Essentially dastardly Dekka has given a bit of an insight into how the club works when it comes to strengthening and has sounded a note of caution to those who might expect some form of strengthening in January.
He has revealed that the club can only afford to have eleven players of starting quality, or ‘purples’ as those inside the club call them. I don’t know why they are called ‘purples’ and not just ‘players who will be starting’ but hey ho. Personally I think it’s a bit weird, sort of like a secret club, but each to their own…
However the devil is in the detail and whilst poking fun at something like that has an upside, there is most definitely a downside that has come along with it. Here goes…
“We’ve made it quite clear to everyone. We have 11 positions that are grade A players or Purples, as we call them,” he explained in the Northern Echo.
“Then, under them, we have the players who come in under them to take the positions so the squad gets bigger.”
“Eventually we’ll have 33 players who will be pushing everyone. Where we are we have, in effect, 11 Purples if you count (Vurnon) Anita. He can play midfield, right-back, left-back. They are there. Centre-backs you have Colo and Steven Taylor, who are fantastic centre-backs.”
“To bring in another centre-back then you have James Perch, who is doing a fantastic job, (Mike) Williamson, who is doing a fantastic job. You can’t have two purples per position because the club can’t afford it. You have to be realistic.”
Ok so we have to be realistic then? So what is being realistic? Is it now realistic to assume that we won’t be buying any players for the starting eleven until one is sold? Is it realistic to assume those that are here will only be pressured for positions from within? Is it realistic to assume that we are going to continue with a squad that is thin on experienced cover?
Another thing, Derek. Most fans are realistic enough to know that we aren’t going to be able to acquire two full teams of stars and leave eleven of them on the bench each week. We haven’t got Champions League football and aren’t a big enough draw for a ‘purple’ player to be willing to come and sit on our bench.
However, to say we can only afford one first-team player per position is just, well, bollocks. You constantly tell us how well you and your mate Mike have done with the finances but now it’s all under control we suddenly can’t afford anything. Why try to improve at all then?
This regime have done some good things, but things like this really annoy me. In fairness we are without BOTH ‘purple’ central defenders and I dare say that most teams would struggle a bit more if that was the case, but with a player with an injury record like Steven Taylor’s you have to wonder why there isn’t an inkling of wanting to strengthen that area of the pitch.
What do you think?
Haven’t seen Camilla queen of the desert, was that the sequel? 😉
richietoon(Quote)
it was for Charles 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Camilla or Dame Edna, I say the Aussie should have a national referendum…. 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM…There’s not much in it when it comes to looks 😯
richietoon(Quote)
Eminem, yep agree about the referendum.. can’t see it happening for a few years yet..
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
Aussie you’ve got it the wrong way round it’s Richie snd I that get picked on, your a prime example your always having a go at us 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D….I blame it on the time difference between the Aussies and the europeans… By the time the europeans wake up the aussies have almost a whole day behind them, and they need to unleash there frustration on somebody … 😆 😆 …for example when Emile Heskey has missed a sitter or summat…. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Big D…Richietoon was on the raw meat yesterday and started picking on me until Icedog put him right… 😆
Solanostrumpet was also working his ticket supposedly …. 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Richietoon@154…they are both “attractive” in there own way …. 😳
Munich Mag(Quote)
Eminem, we Aussies just get frustrated as we wait for Europe to catch up with us 🙂 🙂 Big Dave, you wish mate 🙂 🙂
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
“Tottenham are close to agreeing the £8million signing of Crystal Palace whizkid Wilfried Zaha…”…
Now we can maybe begin to understand the toons transfer policy…. 🙁 8 million quid…howay man.. 😯 😯
Munich Mag(Quote)
Aussie Mag… I hear where you’re coming from, those europeans are a bit docile at times…. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: New regulations that would change the face of English football are being debated by the 20 Premier League clubs, a majority of whom are understood to favour far greater financial controls, especially on wages.
Interesting, not sure how that would be implemented though…. 🙄
What about transfer fees ffs…. 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Bloody transfer talk has started again already… there is very little respite from the bullshit it seems…
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
MM Richie eats his meat raw because he cant be bothered to wait for it to cook as he’s a hungry boy
Big Dave(Quote)
Its bloody agents and their fees that need to be got a grip of imo.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Big D@165 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
richie gets all his facts right like what time the grub shops open and close he can smell a frying pan at thousand paces,what other facts does he need to get reet 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
i see perch says they can win the euro cup,the way we are playing at the mo we will be lucky to win a egg cup hope its a purple one 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice your really embracing the purple, is it getting you intouch with your feminine side
Big Dave(Quote)
in owlheed we trust 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
DAVE 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice did u here anymore about whats happening abo lasights game ?
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE from what i hear the game goes to IC and could lead to a ban for senegal from some compo,that would be nice for toon 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
About lastnights game 😮
Big Dave(Quote)
Cheers Ice that would suit us
Big Dave(Quote)
Right so Senegal are out of ACN, we now need IC to get knocked out in the group stages or the 1st KO round, so we get our 1st XI back.
Bit of a slow news day with no interesting internationals and no PL/Championship games on. 🙁
Andymag(Quote)
Just saw on newsnow a link to the ‘Kenyan Post’ with the headline “Newcastle identifies replacement for Liverpool bound striker” 😡 Bastards! He’s not their’s yet 😡 😡 😡 .
Andymag(Quote)
Andymag… hope you had a canny day at Tynemouth, get some proper air in your lungs man 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM
Started terrentrally raining in the morning so couldn’t play football on the beach 🙁 , been stuck at relatives and friends the whole time aswell so haven’t done anything.
Andymag(Quote)
Will play tomorrow regardless of the weather in the morning. 😀
Andymag(Quote)
Miles Starforth @milesstarforth
Interesting Joey Barton interview in Sunday Times. On QPR: ‘I’d left club I loved, Newcastle, and I knew I’d come for money. I was uneasy.’
😯
3hourswasted(Quote)
3HW
He liked us most cus he was most successful with us, at the biggest club he’s ever been at and he was at the pinnacle of his career with us. At City he was a trouble-maker and hated the manager and whilst at QPR he was past it and the players he was with were/are ****.
Andymag(Quote)
As much of a **** as Barton can be, and even though basically all footballers are lying greedy twats, I do think he actually liked playing for us. I’ve no doubt he uses his twitter as a PR machine to attempt to endear toon fans to him anyway, but I still liked him as a player.
Just a shame about his ego really…
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie@184 Wish we had someone who could put a cross in like him or take a corner like him at the mo. 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-Aye. There’s no doubt Cabaye has that bit more flair about him and capable of better through balls, but we’re definitely missing his set pieces imo… 😕
Newkie(Quote)
Don’t think we’ve really replaced Barton’s leadership either.
It’s a shame he had to be so mouthy and $$ hungry. Few more years with the form he’d shown before he left and he could have possibly become one of our great PL midfielders. Even last season, his contribution to the first two games really helped shape our season.
Right decision to get rid though.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Oh! I seem to remember the last 200 Barton corners failing to clear the first defender.. 😕
Ashingtoon62(Quote)
@188 is right, when Carroll left Bartons crossing ability seemed to aswell. Maybe it was just we had no physical presence upfront but his crosses were poor.
Andymag(Quote)
ST $$ hungry ❓ what way 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave
Didn’t QPR give him 70kpw? 😕
Andymag(Quote)
Andy yeah but what does that prove except that he’s not stupid, IMO it doesn’t mean he’s hungry for ££s i’m sure he would have been happy enough on what he was on with us 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave 🙄 i think i’m all out of nits for you to pick. surely 3hourswasted’s post proves it ❓
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Proves barton’s motives that is.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Joey Barton, a legend in his own lunch break. Thank goodness he’s not our problem anymore… 😯
Munich Mag(Quote)
Amen to that MM 😕
Andymag(Quote)
There again, it’s not Barton’s fault that someone was crazy enough to pay him 70K a week 😆 😆 At the end of the day that genial move, together with poor results, cost the QPR manager his job. … and Mark Hughes isn’t far behind.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Andymag, are you heading down to Cullercoats beach tomorrow to get some wind in your hair mate… 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
ST why is it when I try to ask you something you get all defensive 😕 I was simply asking what you meant by ” It’s a shame he had to be so mouthy and $$ hungry ”
I know he was mouthy when he was with us but I don’t think he was ££ hungry until he was shown the door, so I simply asked what did you mean.
But if you would rather I don’t ask you owt that’s fine just let me know as it’s no biggy
Big Dave(Quote)
MM exactly he would have needed to be stupid to turn the money down but to me that doesn’t prove he is money hungry if he was money hungry surely he wouldn’t have been willing to take a wage cut to stay with us ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D, you know I have never liked Barton, apart from the odd occassion when he pulled his weight, but he cannot be accused of being $$ hungry surely. If that’s the case, then so am I cos I want to earn as much as I can….but my boss strangely enough doesn’t share my view 😥
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM you know they say if you pay peanuts you get monkeys,hope your on at least a walnut 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
MM 😉 spot on mate, oh and maybe you should get a new boss
Big Dave(Quote)
Icedog…I’m deep in negotiations for half a walnut at the moment. Richietoon ate the other half… 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Big D… thanks for the advice man … 😥
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM your lucky he only ate half 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Congrats Dave. Just seen your Facebook. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Cheers Troy 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
MM
😕 . Will have to be really early tomorrow though as we’ll be heading off midday.
Nah not cullercoates, too small. Me and my dad run the length of Tynemouth beach passing it from end to end. It’s how my crossing ability became so good
Andymag(Quote)
MM could not have been richie he would have left nowt even the shell would have gone,dave told me hes stripped every fruit tree in the area 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
If your passing through Tynemouth early tomorrow you’ll know it’s me if you see a teenager struggling to control the ball on the beach, or attempting to fish a ball out of the water before it washes out to sea 😕
Andymag(Quote)
ANDY use a medicine ball mate you will have nee bother 😀
icedog(Quote)
Andy, when you’re legs start to turn blue get out of the water pdq…
Late summer in Tynemouth…brr…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Ice
😉
MM
SCOTLAND!!!! 🙄 , I’ve swam in much worse 😉 .
Andymag(Quote)
As part of my Duke of Edinburgh we hiked/camped in the northern hills (bit south of the highlands) in March, we all decided to go swimming in a small loch near our camp site 😀 .
Andymag(Quote)
188-Hmm, a little bit over the top there I think mate. I know he went out of form, really our whole side seemed a bit disjointed. Agree with ST-the performance/leadership against Arsenal was crucial, that 4-4. If we’d been spanked it would have been an ugly end to the season….relegation worries resparked.
Newkie(Quote)
more cash for jabba and company wonder if will get a c/b next yr 🙄
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-columnists/new-competitor-sends-nufc-tv-money-soaring-even-higher/?
icedog(Quote)
Andy-Skinny dipping with the lasses were ya? I did some of that a few years back in Kenya where my DoE was Mt Kenya. Slightly warmer water in Mombassa than Lochty Mochty I imagine 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie
Less hypothermia, more crocodiles 😉 If I went skinny dipping in that I wouldn’t have much to dip with next time brrrr 😯 😕
Andymag(Quote)
That last sentence works for both my loch and your Kenyan lake 😆 .
Andymag(Quote)
Hmm… Seemed to have scared everyone off 😕 🙄
Andymag(Quote)
Andy 😆
I was in the sea mate, nee crocs to worry about. Just the sharks, and all the other poisonous **** 😉
We did go to lake victoria, where people sold ice creams made from the water there. Someone bought one and was going to eat it before the guide threw it on the floor and told them not to. We went on the lake a little later that day and saw why 😆 😳
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie
Bit dirty was it 😉 I had some of the best/freshest water I’ve ever drunk when I was on my hike. Was very sunny during the day but the water was cold in each of the streams so was unbelievably refreshing.
Andymag(Quote)
****!!!!!!!!!! Just saw that free fall! 😯 😎
Andymag(Quote)
Sorry for the language 😳 . **** that was cool.
Andymag(Quote)