Rafa is known to be an admirer

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It’s clear that Mike Ashley has tightened the purse strings at St James’ Park, and the consequences could be bad as far as the team is concerned. Many fans will have been disappointed to see Newcastle lose James Milner, even if they did get £10 million from Aston Villa for him, and the words of their manager won’t fill them with confidence either. [Read the rest of this entry »]

Things change quickly in the world of football. One minute a player is getting rave reviews for helping his team win a Carling Cup match, the next thing he has handed in a transfer request and then he’s gone – just like that. Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan must be pretty annoyed that he’s lost one of his best players to a Premier League rival. [Read the rest of this entry »]

‘Pack your bags and leave tonight’ is one of the lyrics to Wham’s ‘Club Tropicana’ and it’s a sentiment that will be shared by James Milner after he handed in a request to leave Newcastle this week. The winger is one of the star talents in the Magpies squad, although the PFA claim that United might have held on to him if they had been prepared to offer a new and improved contract. [Read the rest of this entry »]

There was Kevin Keegan, telling the press how great a performance he thought this player had delivered on Tuesday night, when the person in question was getting ready to tell his manager and the board that he no longer wanted to be plying his trade at Newcastle! [Read the rest of this entry »]

Looks like James Milner fancies a bit of a change, and has tossed a transfer request the way of his manager Kevin Keegan – and just after he sang his praises too. With the transfer window closing on Monday it seems that Milner fancies a quickie divorce from the Toon Army… [Read the rest of this entry »]

Kevin Keegan has been in charge of the national side and, although it was an ill-fated reign, you’d think he has some idea of what’s required to play at international level. After his team’s exciting 3-2 extra-time win at Coventry last night, he has no doubt that one of his charges should be in the thoughts of Fabio Capello. [Read the rest of this entry »]

How does a football club prepare a bid for a player they’re trying to sign? Surely it’s just a question of stating that you want to sign him and you’re prepared to offer his current club a certain amount to secure his services? Or does the bid need to be carefully worded before being faxed across? One pictures Martin O’Neill and Randy Lerner striding around an office dictating a letter to the latter’s secretary, before locating the number for St James’ Park. [Read the rest of this entry »]

While Alan Hansen was wrong to claim “you’ll never win anything with kids”, I think it’s fair to say that a team certainly won’t be radically enhanced by Danny Guthrie and Jonas Gutierrez. Yes yes, Newcastle fans, I realise your exciteable manager and hoardes of directors are probably working round the clock to bring new faces in, but we’re getting ever closer to the start of the new campaign and the Magpies will certainly not be finishing in the top six with their current squad. [Read the rest of this entry »]

The Guardian reports that Newcastle winger James Milner is surplus to requirements at St James’ Park and this has got three clubs drooling over the prospect of nabbing him:

Liverpool, Villa and Everton are among several clubs monitoring James Milner’s situation at Newcastle United. He will be allowed to leave for about £5m. (Guardian)

Not quite sure what kind of playing time he’d get at Liverpool, but having got rid of antipodean benchwarmer Harry Kewell, they could see Milner as an improvement over the Aussie. Milner would obviously have more chance of clocking up some first-team performances at Everton or Villa, and although it seems like he has been around for ages, Milner is only 22 – and as such is still full of potential.

With rumours of a big squad clearout, it’s not hard to believe that there are going to be some fresh faces arriving at Anfield. Sadly, there aren’t many particularly exciting or high-profile names being thrown around just yet.

Hot on the heels of being linked to Wigan’s Luis Valencia, it seems that the tabloids have got Rafa having a bid rejected for James Milner while also pursuing City’s Michael Johnson – who combined would command fees in the 15-20 million range. Considering the brief for Benitez is to win the Premier League, we can’t see either of these lads taking the club to the next level even though they are young and talented.

Since Benitez is trying to clear out the piles and piles of average to slightly-better-than-average players this summer, surely he’d be better off saving up that money and looking for another Torres?

Despite Newcastle having: 1) An already small squad and, 2) Having released four players from said squad this summer, there are stories linking almost half their squad away from the club, where according to Sky Sports:

Middlesbrough and Aston Villa are said to be keen on James Milner, Rangers are chasing Alan Smith, and Blackburn are keeping tabs on Abdoulaye Faye.

With Obafemi Martins interesting Arsenal and Michael Owen seen as a possible replacement for Dimitar Berbatov should the Bulgarian leave Tottenham, Keegan could have his work cut out during the close season.

Add to that the rumour that Damien Duff has put his house up for sale, Emre is constantly linked with a move away from Tyneside and Liverpool’s interest in Steve Harper, and before we know it Newcastle will be fielding all those youngsters they bought in January next season.

Will these players go? Do Newcastle fans care if they do? With the club also being linked, as per usual, with every single player on the face of the planet, they could surely replace anyone who left.

Liverpool FC, Football rumors, Football coverage

Newcastle United’s James Milner hasn’t performed too badly so far this season yet the Geordies are not out of danger. The Toon army were in for some battering at the weekend when they were thrashed 4-1 by UEFA Cup hopefuls Aston Villa.

Referring to that match, Milner says that they have to improve and is confident that that improvement wouldcomepretty fast. He says:

At the moment we’re not performing for 90 minutes. In the Premier League, if you don’t put it in for the majority of the game, you’re going to get punished. We’re playing well for 45 minutes or an hour, but not for 15 minutes here or there, and you can’t do that.You’re obviously going to have blips where you’re going to be under the cosh, but it’s about making sure we keeping working for 90 minutes.

Well, let’s see how fast the Magpies can improve.

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Kevin Keegan has already had the seal of approval from Newcastle United fans, now the players are getting all excited about his reinstatement as manager of the north-east club. The Daily Telegraph have neatly compiled a list of quotes from members of the Magpies squad, who all appear to be keen on working with the ‘messiah’.

Shay Given said: “I’ve been here 11 years so I know just what he means to the area and what he has done for the club. Everyone talks about the Keegan era and what exciting times they were for Newcastle.

“The place needed that sort of calibre of manager and Mike Ashley and Chris Mort deserve credit for getting him on board.

“I am looking forward to working with him. It takes time and people will have to be patient but hopefully the good times will be ahead.”

While James Milner is getting all nostalgic:

“If he can do the same job he did last time everybody will be delighted. I was only young when he was here, but Newcastle were a great side. The players were amazing, like Ginola and Asprilla. How Newcastle did then was brilliant.”

Charles N’Zogbia is chuffed as well.

“We must try to do our best for Newcastle and the supporters who have stuck with us.

The scenes were amazing before, during and after the [Stoke] game.”

Will the Keegan love-in still be going strong after Saturday’s match against Bolton?!

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