Below you will find two teams with one thing in common; They are comprised of current or ex-Newcastle United players. One is formed with British and Irish players and the other is a collection of players from across the rest of the Globe. For these teams I have set two selection criteria;
1) Any selected player has to have been a full international at some point during their career.
2 Any selected player has to have appeared for Newcastle United in the last 30 years. (1986 onward).
The team selections are entirely subjective and based on contribution to NUFC, at what stage in their career they played for the Magpies and just personal preference. For example Patrick Kluivert does not make the line up despite being a huge global star – because he played for us so late in his career. The reason for the 30-year rule is because it was so rare for teams to buy foreigners before then.
So for the United Kingdom and Rest of the World I’ve gone for 4-3-3;
First team:Shay Given (GK), Warren Barton (RB), Jonathan Woodgate (CB), Steve Howey (CB), Barry Venison (LB), David Batty (DM), Gary Speed (CM), Paul Gascoigne (AM), Peter Beardsley (STR), Alan Shearer (STR), Craig Bellamy (STR).
Subs: Martin Thomas (GK), Stephen Carr (RB), Aaron Hughes (CB), Rob Lee (CM), David McCreary (MF), Keith Gillespie (RW), Les Ferdinand(STR).
Honorable mentions to John Anderson, Andy O’Brien, Liam O’Brien, Michael Owen, Duncan Ferguson (a favourite of mine), Sol Campbell, Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas.
It was a close call between Hughes and Howey for me. Howey was a great servant to the club but not really an established international. Hughes was versatile and underrated in my opinion but overall Howey contributed more to us. Rob Lee just fell short because with that attacking line-up the midfield needed a general – and there were few better than David Batty. Up front Sir Les lost out to Bellamy because I genuinely believe Bellamy was the better player in his prime and Ferdinand contribute more to Spurs than us.
The Rest of the World has a 4-4-2 formation;
First Team: Pavel Srnicek (GK, Cze), Jonas Gutierrez (LB, Arg), Nikos Dabizas (CB, Gre), Phillipe Albert (CB, Bel), Habib Beye (RB, Sen), Laurent Robert (LW, Fra), Hatem Ben Arfa (AM, Fra), Johan Cabaye (CM, Fra), Nolberto Solano (RW, Per), Loic Remy (STR, Fra), Faustino Asprilla (STR, Col).
Subs: Tim Krul (GK), Fabricio Coloccini (CB), Mathieu Debuchy (RB), David Ginola (LW), Cheick Tiote (CM), Georgino Wijnaldum (AM), Obafemi Martins (STR).
Honorable mentions to: Shaka Hislop (I know he was raised locally), Bjorn Kristensen, Charles Nzogbia, Temuri Ketsbaia, Hugo Viana, Luis Saha, Patrick Kluivert, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse, Dietmar Hamann.
Some controversial choices you might argue, but Gutierrez could play at left back and down the years we have had very slim pickings in terms of international talent in that position. Olivier Bernard was a personal favorite of mine, but he never won a cap for his Country. Dabizas was underrated and reliable and whilst Coloccini has occasionally oozed class, I believe overall the Greek was the better contributor to our cause. Colo might just be the worst Captain the club has ever had.
Beye was similar to Debuchy in that he could get forward but he pips the Frenchman because he did not treat us as a stepping stone. I honestly don’t think there was a lot of difference between the two in their prime. Robert beats Ginola due to his contribution. He played a lot more and scored a lot more for us. Again, Ginola was more a Spurs contributor than ours. Hamann was a better player than Tiote, but did not feature for us for long. We have not had a wealth of foreign talent in the middle of the park unfortunately. The same can be said up front. Occasional flashes but no long term, stable contributors. Martins shades Cisse to the bench. They both chipped in for us but Martins had excellent celebrations!
No doubt I have forgotten some very good players but hey ho.
[poll id=”90″]
Gash – he’s not saying he wants Clarkie in. He’s deliberately picked someone poor to say he doesn’t think they could do a worse job what McClaren is doing. I suppose similar to people saying bring back JFK when Pardew was in charge.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Lee Clark is a serious opton.
Klinsmann isn’t.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Nah Sharpy. He was serious when he started. Now that he realises his stupidity he may be continuing to save face.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Seriously **** option 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@Troy. would you seriously consider hiring Clarky if he was available
yes or no?
Gashley(Quote)
Clark is available, he resigned from Blackpool after 3 wins in 33 on May 9, 2015. But in Troy’s world that record doesn’t count. I wonder why he took the job if he knew it was impossible?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I suppose Pardew’s record of 8 points from 45 at the tail end of 2014, beginning of 2015 doesn’t count either?
I mentioned Pardew, I doubt I will get away with it 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gashley
I would definitely swap McLaren for Clark.
The fact Psychs uses stats against him shows he has no understanding of the situation he was in at Blackpool.
Do you believe Klinsmann is a realistic target? Yes or no?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Ok. great.
there you go Sharpy. Troy would sack SM for Clarky
Gashley(Quote)
He chose to work at Blackpool knowing full well what the situation was and you expect me to feel sorry for him after his abject failure.
I also mentioned 4 others apart from Jurgen. You asked for suggestions, I gave you some.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
so Sharpy. As I thought. you have got Troy all wrong. 😉
He wasnt winding anyone up he was just being himself lol
Gashley(Quote)
It is official Gashley, Troy is not on a wind up and actually believes the rubbish he spouts. YCMIU.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I like the bit about ignoring Clark’s record because he was hired under difficult circumstances. WTF would it be getting the NUFC job with us in the bottom 3?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When Bournemouth are going round splashing £10-£12m on a Championship striker it just tells you where the price levels are at now. Whether we like it or not the prices are rising. I sometimes think that only NUFC don’t follow this trend and look where that’s got us…
Stuart79(Quote)
Does Mike Ashley even know who Lee Clark is?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gashley
Will you answer whether you think Klinsmann is a realistic option?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Eric you are showing remarkable composure batting Troy down who’s deliriously running around like a dirty pro with a crack pipe up her ****.. coming out with ridiculous statements that people think he must on the wind-up
he’s not, 😯 he actually believes life after Pardew is Clarky or Venner 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Troy.
Will you answer whether you attended games in the Championship?
Gashley(Quote)
Good point Stu. £10m on somebody completely untested at the highest level shows how much proven players should cost. Certainly not below £15m.
Shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock: it puts into perspective what Austin should cost. Just give QPR the 10 mil and see what happens. 1 goal in 5 games shows we are desperate so get it done.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The thing I like about Austin is he does not need to rush around to score. He just has the intelligence re; movement and passing. Means we don’t have to worry about a hammy injury or something impacting his overall game ala Michael Owen etc. Eventually that will be Vardy’s downfall.
Shamrock(Quote)
Gashley
So you won’t answer whether you think Klinsmann is a realistic option?
This is deja vu 😀
Troy Stavers(Quote)
When we see the likes of Bournemouth shelling out £12m on a Championship player it tells us everything we need to know about where the prices are going. This new TV deal has changed everything. Although I do wonder if this has passed our club by…
Stuart79(Quote)
@Troy I asked you first and you ignored me for days 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Gashley @392: I have the patience of a Saint when it comes to the afflicted. Well, mostly… I did have a go at him once.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gashley
So you won’t answer. Go on. Tell Psychs how ridiculous his suggestion is. 😀
Troy Stavers(Quote)
You have to acknowledge that Schteve is right when he says we are playing better but that makes the need for a proper goalscorer all the more glaring. I think Perez and Mitrovic will both come good but we cannot rely on them given our current situation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
@Troy
I have decided not to answer your question
Its between you and Eric.
I decline to be involved, but thanks for asking but don’t waste your time asking again as I will ignore it 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Troy: again I explained why a proper MD might consider Klinsmann and why even Charnley might – to save his own skin. I also named 4 others.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Troysta, you are so shallow that you need Gashley’s approval of what you say 🙂 YCMIU. The bravado and attention seeking is all just a front and you just want to be loved.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
he is very much loved Eric,
In the mens toilets @the blue oyster bar 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Gash – @ 386 😆 in that case you’ve wasted 24hrs (longer even) arguing & trying to reason with a mad man … and yous still are 😆
Although if he’s in Edinburgh, it could be that he is blind drunk 😕
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: not really. Troy normally sticks to his guns no matter how stupid it makes him look. He backed down once, as you pointed out, before the Leicester game. I don’t know about Gashley but I have been holding out some hope he may back down and agree he is defending the indefensible when he says he would hire Lee Clark. I am not holding my breath.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – you & gash go for your lives mate 😉 I have no interest in entering the debate at all, but he watched it unfold with an eye roll & a smile 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: that’s your prerogative, of course. I don’t mind Troy and I am watching Juventus and just having a bit of a lark about with him. It is minus fckin 11 degrees in Chicago so I am staying in 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I understand your point regarding Afobe, but I think that lad is a PL forward. I’m not talking top 4 or maybe even top half, but the standard Bmouth will be competing I think he is.
Afobe £12m from Wolves or Mitrovic £13m from Anderlecht?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
@Sharpy If he’s in Edinburgh and on this blog. he’s more sad then mad.. 😆
Gashley(Quote)
I am off to Thailand for a month starting Thursday because you have to get away for part of the Chicago winter. I will be checking into the blog to see if Lee Clark is hired though.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – Juve are my favourite foreign team mate, I was a huge Roberto Baggio fan after Italia 90 and then Del Piero came along. Plus the black & white stripes helped 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I was in Milan many years ago and talking with a Meelan fan who said Del Piero was finished ( they were showing clips of some of his best goals on TV at the time). Well, he wasn’t finished as he went on to prove for about another 6 years. One of my favourite players.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I think you mentioned it earlier but I watch some of the Man Utd game yesterday. LVG has them playing very average football and it wasn’t til the 2nd half when he brought Depay & Lingard on that they looked a threat – but even then it took a late penalty to beat Shef Utd off.
If one of our forwards could find their shooting boots, I’d say we might have a chance. But we can’t buy a goal at the moment.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: we get every PL game here live and Man U are usually a featured game so I have seen them a lot. They have been absolute dross even when they win.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have been to Turin as well and wasn’t that keen on it. Maybe I should have gone to a game. Location is great, as you can get to the mountains quickly.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Haha 😆
Gashley refuses to answer in case he upsets Psychs 😉
Psychs continues his belief that Klinsmann is a realistic option. 😆
Sharpy refuses to get involved in the debate cos he knows he agrees with me cos that would go against the grain of the blog, agreeing with Troy. 😆
You boys know im always right.
Lee Clark could do no worse than McLaren. I believe he would do better.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Eric – Venice & Florence are my favourite places in Italy – though as beautiful as Florence was there wasn’t much to do there I found. I enjoyed the history of Rome but found it too busy & I didn’t like Milan at all.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – Man Utd look horrible under LVG. But I would put the bite on him for either Lingard or Januzaj – who has just returned from a ***** loan spell in Germany and might want guaranteed game time to help him make the Belgium squad in the summer.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Italy is stunning. stayed in lake Garda for 6 days, twice, Moniga then Riva del Garda.when we played Inter and Juve .Travelled from Turin to Venice, stopping in towns along the way . Venice was cool, a little smelly. desenzano de garda, Verona were lovely places. Milan was full of graffiti and was a bit trashy.
Stayed in a place called Alassio when we played Monaco. Geordies wearing elasticated joggers were deemed not worth of Monaco so we were ushered across the border to Italy 😆
those were the days. 😥 regardless of the score line, the memories were 2nd to none. Ashley you c**t! I hate you… 👿
Gashley(Quote)
Newcastle have made their move for Jonjo Shelvey, with talks underway over a winter-window transfer, Sky sources understand.
Sky Sports News HQ reported last week that Steve McClaren’s side were very interested in signing the 23-year-old England international.
Sources understand that discussions are under way between the clubs and a formal bid could be lodged this week, with several English newspapers previously reporting that the player could cost Newcastle around £10m.
Gashley(Quote)
Gash – I’m keeping my fingers crossed mate. He’d be the centre piece of my 3 man midfield with Gini & Sissoko either side.
There is talk that we could be bidding for Berahino as well but I’m not sure on that one. I reckon it would be more likely Dost or Yedder.
Sharpy17(Quote)
@Sharpy.
He’d make a difference. Even to drop Anita or Colback to have someone that can make a crucial pass..
A striker and Shelvey should be enough to scrape through but I wouldnt complain if there was more 😀
Gashley(Quote)
Is this lad from Bordeaux a done deal
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
10 million for Shelvey If any of you seen him play today you wouldn’t go anywhere near him. No better than what we got
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
Troy
I don’t normally agree with you but this time I do. Lee Clark could do no worse and probably better than McClaren
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
McClaren has us in course to be relegated. anybody else can do no worse than that to be fair.
Shamrock(Quote)
We’re getting Steve Morison from Millwall in part exchange for Shane Ferguson permanently moving there.
funkyjesus(Quote)
…even my Nan…
Anybody else fancy writing an article?
Shamrock(Quote)
TLR
Agree with me over Clark? That will put the cat amongst the pigeons. 😉
Do you believe Klinsmann is a realistic option ?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Shamrock @429
That has been my whole point all along.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
And Troy, my point all along was that you pulled a ridiculous name out of your **** who had no chance of getting the job so why even mention him. It makes you look foolish.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You probably think I did the same with Jurgen but I did mention 4 others.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Troy, You have to be careful because you are straying into “Stardust” territory !
You’ll be talking about Red Buses before long lol
joe hawkins(Quote)
Berahino is probably the better prospect but I think Austin is more likely to get us out of the current mess.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TLR: you are judging Shelvey after one FA Cup game for a team that he fell out with. No wonder you agree with Troy 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t expect many (any?) to agree with me on Klinsmann. I do think we could get him at this point in time if we were so inclined. The idiots running the club do not have the vision (a Troy word) for this even though it would help them keep their jobs. Giving Carr so much power has to be rectified if we are to move forward. The better managers want a say in transfers and even some bang average ones do (Pards).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think very similar to Eric. Austin or Berahino? Long term Berahino would be better but we need someone immediately who can come in and start scoring. I reckon Austin is a better bet for that. But in reality this is the situation the club have brought on themselves.
Stuart79(Quote)
Reading the Chronicle messages it is almost as bad as the darkest days of Carver. Nobody has a good word to say about anybody. This could all change with a win against Man U. Almost as important should be a couple of signings before the West Ham game. How can we be coming up to 2 weeks into the window with no-one signed? Do they just have the discussions on Jan 2? Why weren’t clubs contacted immediately. Can our lot not walk and chew gum at the same time. Charnley can delegate the day to day running of the club and get on the phone to his counterparts. He probably doesn’t have their numbers though as the teaboy usually doesn’t have an extensive rolodex and probably not a mobile phone.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Have we signed anybody yet?
Nobody in before Man Utd and I doubt anybody in before West Ham.
Stuart79(Quote)
Psychs
So you scoff at my suggestion of Lee Clark as a potential replacement for McLaren until the end of the season.
I then ask you to name alternatives.
You suggest Klinsmann.
I then scoff at your suggestion and it takes you well over a day of justifying your position to finally saying, “I don’t think we could get him at this point” 😆
YCMIU 😆
FTSOTB 😆
You really are priceless.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Lee Ryder reckoning we are hoping to have two done this week… Fancy they think Shelvey and this French kid. Tiote to go, Williamson and Ferguson too. Where’s our striker?!!!
Stuart79(Quote)
Troy: I already said that to YOU. I gave you that stick to beat me with. I do have some self awareness unlike some on here.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also saw Chris Waugh saying there was a high level transfer meeting last week. What were they doing in December? Do these people not have phones, skype, whatsapp?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
David Bowie – RIP
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ha ha
a high level transfer meeting ???
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Psychs
Gashley was too embarrassed to say out. 😳
You should thank him for his friendship. 😉
You make a good pair. Two prize plums. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Joe Hawkins
I used to let the tyres down on Stardust’s little red bus. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)