Fucks sake!

[shackbleep 0]

There will be no new arrivals says Hughton

 

CHRIS Hughton has ruled out making any signings during the January transfer window, claiming he “completed his squad” this summer.

 

With Hatem Ben Arfa likely to miss the majority of the campaign, and Steve Harper and Steven Taylor nursing long-term injury problems, it had been expected that Hughton would enter the transfer market at the turn of the year.

 

The Newcastle boss made five signings last summer, but with Sol Campbell, Dan Gosling and Ben Arfa all joining on either a free transfer or a loan, the club’s total expenditure was the £4.5m splashed out on Cheik Tiote and James Perch.

 

The sum falls far below the increase in revenue that accompanied promotion to the Premier League, but Hughton will not be investing further funds when the transfer window reopens in January.

 

Whether that decision is his, or the instructions of owner Mike Ashley, is unclear.

 

Either way, though, Newcastle’s recent belt tightening is set to continue.

 

“We won’t be adding to the squad in January,” said Hughton. “I feel we have a lot of strength in depth with the players we have already and there’s no need to add to it.

 

“We completed our squad before the last transfer window and I’m extremely pleased with the players we brought in. Mike Ashley and the board were financially very supportive and, together, we did some very good business in the summer.

 

“I’m disappointed to have lost a player of Hatem’s quality - but we’ll not overreact to one injury in what is a very strong squad.”

 

Ben Arfa is recuperating after undergoing surgery in Manchester on Monday to repair fractures to both the tibia and fibula in his left leg.

 

The winger, who is on a season- long loan from Marseilles, will remain on Tyneside for his rehabilitation rather than returning to his parent club in the south of France.

 

Hughton maintains it is too early to interpret that as proof that Newcastle will sign him permanently next summer, despite a now certain failure to meet the 25-appearance target that was written into the terms of his loan deal.

 

But while the 23-year-old is unlikely to feature in the first team for at least five months, Hughton is adamant he remains an important member of the squad.

 

“I don’t know what is going to happen in terms of his transfer,” said the Newcastle boss.

 

“That will be something we discuss further down the line.

 

It is something for the various parties to discuss when the time is right. At the moment, all we can concentrate on is making sure we get him back to full fitness.

 

“The fact he is staying on Tyneside for his rehabilitation shows how much he still wants to be here.

 

“There will be times when he does go back to France to do certain parts of his rehab work, but he will still very much be a part of the squad here.

 

“The one thing we have always known about Hatem is he was desperate to come here and it is a massive blow for him to be injured so soon after arriving.

 

“He has a passion for the place and he had already begun to fit into the team spirit we have.”

 

Monday’s operation was a success, with Ben Arfa’s surgeons satisfied at the treatment meted out so far.

 

However, the winger has an arduous recovery programme ahead of him, with Hughton admitting it will not be easy to overcome such an unfortunate obstacle at such an early stage of his Newcastle career.

 

“The hard work starts now,” he said. “He has had the operation and now he has to start thinking about rehab.

 

This is the really tough time for any player who suffers a serious injury. Most do at some point in their career, most will have a long-term injury, but it’s sad it’s happened so early in his.

 

“It is mentally tough when you know you have such a long time without playing football. What tends to happen, though, is you miss it when you’re not playing and when you do get back into training and playing games, you appreciate how special it is.

 

“He is trying to stay positive.

 

There is obviously a lot of frustration because he was just settling in at a new club and has only played a few games. We have seen what he is capable of.”

 

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/844...s_says_Hughton/

 

[geordieshandy 0]

Least surprising piece of news ever reported.

[Giraffidae 0]

that’s just a re-write of the nufc.co.uk story:

 

Chris Hughton won't be looking to add to his squad in January, insisting that his team is "completed" despite the recent long-term injury to Hatem Ben Arfa.

 

The Magpies boss is adamant that he won't be entering the transfer market when the window for new signings re-opens in January, because he's already happy with the roster he's assembled over the past year.

And while the double-leg break suffered by Ben Arfa at Man City is a blow to Hughton, he won't be bringing in any new players.

"I'm disappointed to have lost a player of Hatem's quality - but we'll not overreact to one injury in what is a very strong squad," he told www.nufc.co.uk

"We won't be adding to the squad in January; I feel we have a lot of strength in depth with the players we have already and there's no need to add to it.

"We completed our squad before the last transfer window and I'm extremely pleased with the players we brought in. Mike Ashley and the board were financially very supportive and, together, we did some very good business in the summer."

 

= I’m complacent and Mike Ashley needs me to kiss arse.

[ChezGiven 0]

If we are planning to buy Ben Arfa anyway, despite the injury, then i guess this makes sense.

[Dr Gloom 21823]

jesus wept. so if we're in a relegation battle come january, let's just carry on as we are eh?

[geordieshandy 0]

jesus wept. so if we're in a relegation battle come january, let's just carry on as we are eh?

 

I like the 'if', it shows great (misplaced) optimism.

[The Fish 10750]

to be fair, we were told there'd be no capital outlay and we signed Perch and Tiote for about £5m

 

not saying we definitely will be signing someone, but I'm not going to take this as gospel

[Gejon 2]

to be fair, we were told there'd be no capital outlay and we signed Perch and Tiote for about £5m

 

not saying we definitely will be signing someone, but I'm not going to take this as gospel

 

Agreed.

[ChezGiven 0]

jesus wept. so if we're in a relegation battle come january, let's just carry on as we are eh?

We already are in one.

[Dr Gloom 21823]

jesus wept. so if we're in a relegation battle come january, let's just carry on as we are eh?

We already are in one.

 

bit early doors to be saying that.

[ujpest doza 0]

It means we don't look desperate and if we do go after someone it will be done nice and quietly behind the scenes rather than played out in the press.

[LeazesMag 0]

It means we don't look desperate and if we do go after someone it will be done nice and quietly behind the scenes rather than played out in the press.

 

which also means its likely to be someone who is so shit nobody else wants him.

[Brock Manson 0]

I'd imagine the club will look into a loan signing to cover our lack of wingers. Unless the plan is to try and bring a few of the reserves/youth players through.

 

Or maybe Xisco will feature more as a backup winger?

[Bizza 105]

Depressingly inevitable.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

I doubt Hughton really believes that, but he has to go with whatever Ashley et al are planning - i.e. not spending any money.

 

Then again, I trust their word as much as Fish does, so maybe we will add to the squad (as we desperately need to) in January.

 

Either way - does this really need to be said now? On top of the Ben Arfa injury and 2 losses in a row, what's the point in depressing the fans even further? If Hughton was asked that by a journo I'd rather he just said "I don't know".

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

A goal scorer will do.

[Monkeys Fist 42106]

It's all part of their "not raising expectations" plan.

If we buy no-one in January, they can say that we were told in October.

If we do get anyone, I think we are meant to feel grateful.

 

Mike Ashley- still fat , still a cunt.

[Percy Street 0]

to be fair, we were told there'd be no capital outlay and we signed Perch and Tiote for about £5m

 

not saying we definitely will be signing someone, but I'm not going to take this as gospel

 

 

Spot on. The club's approach to communication reamains as bizarre and unhelpful as ever. That said the tediously negative knee jerk elsewhere on this thread probably depresses me more.

[Geordie Boyo 24]

a new rightwinger and rightback would have been nice. routledge is just a....well, he's just a little boy...! and i really can't decide on who's less shit at rightback, simpson, taylor or perch...!

[Monkeys Fist 42106]

to be fair, we were told there'd be no capital outlay and we signed Perch and Tiote for about £5m

 

not saying we definitely will be signing someone, but I'm not going to take this as gospel

 

 

Spot on. The club's approach to communication reamains as bizarre and unhelpful as ever. That said the tediously negative knee jerk elsewhere on this thread probably depresses me more.

Our manager announces that our depleted and paper thin squad will not be added to in January.

What reaction did you expect, street partys?

[Gejon 2]

I don't know why anyone still pays attention to these "announcements".

[Monroe Transfer 0]

They really love to kick us when we're down, don't they.

[brummiemag1 0]

To quote one of my Newcastle mates its all part of NUFC becoming a nothing club languishing in the bottom reaches of the premiership.

 

Its very sad, the slow and steady decline of a great club that should, based on support and potential, be one of the top clubs in Europe.

 

We will achieve nothing under Ashley, he is destroying the club

[Deano 0]

I dont get why some still get upset with these 'statements'.

 

The "no capital outlay" statement has to go to show that what they are doin is in fact keep expectations low and to stop other clubs ripping us if and when we do approach them about a player.

 

Personally i feel we will add to the squad, probably a striker and a winger on loan and possibly making the Barfa deal permanent.

 

Either way, if we do, or we dont, im not arsed as long as we stay up.

 

I actually think we have a squad capable of a mid table finish.

[luckyluke 2]

Tbh there was similar groans when Freddie for his lack of business sense when we announced we needed to buy a DF/MF/DM/AM/MFI/CTPA as it would hike prices up.