21 Players Have Come And Gone This Summer At St James' Park

Last updated : 03 September 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

It has been all go, but with the chairman's backing, Sam has got the squad he wants.

Chris Mort: "When I called Sam to tell him we had got the two players, I think he was the happiest man in Newcastle."

Sam Allardyce: "This last week - what with the transfer deadline and all the different players coming in and going out - has left me mentally fatigued to say the least.

"I was in London at 7am on Friday organising a work permit for Abdoulaye Faye, then I came back (to Newcastle) and spent most of the night sorting out him and Habib Beye. I asked the players to cheer me up and they've done that.

"It's great for everyone who works at Newcastle, from the top to the bottom, that we have secured these players and all the others we've brought in.

"We're all newcomers, but we're all working towards the same goal. We're all still getting to know each other and, perhaps more importantly, all the players and staff are getting to know me, finding out what I'm looking for and what I demand from them.

"I've brought all these people in, increased the level of the staff by 50%, and it has all been done in three months. There's still a long way to go and a lot to learn but things will only get better. We're still learning about people's strengths and weaknesses and that doesn't happen overnight.

"What's important is that we are winning football matches. We all live on results. Winning these games means we haven't got that continual pressure and that the confidence will continue to build."

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