Taylor And Martins Going Nowhere!

Newcastle released manager Sam Allardyce from his contract, but before he went he insisted Taylor and Obas Martins would not be sold in the January transfer window.
 
Allardyce: "Spurs ain't got a chance. It's as simple as that.

"While they say everybody has got his price, I can tell them that Steven Taylor is not for sale.

"We have had no contact with Villa or City about Obafemi Martins, but I can tell them - and anybody else, for that matter - that he is not for sale.

"In any case, I don't know how anybody can be expected to sign Martins when he is away in the African Nations Cup until the start of next month.

"It gets back to speculation again, which is one of the biggest distractions of the January window.

"Not only is it speculation about what you are bringing in, but unrest can be caused to your players who people are speculating might go out.

"Even though there might be no truth in it, that player might think I don't want him any more and am trying to sell him, and that can be very disruptive.

"That's why this window is a very dangerous one indeed.

"When the window opens everybody expects there to be a mad rush.

"It seems to have given an expectancy to the whole of the fans in this country that there is always going to be massive amounts of money spent at every single window now.

"The bottom line is there are fewer players than ever before of the right ilk and the right quality worldwide available for football clubs to buy in this window in only four weeks.

"We are competing in that window with either other Premier League clubs or other clubs from abroad if it is a foreign player.

"Hopefully we can be successful as quickly as possible because my need is not in two weeks' time, my need is now to try to boost the squad.

"Even if we could pull one off before Manchester United it would give us an extra body to take into that game and beyond in this period when we have players either away or not available."