Newcastle United are still refusing to show their hand in the transfer market, which begs the question what sort of hand are they holding? Is it a busted flush or a pack of aces.
Are the Magpies hierarchy simply bluffing about the fact they might not be able to sign anyone permanently this month or are they really going to fold with more than four months of the season left to play?
Certainly, the comments coming out of, and going into, St James’s Park in recent days will not have filled supporters with confidence.
Top targets like Curtis Davies and Anton Ferdinand joining the likes of Peter Crouch and Wes Brown in distancing themselves from any move, while Glenn Roeder has begun to sound like a manager who fears he will only be able to sign two players on loan to bolster his creaking squad.
Roeder insists “he has not given up� on making a permanent signing, but admitted “it’s proving difficult� to get clubs to sell their best players.
As for chairman Freddie Shepherd, he has been notable only by his silence on all matters transfer, preferring instead to challenge the Hall family, the majority shareholders, to make their intentions clear about the future ownership of the club. Fair enough, we’d all like to know what they’re up to, but back to the transfers if you please...
For a change, I’m going to be upbeat and positive. If Newcastle sign two players on loan, preferably a left back and a centre back, it might not be a disaster.
They might be good, young players with talent and hunger who, with the right wind behind them, might even be persuaded to move permanently in the summer. I am, of course, thinking about Arsenal’s reserve team, sadly Arsene Wenger is not keen to help and has politely - I assume - told Roeder to look elsewhere.
The problem is, where on earth dies he look? Egypt is nice this time of year so is the Dominican Republic, but I doubt whether there are any decent defenders knocking about.
Manchester United are highly unlikely to give Roeder another player after Giuseppe Rossi started just five games in four months on loan on Tyneside and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s defensive resources are already over-stretched.
That only leaves Liverpool out of the big four and their youngsters were stuffed 6-2 at home by Arsenal in the Carling Cup so you presume they aren’t exactly awash with good young defenders. Which, to me, only leaves the European market or Aaron Hughes.
I’d be pretty pleased if Hughes came back to Newcastle, versatile and reliable, he’s a better version of Peter Ramage, but it’s not really going to strengthen the squad is it? It would just add another, albeit useful, body.
As I’ve said, Newcastle might just be bluffing. A friend, of a friend, of a friend, who’s cousin’s next door neighbour knows Freddie Shepherd, told me that United’s chairman told him that he is close to making a major signing!
I hope that’s right, because, even with players returning from injury, the rest of the season looks like being a struggle.
If I’m being unfair tell me, but I’ll leave you with this conundrum. What happens if Obafemi Martins tears a hamstring or strains a groin?
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