New Centre Half - The Candidates

By Martyn Osmond
October 31 2004

Newcastle have seemingly been linked with every centre half on the face of the earth at some time in the last few months. Here is a list of a few of the candidates to replace Jonathan Woodgate - Jonathan Woodgate being one of them!

Souness said on the radio on Thursday night that he'd be reluctant to buy a foreigner defender unless they were proven in the Premiership. He also said that the 'top tier' of defenders - Campbell, Ferdinand, Terry, Gallas - were unatainable for us. That rules out most but the following:

Wes Brown - cheap, contract up in summer, solid.

Stam - unhappy at Milan (according to Dave), top top defender, the player we've been crying out for...forever.

Boumsong - promising, young, gets in the France team, but if he was that good would he be playing in Scotland for the huns?

Balde - again, if he's so good why's he still playing in Scotland? error-prone like Bramble.

Mellberg - solid defender, makes the occasional error but not often. Villa might not be willing to sell, might cost a fair bit.

Southgate - Fairly old, Smoggies probably unwilling to sell, but would be a good organiser.

Upson - not really proven much, lacks pace. Decent player but nowt special.

King - don't see it happening. Don't rate him all that highly and Spuds are rich enough to ask a ridiculous amount of money for him.

Dawson - promising, young, England U-21 International, from the North East (Northallerton to be precise), has excelled in the First Division, but unproven in the Premiership. Would be a gamble.

Woodgate - quoted today saying it's "a nightmare" at Real and he "can't see the light at the end of the tunnel." Out till April injured but we could get him back on the cheap.

 

Anyone I've forgotten? Let me know on the message board.