(as has been mentioned)

Q1:

Our summer signings are Craig Bellamy, That Galatasaray bloke at left back and some Ghanaian playing on the wing for, lets say, Bastia. What would your reaction be?

Q2:

Our summer signings are Michael Bridges, Victor Sikora, Lee Clark and Robbie Elliot. What would your reaction be?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Answers

for the record A1:would be upset

A2:happy

but why? would i be wrong?...

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

We can't really tell until they start playing for us and put in the performances. Bellamy may be better than Sikora on the left wing, they sound similar types of player to me.

As for the rest well I'd like to see Bridges Elliot and Clark but Elliott is the only one I'm some way confident about.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

I'm talking instant reactions, prejudices.

As youve pointed out Bellamy could be a stormer for us, but i really doubt it. The Turkish Guy is International class, is Robbie E? And who knows, a mystery African could be dynamite or Amokachi?

but its the fans reaction to signings that will go a long way to deciding our fate, imho

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

We are not in a position where we can afford to gamble. We must know what we are getting and I have to say that I have faith in the scouting system at Bobby's Newcastle in terms of the research they do on players. We have been scouting all year on numerous players and if we don't know who will do the job for us now we'll never know.

Bobby's contacts throughout Europe will help him compile some pretty extensive dossier's on players with regard to their temperament and attitude etc.

With Cort, Bassedas, Acuna and Gallacher he has got the right attitude.

We just need that sprinkling of class now and I'm confident we'll get it. I don't care about names and their value.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Initial reaction? A1 - not too happy. A2 - not too sad. But neither would make me totally excited. They're not in the Shearer/Ferdinand/Asprilla mould, are they.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Nah we won't be shopping in that shop for some time now Screacher!

Possibly some cheap imports off the internet!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

what makes class? when we signed Ferdinand we signed class, when we signed Ginola we signed class and magic, when we signed shearer we signed class, after that signing i think the board lost their touch. I think it comes from the board more thamn the manager. When they caught the big fox they became fat and lazy. once again what is class? btw, when keegan signed ginola he believed he had bought Weah too. Can you imagine what that would have been like? It was 4mil too. Ambition...?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

i can't write, my english is terrible, sorry

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Consistently good and can influence a game no matter how well the opposition is playing or his own team is playing.

However as with Keegan's team there needs to be quite a few of them to make a real difference!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

on that basis who should we sign?

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

VIERA!!!!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

on the right tracks d-b, but if i was bob i'd have a quiet word with Kanu. There is an undervalued CLASS act. He'd turn into a legend here. In fact he must be one of the only (ex mags excluded) to get a standing ovation at sjp. He's at the bottom of the list at Arsenal. He'd top mine. kanu, i WANT KANU

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Swift, Keegan also tried to get Leonardo from PSG. Remember when the guy got sent off in the 94 World Cup for an horrendous neck high foul and Keegan was commentating and was so reluctant to criticise. Now that was class too.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

leonardo, ginola and weah in one team would have swept the premiership away

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

We just can't afford to make mistakes like Q1. I think Q2 is a realistice apporach to our problems, I would say we'd be better off spending £3-5m on the left winger from Chelsea instead of Bridges - perhaps Hadji as well then we've got a team that we can use to move forward. We must cash in on Speed use which will leave the net outgoings as next to nothing for the season.

It's a strange one that many of us feel the centre midfield area is as prssing as a new left midfield er yet there appears to be complacency wuth what we've got.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

I think Q2 is the way to go this season yes. For the season after that hopefully we get to play in Europe and should concentrate on one BIG signing and a couple of youngsters. That would show other teams and players that we once again is a top club.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

I share your concern DaveleF about the apparent complacency at the Club about the central m/f resources. This is due to a loyalty to BR's own signings - Acuna & Bassedas - and the longstanding service to the Club that has been provided by Lee & Speed.

Being totally objective, Acuna & Bassedas have done little to justify the confidence being placed in them, and the continuing loyalty to Lee & Speed could also backfire badly on the Club. For different reasons I have doubts that these four players can provide the platform for success that needs to come from central m/f.

IMO, we need to be signing one top class m/f player to finally replace Rob Lee. The problem, of course, is persuading that calibre of player to come here - something that KK was brilliant at because he exuded enthusiasm and an desire and impatience for success. That has been replaced with stifling complacency and mediocrity.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001