Demba Ba back on the radar

There was never any sulking from Ba to me. He wanted to play through the middle. However he always give 100% whether playing through the middle or not. I have no bother with a player knowing what they want as long as they don't take a huffer.

I don't think we're really in a position to turn our noses up at players like Ba. Far better than any striker we have. I include Remy who I think looks much better playing wide left.

 

I'd have him back. I don't think he would be keen tho. It was never going to work out at Chelsea for him no matter how well he did when given the chance.

 

Just scored for Chelsea to make the title race interesting.

Can't see him coming here again.

 

Pardew probably thinks that bringing him back will make cisse start scoring again, and it will be like another new signing.

I'm convinced that's how the blokes mind works !

 

We need goals.
Ba fits that bill.

 

I agree, but I am a believer in the notion of you never go back... and Ba also chose to cash in on his career.

 

It is best not to but there will always be exceptions to the rule. Peter Beardsley. Robbie Elliott. You could argue its different because they have some connection with the region, so they give that little bit more. In that case, Andy Carroll it is then

 

Ba isn't a Geordie and the chance came up for him to join a club that had more chance of winning things than Newcastle. I think most players would make the same decision. I'd take him back, he has the attributes to handle our plan A of hoofball, and can also play on the deck when the players occasionally forget what Pardew's told them and start to resemble a proper football team. No brainer signing to me.

 

I'd have Ba back in a heartbeat. In combination with a Runner such as Long he'd be great for another 3 years.

Mourinho made a mistake not puting faith in Ba and I feel he's probably realising that right now, that had he played Ba all along Ba would have probably gotten 9-14 goals this season and probably put them in a better position to win the title.

I doubt we'll see Ba back. He'll probably join Stoke or Villa before coming back here.

 

So when we play nice football its the players, when we go direct its the manager

#witchhunt in full flow now

 

I defended Pardew for a long time but it's easier to just join the crowd. Life's too short to be arguing and fighting with people

 

He does need to go though. 3 full seasons and we are where we started when he joined bar a better youth system.

 

Is this because we have the infamous "category one" status? I've only been to a couple of reserve games, but to be honest the talent "coming through" at our club seems as useless as every other era. We're so bad at honing youngsters, it's embarrassing. What's weird, is that the North East has some of the best footballing facilities I've ever seen, at Schools and sports complexes etc.

Maybe it's just the link between youth set-up and first team, and manager's being so results orientated they don't want to risk their tenure and career with long-term planning... Yet our manager could literally rub his hairy scrote against the Sky Tv camera and not be in danger of the sack, so why is he so scared, particularly in a season where we could have afforded to integrate some kids as early as March without fear of relegation... My interpretation is, our youth set-up is still woeful, and most of the players, even the ones who have been given a little taste of first team football recently, will not get close to making the grade in the premier league. Judging from our status in the newly formatted youth competition, it seems that point of view bears out.

 

Time will tell. By all accounts our facilities are much better. Not that I'm crediting Pards with that. Facilities is one thing, until the coaching improved, you'll never see better talent. Until the scouting network for youth recruitment is improved, you will never see better talent. I haven't got a clue what we have done in this regard, if anything.

One thing is not in doubt for me is something you touch on. He is fearful of throwing them in at present. He actually has a good record at previous clubs of giving opportunity to young players. It is not really the right way, I think I've said before I watched an interview with the Dortmund youth coach and he said you should introduce young players when things are going well, not when things are heading to the dogs. Pardew seems to be following this recognised formula.

I suppose he did expose some of them when going well, Sammy, Fergie, Dummett. However there are plenty of examples where he hasn't. I accept that Armstrong and Kemen are very young to be thrown in. 17 yr olds are not all that common. Even Southampton tend to wait till 18. I just think we are in a unique place which justifys it. They can't do any worse than their senior counterparts are currently. I don't believe it will scar them like it would if we were battling relegation. He is under zero pressure from his board. He might as well say **** it and go for it. They might surprise us.

 

When I was a kid, my parents enrolled me in a football academy summer holiday program for a couple of years, so they could shag without the kids around. It was the Sunderland football academy (still have a signed Kevin Phillips poster I received for being top-scorer in the five-a-side league at the end of the program), even though Newcastle was closer, seemingly has more history of local legends and was doing much better in the league at the time. Newcastle United actually had very little interest in this kind of thing at that time.

When I was offered the chance to join an FA coached course at primary school, it was run by some of the guys who had coached at the Sunderland academy program.

When I joined my local football club later, the links with that team were the Leeds football academy, even though Newcastle was closer.

My brother was invited for an academy day later on when we lived in Scotland... The club's academy? Manchester United.

For me, the community efforts of our club are pitiful. You can see why the likes of Colback join the Sunderland ranks, you really can. We have some of the most actively interested youngsters in the world on our doorstep, eating, drinking, breathing and living football, and Newcastle United continues to waste that resource. They need to get a grasp of this, and have much more input in local development. I realise that part of that being successful is the team itself having an ethos and style which can be imitated across the region, so youngsters can be picked up in accordance with that philosophy... And that's hardly going to happen with defensive, rigid, hoofball most weeks. Alas...

 

Well said. We have so much talent locally yet we allow it to go to waste - always have done. It's a disgrace.

 

So we could have been shouting at you at St. James' instead of Shola?

 

They think they cracked it when they established a link with Wallsend Boys Club. Even then loads of horses have bolted from that stable over the years like Carrick, Shearer, Bruce etc. Man U and Man C aggressively compete with each other. Liverpool and Everton are the same. We make Sunderland look good but in actual fact, neither club actually does that well, we just happen to be worse than them. Middlesbrough are actually the most successful club in the region in this regard! Sunderland try, we don't even bother.

The whole region talent base needs harnessed. It can be done. Why don't they head down to Durham Cricket Club and ask Geoff Cook. One of the best youth systems in UK is right on our doorstep, producing a conveyor belt of cricketers, many of whom end up representing their country. They have simply harnessed the regions talent and given them a platform to express themselves.

 

What do you mean "could have"? I'm not as old as some of you farts, I still hold hope of bringing you lot the dream Shola-JPF strike partnership