Was it the right call to give Cisse the No9 shirt?

toonsy

Too soon for the number nine?
So we finally have our new number nine in the form of Papiss Demba Cisse. Great news! Or is it?

Now before I get into the nuts of the article let me just clarify that I’m not rubbishing the transfer or the player and I’m not wishing failure or anything like that. Instead I’m just debating whether or not we should have held back the No9 shirt instead of offering it straight away.

To me the No9 is a special shirt. You only have to look at the players who have worn it over the years to realise that. Shearer, Ferdinand, Cole, Supermac, Milburn are all iconic names associated with Newcastle United which have combined to give the shirt it’s importance. It’s not just a player in a shirt – it’s a figurehead, an idol, someone to look up to and rely upon.

Perhaps I’m being overly romantic in my notions? Perhaps I’m being a bit outdated with my thoughts in this modern game of football that we have right now? All I know is that we’ve just given the next chapter of a book of number nines to someone that may not end up fulfilling it’s own legacy.

To me the shirt must be earned. Of course there are examples where that isn’t the case, but in a game where loyalty is a scarce commodity these days I’d quite like to know what type of player is getting the honour of wearing the number nine shirt and along with that getting the chance to write their own chapter in Newcastle United history.

I mean what was wrong with holding it back until the summer and treating these last few months of the season as a kind of working interview? If Cisse showed he has what it takes then give it to him for the start of the new season. It was the approach used by Chris Hughton when he gave Andy Carroll the number nine shirt and it worked out well, for half a season at least.

Now it’s not all doom and gloom as I can see why Cisse has been given the shirt. His record stands up against some of the most recognised strikers in Europe and he is the type of player who is ideal for the shirt when you look at the way he plays. He works hard for the cause and does the ‘simple’ thing of scoring goals and being in the right place at the right time which is what is needed from the No9.

I just can’t help thinking that we should have waited until the summer to see if he can be a number nine in NUFC colours.

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.

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212 thoughts on “Was it the right call to give Cisse the No9 shirt?”

  1. If Ba does not want it, then Cisse would be next in line, so no point waiting as we are not going to sell him if he has an average/poor first half a season in a new Country and league. Best was never going to be accepted as our #9 and obviously it is not going to Shola. That is our 4 strikers for next term, with maybe one of the promising young lads sat on the bench occasionally.

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  3. My heart actually sank a little bit when I saw him holding the number 9 because I felt demba was doing everything to be on his way to earning it. I know he mentioned not wanting it but he wasn’t going to come out and say ‘I want that shirt, I deserve it!’ I pray and have confidence cisse will hit the ground running and show us that he deserves that shirt anyway 🙂

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  6. If he gladly to respondsible for No.9 shirt. I think it’s good to see him confident with his ability to do that.

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  7. I think he had to be given it. As I remember it the 5 players mentioned in the article never actually earned it, Shearer actually took it off Ferdinand. What is the point of saying to everyone we are prepared to pay upto £10 million for this striker, but we’re not going to give him the number 9 shirt in case he isn’t good enough. I know if I was the player and I was told I had to earn the shirt with the record he has I would have said stuff it, I’ll go somewhere else where they respect the efforts I have already made in my career.

    Carroll for me was a completely different case. He was learning his trade at the club. Telling him to earn the number 9 shirt was the next step in his progression, something else to aim for.

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  9. It’s seen as almost holy because of a handful of greats that have worn it but the reality is there’s been more poor to good players than good to great. The “earning” it tag has only been mentioned recently, post Martins and therefore completely manufactured as a myth imo. Would Ba be idolised anymore than he is now if he had just the number 9 on his back? I doubt it but maybe it would make a better story 😉
    The player makes the number not the other way around. Let’s hope Cisse can be another goal scoring great wearing 9, but it’ll be him that earns the hero status and not the number.

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  10. Ice..but only AC has had to earn it in the past, why? no one else has had to do that, and he earned it in the championship too, not even in the top flight.

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  12. I’m with you here Richie. This earning it malarky came about when Houghton challenged Carroll to earn it. That was good man management. Carroll grew up at the club and wanted to be our next great striker.Houghtons challenge worked a treat and ultimately got us £35 million.

    If Cisse becomes the next big thing at Newcastle then the tool is there for the future to again challenge an up and coming striker already at the club to earn the number 9. Hopefully that will be a good few years down the line.

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  13. I agree with Scott @ 7. Shearer was awarded the number 9 as soon as he signed (ripping it off Brave Sir Les’ back after he’d won player of the year in it…), as was Ferdinand, as was Cole, as was Martins (cough). The number 9 is special of course, but only because of the people who have worn it – if we make them all ‘earn it’ in a different number a la Carroll there is the worry it’ll be seen as an unnecessary hassle rather than a huge honour. Either retire it or keep it as a ‘going concern’ with Cissé.

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  14. Not really arsed personally theres been probs as much ***** wearing the number 9 as leg ends.

    Ive got a good feeling about this lad i think he will be a star just as ive had the same feeling on demba, santon, tiote, cabaye and practically anyone weve signed since relegation bar pancrate 😆 the club have hardly put a foot wrong in the transfer market recently and if slim micks put the best past of £10m up for this lad hell be well worth it…

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  15. From what I have seen of him Cisse will earn the shirt. Maybe we should have a 9a and 9b for Cisse and Ba? Both tremendous strikers and I love Ba’s humble nature and work ethic. Is this possibly going to be our best strike partnership ever? It could happen. With Ben Arfa in there as well a very potent attack indeed. 😀

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  16. RICHIE i wouldnt have given no9 to AC its not just about scoreing goals,of coarse it goes a long way to it,but imo theres more to it,air of respect ect ect,anyway hero!s are on the field not in the rags or doon the big market getting tanked and being locked up.but me ime of the old school 😉

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  17. Ice….But what I’m saying is, AC apart no one else has ever had to earn it so why start now?
    If we start down that road nobody will ever wear it ‘cos by the time they’ve earned it a big club will come in for him and buy him 😉

    Would Shearer or Milburn have been any less great with number 10 on the back or their goals celebrated any the less?…nope, would be the answer.

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  18. If what Pardew says is true, that he has been the number one target since Judas effed off, and we’ve been tracking him for the best part of two years, then we had to give him the number 9 really.

    I know what you’re saying Toonsy mate, but in reality, we aren’t going to sign another £10mil + striker anytime soon. Ba could have had it i’d like to think, if he wasn’t set on 19. It was only logical to give it to Cisse.

    Agree with Scoot Aboot, it might have been a bit of a kick in the nuts to not give him it – telling him how much faith we have in him to be our main man but holding back the shirt he knows belongs to that man.

    Anyway i’ve got a good feeling about him 🙂 I reckon he’ll render this convo useless in a year.

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  20. Spot on icedog. Look at Carroll, already ruined by big money (and was a bit of a lout from the begining anyway). We have made mistakes in the past giving players the no. 9 shirt too easily. Martins is another example. Only the very best should be given the shirt and they should behave in a way that makes us proud on and off the pitch. Shearer never had a problem doing it that way. I would have loved to see Ba wear it to be honest. Hoping for the very best with Cisse. 😀

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  21. A few people seem to have a pretty selective memory re: number 9. We’ve had a huge amount of dross wear that ‘sacred’ number, and it doesn’t devalue the shirt – it just means when we discuss legendary no 9s in a few years time we don’t mention them. You reckon the next generation will even know Martins played for us, let alone as number 9? If he’s good we’ll say ‘Ferdinand, Shearer, Cissé’ when listing the legends – if not, we won’t. Simple as.

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  23. Ice…”old school” is giving your striker the Number 9 as it has been since numbers on shirts were introduced. None of our legends have ever earned the shirt, not one. They were all given it and did it,the club and the fans proud, but they never earned it 😉

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  24. I know its come out as an important number for us because of who has had it on in the past, but lets think of how it used to be. We had numbers 1 to 11, a player had a number on his shirt based on the postion he played. To be honest, I think it was better back then, players would have been trying hard in training to make sure they got the number 2, 9, 10 or 11 rather than thats my number no mater what. I hope he does the shirt proud, but also hope he would do that even if he was given numer 44. You never know, in years to come, number 19 might be the number we are all talking about

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  25. The less dross wearing the no. 9 the better as far as I’m concerned. Here we are discussing it aren’t we? Martins couldn’t polish Milburn’s boots as far as I’m concerned. Nothing but a waster. Couldn’t get by on 70K a week? Disgraceful to say the least. He’ll end up broke and on the street. Will Carroll follow the same path? Hopefully not but he is clearly headed in the wrong direction with the bindippers. He looks much less confident on the ball and they must be already regretting the day they bid for him. Let him suck 80K a week out of their salary money for as long as possible. :mrgreen:

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  26. Maybe the No 9 shirt was used to convince him to join.
    Richie it hurts but I have to agree Carroll was the only one that had to earn it while at the club.
    As for Ba he wanted the No 19

    As for the romance and history attached to the shirt I am sure Cisse has been made well aware of it, and as Big Al says getting a player that is prepared to take that extra pressure is a good thing 😉

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  27. I would have given Cisse a squad number until the end of the season, then reviewed the squad numbers in the summer, giving the Nr 9 to Ba or Cisse then…

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  28. Load of romantic tosh is talked about the number 9 shirt.
    Lots of ordinary players have also worn it – not just the handful of past stars who keep being mentioned. Look up Barrie Thomas for example.

    We’ve just signed one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe…the No9 shirt is free and available…simples!

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  32. RICHIE we will have to agree to dis-agree,its not “all” about goals,i could name many many no9s at toon who shouldnt even have a shirt never mind a number on it

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  33. It’s the shirt that matters most anyway. If you pull on the black and white shirt you should be ready to give it everything you have no matter what the number. Usually the best and the worst are the ones that come to mind and get mentioned over and over again. Look how many times we have discussed who were the worst wankers to wear the shirt! I think we have a few in the team now who will be discussed as great players in future years. Ba is already well on his way, as is Krul. I think we should already be feeling very good about Colo as well. He is class all the way, never complains, rarely misses a game, doesn’t hang his head for long after making a mistake. Just a class player all around. For me Jonas is class as well. Not the most talented player but a huge heart, never stops trying. All great examples for our younger players.

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  35. Lots of ordinary players have also worn it – not just the handful of past stars who keep being mentioned. Look up Barrie Thomas for example.
    We’ve just signed one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe…the No9 shirt is free and available…simples!
    ————–
    Have to say I pretty much agree here. I appreciate the No. 9 and its role in our club’s history and hope it will always have special meaning. But I have no problem giving it to cisse from day 1. As you say it’s not like everyone who has ever worn it has had succcess. If he doesn’t live up to it he won’t ruin the number.

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  37. Ice…exactly my point though, before Hughton “challenged” Judas to earn it, the subject about “earning it” had never been raised, and if he hadn’t nobody would be discussing it now. We all would have been happy enough just for it to be given to one of our strikers, the way it’s always been since numbers came in.

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  38. Richie you’re absolutely 100% spot on in everything you’ve said.

    And on that note I bid thee all farewell.

    It’s been a fooking brilliant week to be a Mag – let’s hope tomorrow caps it off nicely! 😀

    Have a good un everyone!!

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  39. The famous names to have worn the number 9 complete a very small percentage in the clubs overall history. I think the whole thing is completely blown out of proportion as there has been a load of dross to wear it too.

    Good luck to the lad, I couldn’t personally give a chuff if he wears number 99 as long as he scores goals.

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  42. TC so long sucker 😆

    Ice 😆 😆

    Richie Carroll getting the shirt had fuk all to do with Hooters, it was Nolan that made the decision to give him it 😉

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  46. I see it as follows:

    Demanding that a player prove themselves in the team first seems silly and I think no fan would apply it in all cases. Would any fan have said shearer should not have the shirt when we signed him? I think not. Shearer was of course a proven premier league scorer and England international when we signed him but Cisse is a proven scorer in the Bundesleague and internationally too. So are you saying then that Cisse does not deserve the shirt coa he has not earned it at Newcastle so dimly cos his is not English and or is not from the north east of England.

    2. Has every number 9 I’m the toons history been a legend – No!! some get that status sure (after they got the shirt AND scored loads in it) other don’t do so well which is just “life” I guess.

    3. Carrol got the shirt very quickly didn’t he (see point 1 above so I don’t need to restate too much) and how did that work out in the end? (although his career since leaving has been amusing to say the least

    Basically I feel that as long as you are from right areas of the north east you are somehow born to wear the shirt if not some people right articles like this. If Cisse fails then likely he will ultimately leave and while that will be disappointing it is not the end of the world. Sure it could be argued that Ba deserves it more but perhaps does not want it or will not stay long anyway.

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  47. Hughton for all the “coach not a manager” talk got carroll playing like a man possessed the carrott stick method with the #9 shirt was class management akin to bobby getting wor Al to change his game when his legs were knacked IMHO…

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  49. “I can’t believe I’m looking forward to an ACoN’s game so much”

    I remember getting excited when guivarch was playing for france in 98… 😉

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  58. Richie@41, you just reminded me of a poster that used to go on Ed’s blog, by the name of ‘Frank Pingels’ Cum Sock’ 😀 😀 😀

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  59. So who plays then gosling, vukic, abeid or stick with the 4-2-3-1 we played on saturday after cabayes injury which i though worked pretty well we didnt get many shots off but i though we kept the ball and looked as comfy seeing it out as any match this season…

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  62. “In October 2009, Guivarc’h appeared at number one in a list compiled by the Daily Mail of the top 50 worst strikers ever to play in the Premier League.

    In response, he dubbed the paper “****” and called their verdict a “mockery”, before claiming that apart from inventing the game, England had not contributed to World Football since 1966″

    😆

    In all seriousness as i said earlier im excited about this lad, watched freiburg on espn a few times last year and he scored in every match, He looks like a star and to get ashley to dip that far into his pocket he must have it…

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  63. He doesnt deserve the number 9…..but surely he is worth having a go at it. Lets be honest his record speaks for itself….

    Joey Barton = ****

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  65. cheers ritchietoon,seen that but just wondered if anyone from here was gong. nice to put faces to names. im to old now to start at 6.00am at the jack the ripper. i would be fecked 9. 😆

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  66. dont know what i think about gosling havent seen a great lot of the lad everton game was the last time so cannot really judge the kid

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  67. Interesting article and my take on it is thus.

    The number 9 obviously still has significance to the fans but it doesn’t hold anything like the adulation it used to from yesteryear up until Andy Carroll wore it and this is where it lost it’s significance as far as I’m concerned because Andy Carroll basically rendered it ordinary once he gave it up.

    Naturally it still hold a special place in many fans hearts and also it will hold a certain pressure for some players that wear it but when I say some, I mean some, because football now is about superstition with a lot of players as far as numbers are concerned.

    For instance, I bet Ba could have had the shirt but he chose 19 because it has some significance to him, of which he will eventually tell us about.

    As some posters have already said though, we have had the good, the bad and the indifferent wearing that number since before the war.

    As far as the club are concerned though, if it’s to be used again, then why not just give it to a striker that we have paid a lot of money for and just hope he does the team justice, rather than ding the number 9 justice, first and foremost and in time, if that striker manages to threaten a record by wearing that shirt then great because ultimately, it means that the striker ,,,,Cisse in this case, would set out to achieve that goal I would imagine.

    Years ago, the number stood out, naturally because of those great footballers who scored a hat full of goals and carried on the trend but in those days it was Numbers 1 to 11 but these days , it’s owt you like.

    I’m just waiting for some ******* with horns to sign for us that insists he wants number 666 but won;t tell us why. 😆

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  68. Toonitis….I’ve met a couple off here and believe me, it’s not always a good idea to put a face to the name…..alreet Toonsy 😉 😆

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  69. So Wolfie your giving Carroll the honour of rendering the No9 shirt ‘ordinary’ and he will have the honour of being the last player to wear the special No 9 shirt for us.

    The No9 shirt should always be special, off course we will still see some ordinary players put the shirt on but they will be the ones that didn’t deserve to wear it and didn’t do it justice.

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