picaraza
03 Jul 2005, 01:16 AM
Interesting piece in the Observer about the summer transfer market and the possible destinations for Michael Owen: Restless Owen struggles to find a safe Premiership destination (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,6903,1520393,00.html)
The most interesting bit, for NUFC fans at least, is the last paragraph and a half, which seems oddly grafted into the Owen piece.
...Everton, quite rightly until they prove their Champions League credentials, are behaving like every other team who finished below them in the Premiership, wheeling and dealing for bargains, picking up players on loan and spending parsimoniously.
Increasingly, non-Champions League Premiership managers are being judged on how they spend their money. There is only a limited amount of it about, even at big clubs like Newcastle or well-backed ones like Middlesbrough, and the frivolity of a few years ago is conspicuous by its absence.
Ahead of the ledger so far in the summer stakes appear to be Alain Perrin, David O'Leary, Steve Bruce and Martin Jol. Those with work still to do include Bryan Robson, Alan Pardew, Mark Hughes and Paul Jewell. Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Chris Coleman and Steve McClaren seem to be content to stand still and build on last season's work, while in danger of going backwards from last season are Stuart Pearce and Mick McCarthy.
That just leaves Graeme Souness, on whom the jury is still out. The verdict will arrive a few weeks into the new season, if past experience is anything to go by. Everyone knows their place in the Premiership by now - on Tyneside anything is still possible.
The most interesting bit, for NUFC fans at least, is the last paragraph and a half, which seems oddly grafted into the Owen piece.
...Everton, quite rightly until they prove their Champions League credentials, are behaving like every other team who finished below them in the Premiership, wheeling and dealing for bargains, picking up players on loan and spending parsimoniously.
Increasingly, non-Champions League Premiership managers are being judged on how they spend their money. There is only a limited amount of it about, even at big clubs like Newcastle or well-backed ones like Middlesbrough, and the frivolity of a few years ago is conspicuous by its absence.
Ahead of the ledger so far in the summer stakes appear to be Alain Perrin, David O'Leary, Steve Bruce and Martin Jol. Those with work still to do include Bryan Robson, Alan Pardew, Mark Hughes and Paul Jewell. Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Chris Coleman and Steve McClaren seem to be content to stand still and build on last season's work, while in danger of going backwards from last season are Stuart Pearce and Mick McCarthy.
That just leaves Graeme Souness, on whom the jury is still out. The verdict will arrive a few weeks into the new season, if past experience is anything to go by. Everyone knows their place in the Premiership by now - on Tyneside anything is still possible.