By Tyne-Talk
April 30 2008

Defender Steven Taylor has said how the next 2 games are currently at the forefront of his mind and contract talks will be put on the back burner until the season is over. Over the last 7 months Taylor has been linked with various clubs (detailed below) as his contract is due for renewal.

The 22 year old seemed discontent at the beginning of March when he was quoted saying he wouldn't be mucked around and worried that for as long as he didn't hear from the club, he feared he would be sold.

At the time he said:

"I have heard nothing at all about a new contract.

It is up to the chairman to offer me one, but the longer it goes without any feedback the more concerned I'm becoming.

I've lived all my life on Tyneside, come up through the youth system and have a great relationship with the Newcastle fans. There is no other club I want to play for.

Kevin Keegan has been fantastic to me since he came in. I love playing for him, but I know he has had a lot of other things on his mind since he came back. I understand that.

But I don't think this is down to him. It has to be sorted out by the people upstairs. There has been a lack of contact. My dad has been mucked about. Meetings have been cancelled.

I have been mucked about in the past and have kept my mouth shut. For things to have dragged on this long is a joke.

I get on great with Kevin, but I think it is the people upstairs who don't rate me. I won't be mucked about. I just want this sorted out.

The longer I hear nothing from the club the more I fear they want to sell me.

If there is no offer on the table by the summer then I will have no choice but to look at my options."

However in his most recent statement given to the Evening Chronicle he said:

"The next game is the only thing I'm looking at - it's as simple as that.

I've got an agent now, and I'll leave the rest to other people.

There's been enough talk all season, and I've had my say, and now I'm just getting on with my football.

I'm enjoying playing under the new manager, and I just want to play every game."

Taylor Concentrating On Playing - Not Contract

Discussion started by TyneTalk (IP Logged), 30/04/2008 19:05

TyneTalk
30/04/2008 19:05

Taylor Concentrating On Playing - Not Contract

Reply Quote Report

CNDShearerFan16
30/04/2008 19:31

Okay enough mucking about at the top, offer the lad a decent long term contract.

Reply Quote Report

exileonwearside
30/04/2008 19:49

i take this as a sign that we are now a bigger draw - and that includes to the players already here! great news that taylor has changed his tune, i hope he knuckles down and becomes the player we all hope he will.
i often felt that there was a subtext to the earlier 'press releases' which was that taylor would only stay if he was given a big pay rise, and that he felt he must have a strong enough bargaining position to be able to threaten to leave. he is surely now hoping to stay as long as possible, and be a big part of the clubs bright future. the first sign of a positive summer!

Reply Quote Report

tunyc
30/04/2008 20:46

I'll say this: to all those who complained about his father, well you got your wish-he's brought another 'professional' agent into the Newcastle camp. Yay!

Reply Quote Report

exileonwearside
30/04/2008 22:48

cant be may players without agents mind, and taylor was clearly badly advised in making his previous statements. i do think he was either looking to move as we stagnated, or he was using his popularity as a home grown player to pressurise his contract negotiations. neither of these is hard to understand, but its great to see that he has at least softened his stance in the light of our upturn.
i hope he stays, but i also hope he is presented with some very strong competition for a first team place next season, as he will need this to progress as a player

Reply Quote Report

Joe
01/05/2008 12:39

Good to hear

He'll be a captain of this fine club one day.

He's still learning his trade but does deserve a decent offer.

He's only going to get better.

Reply Quote Report

T00N B0Y
01/05/2008 13:48

He is staying here for his career and they will give him a great deal. Just have the boy play hard. His change in attitude is the sign the club as a whole has changed. We are playing well. Winning the games we should, coming back from 2 goals down and having everything positive in the dressing room. The reason why, or at least the big reason in my eyes.... Mr. Keegan. He is a winner and he's at the Toon to do what he should have last time and that is win some trophies!

Reply Quote Report

ste_ne24
05/05/2008 17:47

i don't think milner has an agent.. he uses the pfa

Reply Quote Report

CNDShearerFan16
18/05/2008 19:12

The latest in the saga? This is from News of the World so take it for what it's worth I suppose:

West Ham are reportedly preparing a bid for Newcastle's highly-rated England Under-21 central defender Steven Taylor.

The 22-year-old is still hoping for a new deal at St James' Park but with Magpies owner Mike Ashley keen to reduce the wage bill at the club, the News of the World claims that the Hammers are ready to swoop.

West Ham chief Alan Curbishley is on the lookout for a new centre-half, with Anton Ferdinand continually linked with a move away from Upton Park and Matthew Upson, Danny Gabbidon and James Collins all injury prone.

Taylor has a year left on his current contract and is likely to cost around £5million, although Toon chief Kevin Keegan is eager to keep the defender.

Reply Quote Report

exileonwearside
18/05/2008 19:43

5m? that sounds like a lot for a guy with 12 months left. he's decent, but...

anyway, its the news of the world so its not likely to have an ounce of truth in it

Reply Quote Report

MissC
19/05/2008 19:28

West Ham

Taylor (?)
Solano
Bellamy
Dyer
Parker
Solano

Thats half a side and more

Reply Quote Report

exileonwearside
19/05/2008 19:45

and bowyer

Reply Quote Report

tunyc
19/05/2008 20:07

And quite a side at that, what with the Solano brothers (or is it father and son...)

Really, though, West Ham? Well, that is the club who paid £8M for Matthew Upson and then had to sign him to a new deal. So I would ask for more than £5M.

I think he'll be kept, though. He's not the player to get rid of in order to keep wages down. There are much better candidates than him.

Reply Quote Report

jamestoon
19/05/2008 23:48

I think if we were offered 5M we should bite their hand off. taylor has a long way to go before he's anywhere decent. his positional sense is poor and he spends half the game on his ass.

If he's one of our first choice cb's then we're in trouble again next season.

Get rid.

Reply Quote Report

tunyc
20/05/2008 21:03

We're not watching the same side, mate.

If he's bad positionally, then we need to scrap the entire defense.

And several PL sides-Liverpool included-have disagreed with you evaluation of his talent level. And then there's that thing about numbers and lying:

#73 on the ACTIM Top 100 for 2007/08
#14 among center halves
#2 among NUFC players

36 app., only 3 YC, scored one goal more than Alan Smith. Must be kept.

And no club should accept the first offer made for a valuable young player, in any case.

Reply Quote Report

MissC
21/05/2008 20:12

only just caught up with this. yes solano and son

Reply Quote Report

tunyc
21/05/2008 21:25

I'm picturing the Peruvian version of Sanford and Son...with Nobby as the Redd Foxx character, and his son driving a donkey cart filled with scrap metal.

Reply Quote Report

shearers legs
21/05/2008 23:59

he wont be captain of ur club one day.
why
he simply aint good enough,his positional play is no better than brambles,his decision making is worse,he is far to rash has no composure and is inexpierienced.
holding out for a new contract! ha! he should be happy with what evers offered,bit player
PRIMA DONNA

Reply Quote Report

tunyc
22/05/2008 01:00

Assertion does not a point make. You have to argue it. Can you explain to me how his statistical performance places him so highly in the Actim index if he's such $hite? Why has such a club as Liverpool been credibly linked to him?

He's 22 years old by all of three months. Six years younger than John Terry for example, seven years younger than Kolo Toure and eight younger than Rio Ferdinand. He certainly still has years of development ahead of him. Center half is known as the position with the steepest learning curve in the sport. I've been consistent in my position that this club needs to bring in an experienced-in England-partner for him to help him learn. Toure learned from Campbell, Terry from Desailly, etc., etc.

He's not as bad as you're suggesting positionally and you're giving him no credit at all for his strengths: man-marking, tackling, being a leader and running game in and game out for 90 minutes.

What defender at this club has more upside than him?

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net