It is always something of a lottery these days anyway, but it will be interesting to see who gets booed and who gets cheered at St James’s Park on Sunday.
Come on, it’s far too early to start booing Sam Allardyce and the players who embarrassed themselves against Derby County and anyone who does so should be taken outside and shot (with a water pistol as I’m not allowed to condone the murder of fellow football fans) unless, that is, West Ham win 4-0 and then boo away. I might even join you!
Nope, I’m talking about the receptions given to West Ham’s former Newcastle players because, in case you have forgotten, Alan Curbishley has decided the best way to improve things at Upton Park is to sign lots of players who have won nothing and generally under-achieved at Newcastle first! A novel recipe for success, but not one Gordon Ramsay (or most football managers) would recommend I suspect!
However, before we snigger at the Hammers for their stupidity it is also worth remembering that, for all their faults, for all of their trials and tribulations on Tyneside, Craig Bellamy, Lee Bowyer, Kieron Dyer, Scott Parker and Nolberto Solano have all played for teams which have finished in the top four in the Premier League.
Consider how far Newcastle appear to be from achieving that at the moment and perhaps Curbishley’s plan isn’t so stupid after all!
Firstly, for those of you who have spent the last few days stocking up on rotten fruit and eggs, Kieron Dyer will not be travelling to St James’s Park. The England international is still hobbling around on crutches after breaking his leg in two places against Bristol Rovers in the Carling Cup. I’m probably one of the few who feels sorry for him, but moving on.
Nolberto Solano is bound to be given a warm welcome. The Peruvian rivalled even Alan Shearer in the popularity stakes at St James’s Park and could probably knock on any door in the city on a wet, windy night and be offered shelter, a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich (he’s from Peru I thought that’s what people from Peru ate - Paddington Bear did!)
The others are more interesting. Lee Bowyer never really did it at Newcastle - why on earth was he the only new signing made in the summer of 2003 when Sir Bobby Robson had just guided them to a thrid-place finish Mr Freddie Shepherd? - but he wasn’t awful either. I think the expression no mark springs to mind, although his punch up with Dyer was arguably one of the most embarrassing episodes in the club’s recent history wasn’t it! I don’t know, have to see with him...
As for Parker, he was extremely popular in his first season and then, rather strangely, became a scapegoat for last season’s woeful campaign under Glenn Roeder. He was involved in a couple of slanging matches with supporters but, in my opinion, he was unfairly treated.
He always gave everything and wasn’t a bad player either, he was just too similar to Nicky Butt and lacked a killer pass, which hasn’t stopped Allardyce signing Alan Smith and Geremi has it!? I hope he is given a cordial response, even if it is not an enthusiastic one.
That leaves us with Bellamy. Dear old Craig Bellamy, the little man with the big mouth who will always be one of those players you love to have on your side, but can’t help disliking when he’s playing for the opposition. I suspect there is still a lot of admiration for Bellamy for his efforts in a black and white shirt, but he is incapable of keeping his mouth shut, refused to play on the wing when he was here and tends to react when he is booed. Cue boos every time he touches the ball!
Finally, I’d just like to leave you with the revelation from Albert Luque this week that he only came to Newcastle for the money, although it still begs the question why would Newcastle sign a player for £9.5m when the player the manager had spent all summer insisting he wanted, Luis Boa Morte, would only have cost £5m.
The quotes are fantastic in a really depressing, eyes rolling kind of way....
“I gave Newcastle a negative reply when they called,� the 29-year-old recalled. “I was having a great time at Depor. I put in fine performances, lived in a beautiful town and there was no reason to leave. (But) they came up with an offer too good to refuse. I had a talk with then-chairman, Freddie Shepherd, and told him how much I wanted to earn. It was a ludicrous amount, but he didn’t bat an eyelid. The negotiations with Deportivo were also over in no time. (President Augusto Cesar) Lendoiro told Shepherd the asking price was £9.5m and Shepherd simply said ‘yes’ twice.
“I was going to earn lots and lots of money at a club I had never paid attention to before and move to a town I knew nothing about,� he said. “I hardly knew any of my new colleagues and hardly spoke any English. I tore a hamstring in my second league appearance, was on the sidelines for three months and when I returned there was a new manager (Glenn Roeder).
“He ignored me completely. I often started on the bench and even more often was forced to watch from the stands. I never got an opportunity to adapt to the British style.
“It gradually dawned on me I was not one of Roeder’s signings and no matter how well I did at training, he would only include me in the starting line-up for a cup competition they don’t take seriously in England.
“Sam Allardyce told me on his first working day I deserved a genuine chance. He had seen me at Deportivo and was sure I couldn’t have lost the knack. I did believe him, but I was fed up with life in Newcastle. After two dismal years I didn’t want to stay any longer. I was frequently linked with Spanish clubs in those two years, but they couldn’t meet my wage demands. I earned an incredible amount and was not willing to let it go. But this summer I came to the conclusion that money is not the only thing in life.
“I was signed alongside Jean-Alain Boumsong, who cost £8m. He did not feature in Roeder’s plans either and was another example of money down the drain. I am glad Shepherd and Roeder have gone and delighted Mort and Allardyce have taken over. They have made a good impression on me. I just hope the players and fans see some success at long last.�
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