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Opinion

All 46 Graham Carr Newcastle United signings rated – The good, the bad & the ugly

7 years ago
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Graham Carr has now exited Newcastle United.

The Head Scout arrived in February 2010, replacing Dennis Wise as the go to man on transfers for Mike Ashley.

Nothing is ever that clear at Newcastle United, as to who is really in charge and doing whatever, as evidenced by the recent news that Lee Charnley has had to answer to Ashley’s man Justin Barnes in recent times at the football club.

However, despite not having the title, Graham Carr appears to have acted more as a Director of Football, rather than a mere Head Scout.

With the likes of McClaren and Pardew having no say on transfers in and out of the club, Carr appears to have been the one putting forward all the recommendations to Mike Ashley and his other minions running the club.

I make it that 46 players were brought in during the reign of Graham Carr, that is until the arrival of Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard’s appointment bringing to an end Ashley and Carr’s failed transfer strategy, which had led to yet a second relegation in only seven years, under the ownership of Mike Ashley.

Here are all 46 of those signings rated, including loan signings, from the sublime to the ridiculous.

I also had a handful where I was undecided and they are grouped at the end.

Otherwise, I have split them into five categories.

My choices have been made based on a combination of factors: their ability, how much they cost, how much they actually contributed at NUFC, as well as any transfer fee that may have been received when they left.

So based on ability, Moussa Sissoko would be nowhere near being a very good signing BUT with Tottenham paying £30m for a player who cost only £1.5m, he can’t be rated as anything other than a success in thee ratings.

All comments gratefully received…

Very Good

Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Moussa Sissoko, Loic Remy, Gini Wijnaldum

Good

Papiss Cisse, Karl Darlow, Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey, Andros Townsend, Hatem Ben Arfa

OK

Mehdi Abeid, Davide Santon, Rob Elliot, Mathieu Debuchy, Yoan Gouffran, Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback, Daryl Janmaat, James Perch

Poor

Gael Bigirimana, Vurnon Anita, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Massadio Haidara, Olivier Kemen, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Florian Thauvin

Very Poor

Stephen Ireland, Shefki Kuqi, Dan Gosling, Sol Campbell, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Romain Amalfitano, Luuk de Jong, Siem de Jong, Remy Cabella, Emmanuel Riviere, Facundo Ferreyra, Henri Saivet, Seydou Doumbia

Undecided

Kevin Mbabu, Curtis Good, Chancel Mbemba, Ivan Toney

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as ideas/suggestions) to contribute@themag.co.uk)

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