Dr Gloom

...i'd appreciate some updates if anyone is listening on radio

anyone know a decent text commentary website?

they would probably have to accept it because of the power that players and agents have these days. if the scousers offer £9m and we offer £15m, but owen is dead set on liverpool, that is where he will end up.

for all the stick he gets, he is a decent player. but he's like shearer in that he needs some pace alongside him. so as long as he isn't the only striker we sign, i wouldn't be against it. i think he's quite similar to kluivert though in his style of play and fitness/motivation concerns. makes you wonder why we let the dutchman go if we do end up signing his aussie equivalent.

real will be forced to let owen go for less than we're offering if liverpool do make a move. Liverpool play Owen waiting game http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/4181650.stm Liverpool will not be rushed into a move to sign former star Michael Owen, despite Newcastle agreeing a club record deal with Real Madrid. Owen, 25, has admitted he wants to join Liverpool, but is prepared to sign for Newcastle on a season-long loan if he cannot return to Anfield. But BBC Sport understands Liverpool will not pay more than the £8m Real splashed out to land Owen last summer. And he would have to take a pay cut to persuade Liverpool to pursue a deal. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been coy on the possibility of signing a player he agreed to sell last summer, insisting his priority is a central defender and a right-sided midfield player. But he is interested, and BBC Sport believes Liverpool may finally show their hand after Friday's Super Cup Final in Monaco against CSKA Moscow. Liverpool are playing it cool on Owen because they have spent big on strikers to sign Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch. And while there has been talk that Djibril Cisse may leave, Liverpool cannot afford to take a heavy loss on a player that cost them £14m only last summer. Liverpool have also broken the bank to keep Steven Gerrard at Anfield, and are now unlikely to offer Owen a similar deal. This leaves Newcastle in the frame, although their club-record offer looks doomed to failure with Owen only prepared to contemplate a loan move. A Newcastle statement said: "Newcastle United have met Real Madrid's asking price and conditions." Newcastle, whose current record fee is £15m for Alan Shearer in 1996, are now waiting to hear from Owen's advisers. Owen was thought to be available for about £12m, but the Newcastle statement added: "The agreed fee will be a record transfer fee for Newcastle United. It is now up to the player and his adviser." Madrid have promised to help Owen return home to boost his World Cup hopes. I won't believe it until I see him holding up a Toon shirt at the ground From N Have your say on 606 Owen said: "I said that my ideal situation was to start the season in the Real Madrid team and if not I would prefer to return to Liverpool. "If the transfer cannot be finalised in time I have agreed to go to Newcastle." Real Madrid director of communications Antonio Garcia Ferreras confirmed they had not had an offer from Liverpool. He said: "This morning Real Madrid and Newcastle United have reached the principles of an agreement on the conditions of Michael Owen's transfer to the English club. "There is still no agreement between Michael Owen and Newcastle. At the moment we have not received any offer from Liverpool." Owen spent much of his first season at the Bernabeu coming off the bench and the arrivals of Brazilian strikers Robinho and Julio Baptista this summer have seen him slip further down the pecking order. I have really enjoyed being part of his Real Madrid team Michael Owen The former Liverpool star had earlier indicated he was willing to stay and fight for his place, but after talks with president Florentino Perez has now had a change of heart. He added: "I need to be playing regularly in World Cup year. "I am most grateful to Senor Perez for his personal concern about my career. I have really enjoyed being part of his Real Madrid team." Owen's return to Anfield would be welcomed by Liverpool fans, having scored 158 goals in 297 games in his first spell at the club. Owen finished with 16 goals for Real last season despite being used primarily as a substitute. Everton fail to sign Owen & Kuyt On Tuesday Everton manager David Moyes revealed his club had spoken to Owen's representatives, but the player rejected a move to Goodison Park. Lyon have also expressed an interest in the England striker, but he appears set for a return to England.

don't know much about the lad but might be worth a punt if fulham are asking stupid money for boa morte

who cares that he'd rather play for his hometown club? who wouldn't if you were in his shoes? we still need him. if he's up for it get him in asap.

legend. i wonder if he's attacked any advertising boards recently

this is worth a read. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/4179588.stm

isn't owen's boot deal with umbro?

some interesting comment on nufc.com on owen and woodgate

If someone like Woody (not the sharpest knife in the draw to be fair) can speak fluent Spanish in under a year, just how thick must David Beckham be? 17158[/snapback] I can tell you that Jonny "village" Woodgate IS definitely the thickest footballer on this planet. He makes Shola look like a genius.. Sean Wright-Phillips runs them both quite close though. 17232[/snapback] our own titus bramble isn't the sharpest tool in the box either...

i can't believe people on newcastle-online are finding things to complaining about us signing owen. he's exactly what we need. can anyone even log on over there? i keep getting all manner of error messages - this being the latest... Connection Problems Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later.

Don't agree. Our squad would still be weak, our first team would be OK. 17202[/snapback] i think two players covering for each position is ideal. below is a 22 man squad (assuming we sign owen, luque and a left back), with the positions they can all play and cover. maybe still a little light on numbers but at least two players competing for every position. gk given harper rb carr ramage taylor lb new left back ie coco? babbayaro taylor elliot cb boumsong taylor bramble moore elliot rm dyer milner bowyer cm jenas emre parker bowyer dyer n'zogbia milner lm luque emre n'zogbia cf shearer owen luque dyer amobie chopra

if we chalk up owen and luque, we're only a quality left backaway from having a pretty tidy sqaud imo

i'm not bowyer's biggest fan but we can't afford to let him go at the minute, especially if jenas is on the way out. we need players in. we can't afford to let any more go.

I agree with that, but I fully expect Souness to manage him car crash stylee... 12990[/snapback] we simply can't afford to be picky now. we need a striker with pace that can get in behind defencea and score goals. le sulk fits the bill....even if he is a moody cnut

if we can't get boa morte and anelka i think we should try for van der myde and saviola

he wouldn't be considered if he wasn't a geordie. madness if you ask me.

that has to be a windup 6627[/snapback] Why ? Are you a newspaper snob ? Fact is, Reade and Sadler know their football, and they aren't full of their own self importance like some of the others, no matter which paper they write for. For instance, do you think Henry Winter is good, just because he writes for a certain papers, or do you think he's just a self important prick ? 6631[/snapback] i read every newspaper (broadsheets, tabloids and rags like the express and the mail) - it's part of my job. i can't stand sadler personally...almost as bad as steve howard, that other cretin that writes for the sun. bog-standard reactionary crap if you ask me, but it sells papers. david lacey imo was the best sports commentator in the business. shame he only files a weekly column these days.

i'd rather our manager was successful and we beat the mackems.

that has to be a windup

Is that a good or a bad thing though? 4062[/snapback] could be good a thing. i've been getting sick of having the same old arguments with the same old names on htt's forum lately. the old forum was defintely better crack. this one will need more members, no doubt, but getting a good bunch online is what will make it or break it. there's always the danger of being hijacked by the hate squad. time will tell...

i think we will see the best of shola after shearer retires. all his best ames have come when shearer's been injured. they just don't work as a partnership.

i feel like i'm part of the 'in crowd'