Im not having a go at Newcastle because all clubs buy from abroad, just about the current French recruitment policy as there is no other team doing it to the extent Newcastle are currently, I ask the questions..... Is is harming English football and the development of the youth in the country? Would you like to see English/North east players in the team, even it it meant forking out a bit more ££? Personally I think Ashley has a sound business model. He entices the young talent from France and to an extent Holland over to Newcastle with the promise of decent wages, a shot in the "World's greatest league" and will not stand in their way if they wish to move on to better things if they prove them selves. They can simply replace them as the player conveyor belt rolls along as with most clubs. Its sound business really as these players are costing pennies compared to British alternatives and are proving better value but when does the line need to be drawn, if at all? As a Sunderland fan I do feel quite proud having nearly a full midfield from the North East and some of Britain's best footballers, it gives you a deeper connection with the club. Fair enough its not the best midfield in the league but as mentioned I do feel its good having young lads from our region playing and doing well at SAFC. You can argue that buying young talent from France is blocking or restricting the chances for young English youth team players to be given the chance, therefore lowering the pool of players we can select from for the International team. On the other hand are these young players good enough to deserve a chance? Even if they do they will find it hard and it will affect their perception of the club they are playing for because its as if they don't trust their youth in the eyes of these young players. Personally I think our national team will never improve as there is no restriction on buying youth from oversees, if we are to improve in major tournaments there needs to be a cap on foreign transfers, however this just opens up a whole can of worms and will probably never happen. Like I say I'm not having a go at Newcastle fans just the current transfer policy the club have and if it works on the field then it doesn't really matter. Yes its sound financially but is it going to affect our national team's chances in major tournaments if more clubs copy suit? And would you not prefer to see some local lads donning the shirt? Would you feel connected with your club with 11 players playing on a Saturday with only a self interest in making it to a bigger club and no long term ambitions? Obviously I cant speak for all these player's goals but a proportion of them will be thinking this.
Nouveauchateau will come unstuck with this policy in the longer term, if you ask me. As you say, it's working well at the moment, but they'll pick a few duffers eventually and then the conveyor belt model is screwed. I think buying cheaply from France could be a good part of any club's buying policy, but for the mags it seems to be the only policy. Law of averages says it won't last for ever, no matter how good their scouts are...
Lets get real here, we have signed our 5 players this window for what manure have reportedly payed for zaha. We as a club aren't afforded the luxury of beddin in young talent. However, Carroll was a product of of our academy and selling him has moulded our entire club. Incidentally Steven taylor and Tim Krul are both products of our youth academy and until we obtain category 1 status, we will never produce the best young talent as we are unable to get them through the door at that earlier age. As for the national team. Let the so called mega clubs of England worry about that as it seems its only fasionable to get a call up if you play for one of those. Newcastle get my money and my heart ache, I don't care who pulls on the stripes.
This policy of foreign, or predominantly French players will work out fine so long as the results are forthcoming. Its what your plan B is if they don't that should be the discussion points. Its a dream to have 11 British players that can operate and compete at this level and on a budget that isn't challenging Man City or Chelsea. If there are bargains to be had abroad then that's where clubs will go. My only concern would be that outside French players, Newcastle don't seem to have ANY other avenues of recruitment and its not a never ending conveyor belt of talent. For every prince you try and kiss there are a dozen frogs to avoid (or not in the mags case Lol).
Ideally, I'm sure Newcastle and Sunderland fans would prefer to see 11 English/British players in the first team for their respective sides. As pointed out above however, it's pretty unlikely to happen for either club while trying to compete with the budgets of Man City, Chelsea etc and the likes of Liverpool massively over inflating the cost of buying average PL players. Hopefully for us (Newcastle) the current policy will pay off short term and allow the likes of Ferguson, Tavernier, Campbell, Dummett etc to go out loan and get some valuable playing time/experience to benefit the side in the long term.
France is just where our beat scout has been covering. As cisse proved, we have out eyes in other areas. These players aren't panic buys, they have been extensively watched. The deals worked on these players are unbelievable business buy our board.
The root of the problem is the silly transfer fees uk players attract. Carroll at £35m and Henderson at £20m are two big examples. The French influx is not new. It was started by Wenger a decade ago to the point where he famously fielded the first non British starting eleven in PL history. It's no different to when you do your shopping either. If you see a punnet of say Spanish strawberries at £1 and British ones at three times the price which do you go for?
I always buy British if I possibly can, wont have none of those bitter frog apples, or their women's piss wine, New Zealand lamb, foreign cheese, Danish/Dutch bacon, Dutch mushrooms are all of limits when British ones are better quality. I even look at where British made products are made & if I don't like that part of the country then I wont buy it. I'm talking about anything here. Shampoo, pork scratchings, bog roll, owt really. I earn my wages & it's up to me what I spend them on. It got to the stage where my ex wife banned me from going shopping, lol. The one exception to the rule is beer where the continentals win hands down. Still wouldn't buy frog like, about the only thing they are good at making is white flags.
I'm with you on this Billy, buy British Buy local if I can. Apart from cheese ****ing love all cheeses prefer English Beer and Cider.
You just need to look at the France national team in the last few tournaments, they are huffy by nature, if the going gets tough they won't dig in & will fall out with one another. I don't care what they do up the road to be honest its not my team or passion.
This exactly. I know that the mags will thing we're having a pop at them or are somehow jealous (wished we'd gotten Sissko happy as **** we didn't get Gouffran) but it would be a real concern for me. Well they're certainly looking to put it to the test over the coming weeks and months. b.t.w. What language is spoken on the training pitch and during games? Does Pardeux speal French.
The french team do naturally have a bad atmosphere about them but i do think the environment there in has alot to do with it, E.G Ben Arfa got in trouble at the euros but I dont think he'd do anything negative at Newcastle, he loves us! You seen what Robben and Huunterlar were like at the euros i dont think yous (or anyone) would say no to them!
I have to say I couldn't care less were our players come from as long as they improve us if we had a squad with 10 french players or Paraguayans or Japanese players I wouldn't give a damn, as long as they improve us then that is good enough for me, if they are even better value for money than the average English plodder then even better
These french signings wouldn't have owt to do with the fact that cashley is opening a few jd sports shops over there would it? The man isn't a mug. Could sell shirts, merchandise etc and he makes money. Honestly don't think he gives a toss for the club
I couldn't care less in MON signed 11 Martians if it meant winning. ACS has hit the nail on the head here , it's the rediculous prices of British players that forces clubs to look elsewhere.
I couldn't care less in MON signed 11 Martians if it meant winning. ACS has hit the nail on the head here , it's the rediculous prices of British players that forces clubs to look elsewhere.
