in that! Be realistic.

So one in and one out? Maybe, but it also has to be that way. I’m sure we could all think of many ways to improve the squad but the fact is that players have to go before they can be replaced.

See what I mean?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

96 thoughts on “The “one in-one out” transfer policy.

  1. Jobey and Batty, I hope your right lads, I really do. He seems to have good technique and be versatile from what I’ve seen here n there. Nolan had a strikers instinct is my point, when Carroll left thank god for Nobby. Due to the nature of those sales, any replacement is a gamble, not much room for a slow start! Time will tell.

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  2. Apart from the fact this site and comments specifically/mobile theme does not work on iphone (i cant view comments), I can say this article sums up the story of NUFC under Ashley. Barnetta will not arrive unless Barton and Smith go. N’Zog will not come unless Guti goes. A serious LB will not come unless Rique leaves. On the plus side, seems we arent waiting for Loven et al to go b4 we get another striker.

    Is there enough competition in key areas?

    Hmm.. Probably, we have decent numbers in central midfield and wings, but Lw and Rw are weak. Forwards are dicey, if Demba gets injured, we have Best and Ameobi. Behind them we could play an attacking midfielder… Hence I think Haris is worth bringing on in preseason.

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  3. Hi lads, I am so gutted that nufc are what we are today I hope one day the We can be the team we were. It looks very unlikely that we will buy anymore players,maybe a forward not a world class one what the fans deserve tho.
    It sickens me to see this football club going the way it’s going, I hope we see a new owner next year to put our club up where it belongs. Anyway I heard yesterday that 9 million is on books to spend,hope it’s soon and not panic money in jan 2012. Thanks lads all the best steve

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  4. Hoddo-When Carroll left Nolan did sweet **** all as he couldn’t feed off the knock downs or poach any more goals from five yards out… 😆

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  5. AndrewT – it’s not working on some mobile browsers, is the point I think he’s trying to make.

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  6. Harper, Tavenier, Coloccini, Tayls, Enrique, Marveaux, Tiote, Gosling, Jonas, Ba, Ameobi

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  7. I don’t understand why fans give a **** whether we are in debt, breaking even or making a profit.

    Do Barca fans? Man Utd? Anyone else?

    No cause they win trophies and have a great side to watch when the shell out 40 quid a ticket.

    I want to see the best possible side out there every week competing and all the revenue spent on an exciting team. If it isn’t, then I am entitled to a grumble.

    People mention long term plans etc…oh right…another one?
    The guys been here almost 5 years and every bleeding year it’s the start of another long term plan with steady improvement.

    It’s like some of us are bloody brainwashed!

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  8. Rt, I thought colo and tiote had slight knocks from playing on the fake pitch in orlando

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  9. I partly agree Newkie. I’m not over-gutted! However, against Bolton and Wolves (big games at the time) he got both openers. Not to mention an opener against the Mackems, (minus Carroll). Not much maybe but mostly looked more potent than most of our alternative actual strikers at the time.

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  10. A “six in-six out” transfer policy would suit me better for this season.

    …and Ryan Taylor, James Perch, Wayne Routledge, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith and Xisco could shut the door on their way out.

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  11. “Can’t we just force them out like we did with Carroll apparently”

    Look, everyone knows the problem with the squad isn’t so much numbers, its quality (or lack of it, to be more precise).

    Using our strikers as an example:
    The argument really is about do we wait until we shift the players who don’t contribute before getting in someone decent.

    Ashley may well say “I’m not paying someones wages to contribute nothing”.
    But in the case of the ‘deadwood’ that is effectively what we ARE doing already, otherwise they wouldn’t be considered deadwood.

    My argument is that we NEED new players in a few positions irrespective of whether we move some of the deadwood or we are quite likely to struggle badly this season if we have our usual luck with injuries and whatnot.

    I would buy in some new players and move some of the deadwood out the squad to encourage them to try harder to find a new club.
    If that didn’t work and they still dragged their feet over a move I would then refuse them the access to train with the club and use the facilities until they demonstrate a reasonable effort to find a new club.
    Any player in this kind of limbo is going to seriously jeopardise their future which would surely act as an incentive to stop them stalling over leaving.

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  12. you are an idiot and you personify everything wrong with a newcastle fan these days, as well as being a geordie these days. it ain’t right, we make a fortune, we have more fans than liverpool and we back a guy trying to make his money back. even kev the savior has been turned into the devil. living in london we have turned into the laughing stock of the country and as uncomfortble as it is we deserve it. we aint wigan for christs sake! idoits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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