United line up double swoop

[Scottish Mag 3]

Newcastle United are contemplating moves for Sol Campbell and Sami Hyypia as manager Glenn Roeder looks to add an experienced centre-half to his squad this summer.

 

But it is Campbell who is heading the list after the former England international told friends that he is close to completing a move to the North-East less than 12 months after Roeder turned down the chance to sign him.

 

The 32-year-old has been a massive success at Portsmouth this season after a five-year association at Arsenal ended last year, but the powerful centre-back is still keen to play for Newcastle despite Roeder's snub last summer and is available on a free transfer.

 

Campbell would be a popular signing among supporters and will bring a wealth of experience with him, as well as the organisational skills so often lacking in Newcastle's back line this season.

 

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp had hoped to keep Campbell on the south coast and was looking to pair him with United's Titus Bramble at Fratton Park next season.

 

That now looks unlikely, although Bramble is still expected to sign for Portsmouth on a free transfer when his contract with Newcastle expires at the end of June.

 

Nevertheless, Roeder is also tracking Hyypia, who has fallen out of favour at Liverpool and is looking for a new club. The Finnish international has been one of the most consistent defenders in the Premiership over the last eight years but has lost his place in the starting line-up to Daniel Agger.

 

The Champions League finalists are also planning some major changes at the end of the season and Hyypia appears to have accepted the time is right to move on.

 

The 33-year-old, like Campbell, has plenty of top-level experience and is also capable of organising a back four, something Roeder believes will help the development of his young defenders like Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage, Paul Huntington and David Edgar.

 

Roeder was, typically, keeping his targets secret yesterday - neither confirming or denying his interest in Campbell - but the manager confirmed he was looking for an experienced centre-half.

 

Meanwhile, Roeder has attempted to explain his decision to make Kieron Dyer captain against Reading after it drew an angry response from many supporters.

 

Dyer admitted in The Journal he had not repaid his manager's faith after suggesting he was to blame for the 1-0 defeat which means United's hopes of an Intertoto Cup place are finished with two games left to play this season.

 

The Journal understands Dyer was initially reluctant to take on the responsibility because he feared many supporters would be unhappy with the decision, but was persuaded to take on the role by Roeder.

 

Scott Parker, who has also had his problems with the club's supporters this season, is expected to return to the side against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend and will take the armband back.

 

But Roeder said: "I made Kieron Dyer captain for purely motivational reasons and when I told him his eyes lit up. It was a special moment for him.

 

"I thought he carried off the responsibility of being captain very well, even though a couple of vital aspects of the game went against him. He is an England player and an experienced player, and he was playing in a position on the pitch on Monday night in which he was in touch with the rest of the team.

 

"The majority of people do not understand Kieron Dyer. If you sit down with him he has a lot of football intelligence and has a good understanding of the game."

 

Campbell, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the last two games of the season and faces the near certainty of surgery on a torn Achilles tendon as Portsmouth face an injury crisis which threatens to destroy hopes of a Uefa Cup place.

 

Campbell's first real injury worry this season is a blow for Redknapp who said: "He's been struggling with his Achilles for a little while and he has now had a scan which shows a little tear in there.

 

"It looks like he's out for the season and it only remains to be seen whether he needs surgery. What we don't want, though, is for him to rest the Achilles through the summer and then start the new season and find that he needs an operation then."

 

Despite the setback for Campbell and other fitness doubts for Saturday's trip to Everton concerning Matt Taylor (ankle), Richard Hughes (knee) and Dejan Stefanovic (thigh), Redknapp is smiling over the news that Tony Adams looks set to stay at Fratton Park.

 

Assistant manager Adams is ready to shelve his managerial ambitions for at least another season. The former Arsenal and England star, 40, is close to an agreement with the Pompey board on a new contract to replace the one-year deal that expires in June.

 

It means he must continue to put up with a gruelling round trip of nearly 200 miles every day from his home in the Cotswolds and despite telling Redknapp earlier this season he was keen to look for a new club to manage, he now says he would `love to stay'

 

"I want to stay part of this even though the driving is getting me down," he added.

 

* IT was confirmed last night Antoine Sibierski will miss the rest of the season after undergoing an operation on his broken arm.

 

The 32-year-old former Manchester City player suffered the injury during the 1-0 defeat at Reading.

[Sima 0]

I'd have Campbell but Hyppia's finished

[TheMoog 0]

Should have had Campbell last summer tbh, just shows how backwards thinking Rodent is. Both are experienced but at 32 and 33 getting both wouldn't be that good in my eyes, I think Taylor would improve alongside Campbell anyways so we wouldn't need Hypia. Would rather we went for a new right and left back as well as Campbell than get Hypia, sort the back four out and we'd be a lot closer to being sorted out as a whole.

[Fop 1]

Should have had Campbell last summer tbh, just shows how backwards thinking Rodent is. Both are experienced but at 32 and 33 getting both wouldn't be that good in my eyes, I think Taylor would improve alongside Campbell anyways so we wouldn't need Hypia. Would rather we went for a new right and left back as well as Campbell than get Hypia, sort the back four out and we'd be a lot closer to being sorted out as a whole.

 

Biggest mistake he's made IMO, although I could understand where he was coming from with it, but Campbell was just too much a bargain not to make an exception (especially when you consider what we do have on our books).

[Guest alex]

I couldn't really see where he was coming from once he signed Sibierski and Bernard and had been in for Woodgate.

[Tooj 17]

I couldn't really see where he was coming from once he signed Sibierski and Bernard and had been in for Woodgate.

I don't think he ever really wanted Woodgate personally.

[Guest alex]

Probably Shepherd come to think of it.

[Tooj 17]

Probably Shepherd come to think of it.

Didn't we make some last ditch attempt to sign Huth as well?

[Fop 1]

I couldn't really see where he was coming from once he signed Sibierski and Bernard and had been in for Woodgate.

 

Well Sib was a last minute thing (by which point we obviously weren't getting anything better).

Bernard I still think without hindsight was worth a try (if he could have been brought back to what he was - it's bizarre that he couldn't be really given that he's still not that old).

Woodgate I dunno, never was clearly stated how serious we were or weren't and whether Woodgate would have even entertained it, but he's still in his prime, all be it possibly a bit lesser since injury.

 

I think by the time he would have signed Campbell the moment was past, I mean really speaking his intention was little different than Robson's signing policy (although ironically filling his squad with young player probably helped cost him his job).

 

I think it was a big mistake, but I can still see where he's coming from in trying to sign someone that is on their upwards slope rather than their downwards one (even if they are still very effective), even if in this case it was stupid not go for him.

[Guest alex]

In fairness, I doubt Roeder wanted any of the 3 players I mentioned.

[wykikitoon 20901]

Hopefully Allerdyce wont sign either! Too old an too slow IMO.

 

Campbell has done great at Pompey this season but doubt he could continue at the rate again?

[Baggio 0]

I can't be bothered to read anything to do with signings Roeder wants tbh.

 

I just want him gone now.

[zico martin 90]

I can't be bothered to read anything to do with signings Roeder wants tbh.

 

I just want him gone now.

 

yeah me too

 

i will be so upset if we dont get Sam now as I've convinced myself it's gonna happen!

[tinofbeans 91]

You ask any pompey fans who the best player in their back 4, most would say primus has been outstanding this season.

 

Not that i'm saying we should take him instead of campbell.

 

I'd have campbell here in a flash.

[Scottish Mag 3]

If Fat Sam took over surely we would be expressing an interest in Ben Haim?

[Tooj 17]

If Fat Sam took over surely we would be expressing an interest in Ben Haim?

Didn't he fall out with him for not wanting to sign a new contract?

 

Or maybe it was all a big smokescreen and it was planned all along.

[Baggio 0]

If Fat Sam took over surely we would be expressing an interest in Ben Haim?

Didn't he fall out with him for not wanting to sign a new contract?

 

Or maybe it was all a big smokescreen and it was planned all along.

 

Last I heard he was wishing him luck.

[Baggio 0]

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has conceded Tal Ben Haim will leave the club in the summer.

 

Ben Haim came close to leaving Bolton in January after Chelsea made a move for the Israeli international.

 

However, Bolton managed to keep hold of Ben Haim after Chelsea failed to meet their asking price.

 

Allardyce has now revealed Bolton can no longer afford to keep Ben Haim, whose contract expires at the end of the season, and that the central defender will move on to pastures new in the summer.

 

"We can't afford Tal anymore," said Allardyce.

 

"He will move on at the end of the season with my blessing and he will get a big club.

 

"What happened in January was disappointing because Chelsea made it aware they wanted him but then never made a bid of the significance that would have tempted me to let him go.

 

"Tal wanted to leave, which is understandable, but then all of a sudden Chelsea's funds appeared to have dried up so they wouldn't pay the kind of money that would have allowed us to sell him."

 

 

 

Seems he was pissed off with Chelsea's interest.

[adios 717]

Should have had Campbell last summer tbh

 

He was too old last summer, these things take time to resolve.