Hughton Preparing To Offer That No 9 Shirt

06 February 2010 11:04
Leon Best got himself in hot water this week telling a Midlands newspaper he had turned down the No 9 Toon shirt, when in fact Chris Hughton insisted "he was not GIVEN it!" The Newcastle boss was quick to say: "That shirt is an institution on Tyneside and the owner must be worthy". So NO player has it this season, but the potential successor to Alan Shearer (well ... Oba Martins to be honest with you) could be Andy Carroll. Chris Hughton: "Potentially, he is number nine material. He's a player who leads the line. "In some ways, he's an old-fashioned centre-forward who has a prowess in the air, but he's still developing his game and he has to continue to do that. "He has good football skills for a big man, but what he has to add to his game is goals, and he was able to do that tonight." "There have been some really good performances - I think you can take as much out of Sheffield United away 1-0 as you can tonight. "But from a footballing point of view, this is the most pleasing."

Source: FOOTYMAD