Sunday Sun WAY Off The Mark With Taylor Article!

Last updated : 17 September 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Sunday Sun: "TOMORROW is D-Day in Steven Taylor's contract dispute with Newcastle.

"If, as he fears, the defender is dropped for new boy Habib Beye for the visit to Derby, he is set to tell United he is prepared to leave in January.

"Taylor has already turned down one contract offer described by his dad, Alf, as 'completely inadequate'.

"And both father and son are understood to be angry that United boss Sam Allardyce criticised Taylor Sr for speaking out on the issue.

"But with Taylor being dropped at Derby a more likely prospect than Newcastle chairman Chris Mort meeting his £30,000-a-week wage demands, talks planned between the two parties for Wednesday look set to fail.

"And that will alert Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea to the possibility of persuading the Magpies to part with Taylor in January."

Taylor has no intentions of leaving St James' Park. But there is one man very concerned that the likes of Steven Taylor could miss out on Premiership games due to foreign players arriving in the Premiership in their droves.

Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's Director of Football Development, has expressed his concern at the lack of home-grown players making it through to the top level because of the influx of foreigners, and that fear has been echoed by one of his predecessors, Howard Wilkinson.

Howard Wilkinson: "The fact is that the numbers of domestic players in the Premier League are going down year by year, and that is now spreading down to the Championship.

"The rewards for getting out of the Championship are so massive that you are seeing the top Championship clubs filling their dressing rooms with experienced players and foreign imports.

"All this puts pressure on one of the most important factors for an emerging player, which is opportunity.

"In 1999, we identified 50 teenagers who were on track to be in contention for the World Cup in 2006, 50.

"Now I challenge anyone to identify 50 teenagers at the moment given the route to the top is as congested as it is.

"They do need opportunity, they do need to get into good first teams."