Shearergol

It was just so obvious he was going to fail, I don't think anyone thought he could make a success of the club. Then why did the majority want him to get his chance as permanent manager? Maybe you didn't think he would be a success, but most of us wanted him to get his crack, including me, but maybe that's one for the "owning up" thread. Link???

with hindsight yes, I think there was some justification for giving him a go, it just didn't work out. Lots of clubs take this path or promoting a caretaker who does quite well, Manu, Liverpool, Chelsea have all been there too. I can't think of another team in the league who'd have thought about giving him a job at the time and I thought he'd turn out to be shit so I'm not purely employing hindsight. His track record shouldn't have been overshadowed by his doing well as a caretaker here. It should have been a case of thank you and back to the academy to continue your good work there. I thought that at the time too. 99% of the forum said exactly the same thing. There is no hindsight to apply with the Roeder appointment; it was an awful decision, and destined to fail from the start.

Perfect example of a signing to appease the fans. I honestly don't think he'd be a success here. Not sure how he'd be coming to appease the fans when he's better than anything we've got in the squad by some distance. Because he's been shit for over a year now, and he'd be signed on the back of his name and reputation. There are better players out there currently who would cost less in transfer fees, wages, and wouldn't spend all of their spare time getting pissed up in the local nightclubs. World player of the year 3 years ago and all of a sudden he's too good for us? What if transfer fees and wages were not a problem? Also, it's not as if KK has never dealt with party boys before is it. I just think there are more suitable players out there, and the main reason to sign him would be to excite the fans. I don't know why you think wages wouldn't be an issue though tbh

I think we'll spend just over £25m, but we'll be getting some of that back from selling 3 or 4 players.

what about Warren Barton? Joke, surely? Warren Barton was the best attacking right back in the league at the time. Just a shame he didn't defend quite as well. The opposite of Beye.

I think Wullie did

err....no, Big Sam! I've watched Beye for years and I've always felt he could do a job on the wing as he is good going forward and can defend as well. I'm not suggesting it should become his position, I'm just saying it would be interesting to see how he played there. To me he never looks comfortable when he's attacking with the ball. Superb right back, just leave him there.

Ok, maybe a bit longer then.

Owen was a great signing. It was only when he got injured so often for us that fans started to claim he shouldn't have been signed in the first place (apart from Wullie, who hated him from the start).

Perfect example of a signing to appease the fans. I honestly don't think he'd be a success here. Not sure how he'd be coming to appease the fans when he's better than anything we've got in the squad by some distance. Because he's been shit for over a year now, and he'd be signed on the back of his name and reputation. There are better players out there currently who would cost less in transfer fees, wages, and wouldn't spend all of their spare time getting pissed up in the local nightclubs.

You've been looking for the opportunity to use that for 2 years.

“The Newcastle fans aren’t as good as everybody says" Everybody? I was under the impression that the media had been calling our fans shite for the last 10 years tbh

Perfect example of a signing to appease the fans. I honestly don't think he'd be a success here.

Want Chelsea to win, think Liverpool will though. Still fancy Man United to win it overall though. Can't see LivTorresGerrardpool beating them.

Needs to work on his positioning but that like most young defenders will only get better with age & experience. I think his positioning is his strength. Weird how people can see completely opposite things in players.

I get the feeling you must watch football all day every day. You seem to know every player in the world.

Fulham. Yep, you're right. Don't even know why I typed Reading. Wishful thinking maybe.

Reading have already gone according to the bookmakers. Then it's either Brum or Bolton. Can't see Sunderland going down tbh

Honestly? Which were his car crash performances? Liverpool at a push....

Enrique isn't the greatest defender in the world either. He's not BAD, by any means, but he's better on the attack. T'other way round I'm afraid. As I said the day we signed him:

I said he was shite before and after he signed, nowt to do with hindsight. Same with Smith then, yeah? Only the manager can be blamed for the Boumsong signing I'm afraid.

Do you think Boumsong replaced him? Ahh, so every signing is based on hindsight? Brilliant.

if it means they missed the boat in January ? "we won't be buying any players unless they are for the future" ring any bells ............ You see, I agreed with you about the lack of transfers in January (probably in the Zamblera thread) but I also know that Blackburn didn't want to see Bentley in January too - how many times do you see the "teams don't want to sell their best players in January" line from managers? We could have gone in with a £25m bid, and they may have been tempted by that, but that would make him over-priced. Exactly the same happened when we went for Boa Morte, and look where that left us. We should have strengthened in January, IMO, but I very much doubt we had any chance of getting Bentley then. fair enough in all seriousness but it wasn't the best of questions was it ? I'm just pre-empting what I know some people are going to claim. In the same way that the board didn't fail trying to sign Rooney; I hope it's not held against Mort if Bentley doesn't come.

if it means they missed the boat in January ? "we won't be buying any players unless they are for the future" ring any bells ............ You see, I agreed with you about the lack of transfers in January (probably in the Zamblera thread) but I also know that Blackburn didn't want to see Bentley in January too - how many times do you see the "teams don't want to sell their best players in January" line from managers? We could have gone in with a £25m bid, and they may have been tempted by that, but that would make him over-priced. Exactly the same happened when we went for Boa Morte, and look where that left us. We should have strengthened in January, IMO, but I very much doubt we had any chance of getting Bentley then.

Boumsong wasn't a necessary signing, a replacement for Woodgate was necessary, eeeer......don't know quite how to say this, but .......... oh, somebody else tell him To be fair Mick, that's a fucking stupid comment.