The Newcastle United Blog

53 responses so far ↓

• 1 carl // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:00

  i very much doubt we would sell in january

• 2 MattyDread // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:04

  Yeah Oba’s been somewhat out of sorts this season, but that’s just indicative of the team he’s in. It would be a travesty to see him go.

• 3 George // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:07

  I would not contemplate selling OFM.
  Oba is a smashing lad and player. His form may have been indifferent this season, but look at how the others have played and the formations he has had to cope with.
  It is obvious that other clubs see some good in him or else they would not come after him.
  Just ignore them all Sam and sort out yourself first.

• 4 Drago // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:08

  he’s not going to be a world class striker, because his decisions are like a 10year old boys…

• 5 valle // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:08

  Sell him to Spurs and get Berbatov the other way pls… Oba isnt good enough and never will we… Why?… Because u cant learn football intelligence.

• 6 johnny // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:09

  Would be a disaster to sell Oba, in years to come he will be world class. If we need to generate cash Owen should go. All Oba neds is a regular place in the team in the same position, ie not right or left wing but centre forward!

• 7 mark // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:12

  I agree Valle that he doesnt have the best Football Brain if you like, but he can do some good stuff with a ball, the power behind his shots is immense, I think with a few more years experience, in say…3 years…he will be smashing 20-25 goals a season in the Prem alone. Easy.

  This season I think he will get 15 - 20, nxt season 2 or 3 more, season after that probably 20 at least, then after that watch him fly. he will be truly truly world class one day.

• 8 ToonKing // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:21

  i would sell………….and get someone who can hit something smaller than the moon.

• 9 andy ingham // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:22

  Oba is our biggest threat and he is young exactly the type of player we need and should be hanging on to not selling to the teams around us he will still learn he never moans is never injured and seems for some reason to spend far too much time on the bench for my liking i would be very dissapointed to see him leave he is the future . yes his decision making is not always the best but who is perfect give the lad a chance ..

• 10 Scottie // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:42

  Get rid of him. He’s dreadful, we could buy a striker of twice the ability for half the price. He has scored some great goals, but unfortuntely he’s just not good enough. I doubt anyone will even remember him 5 years after he’s gone, and he’ll be thought of in the same way as Cunningham & Reilly.

• 11 Steeley // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:49

  I dont think we will sell him at all this tx window, however Ed, your article is incorrect.

  I believe that you will find that the contract clause is still active. Sam came out last year and said that they were trying to negotiate a new contract with Martins to get rid of the clause right at the start of his tenure as manager.

  Martins at the time seemed adamant he wanted to stay and sign that new contract, however, nothing ever came of it (or at least nothing has been made public about a new contract), so it means Martins could in effect go if someone put in a £13m bid.

  Again though, I dont think there’s a cats chance first of all that anyone will offer £13m, and secondly that the club would accept a bid of anything less….espcially when looking at the mess we’re in at the moment.

• 12 Neil A H // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:52

  Give him some help and he might produce. IF we had a creative midfielder and a consistent set up man Oba would be much more lethal.

• 13 Godzvilla // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:54

  Hey! We’ll take him off your hands for you! I’ve always been impressed with Martins - the only player in the Premiership faster than Gabby Agbonlahor!! He scores good strikers goals, he’s strong, young and I don’t think your style of play has brought the best out of him. He’d be the perfect strike partner for Gabby and with the two of them in our forward line we’d be scoring and relacing the ball for kick off before the opposition had realised we’d scored!! :o) Good luck in the cup boys!

• 14 Nobby's dad // Jan 5, 2008 at 12:58

  Absolutely no football brain and will not improve. I like him as a person, but as a footballer I honestly think there are lots of better options - the problem would be getting one in Jan. If we could get our money back sell him in the summer.

• 15 JoshI // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:12

  Oba is that type of player who always generates chances, unlike our other strikers. All he needs to do is get his head down and score them, with a creative midfielder such as Arshavin he would get loads of of chances and surely his conversion rate will soar.

• 16 JoshI // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:15

  Plus he really suits the new kit, i was just watching football focus and it showed him, when they went over NUFC, doing his flip celebration, gotta hold on to him purely for that.

• 17 Callum // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:25

  Oba is a confidence player - Look how great he played last season once he adapted and why? Because Roeder was praising him constantly, Sam hasnt praised Oba once

• 18 Leo // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:25

  dont sell him at all. and if we do well him, please not to a premier league club. i would only accept 15mil from a foreign club. more like 17mil from premier league club, due to darren bent being that price

• 19 Coolsmurf // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:28

  if villa does get him, what a smashing speedy strikeforce of gabby, ashley young, luke moore and martins….

• 20 Mac // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:30

  Villa can have him or anyone else that wants him,just not good enough i’m afraid,seems like a really nice guy,great injury free record,very fast and a powerful shot,However no footballing brain,no awareness of what’s around him,gives the ball away time after time at both ends of the field amd he needs 3 or 4 clear cut chances to score 1 goal not the kind of return Newcastle should be looking for.

• 21 shirts // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:37

  Maybe Oba’s having trouble because he’s getting no service and hasn’t had a second striker to play off.

  Or maybe he’s susceptible to suggestion and Big Sam’s instructions to the defense have been sinking in on him by accident:

  BIG SAM: (in a darkened room, swinging his hypnotist’s watch in front of the players) You are all getting very sleepy… Defenders! You must lump the ball forward in the air indiscriminately!

  NUFC DEFENDERS CHORUS: (groggily, heavy eyelids) We must lump the ball forward in the air indiscriminately…

  OBAFEMI: (eyes wide, drooling) I must lump the ball forward indiscriminately…

  MILNER: (Startled from sleep, to N’zogbia) Huh? What? Did Sam say I should dribble around in circles and not pass the ball?

  N’ZOGBIA: Je ne sais pas… Eh, Duff, what did le Sam Gros say?

  DUFF: Never mind, just keep doing what you’re doing and tell Milner to pass the fecking ball.

  N’ZOGBIA: Eh… Je ne sais pas

  MILNER: Did Duff say to keep dribbling in circles?

  N’ZOBIA: Eh… yes!

• 22 Obafan // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:41

  Oba is by miles the most dangerous striker we’ve seen this season; and that in which he had to play out of position too many times.

  Okay perhaps sometimes his shots are too wild or his first touch isn’t that great, but in 90% of the cases he is able to put pressure on the opponents defence.

  Look also at the passes that are played to him or the support that he gets.
  - Long balls to a small player (the same story also for Owen and Smith)=> very difficutl to do something with those
  - He (like against Chelsea) stood always on his own and even than he was able to scare the Chelsea defence.

  So by any means, do not sell him, because he will again prove his worth to our team…

• 23 Leo // Jan 5, 2008 at 13:41

  on http://www.football-rumours.com someone wrote this…

  Newcastle will back Allardyce but there will not be any Shorey’s coming in until the Summer. Ben Haim for around £2 million will be the first, Dean Ashton can be the biggest name and sum to come to the club, as he will be first choice forward. Talk of a young Brazalian forward nickname the Pitbull, should have fun with Barton, who is on loan from Porto at Vitoria Setubal. Another suprise will be the loan deal for Javier Saviola who is falling down the pecking order and will the perfect replacement for Owen and/or Martins. With limited funds Allardyce may look at Gera of West Bromwich Albion to soarkle up the midfield as well as Robinson at left back so he can let N’Zogbia burst into the midfield. Emre will be shown the door with Dortmund willing to have a go as well as Udinese. Dortmund will be looking to replace Pienaar though they make a swap + cash for the likes of Frei, if they do not get Ashton and/or Philipp Degen in defense. I do not think Dede will be involved, shame tho. Dortmund play in front of 68+ a week so Allardyce sees these players as the ‘unfreezables’ who will settle in at SJP.
  The biggest chance to be taken will be for the 32 year old Blaise Isetsima Nkufo who every year scores double figures without any effort at all. Though rarely recognised by the Swiss having only 13 caps he is thought to be a perfect target man for Newcastle. the price should only a small one as he will se this as his ‘chance’. Allardyce COULD come out of this window having spent around £15 million and have five players.

  i believe that it was someone from this blog… anyone going to own up to it?

• 24 ObaFan2 // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:11

  He has had a poor season so far but he’s the type of player I love to watch, unpredictable and entertaining and I’d be devastated (and I wud need a name change lol probably be BSAisanasole) if we sold him.

  We should be building a team not selling (except the dross) but will be interesting to see what happens in the next month. BSA cud sell all the players that were here b4 him and replace with Bolton style players……….or even Bolton players….. ha ha yippee can’t wait.

• 25 Newcastlefan // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:20

  Shoery , Ben Heim , Dean Aston, plus a top creative midfielder ! Why is it clubs never seem to get what they want ? Ben Heim would be a Sam Allardyce move, getting the best out of him, like at Bolton. The rest buys for the futre, even if Sam was no longer around, Buying for the here and now, as well as the future. It’s not rocket science is it.

• 26 steve // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:24

  I don’t think Sam likes him, he’s on the bench as soon as Owen is fit ( not that often ) and think he even prefers slowmo viduka and can’t shoot smith.
  Shame if he goes as I reckon he’ll do really well at a team that plays with pace and can actually pass the ball, unfortunately that’ll never be the toon under Sam
  Anyone who thinks Berbatov would come to the toon should book themselves into a mental hospital asap before they start to think they can fly.
  No doubt we’ll be buying a tall hold the ball type of forward who can hang onto the ball long enough until our useless midfield get into position (prob about 10 mins with current players)

• 27 Hadrian // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:25

  Ive had a feeling all along that sam doesnt rate Oba .
  i also think he’s told mort to leave that buyout clause in there .
  Oba’s hardly had a fair run at it this season , i blame sam’s management for oba’s poor form .
  just looks at the goals to games at the start of the season , then look at them when sam started messing around and dropping him for owen , his confidence took a right knock .

  ohh , monaco to come in for emre aswell?
  anyone with a hint of flair is tobe sold !!!!

• 28 indian toon // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:34

  CELESTIN BABA HAS BEEN GIVEN A GOOD CONTRACT AT LA GALAXY BY RUDD GUILLIT . NOW THATS WHAT YOU CALL LUCK. ALL HAIL BABA.!!!!

• 29 Toon Al // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:36

  we absolutly cannot sell oba martins..

  it would be a disaster i read a comment up there saying swap for berbatov, and another sayin twice the ability but half the price? name one, and by name one i mean a real player, not one of the players that you signed on footy manager and turned up good in 2009.

  what makes you think in any way shape or form berbatov would ever consider coming to newcstle in our current state? in the premiership you need pace, full stop. the fact he’s our top scorer doesnt say it all to you? he can creat enough chances to put away one or two here n there, if he gets his finishing improved a little he will be outstanding.

  three of the four clubs interested according to this article are above us in the table and the other has just got a new world class manager.. what does that say

• 30 JoshI // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:40

  If Martins or Emre leave id be so pissed off.

• 31 toonfan1 // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:42

  just heard that kevin nolan isn’t in the 16 in the FA cup 2day for their match against sheff utd. duno if this could be related to the news about 6 mill bid about him or he could be rested but it gives a slight indication cause they playing a decent team in sheff utd. surpised he not on the bench but hopefully he aint comin to the mighty toon!!

• 32 toonfan1 // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:43

  and ben tozer aint playin for swindon either so will he come to newcastle this transfer window u reckon or the summer one?

• 33 JoshI // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:45

  F**k! i bet Nolan comes, if Anelkas not in it then he will be off to Chelsea. We want Arshavin so we get bloody Nolan. Why?

• 34 Hadrian // Jan 5, 2008 at 14:50

  tozer will be here this window id reckon, not sure why he isnt here already .
  altho if sam had sense he would prob let him stay out on loan .
  nolan… erk nolan ,
  sam can wave his job goodbye if he sells the likes of oba and emre and starts bringing in nolan and wes brown , unless we see some cash splashed on a superstar midfielder .
  ive got oba’s name on my shirt ffs !! regardless i still wouldnt want him sold .

• 35 JoshI // Jan 5, 2008 at 15:06

  Gattuso is in Glasgow he will sign it’s so exciting nw and huttons is off to Newcastle for £12 million + ameobi also were signing David Murphy for 300,000 and last but not least the signing of the season. Michael Ballack in on loan and maybe one other signing most likely to be Tony hibbert from everton at right. from a reliable source geeeeee emmm #1 W. t. b

  Lol who do they think theyr kidding!

• 36 steve // Jan 5, 2008 at 15:23

  Doubt Ashton will be on way to toon, he’s starting today against Man City, although given the fact we’re likely to be knocked out tomorrow it doesn’t really matter if he’s cup tied

• 37 toonfan1 // Jan 5, 2008 at 15:29

  lol already 1-1 between spurs and reading!! could be another 6-4 lol

• 38 Nev // Jan 5, 2008 at 15:32

  not had the best season so far … but still are top scorer
  will defo get 10prem goals what tbh is still good in the premiership
  hes the best striker in are squad, young and will improve with age and should mature
  big mistake to sell in my opinion , get rid of owen intead has only played well with shearer and has been pi55 poor this season £10mil to city would be a good deal for us to improve other areas like CB and an attacking minded CM

• 39 ObaFan2 // Jan 5, 2008 at 16:19

  If we sold:

  Shay,Taylor,Beye,Feye,Zog,Duff,Oba I’d be gutted and would show the club’s/BSA intentions.

  If we bought Nolan, Brown or others of the like it would also be very revealing.

• 40 Marty // Jan 5, 2008 at 16:43

  i think al of you that say OBA doesnt have the skill will be eating your words if he goes to another prem club,the guy is gonna be a class act.if we could just get a RIGHT WINGER that can cross the ball….mils was doin the same at villa-sell him i say!!!

• 41 Ashton // Jan 5, 2008 at 16:57

  Sell him for 13 million
  and sell Milner too for 5 m
  and buy Dean Ashton for 10 m
  and Arshavin 7 m

  Problem Solved !

  and as for young players buy
  Mamadou Sakho he is the lefty Micha Richards !

• 42 Bob // Jan 5, 2008 at 18:00

  I’ve stood up for Oba time and time again, but I think he should go.

  The potential to be a world class striker is clearly there for all to see.

  At the age of 19, Nesta said that Obafemi Martins was the striker he feared the most. Due to his erratic form, however, he could never secure a first team spot at Inter and asked for a transfer.

  He did reasonably well in his first season, despite being in an absolutely piss-poor side. It was expected that he would improve considerably under Sam Allardyce.

  But he isn’t improving at all at Newcastle - in fact, he is getting worse in my opinion.

  He needs a good motivator to bring out the best in him eg. A Wenger or MON.

  Quite frankly, BSA’s handling of him has been poor. Constantly playing him out of position, dropping him whenever Owen is fit etc etc.

  His form has been indifferent and erratic and early signs of progress - in first touch and game intelligence - have disappeared, along with his confidence.

  I think that it would be better for all involved if he moved on as he obviously won’t improve in this environment, for whatever reason.

• 43 StevieA // Jan 5, 2008 at 18:17

  He is too inconsistent at the moment. You just never know what you are going to get with him, also is it me or has he lost 2-3 yards of pace? He used to be the quickest in the league but now I don’t know what to make of him.

  He scores the goals mind you can’t argue with that. The only thing I wish he would do is play more like Bellamy did. Always on the back of the oppositions defenders waiting for the through ball, it’s simple but very effective. Centre backs hate that. I just don’t see Oba doing that enough.

  Also he has missed some quite easy chances, if Viduka had them he would of scored most. He is still a brilliant striker on his day but he has the potential to be SO MUCH BETTER it’s frustrating to watch him sometimes. The lad should be a world beater.

• 44 steve // Jan 5, 2008 at 18:43

  he’s still our top scorer and owen has played in as many games - we should sell owen if anything

• 45 scott9 // Jan 5, 2008 at 18:49

  aston villa want him well aston villa can f*ck off we wont sell obsa sam wouldnt dare that would just pile more pressure on him

• 46 Hadrian // Jan 5, 2008 at 18:59

  if we are to sell promising players who are struggling with form , it says more about the manager to me than the player .
  if thats the case where do we stop?
  this is the problem with saying give sam time . what sorry state are we going tobe in if he’s had the time and done nothing with it … bar sell off fan favorites ?

• 47 StevieA // Jan 5, 2008 at 19:09

  He is only 23 at the end of the day. I still think he needs to get back to his old self - pace & confidence.

  I remember Roeder telling Martins to slow down and not go for every ball. Since then I don’t think he has been the same player.

  He needs to run for the full 90-93 minutes not just here and there. He is one of the fittest players I think I have ever seen so why he doesn’t use his pace & fitness more I don’t know!

  I like Martins as a player and would give him another year or 2 at least to grow as a player. It wouldn’t stop me signing another striker though, competition for places might just bring the best out of him.

• 48 Obafan // Jan 5, 2008 at 19:35

  JoshI - me too Emre and Oba are 2 players for whom people come to the stadium, but SA doesn’ t rate them and is not honnest at all with those 2 players.

  Again a big disappointment in the fat cat.

• 49 James // Jan 5, 2008 at 19:52

  His first touch, decision making, and positional play are appalling. Villa give us £15 million and he’s yours.

• 50 Murvar // Jan 5, 2008 at 20:09

  James has it spot on. Oba’s first touch is so bad his second touch is a tackle. Any time to think catches him out. He reminds me of the greatest 8 year old in the team at school who hasn’t moved on and learned that there are others on the same side on the pitch.

• 51 Chris B // Jan 5, 2008 at 21:57

  hey its HTBWA on my itouch works well.should not sell martins such an explosive playa

• 52 villa 4 life // Jan 6, 2008 at 12:24

  james if you didn’t no his release clause is £13m… id have him any day he’s obviously not suited 2 your type of game he’d be the perfect striker at villa. some of your fans say he’s a bit thick when he’s on the ball same as agbonlahor some times but o’neil can turn a player like that into something speacial. if we got him next season he’ll be bangin in 20 goals a season easy and i don’t no why sam has brought his tactics of knocking a long ball up with no one that big upfront for you. well you’ll just have to live with it your losing out on a good player

• 53 medan // Jan 9, 2008 at 1:58

  Murvar and James you are 2 idiots, when he was in form last year, including in the begining of this year and in Inter he was unstopable. Can you tell me how he stayed for 4 yrs in Inter as a starter for the first 3yrs if he was such a crap player? He is being messed up by SAM lost his confidence and is playing crap. Needs to move to a better team and coach.

  He is much better than MO and Viduka no doubt.

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