Acuna a player banned for drugs use is going to sign for us. he's very talented and one of South Americas best players. I should know - i live with a South American.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2000

Answers

Another foreigner, Bobby will live to regret his comments about signing home based playes. Not all of these signings will prove to be world class or will they?

Any training ground reports on the Chilean would be most welcome!

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2000

Here's what the official s*ite have to say:

The 25-year-old has been suspended from all football until September 15th after testing positive for a banned substance. But he will spend the next ten days with United hoping to secure a permanent deal. Acuna, who plays for Universidad de Chile, would be available for $1 million, about #690,000. He was banned after testing positive for isoprenaline following a World Cup qualifier against Peru. That means Newcastle cannot open negotiations with his agent Edwardo Pena until the defensive midfielder is free to play again.

But Acuna insists: "I'm clean, I don't take drugs. And not only that, I don't smoke or drink. It is all so unfair. All I did was take a tablet which was given to me with a glass of water before the game. It was the medical staff that gave it to me and I never thought for one minute it might be a drug. I have never touched any drugs and I don't even smoke or drink.

"I am an established international with my country (50 caps) and there is no way I would ever consider doing anything that would put my future in doubt."

However despite this record of international caps he says he is willing to put club before country should he make it to Tyneside: "All the talk at the training ground was about Nobby Solano and the fact he is away so much on international duty. "I love playing for Chile but I am prepared to put Newcastle United before my country. If I am invited to play for Chile in friendly matches I would want to stay with Newcastle.

"I have been very impressed with what I have seen of Newcastle United, especially the stadium, and I am hoping to create a good impression so that negotiations will open."

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2000

>>>>>>All I did was take a tablet which was given to me with a glass of water before the game. It was the medical staff that gave it to me and I never thought for one minute it might be a drug.

Well at least he's passed the IQ test to be a Premier League Player. (-;

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2000

Acuna has other talents judging by the photo in the Chron (Friday). With the caption stating he has learned that the Chron is the tops for NE soccer, he is clearly reading the lower half of the back page upside down.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2000

Well if it was writen by Alan Oliver it probably makes more sense that way up!

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2000

O.K. I thought there was this little rule in the EPL where you could only play three players from outside the EU. Now we are soon to have 5 South Americans in the first team. Bugger squad rotations, it's going to be a juggling act with just the South American rotations.

Nobby and Gavilan play the same position so it's not so bad. But this in itself still makes me feel that once Gavilan is pushing for a first team place Nobby will be off.

Bassedas, from accounts and for that's worth none of us realy know, is supposed to be an attacking midfield player.

Acuna is supposed to be a defensive orientated type midfielder.

While Cordone can support the front two or play as one of the front two.

Can anyone see a nasty situation where by, we have Nobby, Acuna and Cordone playing, with Bassedas on the bench. Dyer gets injured and has to come off and Bobby's only real option is to bring Bassedas on. Creating a dilema that it's not allowed.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2000

Si senor!(:o)

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2000

I don't know how many transfer speculation articles have appeared on the official NUFC web site. But I would imagine an article appearing on it say a transfer is going to happen, I think we can pretty much well assume that the player is ours baring some last minute interference from another club or the players work permit being denied.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2000

Doesn't at least one of them have a Portugese passport? I thought that was how we got round the work permit thing??

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2000

I think Bassedas has an Italian passport. Doesn't Nobby have a Spanish one? Or is it Gavilan? I'm pretty sure I've heard a few of them have, or are eligible for, European passports

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2000