Rimbeux

They've just signed Mido for this and next season, so someone is on the way out. Keane has been trailed heavily for weeks before the window as odd man out.

Only if we don't have to pay him off.

That is a shocking overstatement of some paltry achievements. It's entirely possible to eulogise the great Emile Heskey in similar terms, and equally as misguided. If you want to throw it open to value for money, you're on shaky ground. What do you get for the cash, what have Newcastle got for their money, for the same wages as Owen takes from Madrid? Goals, consistentcy, productivity?. Definately no pouting or arm-waving! The bloke is quick, and is a decent footballer, but in the great scheme of things, he is not up there in the ranks of premiership forwards. He's just not, he's proved no such thing, international, CL or anywhere. The hype surrounding him is not just scandal, it's part of this broadsweep of annointing players above their level, simply because they make headlines. It's a problem in England, which inflates wages and transfer fees for some frankly average players. When it comes down to bare facts, this bloke is as prolific as Heskey and Smith, but two of them are 'considered better players'.

Lets get down to basics. The bloke couldn't get into our team. He's not that good. He's a poor career goals record due to being an average finisher, as average as McManaman and Garcia, just without the occassional spectacular. Added to that, he a complete selfish c***, and we should bother no more with this. The bloke pops up in his well advised adhoc interviews saying he's a Liverpool fan, and cue speculation.

I've a feeling it has alot to do with the ability to move a player on without the issues they've faced with Crespo and Veron. They can treat the fee as a one off expense, and not budget or account for resale value, whilst giving them the freedom to release a player who's served up their best or not worked out without the inconvenience of them being on a long deal that the player doesn't want to give up, and other clubs wont match. We have similar issues.

Indeed

We also need a bloke in the middle of the park capable of passing to them. There was a bloke, once, can't place his name, who's passing was giving us width.