Given - We're down to the bare bones

[Scottish Mag 3]

When Newcastle United last exited Highbury it was against a jarring soundtrack which had absolutely nothing to do with the team bus gearbox.

 

The discordant notes were inspired by hot-headed sound-bites after Arsenal's 1-0 win was overshadowed by Graeme Souness dubbing Craig Bellamy a cheat and the striker calling his manager a liar, with the resultant damage so far-reaching that, seven months on, true harmony is yet to be achieved on Tyneside.

 

Admittedly, Bellamy and Laurent Robert have now departed but Souness ranks as the bookies' favourite to become the new season's first managerial casualty, while Alan Sheareris Newcastle's only fit forward today.

 

Shay Given, reflecting on a summer which has seen eight professionals, including Bellamy, Robert, Nicky Butt and Patrick Kluivert, leave Gallowgate, while only three, Scott Parker, Emre and Craig Moore, have arrived, admitted: "It's a shame but you'd have to ask the chairman and the manager why the players we need aren't here. We're a little bit down to the bare bones at the moment and the situation is not ideal."

 

But not quite irredeemable, either. "This club have had a few ups and downs but that's all water under the bridge," insisted Newcastle's Ireland goalkeeper. "We players have got to try to get more headlines on the back pages instead of the front. Some players had disagreements with the manager last season and it wasn't ideal but, as far as I'm aware, everyone's together now.

 

"The manager's a pretty fair, honest, guy. If you give him all you've got I don't think he'll have any complaints. Obviously, he's had a few disagreements with some players but that wasn't personal, I think. He just wanted more from them on the pitch; it was just him being honest."

 

If diplomacy is hardly Souness's strong suit, he cannot be accused of lacking ambition and duly maintains that signing Michael Owen is "a realistic possibility." Given, though, looked as if he would not be holding his breath. "Michael is a great player, we'd love to have him," he agreed. "But we'd love to have any fit forward."

 

Should potential recruits be deterred by claims that the relationship between Souness and Freddy Shepherd is strained, the former will happily put them straight. "I'm happy here, I don't feel under any pressure at all and there is no problem between the chairman and I whatsoever," stressed Newcastle's manager, whose pursuits of Nicolas Anelka, Mark Viduka and Luis Boa Morte have proved hitherto forlorn.

 

"I have a relationship with the chairman which has worked fantastically well if you go back through the Bellamy and Robert situations. He's supported me in everything I've wanted to do. I've no complaints and I know that between now and the end of the transfer window he'll be on the phone constantly trying to make things happen.

 

"Part of the problem is that the players we're targeting are top players at top clubs who value them highly and don't want to sell. When contact has been made with those players through third parties - and these are top players throughout Europe - no one has said they're not interested. They'd all love to come and play for this club. This is a club big players want to play for - and we've targeted some big ones."

 

Newcastle have also released two devastating, if difficult, talents but Souness believes that, in the case of Bellamy and Robert, less will prove more. "There's far more togetherness now," he claimed. "The players are all thinking the same and all running in the same direction and I think I'll be saying exactly the same at Christmas."

[LuckyStar 0]

Newcastle have also released two devastating, if difficult, talents but Souness believes that, in the case of Bellamy and Robert, less will prove more. "There's far more togetherness now," he claimed. "The players are all thinking the same and all running in the same direction and I think I'll be saying exactly the same at Christmas."

11951[/snapback]

 

 

...When he's manager at Blyth Spartans or Trabzonspor presumably...

[adios 717]

Given has now said far more to unsettle players than Robert did.

 

Why the difference in treatment Graeme?

[luckyluke 2]

Good point DotBum.

 

Forgive me but I presume you were on newcastle-online before? Who were you?

[adios 717]

I'm still over there but I'm a nobody - I post as Figo.

 

I'm surprised you didn't recognise the signature vitriolic, agnst ridden posts of a hormonal middle aged woman, but I guess there's a few too many of us.