United speculate on the futures market

Feb 1 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

FUTURE: Kevin Keegan has failed to strengthen his first-team squad during the January window, but Newcastle United were still as busy as anyone in the transfer market. Chief Sports Writer Luke Edwards reports

NEWCASTLE United have tended to struggle to look beyond the end of any season, let alone several. But the seeds for a prosperous future often need to be sown years in advance.

For centuries, wise people have known that if you look after your children the future tends to look after itself and, with this in mind, United have concentrated their recent recruitment effort on their youth team.

Although there will be disappointment and a sense of anti-climax that Newcastle have failed to strengthen their first-team squad during the January transfer window, the Magpies have been taking steps to try to secure the long-term vitality of the club.

It will not be supported by everyone and, given their recent slump in form, the decision not to bring in any new first-team players comes with an element of risk. But it seems Newcastle have suddenly got a long-term plan, rather than merely a succession of quick fixes.

Kevin Keegan will have to make the best of what he has got in the first team until the end of the season and there will undoubtedly be sections of the club’s supporters who cannot understand the club’s inability to sign players to strengthen a small Premier League squad, but this is about long-term health rather than an instant shot in the arm.

In Wesley Ngo Baheng, Tamas Kadar, Ben Tozer and Fabio Zamblera, United have scoured Europe for new young talent and have signed four exciting prospects aged 18 or under. None of them are expected to be seen in a first-team squad this season, but the same was said about Charles N’Zogbia when he moved to the North-East from Le Havre as a raw 18-year-old in August 2004.

The winger made his senior debut just a month later and went on to establish himself as a regular squad member under then-manager Graeme Souness.

Indeed, the example set by N’Zogbia has almost certainly played a part in the board’s thinking. The French Under-21 international has become arguably Newcastle’s most exciting player this season and the Magpies needed to fend off interest in him from Tottenham Hotspur yesterday. How Keegan would love one of the new arrivals to make a similar impact. Keegan would rather have seen a couple of senior and seasoned Premier League campaigners arrive rather than a handful of fresh faced rookies with no Premier League experience who will spend the rest of the season worrying about acne, driving tests and whether they will be asked for ID when they go for a drink on the Quayside.

But he knows United’s ability to challenge for a top-four place will also depend on their ability to produce their own players.

Established internationals cost a fortune, but the star international players of the future tend to come at a considerably cheaper price. Some will prickle at the fact only one, Tozer, is an Englishman, but the Premier League stopped being merely England’s top division years ago and this is the reality of the cosmopolitan nature of the modern game.

Yet if Newcastle’s determination to improve the young players at the club is an interesting one, it is also a stance which owes much to Keegan’s predecessor. They may have dispensed with his services after less than eight months, but United owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort did share some common ground with former manager Sam Allardyce.

While they sometimes squirmed in discomfort at the style of football Allardyce adopted during his brief spell at St James’s Park and, while they may have been puzzled by some of the strange ideas he had behind the scenes in the name of sports science, they wholeheartedly agreed with his determination to strengthen the club at every possible level.

As well as looking to mould the first team, Allardyce, as part of his long-term plans for the future, stressed the need for investment in the club’s youth teams. Significantly, while he may have had to persuade Mort that the signing of Joey Barton was a good idea and that West Ham’s offer for Kieron Dyer should be accepted, he did not need to argue his case on this particular matter. It is a project which has clearly survived his cull.

Mort said: “The club has very few development players between the ages of 17 and 20, and then below that, to bring through more and better players for the Academy. That all comes with time, the right structure and the right amount of knowledge to get those players.

“That’s an area we have looked to improve. We want to make this a club where youngsters want to play and where parents also want their sons to come and play.”

Allardyce will never get to see the benefits of his determination to improve the quality of the young players at the club. Keegan, though, will also have to wait months, perhaps years, to reap the benefits of Newcastle activity in the transfer market this month. Only time will tell if a brave decision leads to a brave new world.

FABIO ZAMBLERA

Age: 17

Position: Striker

Previous Club: Atalanta

Nationality: Italian

An exciting prospect who was Newcastle’s only signing on transfer deadline day. Has made rapid progress at international level in Italy where he is already an Italian Under-19 international, even though he is a year younger than some of the other players in the squad. Is believed to have signed a four-and-half year contract. Like the rest of the new arrivals, will regularly train with the first-team squad but will not be considered for selection in the Premier League.

BEN TOZER

Age: 17

Position: Left-Back

Previous Club: Swindon

Nationality: English

Began his career at hometown club Plymouth Argyle, but was poached by Swindon last summer. The teenager made such a big impression at the County Ground that he made his first-team debut for the Wiltshire club against Charlton Athletic in the Carling Cup. Went on to make six appearances in Coca-Cola League One, but Everton and Newcastle had already made their interest known. United agreed a £250,000 deal in December, which could rise to £1m with subsequent add-ons. Is expected to go out on loan to a Championship side before the end of the season to gain experience.

WESLEY NGO BAHENG

Age: 18

Position: Striker

Previous Club: Le Havre

Nationality: French

Has followed a similar path to French Under-21 international Charles N’Zogbia, who also started his career with French club Le Havre, and Newcastle fans will hope he proves to be an equally successful signing. Allardyce had initially wanted to sign the pacy forward – who was born in the Cameroon – in the summer but was held up by red tape. Has already made an encouraging start to his Magpies career in the reserves and may also benefit from a loan move.

TAMAS KADAR

Age: 17

Position: Centre-Back

Previous Club: Zalaegerszegi TE

Nationality: Hungarian

Kadar is highly-rated Hungary Under-21 international who enjoyed a successful trial with Newcastle when Sam Allardyce was in charge. It was Allardyce who made the decision to sign him – he also had a trial at Bolton Wanderers. It proved to be his last signing as United boss, Kadar officially moving to St James’s Park on the day Kevin Keegan was unveiled as manager again. He made his debut for former club Zalaegerszegi TE at just 16 and is equally comfortable at left-back or centre-back.