Sam Allardyce is not worried by the prospect of rival clubs coming in for Michael Owen, with the Newcastle chief claiming the striker is out of reach.
Reports suggest Manchester City chief Sven Goran Eriksson is contemplating tabling an offer in the January transfer window.
Owen has just over 18 months to run on his present contract and talks over a new deal have not yet started.
There is a fear Owen could walk away for nothing in 2009, but Allardyce is not concerned by the speculation and will not contemplate a cut-price sale.
"You probably can't afford him,' was his answer to if he had a message for interested parties.
"There's no clause in Michael Owen's contract now, full stop. There's no way Michael can leave unless we want him to. Saying that, if Michael was as determined as some players are when they decide they want to go, that would be a different story."
Allardyce claims the club will review Owen's situation in the summer.
He added: "At the moment, we're hoping Michael stays fit and plays continuously for Newcastle from now until the end of the season. If he does that, we can have a good look at the situation then."
26 10 2007
England Under-21 skipper Steven Taylor has been told to cut out "crap" performances in a candid message from boss Sam Allardyce.
The young defender was frozen out of Allardyce's squad for the win against Spurs, not even making the bench, and has yet to agree a new deal with the club.
Taylor was heroic for his country at Euro 2007 but has suffered at club level under Allardyce, paying the price for Newcastle's 3-1 defeat at Manchester City, along with Czech stopper David Rozenhal.
Allardyce has ordered Taylor to learn from United's Brazilian stopper Claudio Cacapa and the way he uses brain rather than brawn to snuff out danger.
Big Sam reckons he now has the strength in depth to axe stars - even if their performances dip for just one game.
Four Allardyce summer signings, Habib Beye, Cacapa, Abdoulaye Faye and Jose Enrique are now the first choice defence.
Newcastle are looking to build on their strongest start for 10 years by beating Reading tomorrow and asked about Taylor's future, Allardyce said: "It's not about me dropping players, it's about players dropping themselves because they played crap at Manchester City. If you play that badly, you're likely to lose your shirt. That's not just Steven Taylor - it's most of the back four on that day. One poor performance can cost you. It's frustrating and disappointing for the player in question, but that's the nature of the game. Steven trains his hardest every day and of course he will be frustrated. Basic repetitive training is the answer, particularly for defenders. That hasn't happened too much in the past here. No disrespect to previous Newcastle managers, but it doesn't look as though it has. The perfect example for Steven is Claudio Cacapa. He's not as quick as Steven, not as young but his brain gets him in to positions before the forwards. He makes it look simple. That's one of the big things to learn as a defender - reading the game."
26 10 2007
Sam Allardyce is considering giving Joey Barton his first start for Newcastle in Saturday's Barclays Premier League game with Reading at the Madjeski Stadium.
Barton finally pulled on the black and white shirt for the first time when he came on as a substitute in Monday's victory over Tottenham after suffering a metatarsal injury in the close season.
He received a tremendous ovation from the fans at St James' Park and Allardyce believes he has a lot to offer.
Allardyce said: "One of the things about midfield today is the all-round ability to do a bit of everything that is needed to be the complete midfield player. I think that Joey has a little bit of everything in his make-up to be a highly competitive midfield player in hopefully what is going to be a top-class Premier League football club in the future. His energy levels are fantastic. He achieves a huge amount of output both in and out of possession. He can tackle - although he can be erratic at times - he can head a ball, he can certainly pass the ball and to boot he also scores goals. I think he's got the lot and hopefully if he gets the opportunity to put the Newcastle shirt on from the start he keeps it. In fact I hope soon that every Newcastle player who has the shirt is looking over his shoulder and knowing if they do not perform to their best they will have that shirt taken off them."
Barton's fitness, the return from suspension of Alan Smith and the fact that James Milner came off the bench to score a stunner against Spurs give Allardyce plenty to ponder in midfield.
He said: "I have not made my mind up whether Joey Barton will start against Reading or not. In fact I haven't made my mind up on the team yet."
Smith can play in either midfield or up front and, in the continued absence of Mark Viduka, the former Leeds and Manchester United man provides an alternative option to the Michael Owen-Obafemi Martins strike partnership.
24 10 2007
Obafemi Martins has dismissed reports suggesting he is unsettled at Newcastle.
Martins has produced a number of eye-catching performances this season but competition for places at St James' Park is fierce.
The former Internazionale striker has been linked with a January return to Serie A, with Juventus understood to be interested.
However, the Nigerian insists he will not be going anywhere, and has pledged his future to Magpies manager Sam Allardyce.
"I'm very happy and settled at Newcastle, I don't take any notice of the stories saying I'll leave," Martins said in the Daily Express.
"And if Sam Allardyce is here for five years I will be here for five years as well. That is how much I enjoy playing for him. I don't think I'll be going anywhere while Sam is here. I'm scoring goals and I'm playing games, that's all you can ask for as a striker."
Martins, who joined Newcastle in August 2006, admits he did struggle to adjust to the English game initially.
He explained: "It wasn't that easy when I first came to Newcastle and it took me a few months to learn about the Premier League, about England and living in Newcastle. I had to adapt to the style of football and it took me some time, but I'm very happy here."
23 10 2007
Sam Allardyce believes Joey Barton is ready to thrive at St James' Park having finally made his bow for The Magpies.
The combative midfielder has been sidelined ever since his move from Manchester City in the summer, courtesy of a fractured metatarsal.
But on Monday, in a 3-1 defeat of Tottenham, Barton made a late cameo appearance from the substitutes' bench and received a rapturous reception.
Allardyce is confident that his £5.8million acquisition will soon establish himself as a firm favourite with the Toon faithful.
Allardyce said: "That reception is why he came here. It's a tremendous lift for any player to walk out on the pitch and get a massive cheer which makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. It gets your adrenaline flowing and gets you into the game. We were just losing our heads a little bit when he came on, and Emre was tiring a little bit. It was a good change-over tactically. It was good to see him back, and I hope he goes a long time before anything like that happens to him again."
22 10 2007
Newcastle United manager Sam Allardyce has revealed that he is bracing himself for the African Nations Cup, and may be forced into activity in the January transfer window.
The Magpies are likely to be without the services of skipper Geremi, defenders Habib Beye and Abdoulaye Faye and striker Obafemi Martins due to the African Nations Cup after Christmas.
Although Allardyce won't be alone in losing players to the competition, he admits he'll have to do some business in January to plug the gap.
He said: "I lose four, but most of the country loses a similar amount these days. I think there's only Manchester United who do not have an African Nations player playing. Most of the other teams do. It's a difficult period. The January window is something for me to talk about with Chris (Mort), the chairman, and try to plan for that as soon as we can and see what comes about."
The former Bolton man would rather not have to make any purchases in the mid-season transfer window, a system that he believes needs reviewing.
He said: "It's always difficult in January to buy players because you need a settling-in period and if you buy somebody in January, it would have to be instant. They would have to have an instant impact on the side, and that can sometimes be extremely difficult for the new player to that, and he can be judged very quickly if he does not live up to the expectation, and suffer because of that. That's why the system is flawed. I have said it since day one, and I have not changed my mind. It would be nice if somebody reviewed it and changed it, but I don't think they will."
19 10 2007
Liverpool boss, Rafael Benitez has offered his best wishes to friend and former Reds legend Sammy Lee, who this week left Bolton Wanderers, by mutual consent.
Sammy Lee spent just six months in charge of Bolton before his departure, and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes the former Reds player was not given enough time to make his managerial mark on the Premiership.
The Spaniard told Liverpool's official club website "I have a good relationship with Sammy Lee and I have said to both him and Frank McParland that I was sorry, and that it's too soon for them to be sacked. You must give time to a new manager. Everything is going too fast now in football."
Lee was installed as manager of Bolton last season, in the wake of Sam Allardyce's departure to Newcastle United, but failed to reach the same heights as his predecessor.
The former Bolton manger is well liked on the red half of Merseyside, as he played a key role in Liverpool's success in the late seventies and early eighties, earning himself two European Cup winners medals and three Division 1 titles.
Bolton currently lie 19th in the league table and in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety.
18 10 2007
Bolton Wanderers have put coach Archie Knox in charge of first-team affairs after the departure of Sammy Lee.
Knox, 60, left his post as Scotland Under-21 manager to join Lee's backroom staff at the Reebok Stadium in August.
The former Manchester United, Rangers and Everton assistant manager will be in charge "until further notice", said a statement on the club's website.
Know will be aided by coaches Ricky Sbragia and Jimmy Phillips as they prepare to face Arsenal on Saturday.
Lee parted company with the Trotters on Wednesday after just six months in charge of the club.
He was promoted from assistant manager in April when boss Sam Allardyce - who has since joined Newcastle - left the club.
Former Wigan boss Paul Jewell is the bookmakers' favourite to replace Lee long-term, with Chris Coleman, who is at Real Sociedad, also thought to be interesting chairman Phil Gartside.
In Thursday's newspapers, Gary Megson, Graeme Souness, John Collins and Steve Bruce are also mentioned as potential new Bolton managers.
17 10 2007
Joey Barton seems to be on track to make his Newcastle United debut in the Premiership during Monday night's clash against Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park and the Magpies were further boosted as striker Mark Viduka joined in training.
England midfielder Barton, 25, had been injured after completing a move to Tyneside from Manchester City in the summer.
He has however recovered from the foot injury and made two reserve run-outs to press for at least a place on substitutes' bench for Spurs game.
Toon boss Sam Allardyce said in the Evening Chronicle: 'Joey has got a slight chance of being in the squad at the very best, just on the bench. He is a number of games short yet and still trying to catch up on match practice, but he is working very, very hard to get there.'
On Australian Viduka, who had missed Everton game with injury, Allardyce said: 'Mark joined in training, so he is hopefully going to have no reaction to his calf problem.'
17 10 2007
Bolton Wanderers have parted company with their manager, Sammy Lee, after a dismal run of results which has seen them slump to second bottom of the Premier League.
Lee, who had been assistant manager, took over the Lancashire side in April, a day after Sam Allardyce announced that he was leaving the club.
His appointment had been intended to ensure stability and continuity at the club, but in addition to results continuing to slide on the pitch, there was also friction with senior players off it.
Clashes with Kevin Nolan, the captain, and Ivan Campo, who were both unhappy to have been left out of the side, came in addition to differences with some of the coaching staff, a number of whom also left the club.
Signs that all was not well came at the end of last week when player-coach Gary Speed announced that he only wanted to continue as a player and relinquished his coaching duties.
Lee paid the price today, as he and Frank McParland, his assistant, parted company 'by mutual consent', according to the club, with Speed and Paul Jewell already in the frame to take over as his replacement.
"This has been a difficult decision for all parties but we have agreed that time is right,' Phil Gartside, the Bolton Wanderers chairman, said.
"Sammy has played an important role in the club's recent history. We wish Sammy and Frank well for the future. Our efforts will now be to look for a replacement manager and to concentrate on the future."
Bolton have won just one of their nine Premier League games to date and are above bottom club Derby County on goal difference. They face a daunting trip to Arsenal, the unbeaten leaders, on Saturday.
