Allardyce fears lack of depth

[bawan 0]

Sam Allardyce has revealed fears about the lack of strength in depth in his Newcastle squad.

 

Allardyce hit the ground running in the transfer market when he first joined Newcastle as he successfully brought in Mark Viduka, Joey Barton, David Rozehnal and Geremi.

 

However, the St James' Park manager has recently admitted his transfer disappointments as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of the 11th August kick-off, away at his former club Bolton.

 

Allardyce has now reiterated his frustrations and says that he is increasingly keen to find defensive reinforcements as he continues to miss out on a number of top targets.

 

"It's a necessity. I'm not trying to sign players for players' sake," said Allardyce.

 

"I'm not, at the moment, comfortable with the strength in depth of the squad, and that needs addressing, particularly in the defensive area, which I have said many, many times now.

 

"That's not saying that young Peter Ramage and Paul Huntington and, of course, David Edgar are not doing a good job. Hopefully they will have grown with their experience last year and will play a major part this year.

 

"But in saying all that, I want a top, experienced defender to come in, if not one, perhaps two or it might even be three.

 

"I want to make sure we have got enough cover and experience to cope with the particular weakness for Newcastle United over the last two seasons, and that's conceding too many goals."

 

Allardyce, though, says he will not let his desperation to find defensive recruits lead him to panic buying.

 

"We have bid for many players recently and unfortunately at the moment, have not clinched a deal in any shape or form," Allardyce added.

 

"Of course, there's no saying that some of the deals we have been involved with might not resurrect themselves later on in the season, but every manager at this time is under a sense of urgency.

 

"The trick is not to let that change into panic. The players available at the moment are getting fewer and farther between with the sort of quality we are looking for."

[Fop 1]

The issue can become basically which is the worse option:

 

 

 

1. Paying stupidly over the odds.

 

2. Not buying anyone and risking having to play very, very inexperienced players.

 

3. Panic buying some relative crap.

 

 

Obviously none are really what we want, but it's so often more a case of what we get.

[2bias 3]

i think they way the league and english football has gone we dont have much choice to pay over the odds for players now. Alot more clubs are spending and have more money so players values will go up.

[snakehips 0]

The issue can become basically which is the worse option:

 

 

 

1. Paying stupidly over the odds.

 

2. Not buying anyone and risking having to play very, very inexperienced players.

 

3. Panic buying some relative crap.

 

 

Obviously none are really what we want, but it's so often more a case of what we get.

 

2 & 3 runs the risk of being in big panic mode when the Jan transfer window opens if things don't go well for the first half of the season. That leads to being held to ransom by clubs who know we are desperate for better players.

[Dr Gloom 22513]

we should bid for sol campbell. he's only a year left on his contract and he's said he wants to move again before he retires. i'm sure he's got at least another 2-3 seasons in him at the top.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Fancy Dan lecturer

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

Could our lack of success in the market be down to an inexperienced board who have no contacts in football. it looks like BS is giving the names he wants then the deals are breaking down. I find it hard to swallow that we have had numerous bids accepted but none have come to fruition

[2bias 3]

its cause players get better offers from bigger clubs

[jaythesouthernmag 0]

its cause players get better offers from bigger clubs

 

I cant see bigger clubs (ie top 4) in the Prem going for the same players we want, with the exeption of ben-haim(enjoy his season on Chelsea`s bench).

[tinofbeans 91]

what dan says.

 

i mean do we want another season when pompey finish above us, do we.

 

reckon with the squad they have and the one we have we should finish above them ... but with our current ability to crock players at will, ireckon regardless of that we do we'll be paper thin this season.

[Shearergol 0]

Roeder said exactly the same things - I'm not saying that he and Sam are the same, as I trust Sam much much more, but it is clear that we struggle to attract players to the club.

 

If we're looking for an experienced Premiership defender we must be looking at the top 4 or 5 clubs in the country for them. Can anyone blame them for not wanting to come here? Hyypia would be an example - surely he'd rather stay at Liverpool and play a small part than come to Newcastle?

 

When Allardyce was at Bolton he never really worried about getting players with Premiership experience, so what's changed?

[Fop 1]

Roeder said exactly the same things - I'm not saying that he and Sam are the same, as I trust Sam much much more, but it is clear that we struggle to attract players to the club.

 

If we're looking for an experienced Premiership defender we must be looking at the top 4 or 5 clubs in the country for them. Can anyone blame them for not wanting to come here? Hyypia would be an example - surely he'd rather stay at Liverpool and play a small part than come to Newcastle?

 

When Allardyce was at Bolton he never really worried about getting players with Premiership experience, so what's changed?

 

 

I suspect Roeder (and others) faced a lot of the same problems, and Allerdyce is much, much, much better in transfer dealing without a doubt.

 

But I think Allerdyce is probably right about the environment changing a bit, but also that maybe he's looking for players a step up from Bolton now and is finding that pretty limited.

[Kid Dynamite 7312]

There are players available out there though. Davies, Campbell, Baines to name but 3.

[Shearergol 0]

There are players available out there though. Davies, Campbell, Baines to name but 3.

 

Only Campbell meets the description of experienced defender though, and I doubt Portsmouth want to sell him.

[khay 10]

There are players available out there though. Davies, Campbell, Baines to name but 3.

 

Only Campbell meets the description of experienced defender though, and I doubt Portsmouth want to sell him.

 

 

Understand what your saying but at least the other two have played in the Prem before and have shown they can do.

[tinofbeans 91]

davies looks class in the championship but at the higher level i have doubts....

 

baines would be a good bet as would campbell, but at what cost and do we have the cash to spend?

[Shearergol 0]

There are players available out there though. Davies, Campbell, Baines to name but 3.

 

Only Campbell meets the description of experienced defender though, and I doubt Portsmouth want to sell him.

 

 

Understand what your saying but at least the other two have played in the Prem before and have shown they can do.

 

I think we should sign Baines, certainly. We clearly don't want to though.

 

I still don't understand why Sam isn't doing his Bolton-like signing and getting some squad players in.