Where's Joe Kinnear?

Newcastle United are not a squad in trouble, talent-wise.  They're really not in too much trouble depth wise, although there are definite places where the squad could definitely be strengthened.  The club themselves have acknowledged the need for another striker while having another right back would provide insurance in the event of an injury to Mathieu Debuchy.  You could even make the case for need at attacking midfield although Newcastle are already struggling to play the 13408 midfielders they currently have in the senior squad.

During the Bedo Fif era, we have seen one player who was reportedly as good as signed chased off in the form of Douglas, presumably because Joe had not heard of the player.  We've seen one player signed in the form of Loïc Rémy from QPR - a player that was as good as signed for Newcastle United in January before Tony Fernandes came in with an obscene wage packet proposal.  We have seen Joe say we would be a major player for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, going so far as to say that if he convinced Mike Ashley there was a very real need to bring a striker, Mike would provide the cash.  Aubameyang likely would have never come to Newcastle anyway (he of course ended up with beaten Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund), but what we were left with - Joe's insistence that Mike would pay if he told him to - doesn't sit well in light of the protracted "negotiations" for Lyon striker Bafétimbi Gomis for significantly less money than the Aubameyang fee.

Bedo couldn't convince Florian Thauvin to come to Newcastle.  He has apparently been uninterested in potential loan strikers Demba Ba and Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, though if the loan fees being quoted in the Demba Ba situation are exorbitant.. but that's part of your job as a Director of Football, right?  Negotiating fees?  If you're Bedo Fif, then something should have been able to get one of those "over the line", yes?

In terms of player movement, you really have to figure that Joe Kinnear has been a net negative.  In player movement, you have to say that Joe Kinnear has been a net negative.  The anticipated departure of Yohan Cabaye, which should have been an easy one if you don't seriously rate Cabaye at £20-25m or if he would come down off of that valuation in negotiations... part of his job.  Bedo bungled the Cabaye situation - again, let's be honest... they had every intention of selling during this window - so badly that the internet mouthpiece of Mike Ashley SportsDirectNews.com attempted to fake interest in the form of an "exclusive report" that Manchester United would be coming in for a last minute bid for Cabaye.  Then there's always the Dan Gosling situation with Crystal Palace - it's hard to say if Bedo had a hand in that as a fee had reportedly been agreed... but by the time Gosling got to London, Crystal Palace wouldn't let him in the building.

If he can't buy players... if he can't sell players... what exactly CAN he do?  He can, of course, singularly insult every Newcastle United fan blustering famously that he was smarter than every single supporter of the club.  He can hover as a suspiciously positioned safety net if or when the club decides to sever its relationship with manager Alan Pardew, an underperforming figure in his own right.  He can certainly fester the ill will between the club management and the supporters, we know that much.

Joe Kinnear famously insisted that he be given through the summer transfer window before supporters judged his performance as Bedo Fif.  He has 2 hours left before the end of that time frame, and the judgement is going to be swift and severe from Newcastle's lifeblood.  Meanwhile, there is so little even rumored for the club that I am sat here writing this instead of chasing down a rumor or researching some French player I've never heard of.

More from Coming Home Newcastle:

• Newcastle United Transfer Window Live
• Transfer Deadline Day: Catching Up With Some Rumors
• Yohan Cabaye To Stay With Newcastle United
• Florian Thauvin in Medical
• Transfer Deadline Pastimes: Same As It Ever Was
• Newcastle Brown Ale: Handcrafted
• Alternate Transfer Window Entertainment #1: Alan Shearer Karaoke