Allardyce Only Wants 'One Kid In Defence'

Last updated : 28 July 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

As good as the kid certainly is, the Newcastle United boss wants to sign an experienced centre-back and has ruled out pairing Curtis Davies with Steven Taylor.

Last season Glenn Roeder was forced to play almost an entire back-line of kids because of injuries to key players, and that is an avenue Big Sam will try to avoid. He insists the squad is paper-thin as regards quality defenders, and signing Davies would just add another player looking for experience.
 
Sam Allardyce: "I am looking for experienced defenders. I have Steven Taylor, who is a very, very young and very, very good prospect, and I would not put Curtis Davies alongside Steven Taylor.


"They are both in their early 20s and in the Premiership, that would be the wrong thing to do.

"Somebody with more experience needs to be brought in as well as David Rozehnal, who has been pretty impressive in the time he has been here.

"Peter Ramage did a terrific job in the first half with Paul Huntington gaining more experience.

"I have got Huntington, Steven Taylor and Peter Ramage - I don't need the inexperience of Curtis Davies, as good a player as he is.

"He is definitely a Premiership player, but I need more experience in there in those positions to achieve the clean sheets we would be looking for in the Premiership."