Kevin Keegan, as we reported last week, could have a new defender in his squad by tomorrow.
Lamine Diatta - on trial at Newcastle - could sign tomorrow
Senegalese international Lamine Diatta, who is 32 years old, is on trial with Newcastle for the next couple of days.
The 32-year-old defender has been brought to Newcastle by the new scouting regime, but that Keegan and his back-room staff are not sure he is good enough. That’s something they will have a chance to ascertain more closely in the next day or two.
But Keegan will not sign the player if he is no better than what we already have, and then it is likely to be at most an 18 month contract, to see the club over a difficult spell.
Keegan told the Evening Chronicle today:
“We have today and Tuesday to see how he does and we can sign him if we want him.”“But we will not be signing him unless it is a worthwhile exercise.”
Diatta was born in Dakar, Senegal and moved to France when he was just one year old. He stands just over 6′0″ tall and is said to be good in the air, which is something we are weak at without fellow Seneglaese International Abdoulaye Faye in the side.
Obviously Faye and Beye will know Diatta quite well through playing together for Senegal.
Here is Diatta’s playing record:
Years Club App Goals 1998-1999 Toulouse FC 25 0 1999 Marseille 0 0 1999-2004 Stade Rennais 129 9 2004-2006 Olympique Lyonnais 32 0 2006-2007 St. Étienne 25 1 2007-2008 Besiktas JK 10 0 2000- Senegal 26 1
Comments very welcome.
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40 responses so far ↓
1 YongMalaysia // Mar 3, 2008 at 13:35
i doesnt know about him, but i think he wil be another good choice for us, atleast they are 3 DEF from senegal who play together for their country, so they know how to work it out atleast. Nice.
2 Bill F // Mar 3, 2008 at 13:40
Apart from Stade Rennais, he hasn’t spent a lot of time anywhere. Is there a reason for this. Sounds a bit dubious to me but you never know, I was iffy about Faye and he has been a good signing.
3 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 13:55
Might as well have him…Then we can play 6 at the back & four up front…As we have no mid-field anyway!?!..
…My little joke!..;)
4 Davies // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:00
not far from the truth though punk skunk.
5 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:08
@ Davies…Lol!..
…Please excuse my cynicism bro’, oh , how i wish it was different!..
6 Eric // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:24
He might be OK. Could well blend with Faye and Beye. Wish we could resurrect Scoular and Charlie Crowe for the midfield for the rest of the season. He’s got two days - Toon have a little longer. Let’s hope he’s good enough and give Taylor something to really worry about. Stop the arrogance and impatience Steven. In time you could be another Moncur for us.
7 ObaFan2 // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:28
He hasn’t played much for his club this season, 10 games? Also how long would it take him to settle into the pace of the EPL?
Anyway KK’s on the scene, he’ll decide and thats good enough for me.
8 ObaFan2 // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:30
Lol just though that the ACN probably effected the amount of games he’s played for his club this season!
9 obafemimartins // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:33
he could have been injured aswell obafan2
10 ToonKing // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:39
He’s a decent player, but don’t know how he will adjust to the EPL at 32 years old, allegedly ….
11 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:42
Yea but, he could possibly fit in easier/quicker with his Senegal team mates tho’, couldn’t he?..
& half the team do speak French!..
…Then again, the other half speak in tongues!..
12 Hadrian // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:44
i wonder if faye and beye put keegan nto him? if they rate him id have him here in a heartbeat .
whats senegals left back like while were at it ? may aswell play their back four !!
13 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:46
Defo, Beye & Faye have been 2 of our best players this season, pity we lost ‘em to the ACN for a few games when we really needed ‘em!..
14 ObaFan2 // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:53
The ACN had really effected clubs like us and it’s a shame it’s played(ACN) when it is.
However being aware of this maybe we shouldn’t have bought or relied on such players, just another cock-up by BSA.
If he is anywhere near as good as Feye or Beye then KK will have him but the choice is his and I’ll say again I’m happy with that.
obafemimartins, my thought was he may have been injured and that’s a worry going on our past record for unavailable/injured players.
15 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 14:58
Aye ObaFan2, fat sham did seem to be lacking somewhat in the thinking department…But, like you say, if KK thinks he’s up to it, let’s have him in!..
16 mikeygd // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:10
we cant afford to get any injuries or suspensions to any of our CB with Rozenhal gone so i say bring him in, cant do us any harm.
17 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:19
Rozehnal said he likes it in Lazio
18 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:19
Ya’ right Mikegd!..Also, it’s a pity about Rozenhal, i thought he was gonna come good, but hey, y’never know KK may have seen something he didn’t like in him, maybe his attitude?..
19 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:20
Hey Hadji, Rozenhal probably likes the warm sun in Italy!..& he’s on the same land mass as his homeland, for when he ain’t getting a game, which doesn’t seem to be very often!?!..
20 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:25
You know i was wondering PunkSkunk,my girlfriend from Newcastle just sms me by saying that its freezing overthere,and here in Skopje i’m walking outside with short sleeves cause its so so hot.The question is”Is the weather in Newcastle one of the main factors that some players from Italy,Spain,Brazil don’t wan’t to play for Newcastle.
21 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:30
It could be mate…But saying that, i read on wikipedia that Newcastle has the sixth most sun in England…I think it’s more the cold wind coming from scandanavia to be honest!..
…Btw, i live in London, so it ain’t that bad for cold wind…Also, football is a winter game, so you’re better off playing in the cold than heat!..
22 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:34
Wow so how did you end up to be a Newcastle fan.
23 scott9 // Mar 3, 2008 at 15:38
if hes any good get him until the summer its on the free its a no lose situation
24 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:13
‘cos i was born a Geordie mate!..
Where’s Skopje?..Is that Macedonia?..If so, is that south Europe?..
25 Ahall // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:14
looks like smudger has won a place in KK’s heart! flipping brilliant!
The Newcastle boss said of his England striker: “He’s gold dust. Wherever you ask him to play, he gives 100 percent.
“Had he got a goal today against Blackburn it would have been no more than he deserved. He got one chance second half but just pulled it across the goal.
“If effort and endeavour and honesty won you things, Alan Smith would have medals galore.
“There’s a place for Alan Smith in any football team.”
http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1254543,00.html
26 Leo* I HATE NICKY BUTT // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:17
if he works well with beye and faye then the back four could be enrique faye diatta beye
if we are going to do well we need to stick to one defencive lineup consistantly so they can learn how to play along side eachother.
27 shay is shit // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:20
we have got to stop getting ones thaat will be at african cup of nations since the cup of nations and during we have not had 1 win
28 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:32
Shay you’re partly right but that’s not the reason as a matter a fact that cup could develop some of our future youngsters or senior players.
For ex,Mohamed Zidan,do you know how much his price has went up after the cup…a lot.
29 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 17:48
Yes PunkSkunk you’re completely right.That’s the one
30 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 17:52
Hadji, no wonder it’s so nice & warm, you lucky get!..Another month or so before we get some decent heat bro’!..At least the sun is out tho’!..
…Keep the faith mate!..
31 Hadji // Mar 3, 2008 at 18:33
Always mate,our time will come
32 Tripp // Mar 3, 2008 at 18:38
Hey, it was 23C here on Saturday and then -4C on Sunday. We’ve had temps go from -32C to 20C in two days before!
33 Punk Skunk // Mar 3, 2008 at 18:43
Tripp, where’s Here?..That sounds mad!..
34 Tripp // Mar 3, 2008 at 23:36
Denver, Colorado, USA. The place where all broken NUFC players get sent to be repaired. lol.
35 m. stockley // Mar 4, 2008 at 0:42
i have never seen him play, anyone know much about him?
36 scottish mag // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:20
he knows beye and faye, but he also played with cacapa for 2 years at lyon where he won 2 league titles
37 magpie malaysia // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:55
is he good?
38 Yourmindlessanticsappaulme1 // Mar 4, 2008 at 13:21
It’s a dark day for Newcastle. Actually its been a dark decade whereby you have FAILED at every attempt to live up to ur big team hype. First of all the only reason you are not relegated is because of shay given playing at 400 with your comical defences of past and present proving why you will NEVER AT THIS RATE WIN ANYTHING. Keegan, i need a whole book 2 describe his tom foolery, because speculation 2 bring back Henry from barcelona not only made me doubt him but laugh at the prospect of Newcastle ever being a serious club again. IF YOU HAVE A SO CALLED 70 MIL TRANSFER BUDGET STOP BUYING STRIKERS and invest 65 mil in a defence that may propel u to mid-table mediocrity and then go from there. The fact you haven’t even got 40 points yet is testament to your club’s inability to have common sense. Before i go, i am not a ‘hater’ it’s just common sense that you have struggled year in and year out not to concede goals so get your heads out of ur anus’ and start thinking that you need 2 do something. You are even more dillusional than Ass-and-all fans which is a title you can gladly claim 2 have.
Peace
39 Leo // Mar 4, 2008 at 22:17
yourmindless…. your comments are not welcome on this site. dont you think we all know this? its not the fans who sign the players.
we just support our team.
did anyone watch the manchester game, they were winning and ruining them in the first half and yet their fans were cr@p, could hardly hear them
but the press will say nothing about that.
40 Punk Skunk // Mar 5, 2008 at 13:50
Come in no. 38, your time is up…PEACE OFF!..
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