Was it a joke? Could they be serious? If Liverpools rushed decision to chuck £35 million was an act of desperation, Newcastles follow-up move was almost worse. With Carroll sold with eight hours of the transfer window remaining, the carpet had well and truly been swept from under Alan Pardews feet. He may not have had time to sign a replacement, but that didnt stop him hauling in a free agent - the 34 year old Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi, who had just had his contract terminated the previous week by Championship side Swansea City. The player had spent every the previous decade in England, bar one season spent in Germany, but his goal-scoring record was embarrassing for a forward to say the least. He had a combined total of seven goals in his previous three seasons in the country, with most of the spells coming in the Championship. When Newcastle supporters heard that this infamous belly-flopper was arriving at St. James Park - a man not even deemed good enough for the Championship - heads were scratching.
''Hes match fit and knows the English game well having been in the country for the best part of ten years. He is ready straight away and thats what we wanted. Shefki is a good, honest pro who will give us a strong physical presence from the bench. - Alan Pardew, February 2011.
Newcastle had also been linked with another uninspiring option in the form of Arsenal and Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliaidiere, who was also unattached, but settled for Kuqi as he was closer to match fitness, and joined Peter Lovenkrands, Leon Best and Nile Ranger as the clubs only available strikers. An intimidating bunch, eh?
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
