By Nick Raynor
August 5 2006

Newcastle United manager Glenn Roeder is taking time over signing new players, making sure they are the right stuff.

Newcastle have signed players in the past who under performed yet are overpaid, and Roeder is determined not to let this happen again.

 

Roeder wants the right players – the right ability and the  right personality.

 

Damien Duff is the only name to come through the doors of Newcastle United this season, with 5 players leaving already and Amdy Faye looking set to join Charlton.

 

Roeder also states he is not going to bring in any players which will spend most of their time getting paid to sit on the treatment table.

 

Roeder said:

 

"Hunger is one of the things I'd have to be convinced about before signing a player,"

 

”At this time of year, there are one or two really big names who've had great careers but are past their best. If you look at that sort of player, you know normally he's not going to produce what he did in his younger days.

 

"The word hunger is a great word for me when I'm looking at players. I want people that have a point to prove.

 

"The ability side of it is down to judgment. It's up to you to decide if the player can perform at this level. But when it comes to his character, you can ask lots of questions. You can always find out lots about people if you try hard enough.

 

"You contact players and coaches, although players are maybe not the best people to ask because they seem to look after each other.

 

"When you watch a player, if you watch carefully the body language he gives off on the pitch will tell you a lot about his attitude.

 

"It's very rare you see someone who's got a rotten attitude on the pitch but is a great lad off the pitch.

 

"If a player looks bright and has hunger for the game, he'll be like that off the pitch.

 

"The other thing you have to look at is the stats,

 

"The last requirement you should be looking for is `do they play games or are they injury-prone?

 

"If in the last couple of years they've only played 20 games, then you've got to be very wary.

 

"The last thing you want to do is bring any player who plays a couple of games and is back on the treatment table for six months.

 

"We saw that hunger with Scott Parker last year when he came from Chelsea,

 

"We've seen it from Damien Duff this year and we have players who still retain that hunger.

 

"You want them around the place because it's infectious. The more you have around the place, the better.

 

"I like signing players that have got a point to prove as well."